How can Datacenter Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Benefit Your Business?

Today, datacenters are what keep the operations of corporations and other organizations continuously running. As of 2012, there were 2.1 million racks installed in enterprise and large class datacenters. This is expected to grow to 2.7 million racks by 2016*.

However, datacenter infrastructure is not just about traditional IT equipment and networks. With the continued growth of corporate datacenters and large datacenters, IT staff will face the challenges of managing numerous cabinets, electricity, precision cooling systems, and other IT equipment. How to effectively manage datacenter infrastructure facilities and IT equipment will become a big challenge for datacenter managers.

What are the challenges of datacenter management today?

As the requirements of datacenter infrastructure grow, traditional management systems are no longer suitable for achieving today’s business missions, such as operation-cost saving.

Datacenter professionals realize that the non-integrated management systems with proprietary software of device vendors increase risks since there is no integrated data for improvement. Specific questions datacenter managers face today, include:

How do I ensure uptime and reliability for my datacenter?
How do I maintain a safe environment for critical IT equipment?
How is IT equipment configured and connected?
How can I better manage hot spots?
How can I save energy?
What is the cost of energy?
Who's using energy?
Who is meeting their energy saving goals?
How do I improve datacenter management?

What are the challenges of datacenter management today?

What is DCIM?

Datacenter Infrastructure Management (DCIM) offers tools that monitor, manage and control datacenter use and the energy consumption of all IT-related equipment and facilities infrastructure components. Delta InfraSuite Manager is a DCIM system, integrating all Facility and IT equipment on one platform simultaneously. No matter if it’s in the facilities or IT domains, InfraSuite Manager can easily integrate with uninterruptible power supply (UPS), power distribution cabinets (PDC), power distribution units (PDU), modular server racks, computer room air conditioners, generators, servers, and more. Datacenter managers have all the information they need to make decisions for effective planning and management of datacenter assets and physical infrastructure and ensure the service levels the company expects.

What is DCIM?

What are the benefits of DCIM for datacenter managers?

Since DCIM bridges the gap between IT and facility management, an ideal DCIM solution allows for smarter decision-making and optimized efficiencies using proven technologies. Here are some specific examples of before and after DCIM software, which show the real benefits that DCIM offers datacenter managers.

	Questions	Before	After (With InfraSuite Manager)
Environment Management	How do I maintain a safe environment for IT equipment? How can I better manage hot spots?	No integrated security system. It's difficult to find the root cause, due to inconsistent event logs. Unknown hot spots.	The layout for the data center facility's heat-exchange is displayed in an easy-to-understand fashion by rack power consumption and cooling capacity data. Various environmental parameters are available, including temperature, humidity, water leakage, smoke detection, door contact and more.
Power Management	How much is being consumed?  How much is available?  How do I ensure uptime and availability?	Proprietary monitoring systems or manually take readings.	The system is able to handle capacity management, power quality monitoring, power paths, rack current, and server power consumption analysis.
Asset Management	What equipment do I have in the datacenter? How is it connected?	Spreadsheets or Homegrown tools. Need to physically go onsite to see space availability and position.	The asset management module displays the correct installation position of servers and network equipment. No need to send someone physically onsite.
Energy Management	How can I save energy? What is its cost? Who's using it and who is meeting their savings goals?	Information contained within multiple systems without integrated data.	Intelligent PUE analytics and reporting tools are available. Customized power consumption management and electricity cost analysis are also available to help you save energy.
Server and Network Equipment Monitoring	How can I know the server situation? How can I manage the server and network?	No integrated system for IT server and network management.	The system covers server and network equipment monitoring, OS shutdown protection, and server power capping.