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Data migration strategies and contingency – a case study

Data migration strategies and contingency - a case study

Someone (everyone?) once said ‘whatever can go wrong, will go wrong’. For that reason, in our experience, you can never build enough contingency into your data centre migration strategy.

The best laid plans….

You’ve planned your data move. You’ve ticked off everything on your checklist, the dates are set and your data migration service provider is ready to go. Everyone involved is clear about their jobs, so this is going to be executed safely, efficiently and quickly. The departing and receiving data centres are communicating with you and your provider, your in-house team is placed and ready to minimise any disruption and downtime, and any necessary third party logistics are nailed down. What can possibly go wrong?

As a data move service provider, our primary goal is to work with clients to ensure that every detail is in place, and 99% of jobs run like clockwork. However, when things do go awry, it’s inevitably third parties at fault – logistics providers, data centres, airlines, unforseen travel complications etc. It doesn’t take much to make things feel like an out-take from ‘Planes, trains and automobiles’. Third parties aren’t necessarily as invested in this project as much as we and our clients are. Left hands don’t always work with right hands, so it’s our job to build plenty of contingency a coherent data migration plan. And then add some more.

Here’s an example from a recent data centre relocation we undertook. In the best traditions, names and places have been changed to protect anonymity – but the amount of aggravation and travel time hasn’t!

The German Job

Initially, this particular migration was as straightforward as it gets. Our Canadian client, with whom we’ve already undertaken several projects, wanted to relocate 15 server racks from the departing data centre (DC) in Dortmund to the receiving one in Hanover. A simple de-rack and re-rack operation. We had cleared time slots with both DCs and calculated that in an ideal world, this would involve two of our staff driving over the night before, de-racking and re-racking on day two, driving home on day three. As always, we added day four as contingency.

Several days before the migration, our client was informed by the receiving DC that their rental price had dramatically increased making the migration economically unfeasible. As a result, the client decided that the most pragmatic solution was to de-rack then fly the precious cargo back to Toronto. This would involve an audit from a client representative at the departing DC – then we would de-rack, pallet and package the servers ready for their flight. A specialist logistics company based in Leipzig would then collect the pallet from the Dortmund DC under our and the clients supervision. This made our job even simpler – day one drive to Dortmund, day two execute the job and drive home. We added a day three. Just in case – expect the unexpected.

On the day

Our team met the client at 7:30am sharp at the Dortmund DC. After the usual security, we were auditing and de-racking by 8:15. We had all the kit in the loading bay palleted and securely packaged for freighting by 9:15, ready for the arranged 10:15 pickup. Time for a coffee. Then another coffee. And another. By 10:45, still no haulier in sight, we were all getting twitchy (all that coffee probably didn’t help).

A dozen phone calls later, it transpired that the logistics company had the wrong day in the diary. The next available slot that they had was 24 hours later. Perfect. Our pallet was booked on the red eye from Berlin to Toronto the next morning, and here we were stuck on an industrial estate on the edge of Dortmund with a deadline to meet.

The only solution was for us to be logistics on the first leg of the journey, so we decided to drive the pallet to the Leipzig HQ ourselves. The logistics company would then truck it on to Berlin from there.

Leipzig is 417km (or 4-5 hours) from Dortmund, pretty much due east. Home for us was pretty much due west, but it was the only way to keep the migration on track. The client was understandably jittery, so decided to follow us in their hire car and fly to their next meeting in Amsterdam from Leipzig. Maybe not ‘the trains’, but certainly ‘the planes and automobiles’.

After a few traffic jams and going to a wrong address that we were given for the Leipzig HQ (by Leipzig HQ), we safely delivered and signed off our precious cargo at 5:30pm. The client made their meeting, the servers reached Toronto on time and were up and running smoothly 24 hours after that. Our team arrived home on the evening of day three. Contingency (and improvisation) won the day.

Successful data migration – a case study

That could have been the title of this, because it was. Aside from the original DC deciding to hike its prices at the eleventh hour, there was zero unanticipated downtime. Job done, the client was happy, worse things happen at sea etc. Our team are mighty sick of German daytime radio though, and the logistics company got a roasting.

So in the end, it goes to show that contingency is one of the most important tick boxes on your data relocation checklist.

