The rapid growth of any business can feel like driving a racecar with no brakes—thrilling but full of technology meltdowns waiting to happen. One day, your servers are running fine. The next, they’re buckling under the weight of your booming customer base and ever-expanding services. That’s when you know it’s time to transition your data, applications, and equipment into a new environment.

Welcome to data center migration, an often daunting and risk-laden process that many businesses are actively pursuing despite the difficulty because they know they need to modernize, lower costs, and improve efficiency. Indeed, data center migration is more important than ever because of the rise of generative AI and the requirement to feed it good, clean, relevant, and current data and metadata.

The trouble is that between 60% and 80% of data center migrations fail to deliver on time or go over budget because enterprise organizations pursue them too quickly or haphazardly. It doesn’t have to be that way. With the right strategy and adequate preparation, your data center migration can go off without a hitch.

Here are some best practices to follow:

1. Plan Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Does)

First, you need a solid migration plan. Think of it as your tech roadmap, highlighting every turn, pitstop, and potential roadblock. This isn’t just for IT folk; the plan must also include stakeholders from across the company, including legal and business ops, to ensure a smooth journey. After all, you're not just shifting data; you're laying the groundwork for the next stage of company growth.

Your migration plan needs to break down each process phase, from initial infrastructure audits to post-migration performance monitoring. If you miss anything, it’ll haunt you later, likely when your systems crash during a critical client demo. So, map out everything, identify risks, and ensure all key players are on board.

2. Assemble a Dream Team

A successful data center migration is no solo mission. You’ll need a multidisciplinary team to cover all your bases. Include IT pros, business operations experts, and site managers to ensure that every aspect of the migration is accounted for. This isn’t about redundancy; it’s about ensuring every piece of the puzzle fits, from hardware to human logistics.

Your team’s diversity will help avoid tunnel vision. After all, migrating data isn’t just an IT issue; it affects everything from customer experience to compliance. So, make sure the right voices are in the room.

3. Audit Your Data Center Like You Mean It

Before yanking servers out of racks, you need to know what you're working with. A thorough data center audit is essential. This means cataloging everything—hardware, applications, servers, and cabling. Do you need to replace outdated servers? Will your new data center need to accommodate legacy systems, or are you ditching them for cloud infrastructure?

A clear understanding of what you're moving can streamline your migration plan. This also helps avoid nasty surprises, like discovering mid-move that you overlooked mission-critical legacy systems.

4. Pick the Right Migration Strategy for Your Business

Not all migrations are created equal. Some companies must move physical hardware, while others can shift everything to the cloud. Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

• Physical Migration: This is the old-school way of doing things—moving all your hardware from one data center to another. If you’re dealing with proprietary systems, this might be your only option, but it can be labor-intensive and prone to downtime.
• Cloud Migration: Also known as virtual migration, this involves moving everything to a virtual environment. No boxes, no wires, and often less downtime. This is the go-to for companies ready to ditch the physical hardware and embrace flexibility.
• Hybrid Migration: Can’t choose? Go hybrid. Migrate some data to the cloud and keep more sensitive assets that need to be closely watched on-premises. It’s a flexible, middle-of-the-road approach that works well if you’re not sold on the idea of a full-scale cloud transition.

5. Choose Your Colocation Partner Wisely

Once your strategy is clear, you need to find the right colocation partner—like Centersquare. They’ll be your key to a smooth migration. Aside from choosing a location that suits your needs, you want a partner offering transparency, top-tier customer service, and a solid Service Level Agreement (SLA) guaranteeing uptime. No one wants to be left in the dark about their deployment’s status, and real-time infrastructure visibility is non-negotiable.

Make sure your partner operates like an extension of your IT department. Centersquare’s colocation services, for example, offer scalable data floor space, hybrid IT services and remote hands to support your current environment and future growth. The goal is not just to get into a new data center but to ensure that your infrastructure can scale with your business without missing a beat.

6. Prep Your Data Move

Moving your data is the trickiest part, and there are a few different strategies you can take:

• Swing Migration: Move your data and applications to a temporary “swing” server before transitioning to the final destination. This ensures that your original server remains operational, minimizing downtime until the migration is complete.
• Live Migration: This method allows for real-time data transfer without disconnecting clients or apps. It’s excellent for virtualized environments but requires meticulous planning and substantial resources to execute successfully.
• Phased Migration: Want to play it safe? Break the migration into smaller, more manageable chunks. A phased migration reduces the risk of a system-wide meltdown and gives you the flexibility to adapt.

7. Keep Everyone in the Loop

Communication is key. Make sure your users know what’s happening—whether it’s potential downtime or new changes in access. Keeping users informed minimizes frustration and keeps their trust intact. Give them clear, timely updates about your data center migration. Let them know what’s coming: potential downtime, access changes, or any service tweaks. Transparency now reduces headaches later.

8. Monitor, Monitor, Monitor

The work isn't over once you’ve moved into your shiny new data center. You’ll need to closely monitor your systems to ensure everything functions correctly. Regular performance checks and security audits will help you catch any issues before they spiral out of control.

A robust post-migration monitoring system can safeguard your operations and ensure that the new environment is performing as expected. Don’t wait for users to complain—proactively identify and fix any issues.

Wrapping Up

Data center migrations are complicated but necessary as your business scales. The right plan, team, and strategy can turn a migration from a logistical nightmare into a smooth transition. Preparation is everything whether you’re opting for a physical move, going all-in on the cloud, or taking a hybrid approach. With a partner like Centersquare and a clear roadmap, your migration can set the stage for years of scalable, reliable infrastructure. 

Time to make the leap. Ready? Download Centersquare’s Data Center Migration Checklist to get you started.