There are many variables involved in a successful data center migration. It’s near impossible to make it happen without the support of experts. If your IT staff lacks all of the experience, knowledge and tools to plan and execute a successful data center migration, the risks can be overwhelming.

Here are four key steps to help ensure a successful data center migration.

  • Decide What to Move
  • Review the Environment and Perform Equipment Inventory
  • Form a Team that Works Well Together
  • Document and Test, Test, Test

While it sounds relatively simple, the overall process of successful data center migration is anything but simple, that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated if you have the best people on board.

Working with data migration specialists who have the know-how to migrate applications and workloads to new platforms quickly and easily with minimal downtime is the prime differentiator. Your project team needs to be able to help you plan and implement your migration with an end-to-end service, from opportunity identification, initial assessment and implementation to ongoing management.

At VTG, one of our priorities is to ensure that the experience exceeds requirements for storage, server, application or exchange migration, and migration to the cloud. We use our patented automation tool ZENfraTM to ensure a successful end-to-end transition, lowering costs by as much as 25 percent and reducing migration times by 30 to 40 percent compared to traditional in-house methods.

It’s also important to think about what not to do in a migration project. Here are a few, commonly-occurring obstacles to avoid:

  • Viewing migrations as only an IT infrastructure project vs a business initiative
  • Inaccurate understanding of project scope
  • Underestimating storage migration time and complexity
  • The right tools are essential but they are not magic
  • Not connecting the current data center with the new environments
  • Failing to address all of the logistical details
  • Not decommissioning old applications
  • Missing opportunities to transform your IT environment

Data center migrations don’t occur every year for most companies so it’s important to work with an expert who can help you look at a migration holistically, understanding how it will affect every part of your organization. Being aware of the potential pitfalls of data center migration, minimizes your risk and helps to protect your company’s reputation and brand, clearing the way for a successful data center migration.

Posted in IT Infrastructure Transformation