How Data Center Infrastructure Management Improves Operations
Introduction
Following modernization efforts in the Philippines, the government has been pushing for further support in building data centers in the country. Operations on a nationwide scale require robust computing power, high storage capacities, and the capability to process massive amounts of data, hence the need to establish more facilities.
As public offices and private businesses continue to store and process data for their operations, so does the need for data centers to have a sound infrastructure management system to keep everything running smoothly. If you need a physical facility for your data requirements, knowing how third-party experts manage the data centers is crucial if you want to work with one.
Read this guide by InfoBahn Communications, Inc. to learn more about data center infrastructure management and how it can help improve your operations and contribute to your organization’s success.
What Is Data Center Infrastructure Management
Not to be confused with data center management, which mostly entails the organizational aspect of the facility, a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platform helps organizations monitor and manage all the computing and non-computing aspects of the data hub. It’s a type of software designed to help experts keep tabs on your data center’s assets. The system specifically tracks the status of the following:
- Computing resources such as servers, computers, terminals, routers, switches, and storage devices
- Non-computing resources such as power sources, cooling devices, cables, internet backbones, and storage racks
A DCIM platform allows IT experts to monitor the network at a glance and identify stand-out elements. For instance, technical staff can spot an overheating server and immediately replace or repair it, minimizing damage to the whole network and preventing downtime.
With the government lobbying to allocate more budget for more data centers, a DCIM platform should help keep the facilities in top shape. This is crucial for protecting data stored and processed in the hub.
How Data Center Infrastructure Management Systems Help Organizations
A data center infrastructure management platform is a convenient way for experts to manage, monitor, and maintain their physical facilities. It eliminates the need to manually check each data rack and the servers stored in each, saves time identifying issues, and minimizes risks of damage, downtime, and breaches.
If you’re hiring a third-party vendor that maintains data centers to store and process your digital assets, you’d want someone who is on top of their infrastructure. Efficient DCIM can save you maintenance and risk mitigation costs in the long run as they offer the following advantages:
Prolongs Life of IT Equipment
DCIM companies release efficient software that alerts users immediately when a server or other computing resource experiences issues or when a piece of non-computing equipment, such as cooling devices, isn’t performing as intended. Spotting problems before they worsen mitigates the need for repairs or, worse, replacements.
Skilled DCIM implementers will also pair the platform with a sound network architecture plan to optimize the power, cooling, and maintenance requirements of the hub’s IT equipment. A well-thought-out plan combined with a robust DCIM platform allows for convenient monitoring, preserves the life of your facility's hardware, and results in operational cost savings.
Maintains Required Uptime
An efficient DCIM software will alert implementers of potential risks that can cause server downtime. Some threats that might cut uptime include overheating, inefficient cabling design, or power interruption. A management platform can help experts set up the data centers so that they are sufficiently cooled and that all of the cables connecting the layers are structured properly.
For unexpected situations like power outages, an infrastructure management platform can help implementers devise a plan so that certain crucial servers can still be powered by generators or other backup supplies.
Allows Energy Efficiency
Using a DCIM platform allows implementers to track and monitor equipment energy use. Data centers tend to consume too much power when the hardware overheats and overworks the facility’s cooling systems. Data from the DCIM software can help experts assess the existing infrastructure, identify pain points, and restructure accordingly.
The system also spares implementers tedious manual temperature check-ups, as it can show pertinent information that can help with their assessment. Advanced platforms are also intelligent enough to provide power quality, rank current, and server consumption analyses that experts can use to improve the data center infrastructure in the future.
Improves Asset Management
A reliable DCIM has advanced monitoring system capabilities that help implementers and data center owners manage facility assets more efficiently. Without the platform, the usual solution is to encode all items in a spreadsheet and manually check each piece of equipment in the data center. DICM software eliminates these tedious processes, using modules that provide accurate information about hardware location, status, and connections with other system elements.
This ease of monitoring enables convenient inventory management and faster resolution in case of faulty equipment. Swift action when an element of the network is dysfunctional is crucial to maintaining uptime, especially for digital operations that should be accessible to users 24/7.
Promotes Continuity
Overall, a well-managed data center infrastructure promotes operational efficiency and continuity. Disruptions such as overheating damages, power outages, natural calamities, or security breaches appear to be less of a risk when the facility is designed to repel these situations. The DCIM platform prepares implementers by providing them with valuable data about their existing infrastructure and helping them see the network architecture’s big picture.
Being aware of the details and the overview of a data center’s network design enables experts to see scenarios from both sides and effectively plan for them. The important thing is for the solutions and preparations to allow the data center to run smoothly amidst threats of downtime. Of course, some situations, especially natural disasters, might overpower such preparations. In such cases, creating a digital backup storage for data for later retrieval is the next best step.
Conclusion
Data centers are poised to increase in the Philippines because of the growing demand for digitalization and modernization in government institutions and businesses. One solution required to keep these facilities running smoothly and in top form is the use of data center infrastructure management platforms. Reliable software utilized by highly knowledgeable IT experts provides several benefits for physical data facilities, including a longer lifespan for IT equipment, consistent uptime, efficient energy use, streamlined asset management, and solid continuity plans.
If you want to learn more about data centers and the software that manages them, contact our experts from InfoBahn and partner with us for your IT needs!