PC relocate project 4

[rpearson]

I had recently landed a contract to cable a office for a company that had relocated to another building. The cabling job is complete. The customer has asked us if we could also take on the computer equipment move (workstations , switch , router , fax , printers , etc - and setup) We do computer work , but have never done a relocation. Is there a good rule of thumb for such a project as far as an audit of some type? Or has anyone did a equpment relocation , and what steps did you take as far as testing and verification , moving , etc. They are using a workgroup or peer \ peer network , no server involved. About 10 workstations.

Thanks.

 

[edfair]

You do the takedown and label the parts by machine number. Shutdown by normal means so power up should be clean.Keep all the cables together and marked for which machine.
You bring them back up on the other end.
In case of problems it will help if you have some sort of map of network connections.
10 shouldn't be a problem.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[franklin97355]

Have the customer go through the computers with you and check to see if they work correctly before you move them. Keep a document (signed by the customer) of what you find. Otherwise you will be fixing all sorts of problems that "you caused" by moving the computers.

 

[aquias]

Both Ed and Frank are correct.

Easiest method for large moves (Company used to reorg every other month and move about two hundred people or so around) is as follows, IMO anywho.

1. Label all hardware to keep it together, mix up a mouse and someone will be screaming. For such a small move just give each person a number and attach a number to each piece.
2. Verify that each system works and that all peripherals work as well. As part of this get the customer sign off on anything that isn't functioning "as intended" prior to the move.
3. Get a feel for the network. Give yourself a lay out of the network and how they are scaled. This gives you a few things.
a.) Fall back from them stating "You changed this".
b.) The ability to restore the network to its "old" condition should anything fail.
c.) Possibly more work by suggesting upgrades after the move.
4. Get your method of moving equipment down. What will you using and in what order does it work out best to move the equipment? IE. Will this be a scaled move, printers first, then systems, and lastly servers? Does the move order matter?
5. Now, since you did the cabling I doubt this is a concern, but verify that all cabling stations work prior to begining the move. The last thing you want is to get halfway done and then have to scramble because the server link is dead.

 

[rpearson]

Maybe ill whip up a checklist that can be signed off. You can give me your suggestions on this as well if youd like. Thanks again.

 

[bcastner]

Things I forgot to ask:

. are there enough power outlets at the new location for the equipment; (In one case all the switches used large transformer blocks; in another the specifications had only two outlets at the wall);

. are any devices using wireless (their new location may be out of range);

. are any devices using TCP/IP with static IP addresses.
At the least these should be added last.

. To add to Aquias above: servers first, and one or so test workstations. Then the rest of the workstations. Then the printers.

. You can well discover that some workstations have dial-up for FAX, or independent VPN or internet connections. Are the jacks there, and are they live.

. Is their broadband ISP aware of the move, and is the broadband/ISDN or whatever connection live.

 

[FlammerDylis]

everything said above is exactly what we did , we moved a national company and we did exactly as above.

the only point i want you to pay attention, is the hard disk.

they love getting down with moving so just make sure they won't be too hardly shaken

 

[rpearson]

In your opinion , how would a company approach the cost (estimate) of such a project? What do other companies charge?(Ex: Per PC) Im probably looking at no more that 10 pc's and some misc peripherals. Ill probably call around locally for some prices.