R&M, the global Swiss developer and provider of connectivity systems for high-quality, high-performance network infrastructures, has just updated its practical guide to successful colocation migration for enterprise data centers. The publication, aimed at helping users gain insight into planning, physical infrastructure design specifications, and strategy aspects for effective migration into a colocation data center, has been expanded with a section on partnerships.

This features a closer look at NTT’s use of a complete connectivity solution from R&M for its new ‘London 1, data center, which will offer offers up to 25,600 sqm of IT space and 64 MW IT load once fully developed. ‘London 1’ will interconnect with five existing NTT-owned data centers to create an impressive networked London operating platform capable of supporting over 100 MW of IT load.

Sharing experience to help make more of colocation benefits

The handbook, intended for CIOs, Data Center Managers, IT and Facility Managers, covers the following topics:

  • Understanding the Requirements and Planning the Project: this looks at organizing stakeholders and specifying IT requirements
  • Asset and Application Inventory: working out the scope, size, and timing of the migration, deployment needs, and inventory automation.
  • Setting the framework and releasing an RFP: create a request for a proposal to be sent to the prospective colocation data centers.
  • Planning New Infrastructure: reviewing colocation floor space/white space and architecture and designing links.
  • Pre-Migration Tasks: creating a day-to-day schedule for migration team representatives, including all installation and configuration preparations.
  • Initial migration: migration planning and the actual migration of the infrastructure, data, and applications.
  • Post-migration: everything from testing and auditing to adopting data center infrastructure management.

«Outsourcing data center operations to a purpose-built data center can bring operators greater efficiency, reliability, and security,» explains Dr. Thomas Wellinger, R&M Market Manager Data Center. «It can also help reduce costs and bring opportunities to connect with an ecosystem featuring other relevant service providers and partners. Our seven-step guide to planning this type of move helps the handbook’s target audience in key areas and minimizes business disruption.»

The handbook can be downloaded here: https://sites.rdm.com/colocation-migration-handbook