Panduit Physical Infrastructure Manager (PIM)

Physical Infrastructure Manager (PIM) 4.0

The Physical Infrastructure Manager (PIM) platform is intended for full control over network infrastructure. Working with the PanView iQ (PVIQ) system and components of third-party producers, the software platform of PIM provides continuous visual information display about connections, energy consumption, use of resources and external conditions of DPC locally and far off in real time.

The software platform of PIM of version 4.0 allows to reduce the risks connected with operation of network and to reduce time of idle times. The automation and documentation of all processes implemented in the new version of a product allow the companies to provide compliance to requirements of agreements on the quality level (SLA).

The software platform of PIM is a part of the solution Panduit in the field of Uniform Physical Infrastructure (UPI) and represents the client-server solution on the basis of the browser allowing to display network topology in a graphic type and to perform its complete monitoring. The software platform of PIM exercises automatic, faultless status monitoring of network in real time and generates reports, allowing users to minimize time for diagnostics and elimination of problems. The program traces the events influencing users and notifies on their approach and also automatically indicates the possible ways available to maintenance of network.

The functionality of a software platform of PIM in combination with network management systems performs bilateral data exchange and integration of processes and provides with itself the finished physical and logical representation of infrastructure of a data processing center.

One of the directions of development of the PIM system is connected with management of power supply. Panduit releases the intelligent blocks of distribution of power supply (PDU), including with functions of remote shutdown. Besides, PIM can perform monitoring of PDU blocks of production APC by Schneider Electric, Geist, ServerTech and Emerson/Avocent. At last, according to specialists of the company, the open API applied interface allows to implement without problems interaction with PDU of any producer. [***

Other direction — maintenance of temperature moisture conditions in a mounting equipment cabinet. For this Panduit offers monitors and also interfaces for integration with conditioning systems. Such integration is already implemented in a number of projects. For example, if the management system fixes low temperature in a cabinet, it gives a command to conditioners "reduce turnovers". As soon as temperature reaches the level set as optimal the command fixing the current mode arrives.

Great efforts are aimed also at the development of the means monitoring movement and placement of the equipment. Automate procedures of inventory of the equipment including which is switched-off from network (which is, for example, in a warehouse or under repair), use of barcodes and scanners which support in the PIM system is planned for the middle of the current year will help. Panduit developed also the solution based on RFID, but as representatives of the company note, for mass implementation with identification of each device it so far too expensive.

Russification of the interface and documentation of PIM also is planned for the middle of 2011. Within a year opportunities for the centralized collecting of different characteristics of the equipment and providing keyword parameters on "panel board" interfaces will be considerably expanded. The PIM system is already capable to issue information on empty mounting seats and ports in the cabinet flowing (and maximum allowed) the energy consumption level, the minimum and maximum temperature.

It allows to select from the manual mode optimal places for placement of the new equipment. Automation of this process is planned for the next year: a system itself will "recommend", it is far better to install the equipment in terms of optimal expenditure of resources. At last, in plans of the company implementation of the functionality representing a picture of placement not only physical servers, but also virtual machines of VMware.