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The transparent data center has long been prophesied and now it’s being realized as Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) tools are informing new efficiencies.
One such tool, StruxureWare for Data Centers, has just been rolled out by T5 Data Centers giving it a master view of all its operations and facilities.
DCIM systems are the means to collect and manage information about a data center’s assets, resource use and operational status throughout the data center lifecycle. The information is then distributed, integrated, analyzed and applied in ways that help managers meet business goals and optimize the data center’s performance.
“For enterprises eager to make their data operation more agile, efficient and reliable, DCIM is an incredibly useful tool,” says Domenic Alcaro, Vice President of Data Center Software Solutions for Schneider Electric.
DCIM in Action
For T5, a builder, owner and operator of server-ready single and multi-tenant facilities, the decision to deploy StruxureWare for Data Centers was significantly influenced by the tool’s flexibility. Data can be set to match the needs of its operations team managing the floor or even to suit the needs of tenants.
For further perspective, David Gruber, Senior Project Manager, Development, T5 Data Centers explains, “From an operational standpoint, our teams at the different facilities are able to monitor at a much more granular level than usual in the wholesale world. Having this capability internally means we are able to control the information and the status of the data center more accurately,” he says.
In one scenario, being able to set up alarms is critical and is made possible through the flexibility delivered by the tool. If an alarm sounds off for no reason or is unnecessary, it can easily be changed. “Instead of running around and addressing bogus alarms, our managers can be more efficient and effective in solving real problems,” says Gruber.
T5 has implemented the solution in its Los Angeles and Atlanta facilities, resulting in consistencies and the ability to share best practices and teamwork across locations. StruxureWare has helped create a standard for maximum efficiency.
“DCIM enables data center leaders to meet a wide range of key facility challenges,” Domenic says, “including capacity planning, faster response to business needs, maintaining availability, reducing CAPEX/OPEX, data center consolidation, risk and asset management, and operational efficiency.”
Uptime Ensured
DCIM is changing T5 in an unanticipated way as well, helping transform it from being simply a provider of space, power and cooling into a full-service data center solutions provider — one that can enable its customers to have their own master view as well.
Finally, that prophecy of a transparent data center has come true.