Planning IT for Office
Relocation or Expansion

Relocating an office or expanding to a new site is an operational minefield. Without precise IT planning, a Friday move can turn into a Monday disaster where zero work gets done.

Zero-Downtime Transitions

The success of an office move is often measured by what happens on Monday morning at 8:00 AM. If your team can't log in, the internet is down, or the server room is a "spaghetti" mess of cables, the move has failed. Achieving a zero-downtime transition requires working backward from your move date with strict milestones.

90 Days Out: The ISP Lead Time Trap

The single most common cause of delayed office openings is the Internet Service Provider (ISP). While you can move a desk in an afternoon, you cannot force a fiber circuit to be installed overnight.

• Order Circuits Early: Commercial ISPs often require months for site surveys and trenching. If the new building doesn't have existing fiber, you are at the mercy of their construction schedule.
• Redundancy Planning: Use this lead time to order a secondary circuit (SD-WAN or Wireless Failover). Relying on a single provider is a risk no multi-site operator should take.
• Static IP Transfer: Confirm if your current static IPs can be moved or if you need to plan for a DNS update weekend.

60 Days Out: Designing the Digital Floorplan

Before the furniture arrives, the infrastructure must be finalized. Retrofitting cabling through modular furniture or finished walls is three times more expensive than doing it right during the open-shell phase.

• WAP Heatmapping: Use predictive RF analysis to map Wireless Access Point (WAP) placement. Don't guess where signal is needed; use heatmaps to ensure zero dead zones.
• Desk Drop Mapping: Coordinate with the architect or furniture vendor. Ensure data drops align with the desk grommet locations.
• Server Room Prep: Ensure the MDF/IDF room is ready with proper cooling, dedicated power, and fire-rated backboards.

Moving Weekend: Rack, Stack, and Test

The moving weekend is the "Go-Live" phase. This is where the physical transition happens, and it requires a military-grade schedule.

• Safe Transit: Safely transport server racks and sensitive hardware. Professional IT movers should be used to avoid hardware damage during the bumpy ride.
• Physical Installation: Rack and stack all equipment. Use high-quality patch cables and clean cable management—you will never have a better opportunity to organize your rack than during a fresh move.
• Connectivity Testing: Test every workstation, every WAP, and every VoIP phone. We recommend a "first-user" test on Sunday afternoon to ensure Monday morning is just another day at the office.

Why Partner with Concerto for Your Move?

Concerto Networks specializes in nationwide office rollouts and relocations. We act as your single point of contact, coordinating ISPs, cabling crews, and hardware deployment so you can focus on running your business.