21 Critical IT questions for an office move

Do you have enough data points and power outlets for your layout? – Once you have planned your office layout, you need to check if there are enough data points and power outlets for the equipment that will be installed. Importantly, remember that your Comms room for your server and IT equipment will need several power outlets.
Does any cabling need to be done? – If you don’t have enough data points, or power outlets, or you want some moved, you will need someone to install these for you. Look for a supplier in your area that will be able to come on-site.
How long will it take to install? – If you do need to make any changes, find out how long it will take for them to book an appointment to come on-site and how long the installation will take.
Who are the providers for your area? – who supplies the phone lines in your area, if there is more than one supplier find out about the packages they do and the speed of the lines.

What is the speed like? – The speed of both your internet and telephone lines needs to be fast, especially if your data is in the cloud. Find out about the speed that line providers in your area can offer.
How long will it take to set up and install? – Most internet and telephone line providers are big companies, which can make it hard to reach them. Find out when an engineer can come out to install your internet and phone lines and how long they will take to install. Allow some waiting time as there are usually delays.
What type of Phone system do you need? – Whether you will be making a couple of call or spending most of your day on the phone, you need to decide on a phone system that fits your business. The most common is Cisco, but you can find out what types of phones are available.

Where are you going to source these? – Find out if there are suppliers of the phone system you need in your area and shop around for the best prices.
What are the delivery and installation times? – Once your phone line is in place you can arrange to have your phone system installed. Find out the delivery date from your supplier and book an engineer to install your phone system.
How are you going to set-up your phone system, do you need routing or automated messages? – You need to know how you want your phone system set-up so you can allocate direct dials and any call forwarding, as well as set up answerphone messages and any other automated messages.
What type of PC’s do you need and how many? – When ordering PC’s you need to think about the specifications you need; how much memory, the speed and the size of the PC. Will every employee have the same PC, or do you need different ones? You may also need extra monitors. Your suppliers should be able to source and recommend a PC that meets your specifications.

Where are you going to source these? – Which supplier are you going to use to source your PCs for you? Find some suppliers in your local area and compare their prices, then ask them to recommend a PC that fits your specifications.
What are the delivery and installation times? – Find out the delivery date for your PC’s, then arrange with your IT support provider to set-up your PC’s to get everyone’s accounts up and running.
Have you purchased all the software and licences you will need? – In addition to your PC’s, you will need software for them all. Consider Microsoft packages, including Outlook, as well as any specific software your company uses.
What other equipment do you need? – Printers, fax machines, photocopiers, projectors and more. What else do you need and how long will it take to deliver and install? Remember that printers will need to be set-up on your PC’s.

What server equipment do you need? – Think about your options; it may be a cloud solution that fits your business best, or you may want on-site equipment. Your IT support team will be able to determine what sort of server you need, as well as any switching equipment and software. All your equipment will need to be programmed and installed in your office, so make sure you know how long that will take.
Is your Comms room ready? – Your Comms room, which will hold all your server equipment, will need server racks, as well as air conditioning to prevent overheating. Once you have found out the specifications of your server, you need check it will all fit in your comms room.
Are you monitoring your equipment? – Your server equipment is vital and if it goes down, it could mean a lot of down time for your company. Your IT support provider should be monitoring your servers to warn you before anything goes wrong.

Are you able to video conference with your current set-up? – A good internet line helps with video conferencing. You may also want projectors set up in your conference room. If video conferencing is something you do regularly, you want your IT equipment to seamlessly enable this function.

What kind of IT support do you need, onsite or just remote? – If you need an IT support company that can come on-site when you need them, you should look for providers in your area that offer this type of support. Get quotes from several suppliers and compare their costs.
Remote only support, what are your options? – If you don’t need any on-site presence, you can look for Remote support anywhere – in fact, some suppliers abroad may be cheaper than local providers.

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