Many businesses are planning to either move or expand into a new office building. Transferring into a new facility is exciting, and represents a new chapter for your organization with new opportunities. That said, the actual moving part is challenging, both physically and logistically, especially with regard to your computer network design and set up. But with careful planning, your office move can be secure and efficient.
How to Ensure That Office Moving Goes Smoothly
Evaluating the new space, communicating with service providers and staff, relocating, and testing equipment is time-consuming. Plan out your office move early. Get experts, like SkyViewTek, to plan the computer network set up and design piece so the relocation will go smoothly and so you are sure that when you move in, your staff can get right to work, with all equipment in place.
SkyViewTek plans new office moves or expansions for small to mid-sized businesses across the Greater Philadelphia area on a regular basis. Our process includes the following phases:
- Blueprint of New Office and Projected Growth Plan: Identify location of equipment, work in conjunction with client, architect, and construction manager to ensure proper location and dimensions of equipment.
- Network Infrastructure: Design cabling infrastructure, identify best options for ISP (Internet Service Provider) such as Comcast, Verizon, or others, plus Failover. Identify WIFI coverage needs and create heat-map, with guest WIFI if applicable.
- Security: Firewall and secure remote access via VPN (Virtual Private Network), Antivirus, Off-Site Backup. Physical security of network equipment.
- Infrastructure Design: If a brand new office, hardware, software, Cloud, or combination to ensure collaboration with internal and external teams (i.e. employees, customers, vendors)
- Compliance by Third Party: HIPAA, SOX, PCI
- Business Continuity: BDR (Backup and Disaster Recovery) Appliance, Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), Power Surge Protectors, and Generator.
- For every hour your business is “down,” you are losing hundreds to thousands of dollars PER employee.
- OTHER: alarm system, sound and audio engineering, credit card processing, locksmith, website design and digital marketing.
Evaluation
Evaluating the new office space is critical to your IT department. Schedule a visit with your IT experts and review the new space along with a blueprint. Your SkyViewTek specialist will take note of your requirements, such as power outlets, data jacks, cabling requirements, phone lines, and more.
Your computer network works as well as your office network infrastructure, including cabling, jacks, ISP speed, firewall, and switch. Networks patched together instead of properly configured will experience data and voice quality issues.
A new office also presents a great opportunity for upgrading your computer network and set up. Your specialist will evaluate your current equipment, properly dispose of broken or outdated hardware and software, procure the necessary replacements and upgrades, and make your new office more efficient with better tools.
Certifying the Network
Once the SkyViewTek team of experts has done the work of configuring the network infrastructure, installing network cables and WIFI, setting up workstations, phones, and printers, the next step is to test your computer network and set up to certify that they are operational. First, we establish that all equipment is in the correct place and has the proper connections (cabling, equipment, and VoIP phones)
All servers will be powered up to test network capability, network connection, and data access. Each computer will need to be checked to see if email, web browsing/website, the intranet, extranet, and software works properly. Thorough testing will allow SVT to identify any issues and solve them before you and the rest of your staff moves in. Resolving problems early and quickly is always preferable to dealing with them later when productivity is needed.
Contact SkyViewTek for Computer Network Design and Set Up
Well-running IT operations make the rest of your business more efficient and productive. Employee productivity, and the most crucial factor in your business’ profitability, customer service, are hurt when your system is down. So when moving into a new office or expanding your current space, make sure that your computer network design and set up are done right with SkyViewTek. Contact us today to see how we can help your business move be efficient and hassle-free.