IT for an office move: what to plan and when

I plan IT for an office move backwards from the day of the move: whatever has the longest lead time comes first. That is often the cabling and the internet connection, not the server. I have supported moves from under 10 to over 30 workstations, including several companies at one site and offices being closed down. This article sets out what is due and when.

Why IT for an office move belongs at the start

Ideally I am involved before the decision on an office is made. It is often made without IT advice, not out of any objection, but because people do not realise that relevant issues come up so early.

One example: a customer assumed the server would simply be carried across. In the new office, however, the network cabling was not sufficient. Network sockets still had to be installed so that the access points had somewhere to go.

The things most often left too late are cabling and network sockets, the internet connection, and phone numbers and telephony. What has gone wrong on moves so far: the schedule with the electrician, a connection that was not ready in time, and the delivery time for hardware. So do not leave ordering new devices until shortly before the date.

Internet connection: order early

For a new connection I roughly allow 4 to 8 weeks, and longer for fibre. That is a cautious guide, and individual cases can differ. In Germany, when an existing landline connection moves, Telekom asks to be told the date 3 to 4 weeks in advance. Do not count on the shortest figure.

• Availability: Make a specific enquiry for the new address and get several quotes if needed.
• Contract: In Germany, the statutory right on moving in section 60 of the Telecommunications Act (TKG) does not only apply to consumers: under section 71(3) TKG it also covers micro and small enterprises and not-for-profit organisations, unless they have expressly waived it. So also check what your contract says about moving, term and cancellation.
• Socket ID: Telekom asks for the previous connection holder or the number on the telephone socket. Note it down at the first viewing.
• Access: Settle early with the property manager how engineers get into the building and to the comms room.

If the connection is not ready in time, mobile data can help as a stopgap. On one office move I temporarily connected internet and telephony through a mobile router. That does not replace the fixed connection, but it bridges the time until then.

Telephony and phone numbers

The area code comes first. Under section 59 of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG), geographic numbers are tied to their local area. If the area code stays the same, this is usually not critical. If it changes, ask your provider what will happen to your numbers before letterheads and the website are changed.

With a cloud phone system, there is often less technology to rebuild during a move. You still need to check phone numbers, the emergency address and devices. Plan announcements for the day of the move so that callers know where they stand. If you also change provider with the move, number porting comes on top. How long it takes depends on the providers and the order, so settle the date in good time. What to bear in mind with a new system is covered in my article on the cloud phone system with 3CX or Teams Phone.

• Record special cases: Fax, door intercom and anything else that runs through the system.
• Check call routing: The move is a good opportunity to sort out groups and cover arrangements.
• Emergency calls: Check with your provider which address is stored for emergency calls. With Teams Phone you manage emergency addresses in the Teams admin centre. According to Microsoft, an address that has already been validated cannot be changed there; a new one is created instead.

Network and cabling

Walk the space early, ideally with an installation plan. Where are the workstations, where do the printers and access points go, and where do the cables come together? If the cabling is not sufficient, allow 1 to 2 months. Electricians are sometimes booked up for 6 to 8 weeks.

I can also lay the network cabling myself. With professional tools I pull the cables through suspended ceilings and terminate the installation cable in network sockets or keystones. For electrical work, I either coordinate directly with the landlord’s electrician or find an electrician for you to hire. I supervise the work and sign it off.

Have existing sockets measured instead of relying on the labels. Then there is the comms room or server cabinet: space, power and cooling should be settled in advance.

Not every gap has to be closed by the day of the move. On one move, desk phones ran over a Wi-Fi bridge for the time being. What matters is that a stopgap like this is decided in advance.

Server

If the server simply moves with you, this is mainly logistics: a current, tested backup, an orderly shutdown, transport, and a restart. Also check which applications and vendors are affected.

I tend to keep a server replacement and an office move separate, depending on the case. A new server is a project of its own, with its own schedule and fallback plan. I describe how I approach that in server move in one day.

Firewall

A new connection often changes the public IP address. That affects everything that depends on it: VPN, access from outside, DNS records and services that only allow certain addresses. Record these points beforehand and ask the provider early about static addresses if you need them.

A new firewall or new switches can be set up before the day of the move. If all that is left on the day is plugging them in, you gain time for testing.

Printers and scanners

Printers are easily forgotten, because they seem to need only a power socket and a cable. Check the location, network socket and IP address, and the contract if the device is leased. Scan destinations belong on the list too, especially if the server changes.

An inventory of all PCs, monitors and printers helps with planning and with checking afterwards that everything has arrived.

The day of the move

Dismantling and backup happen the evening before, and the move itself takes place at the weekend or in the evening. I am on site on the day until everything works, and I check that it all functions before the working day begins. The dependencies set the order:

Setting up on the day of the move

1. Connection and firewallcheck the internet, test the VPN
2. Switches and Wi-Finetwork is up, access points are reachable
3. Server and storagestart, check services and backup
4. Telephonytest calls, internal and external
5. Workstations and printersconnect, sign in, print, scan
6. Functional checkapplications with real dataBefore work starts

If the old connection stays active for now, certain services can continue to run through the old site if needed. The morning after, I am back on site so that questions can be answered straight away.

After the move

• End old contracts: Cancel the old connection only once the new one demonstrably works, and observe the notice periods.
• Change addresses: Emergency call address, contracts, licence and customer accounts with your providers.
• Update the documentation: Network diagram, socket assignments, IP addresses and access details.
• Work through what is left: Missing sockets, weak Wi-Fi and individual problems often only show up in everyday use. Allow time for them.
• Dispose of old devices: Storage media should be erased or destroyed, with proof, before disposal.

Checklist to get started

• Is IT involved in the decision on the office?
• Has the connection been requested for the new address and the date confirmed?
• Is there a mobile stopgap in case the date falls through?
• Is it clear whether the area code changes?
• Have fax, door intercom and other special devices been recorded?
• Has someone checked the space and the cabling, and is the date for it booked?
• Has new hardware been ordered, and does the delivery time fit?
• Are all the points that depend on the public IP address known?
• Is there an inventory and a schedule for the day of the move?

Frequently asked questions

When should I start planning IT for an office move?

Ideally before you decide on the office. For a new connection I roughly allow 4 to 8 weeks, and longer for fibre, and for electricians and cabling 1 to 2 months. These are guide figures, not commitments.

Can I keep my phone numbers when the office moves?

If the area code stays the same, generally yes. If it changes, things may look different, because in Germany geographic numbers are tied to a location. Settle this with your provider before you have new stationery printed.

What if the internet connection is not ready for the move?

Use mobile data as a stopgap, for example with a mobile router. Test it at the new site beforehand. Also check whether the performance is sufficient for your applications and telephony.

Sources

• Lead time for moving a landline connection in Germany (3 to 4 weeks): Telekom – Checklist for moving with your landline connection
• Number portability, geographic numbers (Germany): Section 59 of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG)
• Local-area link of phone numbers (Germany): Bundesnetzagentur – Allocation procedure for geographic numbers
• Right on moving and small enterprises (Germany): Sections 60 and 71 of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG)
• Emergency addresses in Teams Phone: Microsoft Learn – Manage emergency locations