Data Center Infrastructure Management: Choosing the Optimal DCIM Solution

We, the King Servers company, are trying to automate everything that can be automated to free up resources and time. Of course, automation of automation is different, here you need to approach the matter thoroughly and carefully. We have already written about how automation can be used as a tool for enhancing the work of a data center.

Today we offer to discuss such an important issue as the choice of DCIM-solutions for the data center. In general, this term refers to the integration of information technology and management functions for centralizing control, management and planning of the work of the main infrastructure systems of a data center. Such a solution is usually needed for the engineering team of DC.

Why do you need DCIM?

First of all, we are talking about the fact that a well-chosen and tuned DCIM-solution allows to increase the efficiency of operation of both the entire data center and its individual elements. As a result, the cost of IT-service falls when recalculated per user per unit of time. In the future, this allows to improve the reliability of data center operation while simultaneously improving the services provided to users. Another pleasant side is the reduction of operating costs for data center operation.
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As for the key capabilities of DCIM, which are needed first and foremost, here the opinions of experts diverge.

This year, three well-known analytical agencies published their opinion on the required DCIM functionality: Gartner, 451 Research, IDC.

As for the first agency, its specialists considered the following functions of the DCIM solution to be necessary:

• Energy Monitoring;
• Monitoring of the data center microclimate state;
• Reporting;
• Data visualization;
• Resource management;
• Predictive analysis;
• Simulation and simulation;
• Ventilation monitoring;
• Workflow management;
• Assessment of the physical condition of IT equipment.

The specialists of the agency 451 Research have a slightly different opinion. There are fewer key capabilities of DCIM solutions announced here:

• Cooling optimization;
• Monitoring of the data center microclimate state;
• Energy infrastructure monitoring;
• Data collection (reporting;
• Assessment of the physical condition of IT equipment.

Finally, IDC experts believe that the most important functions of a DCIM data center solution should be:

• Evaluation of the physical state of IT equipment;
• Data collection and analysis (reporting);
• Automation of IT processes;
• Load planning;
• Workflow / change management;
• Adaptive cooling;
• Energy management;
• Management of energy sources.

We believe that the cornerstone of any DCIM solution should be the integration of data streams from the maximum number of sources. This information can be collected and processed in real time, which gives data center operators almost complete information on all parameters of the data center, including computing power at any time, infrastructure reliability, asset management, equipment life and much more.

There are quite a lot of DCIM solutions now, and experts estimate the total market for these solutions at about $ 1 billion. Usually, a company has two scenarios for implementing solutions of this kind. The first scenario is the creation of a data center with the integration of a turnkey solution at the start of design. The second is the unification of various autonomous systems of different manufacturers into a single whole.



When working with any scenario, the selected solution should work with the entire structure of the data center, including electrical, mechanical, electronic components, data storage systems and all the rest. This is necessary in order for the data center operators to freely obtain all the available information that may be useful around the clock. In this case, DCIM-system should be able to work with both old and new devices, protocols and standards.

To get more information, such a system should be equipped with both main and auxiliary sensors. The most commonly used systems are capable of:

• Read information on the level of electricity consumption in the energy infrastructure;
• Read temperature and humidity information on racks, in cooling systems and inside ducts;
• Radio tags on all equipment or the most important elements, which is necessary to simplify their inventory;
• Sensors for detecting fluid leaks.

It should immediately be said that a large amount of information collected by such systems is not an end in itself. The main thing is that all this data should be useful for the data center operator.

Choosing DCIM

If we take into account everything that has already been said above, when choosing a DCIM solution for your DC, you should do this:

• Calculate the project budget, taking into account all possible hidden costs;
• Conduct several consultations with their own experts - all interested parties should participate;
• Make a list of all that needs to be considered and what should be observed. The list should be prioritized - first the most important elements, then the less important ones;
• View which protocols and communications are supported by infrastructure equipment;
• Add additional sensors if required;
• Selection of suitable DCIM-solutions that can perform all the tasks;
• Configure the server for a DCIM solution that was ultimately decided on.