Tips For Preparing To Do A Server Or Equipment Move

• Draw-up a pre-move map showing how the equipment was originally orientated.  - This should include specifics as to the ports and connections or the peripherals used.

• Labeling Cables appropriately (on both ends) - Examples:  LPT1, To COM1, To USB1, To USB2, To Printer, To Server, To Router, To Switch Port2, etc.  Note:  Please see my earlier blog entitled "Professional Cable and Port Labeling" for helpful hints on how to do this.

• Boxing-up all items associated with the server or workstation together, and labeling the box   This is similar to labeling boxes when moving to a new home or apartment.
  accordingly - Examples:  Server, Register #1, Register #2, Bob's PC, etc.

• Make sure that you have a master list of all users names and passwords, passwords for the server and the workstations involved, the router password, and any logins and passwords for any application software.  Don't forget that your email account may have a separate password.  Record these as well. 

• Make a check list of specific peripherals to be tested at each register.  Examples are:  Receipt Printers, Modems, Mag Stripe Readers, Pin Pads, MICR's, Pole Displays, etc.

   

Other things to pre-plan for before the move:

• Make sure that the necessary build-out for furniture, fixtures, power, and cabling work completed before the anticipated move.  This might also include drilling holes for power and cables, plus running new network cables. Doing this in advance will save a lot of time and aggravation later.

• Has the new Internet service been ordered, and will it be in place and operational before the equipment is to be moved?  If not, will the necessary technical people be available to assist with this change-out.  This may require requesting scheduled technical assistance in advance  especially if after-hours support work is to be involved.  Depending on the nature of the work, not doing this in advance could cost you a lot of time and money.

A recent example of what can happen when the above isn't done... Someone spent over (6) six hour of their valuable time, after hours, putting all of the pieces together...  The actually work involved should have been less than 30 minutes.