Russian Logistics Giant CDEK Executes Long-Distance Data Center Migration via Air Freight

Russian Logistics Giant CDEK Executes Long-Distance Data Center Migration via Air Freight January 26, 2026 In a complex operation highlighting the logistical and technical challenges of modern IT infrastructure management, Russian parcel delivery leader CDEK has completed a major migration of its core data center operations from Novosibirsk in Siberia to a new facility in Moscow, a distance exceeding 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles). The scale of the move, involving the physical relocation of critical hardware by air, underscores the strategic importance of data center location for application performance and security in the digital economy. The migration, which began earlier this year and aimed to cover 95 percent of the company's operations, involved transferring 400 interconnected systems. The most critical phase was executed on January 1, 2026, when CDEK logistics specialists transported 300 terabytes of data on physical media via a dedicated charter flight between the two cities, completing the key transfer within a 24-hour window. To facilitate the high-speed data replication required for such a move, the company established dedicated 20 Gbps communication channels and three 12 Gbps internet links between the sites. In total, approximately 1.17 petabytes of the company's data—representing around 90 percent of its total—were migrated, with a further 0.4 petabytes scheduled for future transfer. A company representative cited "signal latency" as a primary technical hurdle that "could have complicated the service," explaining that the New Year's Day timing was strategically chosen so "customers wouldn't notice anything." The systems moved encompassed the company's core business platforms, technical infrastructure, and service applications. Since initiating the migration, CDEK has installed 238 pieces of equipment in its new Moscow data center, including 83 servers and 86 storage systems. The relocation from Novosibirsk—a smaller regional data center market—to Moscow, Russia's primary digital hub, is expected to significantly boost application speeds and enhance security levels by providing greater connectivity options and redundant data transmission channels. For CDEK, which processed nearly 150 million parcels in 2025 and handles over 350,000 daily, this infrastructure upgrade is critical for maintaining service reliability and competitive edge, particularly following a cybersecurity incident by the international hacker group Head Mare in 2024 that disrupted operations. The move reflects a broader trend of enterprises consolidating IT infrastructure into major connectivity hubs to optimize performance and resilience, even when it necessitates unconventional and costly migration strategies. Source: datacenterdynamics