by Paul Goodison on Data Center Journal
View the original article at datacenterjournal.com.
Data Center Infrastructure Management
Data center infrastructure management (DCIM) is about more than just managing environmental data for the assets inside the live data center space. DCIM must include all aspects of the equipment in the data center, extending to the entire lifecycle of the asset from purchase to end of life. In fact, I would suggest that DCIM is actually a pretty poor term for what should really be ITIM (information technology infrastructure management), as it’s really about managing in terms of the IT, not the data center. Data center managers face more challenges today than ever before, including increasing demand for IT applications and equipment, pressure to avoid downtime and demand from upper management for better operational efficiency. With the majority of companies still using spreadsheets to manage their data centers, it’s no surprise that IT leaders grossly underestimate the impact a poorly managed data center has on the bottom line.
Imagine your staff is ordering equipment for your data center and the equipment is going right to the store room, not just without being deployed, but also without being inventoried. Then it sits there, depreciating in value and collecting dust. This is just one of the horror stories I’ve heard in the field. The company this was happening to ultimately discovered that, in just a six week period, it had accumulated more than $700,000 in depreciation costs for assets that were not being used.
This is where managing the complete lifecycle of assets comes into play. IT managers need to be thinking about planning where each new asset will be used from the moment it has been ordered and well before it has arrived. They need to be able to look at the data center and see real-time, historical and future data related to all aspects of management, including power, space, environmental factors, location, connectivity and ownership. Then they can plan and allocate space for the new asset and ensure it is deployed and correctly verified as ready to enter an operational state as soon as possible. The data center manager needs to document this process so that when a problem occurs, he or she can use the same information to troubleshoot the issue and resolve it as quickly as possible. Even virtualization is involved here. As severs are virtualized, the same data is needed to decommission the right servers at the right time.
One of the most common, and costly, issues facing IT managers is data center downtime. Studies show that it costs companies more than $5,000 per minute, with the average incident lasting 90 minutes, resulting in an average cost per incident of approximately $505,000. [1] But all of this can be minimized if the IT infrastructure is properly managed.
The key point to remember is that managing is different than documenting. Documenting is gathering the data, and if the vehicle for this documentation is spreadsheets, that is often where the process stops (if it happens at all). In my experience, even with great spreadsheet records, each planned change to the data center is accompanied by a comparison of the real infrastructure and the infrastructure records, just to be “sure”—that is hardly management! Management is when you can look at the data center from a holistic point of view and say things like, “Let’s look at what has been deployed recently, what capacity is available, what planned deployments are coming up and what are the capacity constraints.”
Case in point: one company I spoke with had a smaller data center of about 80 racks. It was keeping records in an MS Access database and was convinced the records were accurate. This company was more diligent than most, running monthly checks to ensure the data was correct. These checks, however, were being performed on the basis of paper printouts of the data, which in theory was updated into the Access database from hand-written updates made to the records. When a proper full audit was performed, the team found 63 servers and switches that were not recorded anywhere, further illustrating that home-grown or spreadsheet management is not suitable for enterprise-level infrastructure management, nor can it yield maximum efficiency.
From the C-level executive down to the IT manager, data center efficiency is top of mind for everyone these days, as energy, people and space efficiency are business imperatives. It’s no secret that data centers consume a lot of power, with estimates putting it at about two percent of global energy consumption. [2] IT managers can take several steps to improve energy efficiency, starting with an assessment of the current data center conditions. Are there unused servers that could/should be shut down? What are the best candidates for virtualization? What, really, are the least efficient pieces of equipment in the data center? Without truly managing the infrastructure, determining problem areas can be next to possible.
I was recently talking with an IT manager who was having issues with power overloads to the point where electrical breakers were tripping because of current overloads. The data center was an older design and did not have end-of-row power panels; rather, it used power fed from distribution boards. His first step to fix the issue was to commission an auditing and tracking exercise of each power circuit, using spreadsheets to document the information. After spending approximately $20,000 for external electricians, and after moving equipment (at the cost of additional internal staff time and some service downtime), the problem was resolved. But within three months the problem started again, as new equipment had been deployed, and the spreadsheets, having not been maintained, did not reflect the current deployed equipment status, leading to another costly audit.
