Data Center Switch Migration Case Study

Large-Scale Data Center Switch Migration

Designing, deploying and migrating a six-floor data center infrastructure with zero disruption.

Switch Ports	ISL Ports	All-Flash Array Ports	Host Connections
4,608	356	662	2,582

Modern data center deployments require more than high-quality cable assemblies.  They demand strategic planning, precise engineering, disciplined execution and close coordination amoung multiple stakeholders.

CABLEVENDOR partnered with a global telecommunications provider throughout the entire lifecycle of a six-floor data center infrastructure transformation.  From initial audit and discovery, pathway planning and structured cabling design through deployment, migration and optimization, CABLEVENDOR provided the expertise, project management and structured cabling product solutions necessary to deliver a successful outcome with no unplanned disruption.

Planning and Infrastructure Design

In collaboration with the customer's facilities and physical planning teams, CABLEVENDOR conducted a comprehensive assessment of the existing environment and project scope. 

The customer was consolidating thirty-six Cisco MDS 9513 Director Class Switches down to twelve 9718-V3 directors.  A physical audit was performed to validate device locations, port utilization and operational status of the server and storage resources attached to the SAN.  The audit identifed more than 400 host systems that could be decommissioned, helping the customer to refine capacity requirements and confidently size the new environment.

With the switching architecture defined by the customer's storage management team, we designed a structured cabling platform to support four primary objectives:

1. High-Availability
2. Scalability
3. Performance
4. Operational Simplicity

Working with the data center operations manager, we determined the optimal placement of a new Main Distribution Frame (MDF) and Zone Distribution Areas (ZDAs) cabinet locations on each floor.  We identified redundant cable pathways, eliminated potential routing bottlenecks and developed detailed cabling schedules calculating exact cable lengths.  We generated an equipment Bill of Materials and provided pricing & lead time information.  Based on the resulting design, the customer selected CABLEVENDOR to supply the complete cabling infrastructure, including:

• Fiber Optic Trunk Cables
• Fiber Distribution Cabinets
• Patch Panels
• Fiber Jumpers
• Cable Management Devices

During manufacturing, the technical team prepared labeling standards, validated documentation packages and coordinated implementation activities.

To maintain alignment across all workstreams, a master project plan was managed with weekly coordination meetings involving:

• Storage Architects
• Network Engineers
• Data Center Operations Management
• Facilities
• Dell EMC Representatives
• Project Stakeholders

This collaborative planning process established a solid foundation for deployment while minimizing installation risks and ensuring adherence to the project timeline.

Site Preparation and infrastructure Deployment

Prior to cable installation, the customer completed critical site readiness activities including power upgrades, raised-floor modifications, infrastructure preparation and equipment staging.  Following delivery of the new switches, Dell EMC installed the switch chassis and line cards while CABLEVENDOR completed cable manufacture.

We first installed 36-fiber armored OS2 singlemode trunks to direct-attached redundant inter-switch link connections (ISLs) between the core and edge switches.  Upon completion, the network team succesfully validated switch-to-switch communications across dual network fabrics, confirming operational readiness before migration activities commenced.

Following successful validation, CABLEVENDOR installed fiber distribution cabinets, patch panels and 96-fiber OM4 MPO cable backbone throughout the six-floor facility.  To minimize migration risk, all jumper connections were fully documents, labeled, performance tested and pre-staged for cut-over activities.

Migration Execution

The migration strategy was designed to reduce operational risk while maintaining business continuity.  Migration activities were scheduled and executed during two consecutive maintenance windows:

Weekend 1

Fabric A Migration

• Cut-over completed on schedule
• Network validation completed successfully
• No unplanned service interruption

Weekend 2

• Cut-over completed on schedule
• Network validation completed successfully
• No unplanned service interruption

Both migration windows were completed according to plan, allowing the customer to transition to the new infrastruture with confidence and minimal operational impact.

Post Migration Optimization

Following successful cut-over, attention shifted to environmental optimization and infrastructure cleanup.  The project team identified legacy cabling, decommissioned network equipment and retired rack infrastructure and scheduled it for removal.  This effort improved floor-space utilization, airflow efficiency, pathway overcrowding and overall operational maintainability.

Results

The completed deployment delivered a scalable, highly structured and fully documented cabling infrastructure capable of supporting current operational requirments and enabling future growth.

Key outcomes included:

• Accelerated Infrastructure Deployment
• Reduced Installation and Migration Risk
• Redundant and Validated Network Connectivity
• Maximized Data Center Floor-Space Utilization
• Comprehensive Documentation, Labeling and Certified Test Results
• Successful Migration with no Unplanned Downtime
• Improved Long-Term Operational Efficiency

Conclusion

Projects of this scale succeed through careful planning, disciplined execution and strong collaboration.

While the customer provided the strategic vision and operational requirements, CABLEVENDOR delivered the infrastructure expertise, engineering support, project coordination and physical deliverables necessary to complete the deployment successfully.

The result was a modernized, scalable and fully documented data center infrastructure completed on schedule, validated through rigorous testing and deployed without unplanned interruption.

More than cable assemblies.  A trusted infrastructure partner helping data centers accelerate deployment, reduce risk, maintain uptime and maximize performance.