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Minimising downtime.
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How to minimise downtime during a data centre move

Minimising downtime.

How to minimise downtime during a data centre move

Once the decision has been taken to perform a data centre relocation or cloud migration, there is often considerable pressure from stakeholders to complete the process as quickly as possible, but this is an operation that cannot and should not be rushed. Everyone dreads downtime, and by its nature a data centre move is going to disrupt your operations to some extent. Here are 6 key ways to minimise downtime.

 

1. Create an asset inventory

In order to perform a successful move, everyone involved has to have thorough knowledge of both your current and future data environment. This inventory should be as detailed as possible and include –

• All data architecture and infrastructure
• All software and hardware assets
• All applications
• All users and workloads
• Comprehensive network maps, including configurations and interdependencies
• All stored data. Sub-group where necessary to include unstructured, structured, sensitive and raw.
• Security environment considerations, including peripheral devices and endpoints

2. Create a migration plan

The need to formulate a cohesive data centre move strategy is paramount. Planning at this stage should be comprehensive and realistic with a solid phased timeline. A well devised project plan will keep the complexities of this move clear and under control. It should be constantly consulted, reviewed and where necessary, updated.

• The first step in creating a plan is to define your objectives: – what exactly you are migrating in terms of hardware and software? Your migration strategy must reference both your current and future environment. Everything should be cross referenced with the asset inventory you’ve just created.

• Detail the resources you’ll need;- personnel, capital, technology, third parties.• Create a timeline considering all of these factors, with every step clearly annotated and defined into phases. Above all, be realistic and factor in contingency for each phase.

• By now, you should be able to recognise and annotate your most business reliant assets, so you can start to plan which assets need to be back online first. Every hardware and software asset detailed in your inventory will need its own migration map in order to do this.

3. Teams, delegation and resource provisioning

A data centre move may be a technical process, but it always affects more than your tech team, so everyone in your organisation needs to be kept informed (and involved where relevant). You may need to perform an internal skills audit in order to assign clearly defined roles within your organisation. Create a personnel leader for each team and/or phase. This is a good point at which to make doubly sure that you and your relevant team(s) have a complete understanding of the new data environment you’re moving into.

4. Review your data migration plan and create a checklist

Listen to the feedback from your teams and review and update your migration plan. Be realistic, update contingency times and always prepare for worst case scenarios. Now is the time to formulate a master checklist:- this may seem like marking your own homework, but a good checklist will take the shape of a short form version of your plan, and should be at hand at all times.

5. Create a data backup and recovery plan

It may be surprising, but data backup and recovery is often overlooked. This is a big transition, and it always pays to the unforeseen. Everything from unexpected networking issues, communication breakage, incompatibility, new data centre problems to plain old bad weather and power outages can (and does) happen – which is why data loss is the single biggest risk involved in any migration. If possible, run a test recovery plan and as ever, keep cloud and offsite backups.

6. Consider using a third party data move specialist

Data migration specialists don’t run your company – that’s what you do best. This is what they do best, day in day out. Your creation of a migration strategy, checklist, teams are all designed to make sure that you’ve thought this through from every possible angle. A third party specialist is one more set of eyes to run your plan past, as well as bringing their experience from countless migrations to help you with a smooth and successful move.

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Future trends.
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Data centre migration –  current and future trends to consider

Future trends.

Data centre migration - current and future trends to consider

A data centre migration or relocation can be a big upheaval for any organisation, and everyone involved will want to future-proof it as much as possible. No-one wants to do this twice!

If your business is considering a data centre move, it’s advisable to take a look at where the rapidly changing data centre market appears to be heading.

The current market

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly boosted all digital sectors, dramatically increasing remote working and e-commerce, leading to an increased demand for data centres. With the growing volume of data, the indispensability of artificial intelligence and machine learning for effective data interpretation is rapidly becoming more pronounced. Notably, around 70% of data centres are leased from third-party operators, underscoring the critical role of data centre services.

Additionally, rising fuel costs and inflation are impacting various sectors, prompting a heightened focus on data centre energy efficiency. Projections indicate that by 2025, a substantial 75% of enterprise-generated data will undergo processing outside the realms of traditional cloud services or data centres.

