How to Manage Your Data Centers Remotely with DCIM Software
As technology rapidly changes and advances, data centers are required to change and evolve with it. So do the operations teams responsible for keeping them running smoothly. Of the many lessons, the global pandemic taught us that we cannot treat data center operations as status quo. The sudden decrease in on-site personnel made managing and monitoring these facilities more complex and challenging than ever. It also highlighted the critical need for remote management and monitoring capabilities.
DCIM software is designed to deliver immediate visibility and critical insights into your digital infrastructure which can help you manage your data centers remotely, ensuring that they are running efficiently at all times. In this article, we’ll explore how DCIM software can help you manage your data center operations and keep your facilities safe, secure, and resilient.
How DCIM software works
Data center infrastructure management or DCIM software helps you to control your data centers from a distance. You can monitor all important aspects of your data centers, including the temperature and humidity levels, the power and cooling usage, and the health status of your servers and operational equipment. This information can help you to make decisions that allow you to run your infrastructure efficiently while delivering uninterrupted digital services to your organization.
DCIM software works by creating an accurate digital twin of your data center environments and equipment, then monitoring them for changes. At a click of a mouse, you can access the current state of your data centers from a remote location. This information can be used to quickly respond to changes in demand and to optimize your resources for maximum efficiency.
The benefits of using DCIM software
When it comes to present-day data center management, DCIM software is essential for delivering the resiliency, security, and sustainability your stakeholders demand.
Some of the benefits of using DCIM software include:
1. Increased efficiency – By tracking your power, cooling, rack, and floor capacity, you can make changes that optimize utilization and deliver greater efficiency. You can also quickly identify inefficiencies and gaps in your data centers, such as zombie servers and single-points-of-failure.
2. Increased uptime – DCIM software also helps to increase uptime by monitoring the temperature and humidity levels in your data center. If any abnormalities are detected, DCIM software will alert you so that you can start remedying the issues right away, whether by using automation tools or deploying remote hands and feet, or both.
3. Reduced costs – You can use DCIM software to help reduce operational costs, primarily cooling which can account for 30% to 55% of total energy consumption.1 This translates to unnecessarily high electricity costs that can easily take over 50% of your operational budget.
Overall, DCIM software provides a number of significant benefits that can help you to effectively manage your data centers remotely.
Tips for choosing DCIM software
When it comes to choosing DCIM software, there are some things to keep in mind. Here are a few tips:
1. Consider the features – When selecting a DCIM software, be sure to consider the features that are important to you. Each DCIM software vendor offers different features and packages. Some companies like Sunbird and Nlyte break up their features into separate modules that can be bundled together, while others like Hyperview offer most features as a standard, all-in-one package.
2. Consider your budget – Historically, DCIM software has been one of the more expensive enterprise softwares to adopt. The typical offering required an organization to purchase software licenses, professional services, and ongoing maintenance contracts. As a result, many operations teams have put off adopting a DCIM software and instead use homegrown tools or spreadsheets. However, there are several next-generation DCIM software providers that offer a very affordable, flexible and intuitive product that makes adoption much easier. For example, Hyperview allows you to start using their cloud-based platform for just $100 annually. They also provide comprehensive documentation and an online University so that users can avoid unnecessary professional services and maintenance contracts.
3. Consider the vendor – Not all DCIM software vendors are created equal. When making your decision, be sure to do your research and understand the difference between legacy and cloud-based DCIM softwares. Cloud-based DCIM softwares are specifically designed to address the complexity today’s data center operations teams are facing, but without the big price tag associated with legacy DCIM softwares.
Conclusion
Data center infrastructure management software is essential for remotely managing data centers. The software enables you to keep track of all the activity happening in your data center, from the temperature and humidity levels to the health of your servers and other equipment. This can help you to ensure that your data center is running smoothly, particularly when you have less personnel available on-site.
There are a number of benefits to using a DCIM software, including increased efficiency, increased uptime, reduced costs, improved visibility, and more. When choosing a DCIM software, be sure to consider the features that are important to you, the fit with your budget, and the type of software being offered by the vendor. By following these tips, you can ensure that you choose the right DCIM software that lets you confidently manage and monitor your data centers remotely.
If you would like to learn more about the difference between cloud-based and legacy DCIM softwares, download this free guide.
1 T. Liquori (23 August 2022) Dataspan: Data Center Cooling Costs
The post How to Manage Your Data Centers Remotely with DCIM Software appeared first on Hyperview.
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Hyperview authored by Rajan Sodhi. Read the original post at: https://www.hyperviewhq.com/blog/how-to-manage-your-data-centers-remotely-with-dcim-software/
