APC Data Center Infrastructure Management, (DCIM)

Systems modules are a part of the solution APC Data Center Infrastructure Management(DCIM):

StruxureWare Data Center Operation

Resource management and documentation of work of DPC using inventory management.

Operating control of transactions in a data processing center by means of management of infrastructure resources, the calculator of the efficiency of use of the electric power (EUEP), display of information signals from devices in a real mode of time and multilevel information representation with a possibility of detailing on separate zones.

The module InfraStruXure Operations supports resource management of infrastructure, independent of the producer of devices, with condition monitoring of devices in real time and data mapping on the scheme of physical configuration of a data processing center and also provides recommendations about permission of problem situations. Multilevel representation with a possibility of detailing provides the structured overview of separate zones of a data processing center – both global, and local representation with detailing to separate devices. The calculator of the efficiency of use of the electric power (EUEP) provides information on daily electricity consumption. For operational updates the InfraStruXure Mobile device providing a wireless information access of InfraStruXure Operations is "on the run" offered.

Data Center Operation: Capacity

Modeling, planning and optimization of infrastructure for selection of optimal power of DPC.

Planning and optimization of use of the existing resources of engineering infrastructure on the basis of model of sharing of a data processing center allow to select effectively schemes of connection and to determine face values of the infrastructure equipment.

The solution InfraStruXure Capacity defines optimal placement infrastructure and the IT equipment taking into account an empty seat and resource requirement; the requirements of reservation, grouping for signs of use and consolidation which are also set by the user in network are considered. Thanks to optimal use of engineering infrastructure the lost resources and not scheduled downtimes are minimized. Effective modeling on the basis of real data allows to predict effect of expected changes precisely. The obtained data are used for decision making and planning counting on the current and future resource requirements of infrastructure.

Data Center Operation: IT Optimize

Obtaining information on energy consumption of IT systems and their use, efficiency, necessary for increase, and cost reduction.

Reduction of energy consumption of the IT system due to deep optimization of use of servers in terms of increase in characteristics of DPC

StruxureWare Data Center Operation: the IT Optimize component provides increase in percent of use of infrastructure and IT assets due to drawing up exact profiles of energy consumption of DPCs with detailing to the level of a separate rack and the separate server.

Data Center Operation: Change

Completely integrated workflow system for engineering infrastructure of IT. Function of accounting of the available equipment allows to trace and execute with ease movement, installation and hardware upgrade in a data processing center.

The module InfraStruXure Change allows operators to receive full control over infrastructure of a data processing center due to implementation of an organized system for movement, adding and the upgrade of workflows considerably reducing risk of unplanned idle time. Using an automated system of document flow operators can create dresses on execution of works, reserve space, trace a status and receive selections of the magazine of registration of events for full visual control and maintaining the change history. The mobile device InfraStruXure Mobile (option) allows to register quickly changes from any place of a data processing center, supports scanning of barcodes and provides integrity of data and also improvement of operational efficiency.

Data Center Operation: Energy Efficiency

The automated efficiency analysis of use of the electric power (DCiE EIE/scale) at the level of subsystems.

The broad picture about expenses on the consumed electric power and also about the current and historical energy efficiency for all object, determination of losses of efficiency and improvement of a performance indicator of use of the electric power (DCiE EIE/scale) at the level of subsystems.

The module InfraStruXure Energy Efficiency provides the current and historical measure values of the efficiency of use of the electric power (EUEP) that gives a reasonable idea of what power goes for operation of the installed IT equipment in comparison with the general energy consumption on an object. The detailed idea of that is given, the electric power to the level of subsystems is how effectively used and also recommendations about improvement of energy efficiency are provided. Data on subsystems can directly be measured or be estimated on indirect indicators that allows the customers who are not locating power meters to take all advantages of the application. In a web form of monitoring performance indicators on current and to the EIE historical values and also the detailed analysis of cost of the consumed electric power at the level of subsystems are displayed, in particular. The module InfraStruXure Energy Efficiency is available via the module InfraStruXure Operations supporting integration into the InfraStruXure Central server and management systems for corporate infrastructure of third-party developers.

Data Center Operation: Energy Cost

Operational visualization of energy consumption in racks.

The analysis of cost of the consumed electric power in kilowatt-hours with detailing to rack level for calculation of the expense level on power supply of the set equipment, objective drawing of accounts to consumers and increase in financial performance.

The module InfraStruXure Energy Cost creates the report on use of the electric power showing the electric power consumed in a data processing center in kilowatt-hours and its cost on the current rate with detailing at the level of a rack. Indicators of energy consumption are based on the measured data collected during the set time frame. In the absence of the measured data the expected energy consumption will be calculated on the basis of energy consumption of separate IT resources or rated values. In the report on use of the electric power (Energy Usage Report) there is a possibility of inclusion of the overhead ratio allowing to consider power losses at measure calculation of the efficiency of use of the electric power (EUEP). This report can be configured individually using grouping on separate categories, for example, on departments, tenants, appointment, density, etc.

Data Center Operation: VIZOR

High-level keyword parameters of a data processing center are available "on the run" via the tablet computer or the smartphone.