All change

This sector is undergoing rapid transformation, fuelled by escalating data demands, advancements in technology, and an ever increasing need for sustainability. Here, we’ll examine the current trends that are shaping the future of the data centre industry, and look at the emergence of hyperscale data centres, significant advancements in secondary markets, the role of small to medium scale data centres, and the expansion of the data centre market in the UK. This industry is developing and transforming at lightning speed.

Here are the major trends to consider when planning a data centre move.

1. Hyperscale Data Centres

The data centre landscape is being reshaped by hyperscale facilities, specifically crafted to manage extensive server loads through modular components and advanced automation. Major players such as Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Alibaba etc. exert considerable influence in this domain, and projections indicate sustained growth despite economic hurdles.
There’s also a noticeable shift towards companies owning and operating their own bespoke data centres. This is driven by the desire to minimize reliance on third party vendors, tailor solutions to specific needs, and tap into renewable energy sources. The adoption of prefabricated, modular data centre design is on the rise, heralding a new era of efficiency. Colocation providers are emerging as key players, contributing to standardisation and facilitating swift deployments in this rapidly evolving landscape.

2. Secondary market growth

The exponential surge in data creation and consumption, driven by the proliferation of personal and household devices, has prompted the expansion of data centres into secondary markets. Primary regions are grappling with challenges like power shortages, limited space and high real estate prices, prompting the big hyperscale players to invest in secondary markets.

Geographical areas sited beyond the conventional data centre hubs are enticing tech giants by offering incentives at local and national levels to establish their presence, potentially fostering additional infrastructure projects.

In Europe, secondary markets, especially in the Nordic and Mediterranean regions, are witnessing notable growth. The appeal lies in factors like the abundance of renewable power, cost-effective land options, and close proximity to cable landing stations linking Europe with other markets. In response, cloud providers are broadening their availability zones and establishing fresh data centre clusters in these geographically attractive regions.

3. Low latency and small to medium data centres

The rapid growth of big data, IoT (internet of things), VR (virtual reality), and other emerging technologies underscores the significance of low latency in managing any data centre. Smaller, regional data centres, strategically located near data sources or end-users, are becoming increasingly important. In the current year, these more compact data centres have proven pivotal in advancing the development of 5G services.

4. UK data centre investment and growth

The growth of businesses, adapting to changing technology trends, is significantly propelled by IT infrastructure, encompassing servers and storage. Physical and economic real estate constraints in the South East of the UK are steering investors towards more budget-friendly regions.

Where next?

If your business is considering a data centre move, it’s also worth considering the drivers behind the likely future market trends in this industry.

1. Sustainability

Data centres are progressively steering away from fossil fuels and leaning towards renewable alternatives. Driven by energy security concerns (as well as cost), this transition is fostering self-sustainability through hybrid models and decentralized power sources such as solar, wind, nuclear, and hydropower.

2. Data volume increase

The exponential growth of data usage is fuelling the rise of multi-cloud deployments. To efficiently access and manage their data, businesses are seeking highly connected and secure geographically diverse platforms.

3. Artificial intelligence

The widespread adoption of data-intensive technologies like AI are already transforming this industry, spurring the development of innovative cooling methods. Liquid cooling and phase-change cooling are emerging as effective solutions to handle the heat generated by high-power density racks.

The data centre industry is a growing driving force in all digital economies, and will continue to shape our technological landscape for years to come. It’s in the midst of a significant transformation fuelled by heightened data demands, technological progress, and an increasing focus on sustainability. Secondary markets are gaining prominence, hyperscale data centres are taking the lead, but smaller-scale data centres are crucial for delivering low-latency services. In Europe, secondary markets are experiencing growth, and the UK data centre market continues to flourish.

As technology advances, data centres are poised to adapt and innovate while addressing sustainability challenges. The future trajectory involves a shift toward renewable energy, adoption of inventive cooling solutions, increasing development and deployment of AI

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AI Data Centre
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Data centre migration –  the impact of AI

Data Centre

Data centre migration - the impact of AI

There are many and various reasons to consider a data centre move: rescaling business, upgrading to a cloud-based or hybrid infrastructure, consolidation after a merger, geographical relocation, tax incentives…the list goes on. One thing is certain though – a data centre migration needs careful planning and execution, so will inevitably consume an organisations time and resources, as well as some level of upheaval. This is not an operation that a business wants to conduct on a regular basis. It’s therefore worth looking at where the data centre industry is heading, and arguably nothing is going to have more impact than the development and deployment of AI technology.