The Manifesto
Steps must be taken to manage the IT infrastructure (whether you call it DCIM, ITIM or something else) more efficiently. Start by deciding what data is important to managing the data center efficiently. There is no single list and no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on the age, size, scale and equipment in each unique environment. Then, pick a management system that will truly consolidate all the data currently managed in spreadsheets, as well as the data that should be managed but isn’t because it’s too difficult. Strongly consider whether the solution requires hardware to be purchased and whether this will add to your problems or lock you into one system. Next, ensure that real, positive processes are in place to keep the data up to date; no tool is of any use if keeping it accurate is too much trouble. Some systems make this easier than others. This step is critical, as no tool by itself—no matter how fancy and regardless of what the vendor says—is going to solve problems by itself. The next step, using the data for planning and further change, requires trust in the data. Avoid falling into the trap of using the tool and still doing a physical audit each time change is required. All of this can be achieved, but it’s not easy, and there are no magic bullets. Do not believe a vendor that says its system will solve all your problems without process changes; it won’t!
Properly managing your infrastructure is critical to avoiding downtime as well as meeting operational efficiency demands. If you are cutting your data center short on proper management to conserve money today, it is almost certainly costing you more in the long term, both in resources and downtime. Whatever the future plans for your data center, whether it is a move to virtualization, trying to become more green or adopting a cloud model , having up-to-date, central records of all aspects of your assets, the facility, connectivity and historical data (not in spreadsheets!) will help you make those transitions more smoothly. Although no two enterprises are ever the same in what they want to manage, the principle that change cannot be managed effectively without accurate consolidated data and a truly effective infrastructure management system applies to everyone.
References [1, 2] Ponemon Institute, Calculating the Cost of Data Center Outages, 2011.
by Jeff Clark, Data Center Journal
View the original article at datacenterjournal.com.
Now that the holidays are over and the minds of many are moving from gifts and celebrations to the responsibilities of the new year, data center budgeting and how to save precious funds is one area of focus. The economy remains shaky, energy prices are likely to continue rising and demand for data center and IT services shows no signs of slackening. Although each company has its own unique priorities for its IT infrastructure, the following are a number of critical areas that are worth reviewing for the year ahead.
Areas for Data Center Budgeting
Beware—but don’t ignore—the cloud. It’s been a growing blip on the IT radar for some years now: the cloud. Proponents tout its ostensible benefits, such as reduced capital expenses and overall cost savings. Some questions exist as to whether you can really save money by moving to the cloud, but many companies can benefit by relying on the cloud to some extent (meaning some level of cloud use between complete reliance on in-house IT and complete outsourcing to the cloud). A variety of cloud services are available, and you don’t need to jump in wholesale—try cloud storage for a portion of your data, for instance. When you’re data center budgeting, don’t just assume that you’re going to save money by switching to the cloud—leave a little leeway for initial costs, the learning curve and so forth.
Energy will cost you. If you own or operate a data center and are privy to utility bills, then you don’t need to be told that you’ll probably be spending more on energy in 2012 compared with previous years. With the cost of energy rising (likely through a combination of inflation and growing demand) and demand for IT services on the rise generally, you should plan to cough up more funds to your utility company. You may be able to take some steps to increase your energy efficiency and thereby take a bite out of cost increases this year, but if, like most companies, you’ll be expanding your IT infrastructure, plan to pay higher operating costs as you grow.
Supporting infrastructure can save you money in the long term. You’ve probably heard the adage “work smarter, not harder.” It applies to the data center as well, and one way to work smarter is to implement a system that monitors and collects data on your facility. Data center infrastructure management (DCIM), for instance, is a hot topic in the industry; DCIM equipment and software allows you to better govern and protect your resources, often through a “single pane of glass,” in addition to remote access. But this approach isn’t free—you’ll need to purchase, install and learn to use it. Consider leaving room for DCIM when data center budgeting, facility monitoring and data analytics; if these systems are implemented properly, you can quickly recover your capital costs and create room in your budget for other priorities.
