Office Infrastructure Consolidation & Network Integration Project

Transitioning Two Offices into One Centralized, Secure and Scalable IT Environment

1. Project Overview

As part of an office relocation and operational streamlining initiative, I coordinated the consolidation of IT systems, network infrastructure and digital assets from two office locations into a single unified headquarters. The objective was to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime, while standardizing the network architecture, consolidating hardware, decommissioning redundant systems and preparing the new location for scalable operations.

I worked closely with the network and infrastructure team, overseeing planning, execution, vendor coordination and user transition while ensuring business continuity throughout the entire migration.

2. Background & Challenges

Challenge	Impact
Two separate office infrastructures with different configurations	Inconsistent setups and duplicated equipment
Devices, servers and network equipment split across locations	Difficult management and higher maintenance cost
Unstructured network layout in both offices	No standard VLAN segmentation or documentation
Need to relocate employees and IT services with zero data loss	Risk of downtime affecting productivity
Decommissioning of old office while preserving all critical data	Required strict planning, backup and rollback strategies

3. Project Objectives

• Consolidate network, systems and IT assets from two offices into one central infrastructure

• Standardize network architecture – switches, VLANs, Wi-Fi SSIDs, routing and firewall rules

• Ensure uninterrupted access to internal systems (VPN, servers, storage, Wi-Fi) during the migration

• Decommission redundant equipment and migrate only required assets to the new location

• Improve scalability, documentation and long-term IT infrastructure efficiency

4. Planning & Coordination

Key Activities Conducted Prior to Migration:

• Performed IT asset discovery (switches, servers, Wi-Fi APs, printers, UPS, cables, racks) in both locations

• Identified what to migrate, replace, upgrade or decommission

• Created new office network layout (core switch, IDF racks, fiber uplinks, VLAN structure, Wi-Fi placement)

• Worked with management to schedule the migration in stages (after working hours/weekend)

• Coordinated with internet service provider for line transfer and IP update

• Backed up all critical systems (network configs, servers, documentation, DNS records)

  
  

Stakeholders Involved:

Team	Responsibility
IT Infrastructure / Network Team	Network redesign, switch/firewall/VLAN configuration
Myself (IT Project Lead/Coordinator)	Project planning, asset mapping, scheduling, documentation, transition execution
Department Heads	Confirm user requirements and downtime tolerances
Vendors / ISP	Internet line relocation and rack/cabling support

5. Implementation Timeline

Phase	Duration	Key Actions
Phase 1 – Audit & Documentation	Week 1–2	Asset inventory, network mapping, risk assessment
Phase 2 – Network Design & Migration Plan	Week 3	Finalizing new network layout, VLAN plan, IP schema
Phase 3 – Pre-Staging & Configuration	Week 4	Network team prepared new switches, firewall policies, Wi-Fi SSIDs
Phase 4 – Physical Move & Cutover	Weekend	Servers, racks, switches transported; ISP connection activated in new office
Phase 5 – Testing & Validation	Day 1–2 after cutover	Connectivity tests (LAN/Wi-Fi/VPN), printer setup, device onboarding
Phase 6 – Old Office Decommissioning	Final Week	Power-down, equipment retrieval, termination of ISP contracts

6. Solution Implementation

Network & Infrastructure Consolidation

• Core network rack installed in new location (switches, patch panels, UPS, firewall)

• Structured cabling with proper labeling and fiber uplink to additional floors (if any)

• New VLAN structure implemented:

  • Staff Network

  • Admin/Server Network

  • Guest Wi-Fi Network

  • IoT/Printer VLAN

• Existing Wi-Fi access points reconfigured and redeployed for optimal coverage

  
  

Systems & Data Transfer

• File servers, shared drives and development machines migrated and reconnected

• Backup snapshots taken before physical transport to avoid data corruption

• VPN access reconfigured with updated IP addressing

• DNS and internal system hostname records updated

  
  

Decommissioning of the Old Office

• All critical hardware retrieved or securely wiped if retired

• ISP line cancelled, network devices reset

• Final asset inventory checklist completed

  
  

7. Before vs After

Aspect	Before Consolidation	After Consolidation
Office Locations	IT systems split across 2 branches	Centralized infrastructure in one HQ
Network Structure	Unsegmented, inconsistent	Structured VLANs, documented layout
Wi-Fi System	Different SSIDs & configs per office	Unified Wi-Fi with seamless authentication
Asset Management	Duplicated servers/devices	Optimized equipment, reduced redundancy
Documentation	Limited or outdated	Full network diagram, asset tracker, SOPs
Scalability	Hard to manage & expand	Easier expansion, standardized architecture

8. Results & Impact

• Seamless transition with minimal business disruption

• Reduced infrastructure costs by eliminating duplicate systems

• Improved network performance and Wi-Fi reliability across the new office

• Stronger security through VLAN segmentation and standardized firewall policies

• Easier IT management due to centralized systems and updated documentation

• Prepared the new office for future growth with scalability in mind

9. My Key Contributions

• Initiated and planned the entire consolidation project

• Coordinated between management, ISP, IT team and network engineers

• Conducted asset inventory and created migration checklist

• Designed proposed network layout and VLAN structure with the infra team

• Managed migration day execution and ensured smooth system handover

• Created documentation: floor plan, rack layout, IP schema, SOPs