Challenge: The Network Provider Crisis
Systematic Assessment: What’s Already There?
Before ordering a single new router, we asked a fundamental question: what hardware already exists on site that we can work with?
Every affected client already had routers capable of handling their existing throughput. These devices weren’t experiencing hardware problems. The issue was the upstream network provider, not the client-side equipment.
We’d already proven we could migrate routers to our new network infrastructure and gain full control whilst removing legacy configurations. This revelation changed everything.
Why deploy new routers requiring delivery costs, field team resources, and duplicated technical work when existing capable hardware could be reconfigured remotely?
Solution: Intelligent Migration Methodology
We developed a staggered approach prioritising business impact over operational convenience, built on a fundamental strategic decision: use existing on-site routers instead of deploying new equipment.
This eliminated multiple complexity layers:
- No hardware shipping delays or costs
- No field team deployment requirements
- No duplicate technical configuration work
- No additional coordination with multiple parties
We pre-configure devices remotely. When clients approve the cutover window, we switch from one configuration to another, confirm everything runs properly within 2-5 minutes, and remove the old configuration.
Phase 1: Urgent Response
Clients experiencing active problems got immediate priority regardless of their position in any systematic rollout plan. If a business was suffering latency issues affecting their operations, they moved to the front of the migration queue. Business needs trump systematic planning when clients have connectivity problems that affect their business.
Phase 2: Capacity-Conscious Scaling
For stable clients, we implemented bandwidth-conscious phasing. Smaller circuits migrate first, adding minimal load to our backbone infrastructure. We then progress to 50-100 meg circuits, continuously monitoring backbone capacity before migrating larger connections.
This approach prevents the chaos of wholesale migration overwhelming infrastructure and impacting existing functional clients.
Multi-Party Coordination
Complex migrations require careful choreography. We coordinate with existing IPT providers to decommission old connections whilst working directly with clients’ international operations teams to reconfigure secure tunnels without dropping connectivity.
The urgency meant we had to solve problems in real-time rather than following a perfect sequential plan, but the client’s operations remained online throughout.
Business Continuity Measures
Clients raised predictable concerns: potential downtime and IP address changes requiring third-party LAN coordination. We addressed these by offering flexible timing windows. If a five-minute change works during business hours, we schedule accordingly. If longer downtime is expected, we work after hours or at the edges of business days.
Zero-disruption remained the goal throughout every migration:
- Maintain existing IP addresses and configurations until cutover
- Client-driven timing windows matching business operations
- 2-5 minute validation checks post-migration
- Immediate rollback capability if issues emerge
Measurable Outcomes
Complex migrations have been completed successfully with zero user complaints despite coordination complexity and urgent timeframe pressure. Critical business operations are restored to full performance immediately following cutover.
Our systematic approach enables us to manage over 100 client migrations whilst maintaining quality and preventing infrastructure overload. Current progress shows three client sites prepared for migration, with weekly batches progressing through affected clients.
Methodology Evolution
The migration approach evolved from “always ship new equipment” to “assess what’s already there first.” This evolution demonstrates operational maturity: challenging assumptions about necessary complexity.
Our initial methodology was straightforward: order router, pre-configure, ship to site, coordinate field team deployment. Our current methodology starts with fundamental questions: Do we have capable equipment on site? Can we accomplish the migration without physical deployment? What’s the minimum necessary intervention that will result in the minimum disruption to our client’s business?
This evolution improves client confidence. We can move forward more quickly and adapt to situations faster when we’re not constrained by hardware logistics and field team scheduling.
Why Systematic Beats Wholesale
Infrastructure migrations of this scale require careful pacing. Managing over 100 connections means monitoring backbone capacity continuously to prevent wholesale migration from overwhelming infrastructure and impacting existing clients.
We’re working to a six-month timeframe not because we’re avoiding commitment, but because responsible management of infrastructure supporting critical business operations doesn’t accommodate artificial deadlines.
Strategic Lessons
Business Impact Prioritisation: When clients experience active problems, systematic planning gives way to urgent response. The methodology remains sound, but priorities shift based on business needs.
Simplification Wins: Challenging the assumption that complexity is necessary often reveals simpler, faster, more cost-effective solutions. The best migration might be the one requiring the least physical intervention.
Capacity Consciousness: Understanding infrastructure limitations and scaling migrations to match capacity prevents the chaos of overwhelming your own systems whilst trying to improve client services.
The network migration demonstrates that systematic methodology doesn’t mean rigid adherence to plans when business realities demand adaptation. It means having sound processes that flex intelligently based on client needs whilst maintaining service quality throughout transitions.
