Levels of Data Center Management Services
Data centers have existed for decades, and the demand keeps growing as the cloud evolves. Data centers are the foundation of all future digital transformations. When looking for data center management services (DCMS), you have to consider your current and future needs. You should also think about the efficiency and performance of the facility.
Find trusted advisors who will help you find the right solutions. A software-defined data center will help you manage and measure data and other facilities. DCMS is the integration and implementation of software processes, suites, organization, and procedures. These features form the foundation of software-defined levels. Here are the four levels of DCMS.
1. Data Collection and Supervision
This level is usually always available. This is the most basic level of data centers without redundant components. It’s all about monitoring tools and supervision. Supervision of middleware is included in the level. It comprises containerization, virtualization, database management, and network management.
Supervision suites and building management systems for facilities are crucial at this stage. The dedicated software at this level brings intelligence to the distribution layers. This is the first layer that data center infrastructure management experts pay attention to. There are core data center disciplines that a system needs to remain efficient, starting with data collection and supervision.
2. Operations Management
Operational performance is crucial if you want to run a successful enterprise. The right data center should be affordable and must deliver the right service capacity at the right time. For you to get the best out of the data center, you also need staff that understands how the system operates. You are investing much capital in a data system with a constantly changing environment and processes.
A solid knowledge base will help you with operations management. This level is designed to help enterprises maintain and develop well-run data centers. That’s the only way to meet your objectives. You need a technological system that uses a multistep and systematic approach that evaluates your existing data center operation status.
When you document your operations, it becomes easier to handle everything. The operations management level should offer operational intelligence, staff selection guide and training, runbook-based documentation, governance rules, and performance measurement indicators. Everything should come together seamlessly to ensure operations run the way you want.
3.Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)
DCIM is the key element in the third level. This is the system that bridges the gap between facility management and IT. It creates an asset database that links to networking, storage, and computing on the IT side.
It also links to cooling, power, and space on the facility side. Managing a data center is not only about reliability but also efficiency. It's hard to sustain the efficiency and reliability of data centers when there are no IT-facility integration tools. That's why it's essential to have this third level. It allows your system to perform accurate capacity planning, deploy new systems quickly and accurately, and optimize provisioned infrastructure.
This holistic solution ensures energy efficiency because it will be tracking both IT-based and facility-based assets. The dashboard also allows benchmarking, where you can compare various energy metrics.
4. Efficiency and Service Portal
The final level is the data center efficiency and service portal; it completes the system. This level deals with inventory, configuration, asset, integration, and capacity management. You will also get reports and other features that give you information to help you make the right decisions. Having a service portal is very helpful to stakeholders. It gives the right information to the right person at the right time.
These are the four main levels that form the data center management pyramid. Each layer has a crucial function and offers a unique set of tools. Facility management and IT management used to clash because of disagreements in the domain. But integrating the two features has made data center management very easy. Now IT and facility teams can work together on a common database. When you consider investing in a data center, find a savvy technology advisor.
