In summary

Brief

Evaluate, select and establish a co-located data centre.

Solution

A detailed audit to determine actual requirements; the business case for co-location versus in-house data centre; design fit out and relocation; and refurbishment of the headquarters communications and computer room.

Results

Successful relocation with no outages to business operations. The choice of data centre location and provider led to cost improvements, and a new remote management solution reduced management costs.

In detail

The company’s strategic direction was to become a global ICT group that provides high-quality services to its businesses worldwide. As part of the strategic direction, the ICT group planned to utilise shared ICT facilities to host various aspects of its systems and network.

A feasibility study was conducted into building a new computer room at the company’s Sydney headquarters. This option was considered too expensive. Using a co-location facility was also investigated and considered a more beneficial option.

Co-location offers time and cost savings through shared data centre infrastructure, with the benefits of higher bandwidth and business continuity provisions. A major advantage is that, being purpose-built, these facilities are secure with power and air-conditioning redundancy built in. And there is no need to move computer equipment if the company relocates offices.

A project was initiated to evaluate, select and establish a relationship with a suitable co-location provider.

Frame developed the specifications and tender documentation to enable selection of the co-location provider.

Physical infrastructure design was the result of close collaboration with business stakeholders.

Frame then managed the fitout and co-ordinated a multi-disciplined team, with transition occurring out-of hours and at weekends, planned and timed accurately to minimise outages and without interruption to core business activities.

Frame also designed and implemented a remote management solution for effective and secure remote administration of all systems deployed to the co-location environment. This solution contributed to reducing management costs.

To ensure transition of the data centre was successful, Frame conducted an extensive audit of the environment.

A detailed transition plan ensured that all dependencies between business critical applications and underlying infrastructure components were clearly mapped.

Frame socialised and refined the plan with technical and business stakeholders to ensure a common understanding and seamless transition.

Man moving routers
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