AI (or Artificial Intelligence if you’ve been hiding under a rock) has surged into mainstream prominence. Notably, solutions like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which swiftly amassed hundreds of millions of users, have propelled AI models to the forefront rather than operating discreetly in the background.
 
Every industry is actively seeking new AI capabilities to streamline processes, enhance operations and, of course, slash bottom lines. In this rapidly evolving digital landscape, data centres play a unique role, positioned to both offer and reap the benefits of AI applications.
 
The training and deployment of AI entails substantial computing power and data storage, and both innovative and traditional data centres are poised to serve as the backbone of a tech-centric world by providing these essential functionalities. However, meeting this heightened demand necessitates that data centres themselves embrace new technologies, such as AI systems, to deliver a more efficient, secure, and effective service.
 
Here, we’ll look into the transformative impact of AI on the future of the data centre industry, exploring how current and prospective data centre AI and automation are reshaping operations, bolstering security measures, and optimising resource management.
 

Data centre operations

Essentially, AI and machine learning algorithms excel at recognizing patterns in datasets and applying that learning to future tasks, a process known as predictive analytics. This capability automates and streamlines many day-to-day operations.

Data centre operators are increasingly adopted AI to enhance the efficiency of their daily services. According to a recent survey, 57% of data centre owners expressed trust in AI models for making operational decisions – a nearly 20% rise from the previous year.

Predictive analytics enables real-time enhancements in critical areas such as data centre cooling systems. The substantial heat generated by meeting the power and storage needs of modern computing can be efficiently managed using AI, leading to cost reductions and improved energy efficiency. Notably, Google’s implementation of AI resulted in a massive 40% reduction in cooling costs.

AI also plays an effective role in mitigating IT infrastructure inefficiencies. Predictive analytics aids providers in optimizing power allocation and rack space, contributing to lower operational costs, improved power usage effectiveness, and more data-driven decision-making.

Resource management optimisation

Modern businesses are placing substantial demands on data centre infrastructure. Bearing the  overnight take-up of ChatGPT in mind, a recent report forecasts that the training and implementation of generative AI models will reach a cool $76 billion by 2028. This surpasses twice the annual cost of Amazon Web Services, the world’s largest public cloud provider.

For data centres, this reality necessitates a heightened efficiency across various fronts to meet the power, storage, and connectivity needs of existing, evolving and future technologies. Data centre service providers are already initiating efforts in this direction.

Data centres are also deploying AI for enhanced workload management and allocation, optimizing the utilisation of hardware and network services to prevent downtime and ensure a consistently high level of service.

Predictive maintenance facilitated by AI algorithms plays a crucial role in ensuring business continuity by identifying potential issues before they occur, so significantly reduces downtime and costs associated with hardware replacement. McKinsey estimates that the integration of predictive AI models with appropriate Internet of Things (IoT) devices has enabled certain companies to slash maintenance costs by up to 25%.

Another application of AI is dynamic workload management, which contributes to an improved service by efficiently allocating computational tasks to the most suitable resources. This not only lowers costs but also ensures the best possible customer experience.

Ultimately, AI is instrumental in optimizing data centre infrastructure performance to its maximum potential, benefiting both providers and end-users.

Security enhancements

AI can play a pivotal role in strengthening data centre security, especially in the face of continually evolving cyber threats that may challenge traditional security systems by adapting swiftly or implementing effective defence measures. Employing AI empowers data centres to take a proactive security position.

In particular, data centre AI contributes to enhanced security in the following ways:

• Anomaly detection

AI systems monitoring network traffic, access logs, and system behaviour excel at identifying unusual patterns, enabling real-time detection of potential issues before they escalate. This proactive approach allows security teams to mitigate risks before any significant damage occurs.

• Predictive security measures

Unlike traditional reactive security measures, AI analysis empowers data centres to predict potential threats and vulnerabilities. This capability enables them to close gaps in defences before cyber-attacks can exploit them.

