Our work delivered an NT file system aligned to the client's new business organisation. Stages included: Business consultations, Current system audit, New system design, Migration of live data

Background

Following the transfer of corporate ownership and an associated company reorganisation, the existing NT file structure was no longer best suited to meet business needs. As part of an overall records and data management programme, the existing file structure was migrated to a new structure, designed to mirror the new organisational configuration. A number of activities were undertaken:

• Consultations with business leaders, users and IT staff to enable a design to be created that met all parties needs and delivered an efficient and practical storage system.
• Audit of the current system, including identification of the size and ownership of each folder. This allowed better understanding of the storage requirements of each department.
• Definition of new user groups, mapping of security needs and collation of requirements such as backup policy and UNIX sharing.
• Mapping of the old structure to the new structure, the creation of a migration plan (including a policy for archiving or deleting non-current files) and the execution of that plan.
• Creation and agreement of policies and procedures to maintain the system.

Outcome

The project delivered a structured, maintainable file storage system that meets the needs of the new business. The design is such that it can be implemented at other international locations and will provide a foundation for enhanced sharing between sites.

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