IT during a business move
Plan an IT move: equipment, data and responsibilities
A computer that has arrived is not necessarily a usable workstation. An IT move needs a traceable equipment list, an agreed backup arrangement and a restart with a named owner. Coordinate these tasks with your IT team and moving partner before dismantling anything.
1. Assign transport, IT work and operational approval
A transport booking does not confirm backups, IT configuration or operational readiness. Agree those services and their handovers separately.
Name a competent internal IT owner or appointed IT provider, plus a deputy. Agree who may shut equipment down, who transports it and who confirms that it works at the new site. Give employees specific packing instructions for their assigned devices.
Servers, storage systems, network equipment and specialist applications need their own technical plan. Confirm the specialists' scope, access and working window before treating the transport plan as complete.
| Task | Responsibility to agree | Handover outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Backup and technical preparation | Named IT owner | Recorded backup status and technical approval to disconnect |
| Packing, carrying and transport | Named moving partner within the agreed scope | Identifiable packing units and recorded handovers |
| Connection, restart and functional testing | Suitable appointed IT professionals | Test result for each required system |
| Approval for everyday work | Internally authorised person with the relevant departments | Confirmed workflows or an approved temporary operation |
2. Separate the transport list from protected IT records
Assign unique device IDs and destination codes. A workstation may include a dock, power supply, monitors and specialist accessories; record their relationship before packing. Identify rented or leased devices too, so ownership and permitted work can be clarified.
The moving partner needs suitable information about quantities, size, handling and destination. Full system documentation stays with authorised people. The following division is an editorial working aid, not a requirement to use a particular inventory system.
| Entry | Transport list | Protected IT records |
|---|---|---|
| Device and destination | Neutral device ID, device type, destination room and workstation code | Assignment to users, administration and the technical inventory |
| Accessories | Related packing unit for power supply, dock and cables | Technical connection and configuration details |
| Special handling | Required protective packaging, dimensions and confirmed instructions | Manufacturer documentation and technical decision |
| Handover | Unit count, time, condition and people handing over and receiving | Responsibility for approval and later technical checks |
| Access and recovery | Contact for the responsible IT team, without credentials | Securely managed accounts, permissions and recovery information |
3. Check dependencies at the new site in advance
Identify which workstations depend on shared resources: an internet connection, network, central login, business application, printer or telephone service. Cloud applications also need working access and suitable connections. Moving the office does not automatically move those prerequisites with it.
IT should check necessary changes with the relevant providers. Arrange connection and test appointments, reachable contacts and access to technical rooms. Network, security or software changes should not be added to the move without assessment.
- Record an owner and startup prerequisites for each required application.
- Check that employees can use their approved login and multifactor methods at the new site.
- Make the necessary permissions and technical documentation available to the responsible specialists in advance.
- Record unresolved prerequisites with an owner and decision date; do not mark an assumed connection as tested.
4. Establish backup status and recovery before dismantling
BSI module CON.3 distinguishes creating a backup from restoring data. It does not treat RAID mirroring as a substitute for backup. Agree with IT which data and configurations need backing up for the move.
IT should confirm the backup time, result and a suitable recovery test. Also record which changes were made after that backup. The BSI's CON.3 implementation notes cover functional tests and recoverability; the existence of a backup job alone does not establish a successful restore.
Decide who can reach the backup, instructions and necessary recovery information during an incident. Failure of the moving equipment must not simultaneously make the reserve unusable. The responsible IT team should arrange its technical selection, protection and storage.
- Agree an approved time for the final data reconciliation and shutdown.
- Give move coordination only the approval status it needs; credentials do not belong in the transport list.
- Keep the contacts needed for recovery reachable throughout the agreed window.
5. Protect equipment and record every handover
The responsible IT team confirms when devices may be disconnected and which parts stay together. Packaging and handling must suit the equipment; take account of manufacturer instructions and any rental conditions. Untrained employees should not dismantle servers or remove components.
Track packing units using neutral IDs. Reconcile units at collection and arrival, recording condition, time and participants. Condition photos must not show screen contents, access codes or confidential records.