• Data protection

Utilizing AI algorithms and techniques, data centres can optimize data processing, storage, and security. This improvement safeguards the business-critical aspects of uptime, reliability, and data integrity, both during transit and storage.

The future of data centres

AI has already made a significant impact on every industry, and it’s safe to say that this will accelerate at an exponential rate in the coming years. Future data centres must and will adapt in tandem with technological advancements to deliver an efficient and effective service.

Anticipating the next generation of data centres, we might witness the influence of advanced AI, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies. These cutting-edge technologies hold the promise of providing greater efficiency and introducing advanced features.

In 2023, the term ‘AI’ entered the Oxford English Dictionary, and has been the hot topic of the year. As AI becomes integral to data centre operations, concerns related to transparency and accountability will naturally come to the forefront. Sustainability will also play a pivotal role in decisions regarding data centre AI. Data centre energy consumption is projected to increase by 12% by 2030, as workloads with high resource requirements utilise advanced CPUs and GPUs, necessitating sophisticated liquid cooling systems to prevent hardware damage. It’s no surprise, therefore, that AI is already being developed and deployed to manage and create new cooling systems.

AI will also be tasked with the data migration process itself. This is already happening with the major players in the hyperscale data centre sector (see https://www.cio.com/article/654503/salesforce-it-injects-generative-ai-to-ease-its-massive-datacenter-migration.html). It’s simply a matter of time before this trickles down to the SME sector.

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Data Centre Migration Best Practices

Data centre.

Data Centre Migration Best Practices

The decision has now been made. It’s in the best interests of your business to plan and carry out a data centre migration. A data centre relocation plan has been formulated between you and your migration service provider, and a data migration strategy and checklist have been agreed. A move of this nature is no small thing, and everyone involved needs the agreed strategy to run to plan. In order to avoid unnecessary delays, outage and downtime, best practice needs to be observed.

Ensuring Best Practice

Between the stages of planning and moving day, it’s essential to guarantee the readiness of all equipment, parts, and software. The aim is to minimise downtime and mitigate risks by conducting thorough backup testing before the migration date. This methodology includes:

 

  • Developing a list of contingency plans to address potential risks, especially concerning data restoration, in case complications arise during the move. Contingency measures must be generous and realistic – expect the unexpected.
  • If necessary, gather all media and license keys required for installing backup server client software.
  • Shutdown and test all applications and databases to ensure a smooth start-up process post-migration.

The following responsibilities need to be addressed, ideally by different individuals within the relocation team:

 

  • The Project Manager is a key position. A PM will coordinate and confirm dates with external stakeholders such as hardware and software vendors, as well as the old and new data centres. This ensures that everyone is aware of the moving date, minimising delays and complications. The project manager will need to be available to troubleshoot at every stage of the relocation. Their phone needs to be on.
  • The Operation Administrator verifies the delivery of any required spare parts to the new data centre facility. It’s crucial to ensure that all necessary parts have arrived and are readily available. Op Admin must check the availability and functionality of remote console access at the new facility, ensuring a smooth transition.
  • The Application Administrator reviews the availability of software components, including operating systems, databases, and application licenses. App Admin must also confirm their readiness for the relocation process.
  • The Network administrator will establish a new network configuration by creating a comprehensive list of network information, settings, and verify end-to-end connectivity across patch panels to ensure uninterrupted network services.. They must share this list with the PM and all other administrators to ensure seamless implementation.

Depending on the size of your enterprise and migration, having four separate individuals across these areas isn’t always feasible, but it’s essential for someone to be performing these roles. Best practice is key to a successful data centre migration.

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Networking cable.
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Data Centre Migration Risks

Data centre.

Data Centre Migration Risks

Your business has decided that it’s in its best interests to perform a data centre move. Between you and your migration service provider you’ve formulated a relocation plan, created a migration checklist, observed best practice and set a date. What can possibly go wrong?

