Phase 1: Current State Documentation
Power capacity documentation
Total installed UPS capacity, available capacity, power distribution topology, and single-line diagram. Include generator capacity and fuel storage.
Cooling capacity documentation
Total cooling capacity (kW or tons), current utilization, cooling topology, and the maximum power density the current cooling system can support per rack.
Network topology documentation
Current switching architecture, bandwidth by segment, redundancy configuration, and the age and support status of all network equipment.
Compute inventory
Complete inventory of all servers including model, age, support status, current utilization, and the workloads running on each system.
Storage inventory
Complete inventory of all storage systems including capacity, performance specifications, age, support status, and the data sets stored on each system.
Facility documentation
Floor plans, structural load ratings, raised floor specifications (if applicable), and any facility constraints that affect infrastructure placement.
Phase 2: Requirements Definition
Workload requirements documentation
For each workload that will run on the modernized infrastructure: compute requirements, memory requirements, storage requirements, network bandwidth requirements, and latency requirements.
Growth projections
Projected workload growth over 3, 5, and 10 years. Include AI workload plans, cloud migration plans, and any planned application deployments that will affect infrastructure requirements.
Availability requirements
Required uptime SLA for each workload tier. Tier 1 (mission-critical), Tier 2 (business-critical), Tier 3 (important), Tier 4 (development/test). Availability requirements drive redundancy architecture.
Performance requirements
Specific performance metrics for each workload tier: latency, throughput, IOPS, and the consequences of performance degradation.
Operational model definition
Who will operate the modernized infrastructure: internal team, managed services provider, or hybrid. The operational model affects the management architecture and the skills required.
Phase 3: Stakeholder Alignment
Executive sponsor identified and committed
A named executive sponsor with budget authority and decision-making power. Programs without an executive sponsor consistently stall at decision points.
Budget approved and allocated
Total program budget approved, including contingency (typically 10–15% of total program cost). Budget that has not been formally approved is not available.
Timeline agreed
Program timeline agreed by all stakeholders, including the business units whose operations will be affected by the modernization. Timeline disagreements discovered during execution are more disruptive than those resolved during planning.
Decision authority documented
Who can approve scope changes, budget changes, and timeline changes. Decision authority that is unclear during execution creates delays at every decision point.
Communication plan established
How will stakeholders be informed of program progress, issues, and decisions? Communication plans that are established during execution are less effective than those established during planning.
Phase 4: Compliance and Risk
Applicable compliance frameworks identified
HIPAA, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, NERC CIP, SOX, ITAR, all frameworks that apply to the organization and the data processed in the facility. Engage legal and compliance teams before design begins.
Compliance requirements documented
Specific infrastructure controls required by each applicable framework. These requirements must be incorporated into the design, not added after design is complete.
Risk assessment completed
Identification of the risks that the modernization program must address: reliability risks, performance risks, compliance risks, and strategic risks.
Business continuity plan updated
How will the organization maintain operations during the modernization program? Business continuity planning for the modernization period must be completed before work begins.
Phase 5: Vendor Readiness
RFP developed and issued
RFP that specifies performance requirements, scope requirements, evaluation criteria, and contract terms. See the Buying Guide for RFP requirements.
Vendor evaluation completed
Evaluation of vendor responses against the criteria specified in the RFP. Reference checks completed. Site visits to comparable completed projects conducted.
Contract negotiated and executed
Fixed-price contract with defined deliverables, acceptance criteria, commissioning requirements, and warranty terms. See the Buying Guide for contract terms.
Project kickoff scheduled
Kickoff meeting with the vendor project team, client project team, and all stakeholders. Kickoff agenda should include scope confirmation, timeline review, communication plan, and escalation procedures.
Phase 6: Migration Preparation
Workload migration sequence defined
The order in which workloads will be migrated to the modernized infrastructure. Migration sequence should minimize risk by migrating lower-criticality workloads first.
Rollback plan documented
How will the organization revert to the legacy infrastructure if a migration fails? Rollback plans must be documented and tested before migration begins.
Maintenance windows scheduled
Maintenance windows for each migration event, agreed with the business units whose operations will be affected. Maintenance windows that are not agreed in advance create conflict during execution.
Commissioning criteria defined
Specific, measurable criteria that the modernized infrastructure must meet before production workloads are migrated. Commissioning criteria defined before construction begins are more effective than those defined after.
The checklist is a minimum, not a maximum