Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software has now come out of the shadows of an emerging technology it had started with a decade ago as a tool integrating Building Management System (BMS) and a Systems Management software. It has matured as a Data Center Operations, Planning and Management software vital for Data Center staff, managers as well as the CIO. Of course, evolution will further continue with Software Defined Data Centers (SDDCs) and DCIM becoming a natural inheritor of an Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) application.
Beyond monitoring and sending critical alerts, DCIM addresses the common data center operation problems that happen due to the absence of a comprehensive, up-to-date and accurate asset database. A Move-Add-Change operation goes untracked in a spreadsheet. DCIM automates this function with workflow-based approvals. The asset database itself can be created through an auto-discovery process and populating static attributes from in-built OEM libraries. Please click here to see this at work.
Beyond Data Center Operations, DCIM helps in Planning and Management. It helps identify the best-fit racks to place a new server, based on available space and remaining allocated power. It provides alerts when a Preventive Maintenance date is due. So downtime can be properly planned especially when there is possibility of downstream cascading impact. A Power Chain provides ready visualization to help avoid an adverse situation.
Finally, DCIM provides Data Center metrics. On the dashboard one can get rack space utilization, PUE and rack, row & room temperature for the month as against the SLA terms.
In a world of always-on service delivery, data center failures are unthinkable. The financial implication and loss of reputation alone make it imperative that we put in place systems that prevent such failures. At the same time, CFOs and CIOs are grappling with increasing capital expenditures and operating costs involved in running a High Availability Data Center.
GFS Crane DCIM delivers both on the High Availability promise as well enabling a leaner, greener and operationally more efficient data center. For more on GFS Crane DCIM, please see our new brochure.