After changes in temperature or humidity, check the device-specific conditions before switching on. Dell publishes acclimatisation requirements for certain Unity systems; their waiting times cannot be applied to other equipment in general. Follow the documentation for the model actually being moved.
- Protect accessories and associate them with the matching device or workstation ID.
- Agree a location and authorised recipients for temporary storage and handovers.
- For missing units, moisture or visible damage, record the condition and inform the responsible person; IT decides the next technical steps.
6. Let the responsible IT team control the restart
Before shutdown, the internal move lead and IT should confirm that the destination's prerequisites are met or an approved fallback is available. A missing essential condition requires a decision about postponement or temporary operation.
IT determines connection and startup order from the actual dependencies. Restoring a backup is a step only when the specific plan requires it; it must not accidentally overwrite newer production data. Record changes and deviations so they can be traced.
For personal data, Article 32 GDPR requires safeguards appropriate to risk, including availability, recoverability and assessment of protective measures. The suitable technical measures must be assessed for the particular system.
- Define a reachable fault-reporting channel and a person authorised to make decisions.
- Do not bypass security controls to rush a faulty system into service.
- Report the affected device ID, observed behaviour and time of a fault; agree further steps with IT.
7. Check functions and data access with recorded results
IT and the affected departments should agree in advance which tests their systems need. Use approved test data and transactions. A power light or successful login is not enough to approve the whole workstation.
For each check, add the device or system ID, tester, time, result and outstanding item. Close essential faults only after repair and retesting; an approved temporary operation needs a defined scope and owner.
| Test area | Verifiable outcome | Confirmation by |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory and external condition | Equipment and accessories at the right destination; discrepancies recorded | Recipient with IT |
| Login and permissions | Authorised employees can reach their required applications | IT and the relevant department |
| Required data | Expected data version available and checked to the agreed extent | Data owners with IT |
| Communications and peripherals | Required telephone, email, print or scan function tested successfully | Owner of the relevant workflow |
| Business transaction | Approved test transaction can be completed to the required outcome | Relevant department |
| Ongoing backup | Backup established at the new site and its result checked | Responsible IT team |
8. Finalise records and request the services you need
Keep inventory, confirmed handovers, changes and test results current. Before returning rented devices or old premises, check what is still needed. Do not put data storage media into ordinary moving waste; arrange any required erasure or disposal separately with specialists.
Umzughilfen is a marketing and referral service based in Idstein for moving enquiries in the Rhine-Main area. Describe the equipment to transport and the agreed handovers with your own IT team. A selected independent partner confirms availability and scope; a general moving booking does not promise specialist IT work.
The quote, contract, work, invoice and payment are handled directly with the company named in advance. Required IT services must be expressly agreed with a suitable provider. Umzughilfen remains responsible for its own referral and data-protection duties.
Questions about moving IT equipment
Does the moving partner automatically handle backups and restart?
No. Packing and transport, backups, shutdown, configuration and functional testing are separate tasks. Agree each scope and name suitable IT owners before booking.
What IT information does the moving partner need?
Neutral device IDs, quantities, dimensions, destination codes, packing units and confirmed handling requirements. Passwords, recovery keys and confidential system records do not belong in the transport list.
Can devices be switched on immediately after arrival?
That depends on the device, its condition and transport conditions. The responsible IT team should check suitable connections and the manufacturer's operating-environment requirements, among other things. This plan does not prescribe one waiting time for every model.
Is there nothing to prepare for cloud applications?
There is. Check connections, login, multifactor methods, permissions and required local equipment. IT should establish any further changes with the relevant providers.
When is the IT move finished?
When inventory and handovers are reconciled, required functions and data access are confirmed, and outstanding items have owners. The responsible IT team also checks ongoing backup. Internal operational approval follows the agreed criteria.
Primary sources and scope
Source research dated 18 October 2026; linked sources are in German. BSI materials and Article 32 GDPR provide background. The Dell documentation is an example for particular models, not general instructions or a brand recommendation. Tables and scheduling advice are original editorial working aids. Responsible specialists plan and approve the actual technical work; data recovery and uninterrupted operation are not guaranteed.