How to plan an office IT relocation without losing a day of work

Office moves are stressful enough without IT going wrong. The good news is that almost every IT problem during a relocation can be avoided with planning that starts early: ideally eight to twelve weeks before moving day.

Start with the new site

Visit the new office with an IT engineer before you sign off the fit-out. Check where the server room or comms cabinet will go, whether there's enough power and cooling, and where data points, Wi-Fi access points and phones are needed. Changing cabling plans later is expensive.

Order connectivity early

Internet and phone lines from du or Etisalat can take weeks to install. Order them as soon as the lease is signed, and plan a backup connection so you aren't stuck if the main line is delayed.

Build an inventory

List every piece of equipment that will move and note what can be retired. A good inventory includes:

• Servers, NAS devices and firewalls
• Switches, routers and Wi-Fi access points
• Phones, headsets and conference equipment
• Printers and multifunction devices
• Desktops, monitors and docking stations
• CCTV, access control and other building systems

Back up everything

Before anything is unplugged, take a full, verified backup of servers and critical data. Moves involve physical handling, and a dropped disk shouldn't turn into lost data.

Move out of hours

Schedule the physical move for a weekend or overnight. Core systems such as the firewall, servers and phone system move first, so they can be tested before staff arrive. Label every cable and device so reinstallation is quick.

Test before people arrive

Walk the new office and test every desk: network, phone, printer access and key applications. Check that Wi-Fi covers meeting rooms and that remote access works. Fix problems on Sunday, not Monday morning.

A relocation timeline that works

Working back from moving day keeps the project on track:

• 12 weeks: survey the new site and agree cabling and comms room plans
• 10 weeks: order internet lines and any new equipment
• 6 weeks: finalise the move plan, inventory and seating layout
• 2 weeks: install and test the network and internet at the new site
• Move weekend: shut down, back up, move core systems first, then desks
• Day one: engineers on site to handle any issues

Don't forget the old office

Moving out has its own tasks. Arrange for old lines and internet to be cancelled after the new ones are live, wipe or securely dispose of any equipment you're not taking, and remove network devices and access control credentials. Leaving an old router online and forgotten is a common security gap.

Communicating with staff

Let staff know what to pack, what IT will handle and when systems will be unavailable. Ask them to save work to shared or cloud storage before the move, label personal equipment and clear their desks of cables. A simple one-page guide and a contact for questions on the first day reduce confusion and help everyone settle into the new office quickly.

Support on day one

Keep engineers on site for the first working day to handle small issues quickly. A relocation that ends with a calm first morning is the sign of a well-run move. If you're planning a move, we can manage the whole process for you.