New office IT setup checklist for UAE businesses.

Why plan IT before the fit-out

IT is often the last item on a new-office list, yet it depends on decisions made early: where cables run, where the comms cabinet sits, which internet line is ordered and when. Left late, these become ceiling work after the ceilings are up, or a move-in day with no internet. This checklist follows the order in which things usually need to happen for a UAE office, whether it is a first office for a new company or a move to larger premises.

Phase 1: brief and survey

• List the people who will work in the office, the roles they need devices for and how many will be hybrid or visiting.
• Note the systems the business cannot run without, such as accounting, ERP, point of sale, shared drives and telephony.
• Obtain the floor plan and landlord or building rules for cabling, risers, access to the roof or comms room, and out-of-hours work.
• Walk the site with your IT partner before partitions are finalised, so that outlet positions and the comms cabinet location can still change.

Phase 2: cabling and internet

Cabling. Structured cabling is the part you least want to redo. Agree outlet counts per desk, meeting room and wall-mounted device, and allow for printers, access points, door access and cameras. Label every outlet and patch panel port. Our networks, cabling and CCTV page covers what an installation includes.

Internet and failover. Order the main line early, as lead times with providers and buildings vary. Consider a second line from a different provider, or a mobile backup connection, so that one failure does not stop trading. Ask who owns the router and the in-building handover point, and keep the account details and support numbers in your documentation.

Phase 3: network, Wi-Fi and security baseline

• A business firewall rather than a basic consumer router, configured with sensible rules and managed updates.
• Separate networks for staff, guests and any devices such as cameras or point of sale terminals.
• Wi-Fi designed from the floor plan, with access point positions chosen for coverage and capacity, not guessed. See Wi-Fi network solutions.
• Endpoint protection on every device, automatic updates and an agreed process for who installs software.
• Multi-factor authentication switched on before anyone starts using the systems.

Phase 4: identity and Microsoft 365

Decide the company domain and register the Microsoft 365 tenant in the company's own name, with an administrator account that belongs to the business and not to an individual or a contractor. Set up users, shared mailboxes, Teams and file storage, and apply a security baseline before staff arrive. Our Microsoft 365 security baseline guide lists the settings worth checking. Keep a record of who holds administrator rights and how they are recovered.

Phase 5: devices and backup

Order laptops, desktops and peripherals early and have them enrolled, configured and labelled before the move, so each person receives a ready-to-use device. Plan backup at the same time: decide what is protected, where copies are kept, who checks the jobs and how a restore is tested. Backup that is added later tends to be added never, so put it in before business data arrives. The backup restore test checklist explains how to confirm it works.

Phase 6: phones, printing and extras

• Business phone numbers, extensions and mobile apps. See business phone system with 3CX.
• Printers and scanners, and where they connect.
• Meeting-room equipment such as displays and conferencing.
• CCTV and door access, if the premises need them, planned alongside the cabling.

Phase 7: handover documents

A new office is only as supportable as its documentation. Before sign-off, make sure you hold:

• A network diagram and a cabling and patch-panel schedule.
• IP address plan, firewall configuration summary and Wi-Fi details.
• Internet account numbers, circuit references and supplier support contacts.
• Microsoft 365 and domain administrator details, held securely and accessible to more than one senior person.
• A device register with serial numbers, owners and warranty information.
• Backup scope, schedule and restore-test results.
• A support arrangement for after move-in, with named contacts and an escalation path.

A sensible order of work

Without promising durations, which depend on the building, suppliers and your fit-out contractor, the order is usually: brief and survey first; internet ordering and cabling design next; cabling installed during the fit-out before ceilings and floors are closed; network, security and Microsoft 365 built and tested while the fit-out finishes; devices and phones prepared in parallel; then a final walk-through, handover documents and move-in support. Work backwards from your move-in date and ask each supplier for a written date for their step.

If you want a second pair of eyes on your plan, or on an existing office that was set up in a hurry, a free IT health check is a straightforward start. Our new office IT setup service covers these phases end to end. Missan Global has supported UAE organisations since 2004, from its Al Majaz, Sharjah head office.