Common pitfalls to avoid include:
Presuming that a move over the weekend represents the best time to move.
This common misconception demonstrates a failure to understand that the weekend represents the time when the most number of resources to your company will be unavailable. Techniques that keep your mission-critical systems available can mask your downtime and allow you to move during the week when both internal and external resources can best help.
Constructing a plan where everything has to go right to succeed.
Most organizations don’t complete a risk and contingency plan. They may have a detailed and complicated move plan with the single flaw that everything has to work correctly. That’s an unlikely event. Contingencies such as extra equipment, extra staffing, redundant data and voice communications, and on-hand tools and supplies can spell the difference between success and failure.
Involving every possible person in the move.
Everyone thinks they are a decision maker. Approach the move as a democratic process and be prepared for the outcome of a slow and frustrating experience. Instead, identify a clear hierarchy and responsibility matrix. Who is responsible for the move?
Which executives will provide the necessary top cover to help you cut through the organizational co-efficient of drag and save valuable time?Remember that not everyone wants the move to go smoothly. Identify these potential saboteurs early and plan to deal with them swiftly using your executive resources.
Failure to keep E-Mail running.
With today’s techniques and technologies, there is no excuse for your e-mail to be significantly impacted during your move – even if you are moving it! Some of the most embarrassing moves have resulted from organizations who bounce their e-mail for days because something went wrong with their move. Construct a plan that accounts for an e-mail system that continues to function during your move.
Neglecting backup and restore.
When was the last time you tested your restore process? Have you kept up with systematic backup of your equipment? Finding out too late that you don’t have these critical functions tested will ensure a risky and problem-filled move. You must budget adequate time for testing these functions. Have maintenance completed on tape devices before you move them. Ignore this lesson at the risk of jeopardizing your organization’s ability to resume operations after the move.