Modern Data Center Managers face the problem of competing demands. For instance, an important KRA for the Data Center (DC) Manager is maintaining highest levels of uptime throughout the year. At the same time, for keeping capital costs under control, maintaining high asset utilization is also a KRA. However, uptime has an inverse relationship with asset utilization. Higher the uptime, more the required redundancies: n+1, n+2, even n+ n. This results in ever increasing numbers of backup devices of every category, leading to the obvious outcome of lower asset utilization.
Another KRA for the DC Manager is maintaining a consistent temperature range in the server halls. However, maintaining low temperatures require extra cooling, leading to Higher Facility Power Consumption. Higher Facility Power Consumption leads to higher PUE, which is contrary to a very important KRA for the DC Manager. Maintaining low temperature as well as achieving lower PUE is a classic conundrum for the Data Center Manager.
Rack space utilization versus uptime and operational security is another example of competing demands. Packing more servers in a rack not only increases the possibility of power trip, adversely impacting uptime of affected servers, but also compounds the risk of sharp temperature rise in the Rack. This could lead to the risk of fire hazards, thereby undermining the safety and reliability of the data center and its devices. Higher Rack Space Utilization, a KRA, is a competing demand to the two KRAs of operational security of the data center as well as to higher server uptime.
Constraints
As if competing demands are not enough, there is an added dimension of constraints. We wish to achieve high rack space utilization while blocking and reserving U-spaces. We wish to pack in more servers in the rack but also make sure we do not exceed the allocated power cap on it.
DCIM addresses the new age Data Center Managers’ conundrums of competing demands. DCIM offers a 360◦ view of all critical infrastructure and resources. This helps the Data Center Manager navigate the complex web of competing demands to deliver desired SLA results and business benefits to its users.
For more on Managing Data Center’s Competing Demands, please see: https://greenfieldsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/GFS-Crane-DCIM-Overview.pdf