Data Center Journal

Volume 30 | February 2014

Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/257227

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 5 of 32

www.datacenterjournal.com THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL | 3 a s our world becomes more digitized and dependent on data, the demand placed upon data centers, which now need to handle the 2.5 exabytes of data created every day, has grown expo- nentially. Businesses can no longer afford inefficiency or downtime. In order to respond to this challenge, data center and facility managers are in need of increasing amounts of timely and accurate data on the entire operation in order to maintain smooth, efficient and cost-effective opera- tions while also managing risk. To provide this information, data center managers across the globe have turned to automated data center systems that control, man- age, monitor and report on mechanical, electrical and IT components to help them optimize their data center. ese controls are commonly referred to as data center in- frastructure management (DCIM) systems. DeBunking the Myth of DCiM Over the past several years, the term DCIM has grown in use throughout the data center industry. Many have embraced the importance of DCIM in helping to regulate, optimize, manage and main- tain the data center. But despite growing awareness of this solution, it is commonly misunderstood. ere are many misconceptions about the true meaning of DCIM. Rather than having a standard industry-wide meaning, many data center and facility managers have referred to DCIM as one-off, individual automation and control solutions. In short, DCIM has become personalized; ask two different data center managers, or better yet, a data center manager and a facility man- ager, about their DCIM system and you'll likely receive two very different answers. In general, there are two reasons why the meaning of DCIM can vary so widely. In most cases, the term is used to refer to just one or two of the many automated sys- tems that can manage a data center facility. is is oen due to the fact that managers are only using one or two of these systems. In addition, the definition of DCIM bends further when surveying the facility side ver- sus the IT side of data center management, as these departments are oen disparate and siloed. Both of these reasons have the potential to cause major data center opera- tional issues. At the most superficial level, the lack of a commonly understood definition of DCIM can create confusion and make com- munication across the data center industry difficult. Beyond this, however, the fact that the term varies so widely and oen only refers to single components or specific systems of a data center operation can mean that managers are missing important opportunities to run their data center more efficiently, safely and cost effectively. evolution of ContRols: enhanCeD autoMation But DispaRate systeMs As the needs of the data center have evolved, automated solutions, which moni- tor specific data center systems without manual involvement by a manager, have grown in use. Most data centers today uti- lize one or more of these popular solutions: Building Management System (BMS): BMSs are used to control and monitor a facility's mechanical and electrical equip- ment, such as ventilation, lighting and pow- er/fire/security systems. Because so many of a building's high-power-consumption systems are directly linked to this control, BMSs are a critical component to managing energy demand within a facility. Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS): When utilized within a data center en- vironment, CMMS controls help data center managers maintain a schedule for equip- ment inspection and evaluation. When a piece of equipment, such as an uninter- ruptible power supply (UPS) is installed into the data center, the solution's technical details are then entered into the CMMS. is includes the make, model and serial number, as well as information on how of- ten the equipment should be inspected. Two weeks prior to the prescribed inspection date, the CMMS will automatically create a work order for maintenance outlining the steps needed to inspect the equipment properly and how long the process will take. e control also keeps track of if and when inspections are completed. Branch Circuit Monitoring System (BCMS): BCMS controls help data center managers and other responsible parties maintain power delivery to critical equip- ment within the data center. e system monitors power distribution at the circuit level, including voltage, amperage, power, and energy, and delivers the specific data to a data center manager for further evalua- tion. e information provided by a BCMS can be used to maximize uptime and avoid outages, optimize existing infrastructure or improve power distribution efficiency, among other tasks. IT Asset Management / Work Load Placement Systems: A system that helps track the place- ment, owner, use, power draw (plug in or derated number) of IT equipment. Some systems can determine compute utiliza- tion, rated capacities, weight and power requirements. Some have suggested just one of these "suites" is a complete DCIM system. But while each of these systems provides data center operators or facility managers with pertinent information about the specific system is it monitoring and is a component of DCIM, alone they are unable to provide a total picture of the health of the data center. DCiM toDay: a holistiC view of youR Data CenteR e misconceptions outlined above are at the root of the disparate opinions on what DCIM is and how it should be imple- mented in the data center. Doctors don't gauge the health of the body by blood pressure alone. Similarly, car mechanics don't gauge the health of a car solely by tire pressure. ere are many fac- tors that contribute to the overall health of a body and a vehicle. So why is it that when data center operators talk about the health of the data center, many only discuss the IT layer? is is just one facet of the data center – an important facet, not doubt – but if we only focus on the white space, we miss 70-80 percent of the data center ecosystem, which paints an unrealistic, incomplete view of how your data center is operating. So what does DCIM actually entail? In short, DCIM includes everything in and around the data center, including power, cooling, space, IT kit, compute utilization, network port utilization, structure cable, and how that structure cable is routed – all these things give you a more complete picture of your data center and how it nor- mally operates. rough real time monitor- ing and analysis of all these components in an integrated way, DCIM addresses virtu-

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Data Center Journal - Volume 30 | February 2014