Viewing keyword parameters of DPC: characteristics of power supply, cooling, a working space and a local network and also high-level indicators of use of resources of DPC which go to your smartphone or the tablet computer

StruxureWare Operations application: VIZOR provides keyword parameters of DPC: characteristics of power supply, cooling, a working space and a local network and also forecasts of a reserve of power taking into account the current growth rates which go directly to your smartphone or the tablet computer. Thanks to its simple user interface the problem of observation of a status of your data processing center "on the run" – using function of detailing of a situation in any zone or the room providing complete visual representation about a status of all resources of a data processing center considerably becomes simpler. For simplification of resource identification it is possible to scan barcodes using the built-in camera. StruxureWare Operations application: VIZOR performs data exchange with the StruxureWare Operations servers and is one of significant components of the software package Schneider Electric Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), giving to the mobile user complete visual representation of use of resources of DPC. Module StruxureWare Operations: Now the VIZOR application is available to devices Apple iPhone and iPad and also smartphones on the platform Android.

Data Center Operation: Mobile

Wireless management of a data processing center.

The pocket computer with the scanner of barcodes and support of a wireless network for viewing, creation and operational synchronization of changes "on the run". The device is constructed based on the Motorola Symbol MC70 PDA.

The InfraStruXure Mobile device constructed on a hardware platform of Motorola Symbol MC70 will allow you to work with base of devices of a data processing center, without using the desktop computer. The integrated scanner of barcodes facilitates work on execution of dresses for works and to determination of the equipment. Using your wireless network, the InfraStruXure Mobile device automatically synchronizes data on arrangement of servers, providing integrity of data, preventing errors of operators and increasing operational efficiency.

Data Center Operation: Insight

The full-function instrument of individual drawing up reports for data visualization.

The report generator which is easily adapted to individual requirements, tracing historical data on use of resources of DPC and giving complete idea of key performance indicators of DPC.

The module StruxureWare Operations the Module Insight is the perfect building tool of reports providing an unlimited number of options of individual adaptation and visualization of reports on DPC according to requirements of your business. This module provides templates of default settings, data sources, data sets and parameters of the filter, giving the chance to create individual solutions. The reports created in the environment of StruxureWare Operations: Insight allow to integrate data of StruxureWare Operations with any external data sources available through web services or databases. Any report can be published on the StruxureWare Operations server or to transform to the file of one of a set of the available formats.

DCIM - means of prolongation of term of life of DPC

Effective use of an empty seat of DPC becomes a critical factor in prolongation of terms of its operation. The problem is connected with the continuous growth of power loading: the new equipment takes a lot of place - its purchases are not always justified if it is possible to manage vertical upgrade. For the solution of a task the exact calculations based on a set of parameters are required.

The effective system allowing to control all aspects of existence of DPC – from IT equipment parameters (computing powers, storage systems, network parameters) to the providing infrastructure (electric equipment, cooling, ventilation, fire protection systems and security systems) is necessary for an exit to optimal indicators of functioning of data center. Systems of this kind called by DCIM (Datacenter Infrastructure Management is infrastructure management of DPC), exist and develop since 2006 and by December, 2013 are offered by many vendors of the equipment of DPCs.

Description

The main objective of DCIM systems - optimization of capacities of data center, its cooling and the place taken by the equipment. Collection of information is implemented by integration into the structure of DCIM as older infrastructure management systems of the building (Building Management System), and by installation of own sensors controlling critical parameters (humidity and temperature) of the data center environment. A DCIM system helps to improve resource management, gives the chance to create a management system for information services, to estimate the level of a maturity of processes of management of information technologies on methodology of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library).

Implementation options

The most developed systems contain possibilities of testing of different scenarios, for example at expansion of DPC.

• Whether there will be enough UPS power when installing additional server racks?
• Whether cooling systems will cope?

The acquired information, together with options of management, should move in a two-dimensional type and in interactive 3D - a type, on one big screen. All statistics should be displayed on monitoring panels – tabs, each of which displays different indicators and allows to give assessment of the situation in data center, as at the level of separate computing nodes (or the engineering equipment), and on DPC. It will allow the operator to see the events, to estimate and to react quickly.

Market situation

The world market of DCIM systems in 2013 grows quicker, than it was expected and Russia did not stand aside. Interest in DCIM systems, according to the research Uptime Institute, considerably grows. The reason for that the accelerated growth of "clouds" which market in the Russian Federation increases the advancing rates. Growth supports "a boom of construction of data centers", despite gloomy forecasts concerning dynamics of development of national economy.

However, despite obvious pluses of implementation of DCIM systems, interferes with their wide circulation null information about methods and practice of implementation. Everything is complicated also by the fact that process of implementation is implemented in several stages - it can last about a year. Moreover, the equipment can be supplied by different vendors - it has an impact on the general integration and complicates commissioning. In total all these factors often lead to failure from implementation of a DCIM system or to incomplete integration with infrastructure of DPC.

Implementation purposes

Only economy of means can excuse for implementation of so complex systems, calculations form a basis for what. For example: The Delta company for a start approved EMS-3000 DCIM system in data centers of the offices in Taiwan and China. Optimization of work of ventilation systems, heating and air conditioning, elevators and lighting helped to achieve economy of expenditure of the electric power in the amount of 50%. In absolute digits it made 10 million kW in ^[1].

The Modulon DPH UPS of a line EMS-3000 is executed in InfraSuite style

Energy efficiency is expressed through ^[2] - effectiveness ratio of energy consumption, is calculated as the relation of total amount of the electric power consumed by DPC to the electric power consumed by the computing equipment. DPCs of Delta company reduced this indicator from 2 to 1.5-1.6, on average. It ^[3] which is shown by the most modern data centers.

Statistics shows that despite considerable organizational difficulties and finance costs in questions of implementation of DCIM systems, economy of means for average and large DPCs is significant so that it allows to pay for itself - such factor of influence on the size of accounts for the consumed electric power business cannot neglect.

On the materials Minimization of Operating Costs of DPCs using DCIM

Notes