Checklist: assessing the digital infrastructure
A tour shows you the floor, not the network. These points help you assess whether a property digitally fits what your organisation needs.
If the property has an IT-Label, most of what follows has already been independently assessed and you can request the certificate. If it doesn't, these are the questions you should ask yourself.
Connectivity
This determines whether you can work at all, and is the most expensive to fix afterwards, a connection that isn't there can't be arranged in a week.
- Is there fibre optic? And if so, how far: up to the building, or into your own space? See fibre optic in buildings.
- What capacity is available? Not what the connection can theoretically handle, but what's available to you alongside other tenants.
- Is there a second connection? If one line fails, do you come to a standstill? See network redundancy.
- What is the latency? For video conferencing and cloud applications, delay matters more than raw speed.
Inside the building
- What cabling is installed? CAT6A, CAT6 or older, and throughout the property, or only in the main spaces?
- How is the WiFi coverage? Don't ask whether there's WiFi, but whether there's coverage in every space you'll actually use. See WiFi coverage.
- Is there a patch or server room? And is it climate-controlled, lockable and large enough for your equipment?
- Who manages the network? The landlord, an external party, or you? That determines who you turn to when something goes wrong.
Amenities and security
- What building systems are there? Access control, climate control, camera security, visitor registration, and do they work together? See Smart Building technology.
- How is security arranged? A building with smart systems also has an attack surface. See cybersecurity in real estate.
- Is there charging infrastructure? And smart parking management, or a building app? Increasingly part of what's expected.
- Does it scale with you? Can the infrastructure keep up if you double in size or start running heavier applications? See future-proof building.
The question that sums it all up
What is present, and what do I need to arrange myself? The IT-Label answers that question with a classification; the agreements about who does what are recorded in the IT Demarcation List.
Does this property already have an IT-Label?
Then the above has already been independently assessed.
Search for an IT-label
Enter the address or postcode of the building whose IT-label you wish to look up.
No label yet on the property of your choice?
Ask the landlord for a certification. An independent partner determines the level.
How it worksRelated information
The IT-Label for tenants
The IT-Label clarifies before signing which digital delivery level a building has and which investment is still yours to make.
Landlord and tenant responsibilities
The IT-Label shows the digital delivery level of a building. Who does what is recorded in the IT Demarcation List.
Fibre optic in buildings
Why fibre optic forms the basis of the higher IT-Label levels, and why 'up to the building' means something different from 'into your space'.
WiFi coverage
Coverage and capacity are two different things, and both determine whether WiFi is actually usable. How the IT-Label assesses WiFi.