Hopefully nothing, but a data centre migration can potentially be everything from a bumpy ride to a disaster. At this stage, it’s of paramount importance to review the risks associated with this project. Here are some of the most common pitfalls – 

  • Unrealistic timeline: It’s key to build adequate contingency into the migration timeline (and then add some!). Hopefully, you won’t need it, but always consider the worst case scenario. Conducting a Test Migration is a very good idea at this stage, as it can give you some idea of the ‘best case’ entire duration of a project. It will also allow you to avoid any unpleasant surprises, as well as highlight problems that can be fixed in advance of your move. However, keep in mind that the actual production migration often takes longer than the dummy run – at your new data centre, you won’t be in your familiar test lab. 
  • Hidden data and software complexities: This is a good point at which to create a detailed inventory with your employees and customers, documenting all relevant information in a solid migration management database. Hidden complexities can and will arise, such as the presence of back-end attachments to critical applications you plan to migrate. You may also be dealing with legacy applications in your current database that you might not be aware of. They may or may not play ball, and you need to be aware of them now.
  • Lack of post-migration testing: Prior to migration, engage your network staff in measuring and recording the performance of critical applications through specific transactions. This will prepare everyone for the post-migration testing process. Document these tests and repeat them after the relocation. Post-migration testing can be a challenge, but issues can be mitigated by involving your staff in advance.
  • Failure to estimate downtime: Some disruption to work schedules will inevitably happen. A well-executed project plan will minimise this, but inform your support teams and end-users well in advance. See ‘unrealistic timeline’ above!
  • Poor communication: A lack of transparent internal communication throughout a migration project can lead to inconsistencies and problems. This is another reason why it’s a good idea to involve an impartial third party migration service provider who will be across the entire data centre move, and can remain outside any internal company politics. Your migration service provider will also be chief communicator for all relevant stakeholders (old and new data centres, IT departments, compliance etc).
  • Failure to recognise interdependencies: Upgrading different parts of your data centre infrastructure without acknowledging their interdependencies can potentially pose a significant challenge. Whilst it’s acceptable to upgrade critical components during migration, fractional upgrades often have a trickle-down impact. Therefore, it’s crucial to highlight planned updates and their interdependencies during the project planning stage.
  • Failing to back up: This may seem obvious, but it’s fundamental to maintain secure backups of your data and applications at all times. This is crucial for disaster recovery and immediate restoration in the event of natural disaster, system failure, cyber-attack (including ransomware, malware, and data breaches etc.) or just simple old fashioned human error.

 

Third parties

If you’ve created a good, solid data centre relocation plan and checklist with your migration service provider and are aware of the points above, you should have a smooth transition. Be aware, however, that you will be interfacing with some third parties during the operation – logistics providers perhaps, or not least the new data centre. Once again, contingency is key. Give yourself plenty of it. The best laid plans……

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Data Centre Move Checklist

Person sitting in front of a computer.

Data Centre Move Checklist

Now that you’ve decided that you need to perform a data centre move, you need to create a project plan. Where do you start? With a checklist.

 

This data centre migration checklist will provide you with a solid foundation to determine the most efficient course of action:

 

  • Processes: Identify and document the necessary major processes involved in the data migration, including backup, system shutdown, hardware disconnection, transportation, and setup at the new location.
  • Resources: Determine the resources required for the relocation, such as personnel, equipment, transportation vehicles, packaging materials, and any external assistance. Ensure that everything is accounted for and available when needed.
  • Goals: Define the overarching goals and objectives of the project. This may include ensuring data integrity and security, minimising downtime, optimizing system performance, and adhering to regulatory requirements.
  • Timeline: Establish a timeline for the migration process, outlining key milestones and deadlines for each phase. Consider dependencies and contingencies, and allow for sufficient time to mitigate any hidden challenges. The key word here is contingency. Always plan for worst case scenarios.

At this stage it’s essential to identify these key roles in your team. Ideally, these should be four different individuals:

 

  • Project manager – A PM needs to develop a comprehensive plan for creating an optimal environment, taking into account factors such as connectivity, physical space, power allocation, cooling, and location. They’re responsible for identifying and determining the requirements for contingency measures, including spare parts, and compiling a comprehensive list of all necessary components. They also must ensure that the team is granted complete access past the security measures of the new data centre to carry out their tasks effectively. The PM will plan how and when the physical servers will be transferred to the new location and collaborate with the new provider to review the initial plan and make necessary adjustments.
  • Storage administrator – The storage admin needs to verify the storage requirements and confirm that there is sufficient space available in the new data centre to accommodate the storage arrays.
  • Operating administrator – The Op admin should conduct a thorough examination of accessibility factors and verify the availability of remote console access at the new facility.
  • Backup administrator – They are responsible for confirming the availability of backups and ensuring that full backups for any critical data can be successfully completed before the scheduled move date.