You need to pay to secure your IT resources. Unfortunately, people are out to get you (and your data center). And, also unfortunate is the fact that you must spend money to protect yourself from malicious parties. Your data center budget should reflect the importance of security to keeping your facility running and to protecting your (and your customers’) data. There’s no single fix for all your security problems: it’s an ongoing conflict as malware becomes more complicated in response to better security measures, and so on. Your budget should always allocate sufficient funds to both implement and maintain the necessary security measures: firewalls, anti-malware and site security, for instance. If your company is high profile or if you are keeping highly sensitive information, you’ll need to give security greater leeway when data center budgeting. Even if your company is not so high profile and you could care less if someone saw your data, however, you still need to protect yourself from malware that could damage or destroy your equipment.
Maintenance is worth the cost. Data center maintenance—like security—is one of those things you hate to spend money on (sort of like insurance), as it doesn’t give you more infrastructure to serve your customers, it provides no real business return and it just seems (when things are running smoothly) to be a waste of time and funds. But when a server or backup generator fails because you didn’t maintain it properly, you quickly realize the benefits of maintenance. The losses that mount in the wake of a facility outage can quickly exceed the relatively minor maintenance costs that would likely have prevented the failure. Let your budget reflect the importance of a smoothly running data center: leave sufficient room for maintenance, whether using in-house or contracted personnel. Much of maintenance is a matter of employee time rather than company funds, but if you value uptime, you should allocate a reasonable portion of your fiscal pie to keeping your data center operating correctly and efficiently.
Saving Money in the Data Center
Maybe your budget doesn’t leave room for everything you want to fit into it. All is not lost—you can take steps in a number of areas to make more room by increasing efficiency and otherwise saving money. The following are a few suggestions.
Keep on consolidating. Maybe you’ve already disposed of an unused (or highly underutilized) server or two already. Great. But don’t stop there. Keep an eye out for equipment that serves no purpose other than to consume space and energy, and when you find it, get rid of it with prejudice (or, at least, unplug it). If you have multiple data centers that could better function as fewer (or even one) data centers, consider shuffling operations to use fewer resources. Here, DCIM and resource monitoring can help you determine what parts of your facility are underperforming.
Virtualize. Virtualization has probably reached the “dead horse” stage, but it can still be an effective strategy for increasing efficiency (and making room for consolidation) when implemented properly. It requires an initial investment and should not be done haphazardly (and, depending on your area of business, it may be more or less effective), but the return on investment can create significant room in your budget.
Turn up the thermostat. This is another one that you may be sick of hearing about, but don’t ignore it. You may be able to save tremendously by simply adjusting the thermostat to reduce your cooling burden; another option (possibly in tandem with higher operating temperatures) is free cooling. Care is, of course, required in implementing this strategy, but when you turn up your thermostat, you are automatically reducing your energy bill. If you need help in this area, check out ASHRAE’s website.
For goodness sake, clean up a bit. You probably hate cleaning—most people do. But it can do wonders in your data center. Not only does removing clutter and contaminants (like dust) aid in airflow and protect electronic equipment, it creates an environment more amenable to employee productivity and respect. If things look good and are in order, folks are more likely to take care of them than if they are surrounded by junk and covered in dust and old coffee rings. Seeing the benefits in your ledger may be a little difficult, but they’ll be there.
Data center budgeting and saving money go hand in hand. Depending on your business and what you’ve already accomplished in your facility, some of these suggestions may be more relevant than others. Whatever the case, keep your eyes open for opportunities to save money in your data center—your budget will thank you.
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It’s that time of year! As the new year begins, it’s time to step back from the daily grind and plan for 2012. One high-level challenge for data center managers is the use of floor space, and this new report from Gartner Research can help you meet that challenge.
Data center floor space is costly. When you have to upgrade or renovate a data center to meet growing IT needs, it is a very expensive proposition. Consequently, when you maximize the use of your existing data center floor space, you can avoid costly and time-consuming upgrades to your entire facility.
But what are the best practices? What are the most effective techniques to maximize your existing data center floor space? How do you measure and project your capacity? How much savings in floor space can you achieve?
A new report by Gartner addresses these questions. Based on their research, Gartner has developed four key recommendations for maximizing the use of your existing data center floor space. The report also describes the range of savings you can expect.
The complimentary report is available courtesy of nlyte Software, makers of Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software. Read the full report here.
