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Facility managers have a range of increasingly sophisticated digital tools for managing data centers, and integration of those tools can provide a single view of a wide range of information about a data center. But careful planning is essential to maximizing the benefits of whichever electronic tools are selected.
The first step in the process is to identify the right tool for the job, said Jay Hendrix, data center portfolio manager for Siemens, at the recent 2015 Siemens Industry Analyst conference in Boston. It is essential that facility managers have a goal in mind when selecting electronic tools.
One key tool is the data center information management system (DCIM). When DCIM options are being evaluated, it’s important to get the right scope of work, said John Kovach, global data center head and, as of Sept. 1, head of decentralized energy systems. FMs need to be part of the process. “The better we do that upfront, the more successful the project is deemed,” said Kovach.
He identified several DCIM functions that FMs should look for in a DCIM:
• The ability to see which facility components service specific IT assets — for example, to identify which servers would be affected by switchgear maintenance.
• Predictive need analysis can identify the need for new facility equipment in advance of when it is actually required.
• The ability to analyze air streams to minimize hot spots.
The standard procurement process can limit the effectiveness of integrated systems. In the traditional process, the BAS would be selected separately from the energy and power management system, with the DCIM being added later. The result can be FMs not getting what they want. A better approach is to lay out the infrastructure as one integrated system.