What’s the plan?

A data centre migration can seem like a daunting exercise at the outset, but needn’t be. Many enterprises employ third party migration service providers to help formulate and execute a bespoke data relocation strategy. Employing a specialist service provider can help you ensure a smooth transition.

 
 

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UK to Gibraltar Data Centre Relocation

Cross Border – No Problem

UK - Gibraltar Data Centre Relocation

DataMove regularly transports and installs data room equipment in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, a strategic data location for international Gaming companies as well as Insurance and Finance. After undertaking numerous data centre relocation projects, DataMove knows the GibTel site inside out.

We have key partnerships with the leading customs clearance agents in Gibraltar, so we can take care of all elements of a cross border move – from planning and decommissioning in the UK to customs clearance, duty payment, clearance documents and final re-install in Gibraltar. DataMove expedites with a comprehensive data centre move project plan, safely, securely and to tight, accurate schedules.

DataMove has on-the-ground dedicated engineers based in Gibraltar, ready to assist and troubleshoot 24/7, so we can also offer remote hands-on services directly at GibTel, or at your premises. We can facilitate repatriation of data room equipment, spares and other sundries back to the UK, as well as replenishing spares packages in your secure storage.

’28U of crucial equipment moved from Leeds to gibraltar in less than a week? No issues for dataMove!’ – N.Hughes – International Gaming company

For more information on how DataMove can help you with your data centre migration strategy, read more about our relocation services here, call the team today on 0207 971 7668 or email directly – info@datamove.co.uk

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Birds of Prey at Data Centres?

Birds of Prey at data centres? what's the reasoning?

This great photo was taken by one of our crews on a well-earned break from performing a data centre relocation service at Equinix Colocation Centre in Slough, Berkshire recently.

 

One may not be expecting to see a magnificent bird of prey accompanied by a professional handler in a location like this, but these beautiful creatures perform a crucial role at IT sites the world over. It brings a new a new twist to the term ‘data centre migration’.

Data centres are heavily reliant on cooling and ventilation, and typically have an extensive array of air conditioning units and condensers sited externally. As these units are designed to be out in the elements, they’re built to be weather tolerant. However, external these units are usually sited on the tops of buildings, which is exactly where potentially troublesome birds like to nest, breed and foul.

 

He might look harmless, but a pigeon and his family can be air conditioning’s worst nightmare!

 

Birds (particularly our friend the pigeon) can repeatedly nest and foul in the vicinity of AC and other ventilation units, wreaking havoc with the all-important cooling of data halls, and as such they must be carefully managed. A weekly visit to Equinix from this handler and his highly trained birds of prey are essential to keeping on top of this issue. As he told us –

‘She sees the pigeons and they see her. They’re not violent but the pigeons know where to go…..!’

For more information on our Data Centre Services (remote and on-site) read more.

 

Contact us today:

e: info@datamove.co.uk

t: 0207 971 7668

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Onsite Erasure – Last Minute Trip to France

last minute trip to france - onsite data erasure

DataMove were instructed at last minute to erase three large Hitachi HDS Content Platforms in Northern France.

In addition to a complex site configuration, this job required completion in a tight window and at short notice. Oh, did we mention it was over New Year too?

As we run multiple mobile Blancco rigs we create our own network and erasure environment at your site – standalone and totally disconnected from your system. With a capacity in the thousands of drives per day, a large array like this (some 9,000TB all in all) is manageable in just a few working days. 


Our engineers will attend during the early hours at sites that have 24/7 access to ensure that any completed erasures are switched off and audited to minimise job time.

onsite erasure – anywhere, any time, any capacity. all we need is power!

Blancco’s advanced erasure platform gives a reassuring audit trail and certification which is fully compliant with globally accepted security standards, ensuring that we can handover a data hall back to our clients with the reassurance of total data erasure.

We also offer onsite shredding and degaussing – read more about the onsite services we offer here

Contact DataMove today:

e: info@datamove.co.uk

t: 0207 971 7668

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