What Is Data Center Infrastructure Management?

Data centers are complex and full of mission-critical information that must be managed closely. At the same time, the facilities utilized also play into the management of the center. That is why many businesses are now utilizing a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) solution. DCIM is the integration of facility resources and information technology (IT) with energy and system management. Deploying these solutions helps give businesses a more complete idea of how a data center is performing by establishing visibility into all relevant variables. With a data center infrastructure management solution, data center administrators can get actionable information and obtain more insight into the efficiency and functionality of the system as a whole. Because of this, DCIM tools are expected to be used in more than 60 percent of North America’s data centers by 2017.

Capabilities of DCIM

Similar to building information modeling software used in the construction industry, DCIM allows data center managers to see and analyze information related to power, energy consumption, data sharing, heating and cooling, and facility structure through one lens. Having an understanding of how the IT systems and facility relate to each other results in more intelligent planning and continuous improvement long-term. In addition to giving administrators a complete view of the system, a good data center infrastructure management solution offers a variety of capabilities, including:

• Analyzing relationships between the facility and IT systems
• Monitoring and tracking energy usage
• Tracking and changing management of assets
• Consolidating tools, data and resources
• Planning and forecasting through data center growth modeling

How DCIM Works Approaching data center maintenance and management in silos is no longer effective for administrators. Pulling data from the individual devices and components does not give a big picture, which can limit the collection of truly valuable insight. On the contrary, the right DCIM solution will help data center managers accomplish the following:

• Ensure business needs align with IT physical infrastructure capabilities and functions
• Automate the processes of equipment ordering and capacity planning
• Save money while reducing energy usage and costs
• Prepare and plan for future growth and scalability
• Manage as many as millions of assets across the enterprise physical infrastructure

A data center solution is not complete without infrastructure management to span all components of the system – the delivery modes, data center environment and IT management. Integrating these elements results in more efficient data centers and realistic future planning. If your center is not taking advantage of DCIM yet, contact an infrastructure management professional for help with maximizing your efforts.