Move Planning Framework

ITS University Data Centers uses a standard planning framework to accomplish each customer move.  The framework ensures a consistent approach and professional execution for every move event.

Kickoff Meeting

• Meeting Date:
• Co-location Estimate:
• Moving company estimate, if needed
• Customer and ITS Signoff
• Set up collaboration site, documentation - UDC

Inventory and Validation

• Physical inspection of equipment and data collection - Facilities, UDC, Networking, Customer
• Review and validate spreadsheet - Customer
• Ensure inventory is properly inventory tagged and information is up-to-date - Customer
• Physically label all devices moving to UDC with move tags - Facilities
• Discuss future state/lifecycle - Customer
  
  • Virtualization, use of central services, maintenance, lifecycle, adding devices
  • Future growth in the data center
• Complete network spreadsheet (VLAN, ACLs, Network and Mgmt connections) - Customer
• Model equipment in the Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)
• Review and validate rack elevations - Customer, Facilities, Networking

Pre-move Assessment

• Discuss readiness of equipment against UDC System Standards - Everybody
• Identify services running on devices, up- and downstream dependencies - Customer
• Identify differences in rails, power cord and cable lengths - Facilities
• Identify rear-mounted and reverse mounted items - Facilities
  
  • Evaluate for airflow
  • Evaluate for network cable routing

Move Preparation -- LOGISTICS

• Identify possible move windows - Customer
• Constraints (schedule, resources, technical limitations) - Customer, UDC
  
  • Networking reserved maintenance windows
  • Holidays
  • Service availability requirements
  • Etc.
• Select move date(s)/time(s) - Customer, UDC
• Schedule mover, if using 3rd party - UDC
• Define move success factors and move-day acceptance requirements - Customer
• Customer signoff

Move Preparation -- CONTINGENCY PLANNING

• Spares available
• Business continuity requirements
• Warranty status of all equipment
• Service availability requirements (SLA, maximum downtime)
• Data backups, last full restoration from backup
• Risk mitigation and backout plan
• Insurance requirements

Move Preparation -- PLAYBOOK

• Tabletop exercise: service and system shutdown and restoration - Customer, UDC, Networking
  
  • Duration
  • Activities and proper sequence
  • Staffing requirements
  • Customer impacts
  • Upstream/downstream service impacts
  • Validation and acceptance criteria
• Create playbook - UDC
• Validate playbook - All
• Provide staffing list, contact information - All

Move Preparation -- PHYSICAL

• Schedule pre-move HARDWARE activities - Customer
  
  • Cycle power
  • Shut down and bring up
  • Adds/moves/changes (e.g., install power supplies, DRACs, etc.)
• Schedule pre-move CONFIGURATION activities - Customer, Networking
  
  • Resolve VLAN conflicts
  • Document as-is and to-be physical connections
  • Document Zenoss monitoring
• Stage power cords - Facilities
• Validate rails - Facilities
• Configure network - Networking
• Test network ports - Networking
• Identify pre-energized ports and device power-up sequence - Customer
• Document special accessories (e.g., license dongles, adapters, interconnects) - UDC

Move Preparation -- STAFF

• Review schedule, communications and logistics - Customers + Move Team
  
  • Meeting Date
  • Time
  • Location
• Signoff meeting - Customer Business Owners + All AVP staff
  
  • Meeting Date
  • Time
  • Location
• Complete Move Documentation Checklist
• Schedule food, if necessary
• Schedule daily calls a week ahead of the move to deal with punchlist items
• System Administrators complete Access Request form ([https://www.utexas.edu/its/udc/access/])

Post Move

• Add customers to mailing lists
• Customer satisfaction survey