At the Gartner Conference earlier this month, Jay Pultz presented on how DCIM is a necessary component within the data center. With a current penetration at 5% and expected to grow to 60% penetration by 2015, why not start your search before the rush. Pultz outlined what to specifically look for in a DCIM solution. Here is a sample of his points:
- Input: gathers all data on asset location and energy consumption to measure and monitor power and temperature at key points throughout the data center
- Process: the ability to analyze and summarize trends. This includes visually modeling current and future state of the data center.
- Output: provides analysis at several levels of detail
- Control: provide workflow instructions for every move add or change to the appropriate personnel.
Tell us what you are looking for in a DCIM solution in the comments below.
Rob Neave, co-founder and VP of IT and sustainability at nlyte Software, offers his view on the UK government’s league table designed as part of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
by Penny Jones
On the face of it, a government initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency and cutting emissions in large public and private sector organisations sounds like a programme that all types of self-respecting enterprises should be on board with. But the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme has been the subject of much controversy since its inception in 2008 – especially when the ‘green’ revenue recycling aspect of the scheme was scrapped in favour of a basic tax in 2010.
After the Environment Agency’s long-awaited CRC league table release early November, many organizations are now starting to question whether the league table really is a beneficial way to showcase progress in the energy management arena, or if it has in fact descended into a catalogue of irrelevant and misleading information. Murmours from various corners of the data center industry would suggest the latter, that it is simply distracting businesses from the main aim of the CRC – to become more energy efficient entities.
Based solely on approved Early Action Metrics, as opposed to real energy savings, it is difficult to discern exactly how green the 2,106 enterprises featured really are. What’s more, under the new carbon tax structure, rankings do not take into account the fact that some organizations may have already started to improve their energy efficiency through major IT investment, for example, that has not yet had a chance to be measured.
Yes, the league table concept makes a commendable effort to bring the UK’s energy intensive organisations together and work towards a greener environment, but the format is not only complicated, it attempts to compare apples with oranges given the range of companies it plots. In ranking these enterprises against each other – all of which have entirely different business objectives, from hospitals to multi-nationals – the energy credentials mean very different things, and correspondingly muddy the water when it comes to genuine energy efficiency.
What is clear from the results is the need for organizations to adopt a more proactive strategy from the outset when it comes to improving their carbon footprints – targeting energy within the business that is wasted unnecessarily is the key here. The data center can represent a significant proportion of an organization’s carbon footprint with its power thirsty hardware and rampant over provisioning, which means businesses need to wise up and deal with the most energy intensive aspect of their IT infrastructure sooner rather than later.
The downfall of many organizations is a basic lack of understanding when it comes to the make-up of their facilities. Simply knowing what assets are located where is a constant challenge, let alone understanding the inter-dependencies within the data centre itself. Data center professionals are still struggling to reduce energy usage across the data center environment at a fundamental level, while maintaining business continuity levels and preventing escalating cost to stay in line with higher corporate objectives.
The answer lies with an effective data center infrastructure management (DCIM) strategy – an organizational culture that can unite environmental sustainability, business reliability, and cost savings in the face of this new legislation. By investing in technology that can allocate all power, cooling, and space specifically to each individual asset in real time, companies can streamline their data center ensuring assets use only the energy they need. The latest generation of DCIM software enables data center professionals to easily visualize, model, plan, control, report and predict energy usage, that enables data center and facilities management teams to regain control of their data center estate with a more granular level of insight – drilling right down to rack, server, application and even power socket levels.
With expanding data reserves and trends such as virtualization, the composition and requirements of the data center are also becoming extremely volatile. As these trends evolve, the situation will only deteriorate, forcing organizations into a corner which they will either have to pay a hefty sum to get out of – be it a financial penalty or an overdue technology investment – or find their reputations in tatters.
While the CRC rankings provide no real insight into the extent of the UK’s green crusade, they should nevertheless serve as a wake-up call for businesses to not only reassess the energy saving processes with their data center estate, but also the technology in place to support it – if indeed they have any. Without this kind of practical mindset, organizations risk a sizable dent on their reputation and another year at the bottom of the rankings. Why would any organization want to risk this, when complete DCIM tools are available today?
Reprinted from Datacenter Dynamics 6 December 2011. To view the article in its entirety, please visit: http://www.datacenterdynamics.com/focus/archive/2011/12/deal-data-center-or-stay-bottom-league
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