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Data center management

DCIM stands for data center infrastructure management. DCIM software is used to monitor, measure, and manage data centers, covering both IT equipment and supporting infrastructure such as power and cooling systems. It is intended to help managers achieve maximum energy efficiency and to help prevent equipment problems that lead to downtime.
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  • In their last DCIM Magic Quadrant report, industry experts at Gartner define DCIM as “tools (that) monitor, measure, manage and/or control data center utilization and energy consumption of all IT-related equipment (such as servers, storage, and network switches) and facility infrastructure components (such as power distribution units (PDUs) and computer room air conditioners (CRACs).” The report goes on to make clear DCIM primarily covers “the equipment that provides the power, cooling, and physical security necessary to keep the IT systems up and running.”

    DCIM goes beyond basic device monitoring to enable data center operators to understand what’s happening in their environments, including power and cooling device status. The idea is to help managers prevent problems and to aid in planning for future requirements and optimum equipment placement.

    As detailed in a blog post by our colleague, Kevin Brown, customers faced some challenges with traditional DCIM tools, including long deployment times and a high degree of complexity in terms of use and maintenance, including software updates.

  • Data center management software generally falls into two main categories: monitoring/automation and planning/implementation.  The first category deals with monitoring and automation of the IT room and facility power, environmental control, and security. It helps ensure the data center is operating as designed and provides user-configurable thresholds for alarms on physical devices, including heat, ventilation, and air conditioning. It also reports on real-time, average, and peak power use, and measures power usage effectiveness (PUE).  Planning and implementation software focuses on helping IT managers facilitate data center changes, deploy new equipment for peak efficiency, and track assets. It supports “what-if” scenarios to help with planning and reduce the total cost of ownership.

  • DCIM helps customers with four key pain points: 

    • Preventing downtime.
    • Lack of remote monitoring and management.
    • Managing equipment from multiple vendors.
    • Dealing with a large number of sites with limited or no IT staff.
  • There isn’t just one solution for protecting your IT infrastructure from security risks. Your approach should be multi-layered.

    Physical security is the first line of defense. Your assets may be remote, so to avoid data loss and prevent downtime, you need a way to keep an eye on them at all times. Equipping them with high-quality, integrated video surveillance systems enables remote, real-time monitoring, so you can watch out for unusual activity and badged rack-access control helps mitigate unauthorized access. And we can’t ignore the threat of environmental factors like temperature, humidity, smoke, and water, which pose a significant threat to the company’s IT infrastructure.

    Then there is the logical layer. DCIM solutions such as secure, cloud-based, end-to-end monitoring software centralize the management of appliances deployed across various locations, enabling always-on-site monitoring to prevent failure and resolve issues quickly.

    Consider both cybersecurity and physical security as equally important parts of the equation to avoid downtime and disruption.

DCIM 3.0 trend requires a​ modernized DCIM​

EcoStruxure IT, our comprehensive DCIM solution, addresses the challenges of DCIM 3.0 by modernizing the software portfolio for monitoring and management of sprawling, hybrid IT infrastructure, which has become increasingly complex in the last few years.

Customers addressing the challenges of DCIM 3.0 with EcoStruxure IT

DCIM software enables IT and data center professionals to monitor, manage, and optimize their critical IT infrastructure on-premises, in the cloud, and at the edge, ensuring system resiliency, security, and sustainability.

Resilience

Puget Sound Energy insists on keeping ​customers energized. How EcoStruxure IT ​enables 24/7 data center resiliency?

Security

Leading Edge Data Centers uses EcoStruxure IT to bring secure data connectivity and reliability to regional Australia.

Sustainability

Tanishq Jewelry chain cut energy use by 20% and maintenance costs by 15% by deploying EcoStruxure solutions in its stores.

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Interested in learning more about the challenges​ of DCIM 3.0 ?
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Tools and resources

DCIM monitoring value calculator
Estimate the potential value of DCIM monitoring and alarming for distributed IT. The calculator provides an easy-to-use framework for understanding the potential value of the software by calculating ROI (or payback period) based on your inputs.
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Three steps to calculate total enterprise IT energy consumption using DCIM

This paper addresses the first steps for chief information officers (CIOs) starting their sustainability journey.
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Additional resources