1. Start with the Floor Plan, 6–8 Weeks Before the Move
IT depends on almost every part of a fit-out: partitions, ceilings, power and furniture. Get the floor plan early and mark where every desk, printer, meeting-room screen, Wi-Fi access point and camera will go. Agree with the fit-out contractor when cabling can be installed, because it must go in before ceilings and partitions are closed. Ask the landlord where the building's telecom room is and how lines reach your floor.
2. Order the Internet Line Early
- Check which providers serve the building (in the UAE usually e& or du) and order the business line as early as possible; installation can take longer than expected
- Ask for a static IP if you need remote access, a VPN or hosted services
- Plan a backup connection, such as a second line or a 5G router, so the office keeps working if the main line fails
3. Plan the Cabling
- At least one data point per desk, plus points for printers, screens, access points and cameras
- Cat6 cabling to a labelled patch panel, with every point tested and the results kept
- A comms cabinet in a ventilated space, not in a cupboard next to the pantry
- Spare capacity for growth: adding cables later costs far more than adding them now
Our structured cabling team in Abu Dhabi can mark up the floor plan and coordinate with your contractor.
4. Network, Firewall and Wi-Fi
- A business firewall between the internet and your network, with up-to-date firmware and strong admin access
- Managed switches, with PoE if you have access points, IP phones or cameras
- Ceiling-mounted wireless access points instead of home routers or extenders
- Separate networks for staff, guests and devices such as CCTV and printers
5. Power Protection
Put the firewall, switches and any server on a UPS so short power dips do not drop the network. Use a dedicated power circuit for the comms cabinet where possible and keep the cabinet cool: heat shortens the life of UPS batteries and equipment. Our guide on choosing a UPS for an office server explains sizing.
6. Microsoft 365, Email and Domain
- Use your own domain for email, not a free address
- Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so your emails are trusted
- Turn on multi-factor sign-in for every user, including the owner
- Store files in SharePoint and Teams with a backup, not only on laptops
The full list is in our Microsoft 365 setup checklist for UAE companies.
7. Laptops, Printers and Accounts
- Prepare laptops with the same standard setup, updates, antivirus and disk encryption
- Connect printers and scanners to the network, not to a single computer
- Create user accounts, shared mailboxes and groups before staff arrive
- Write a simple joiners and leavers checklist so access is added and removed correctly
8. CCTV, Access Control and Attendance
Plan camera, door and attendance-device positions at the same time as the data points, so cabling reaches them. In Abu Dhabi, commercial CCTV installations generally need to follow ADMCC requirements, so use an ADMCC approved CCTV company. For staff time records, see our attendance system installation service.
9. Move Day and the First Week
- Test every data point, Wi-Fi coverage in every room, printing and internet failover before staff arrive
- Have an engineer on site or on call for the first morning
- Keep simple documentation: network diagram, IP addresses, admin accounts and supplier contacts
- Check that backups and security alerts are working
10. A Simple Timeline
- 6–8 weeks before: floor plan marked up, internet line ordered, cabling and comms cabinet agreed with the fit-out contractor
- 4–6 weeks before: firewall, switches, access points, UPS and any new laptops ordered; Microsoft 365 and domain checked
- 2–3 weeks before: cabling installed and tested, comms cabinet built, CCTV and door positions cabled
- 1 week before: network, Wi-Fi and firewall configured; internet line live and tested; user accounts ready
- Move weekend: equipment moved, labelled and reconnected; every desk tested before Monday
- First week: engineer on call, small fixes closed, documentation handed over
11. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving IT until the fit-out is finished, then running cables along the floor or adding extenders to fill Wi-Fi gaps
- Ordering the internet line too late, so the team works from mobile hotspots for the first weeks
- Putting the comms cabinet in a store room with no ventilation, which leads to overheating and failed equipment in the summer
- Using one flat network where guests, CCTV and staff laptops can all see each other
- Not documenting anything, so nobody knows the admin passwords, IP addresses or which cable goes where when something breaks
- Forgetting the leavers process, so former staff keep access to email and files after they go
Each of these is cheap to avoid during the move and expensive to fix afterwards.
Bringing It Together
A new office is the best time to set IT up properly: cabling in the right places, a secure network, protected power and Microsoft 365 configured from day one. VOWTECH handles office IT setup and relocation in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, from floor-plan markup to move-day testing, and can look after the office afterwards under an IT AMC.