22-Floor Cisco Network Deployment for International Law Firm
22-Floor Cisco Network Deployment for International Law Firm
When a major international law firm with over 20 offices worldwide decided to relocate their London headquarters to a brand new skyscraper, they needed a partner who could handle the full deployment of network infrastructure across 22 floors — on time, on spec, and in a building that was still an active construction site.
The Challenge
The firm was moving from an existing London high-rise to a newly built skyscraper, occupying the top 22 floors. The project required the deployment of 20 Cisco Catalyst 9400 series Intermediate Distribution Frames (IDFs) — each one needing to be unboxed, physically installed, wired, configured, and loaded with software tailored to the client’s specific requirements.
This was not a simple equipment swap. The Catalyst 9400 series is a high-performance modular switching platform designed for enterprise-grade networks. Each unit required careful handling, precise installation, and detailed configuration work before going live.
To make matters more complex, the building’s original fit-out contractor went into administration in September 2024. This caused significant delays to the overall construction programme and forced the project timeline to be restructured around the new contractor’s schedule.
Our Approach
DataMove deployed a team of accredited engineers to work on-site across three stages of deployment over a four-week period. Given that the building was still an active construction site for much of the project, our team needed the correct PPE, site accreditations and materials to operate safely alongside other contractors.
The scope of work included:
Unboxing and physical installation of 20 Cisco Catalyst 9400 series IDFs across 22 floors
Full structured cabling and wiring to connect each IDF to the building’s network backbone
Software deployment, updates and configuration adjusted to the client’s specific network requirements
Two additional Ekahau wireless site surveys following client-requested changes to wireless access point placement
Multiple reworks to WAP positioning based on evolving client specifications as the floor layouts were finalised
Flexibility was critical throughout. The original contractor’s administration meant the project timeline shifted repeatedly, and the client made several changes to their wireless network design as the building fit-out progressed. Our team adapted to each change without compromising the overall delivery schedule.
The Outcome
Despite the disruption caused by the original contractor going into administration and multiple client-driven design changes, DataMove completed the full deployment on the adjusted schedule. All 20 IDFs were installed, configured and live across 22 floors when the firm moved into their new headquarters.
The project demonstrated DataMove’s ability to operate in challenging environments — working on an active construction site, adapting to shifting timelines, and managing scope changes — while still delivering a fully functional enterprise network infrastructure on time.
Services Used
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