Understanding Cloud-based Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM)
As Cloud services take Enterprise IT by storm reinforcing the pivotal role played by Data Centers to manage corporate data, the next move calls for Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM).
In laying the context, the Global DCIM market is quite the talk at business conferences. Valued at USD 1692.5 million in 2021, the DCIM market is poised to surpass USD 3148.6 million by 2028 at a CAGR of 10.9% during this period.
What is DCIM?
Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) is a software suite that renders sought-after visibility into the critical Data Center infrastructure, including performance monitoring, energy consumption, and environmental conditions.
A pertinent question then is, how vital is DCIM? Not having DCIM is akin to driving a vehicle with its windshield covered. Disaster and doomsday are inevitable!
Being Prepared With Cloud-Based DCIM
As for Cloud-based DCIM, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS,) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) are the three top growth factors. These components registered increased demands with 67.7%, 38.5%, and 28.3% respectively.
The Cloud-based DCIM solution helps manage distributed IT environments, including the on-premise version. Leveraging it, Enterprises can avail of enhanced visibility, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities. The latter significantly helps increase the downtime-prevention odds.
In simple words, Cloud-based DCIM enables Data Center experts to fix the issue before it gets too far. It saves time lost through disruption and disturbance by uniting information stored in Data Centers and Edge sites and transforming the data into actionable insights.
This refined version also studies patterns to help determine whether a battery or the unit needs replacing. Consequentially, organisations can maximise the asset lifetime, bidding good riddance to the risk of failure and embracing business continuity.
Stacking Up The Benefits Of The Cloud-Based DCIM
DCIM helps Enterprises to become more proactive, reducing the likelihood of unplanned downtime. The reason is that the systems and components get serviced based on the data rather than following a stipulated calendar.
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The system can get procured and deployed with a subscription model, typically pay-as-you-grow
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The system saves Enterprises from subscribing to expensive software licences
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The increasingly complex hybrid environments get simplified as the on-premise, Cloud and Edge resources get combined
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This advancement helps improve mobility, enabling IT Managers to access data across IT sites, anytime, anywhere.
On-premises vs. Cloud-based DCIM
Cloud-based DCIM, in essence, is a virtual Data Center without boundaries. In this context, the DCIM is an updated architecture, easily deployed across any Cloud-connecting infrastructure, supporting several devices and user experiences. Here, admins only need an Internet connection to gain instant access to the software. As for the infrastructure, it can easily get monitored remotely.
In Cloud-based DCIM, tons of operational data get collected on patterns and trends that define 'normal'. As something begins to stray away from the norm, be it battery heating, flooding in a pipe or unauthorised personnel accessing the server room, the DCIM instantly issues an alert. Machine Learning then consolidates alarms based on device behaviour and deciphers them into 'normal' and 'abnormal'. The technicians then can focus on the 'abnormal'.
As for the on-premise DCIM, the system captures data from sensors across the infrastructure. The way things work is the data informs the administrators about infrastructure availability, airflow, power consumption, security and other facets. A malfunction in any one renders a cascading effect on the entire ecosystem, leading to unplanned downtime.
The on-premise DCIM also informs users and admins when something goes wrong. It does so by sending alerts to dashboards or technicians. The technicians then spring into action to troubleshoot the issues at hand.
However, there is one massive difference! In an on-premise DCIM, the downtime may already be happening. From the boardroom to everyone else in the C-suite, everyone may be already mulling the financial losses, and lack of access to products and resources before the problem is identified and resolved.
New Trends In DCIM
1. IT and OT convergence
Earlier, IT and OT (operational technology) were separate compartments. The IT team dealt with computers, networking and storage, and the OT team managed the cooling, heating, electrical and other aspects. The divergent protocols and priorities prevented these two facets from collaborating.
With DCIM, both these facets conduct their operations in sync.
2. Infrastructure-As-Code
Today, digital transformation gets fuelled by the open-source community, hence the need to perceive everything as a code. DCIM comes to the rescue by incorporating this modern-day gospel by simplifying management and operations.
Infrastructure-as-Code is a powerful concept! It can perform functions that were never possible before. However, the downfall is that the code can be complex and fragile.
3. Systemic facilitator - on the path to synergy
According to the International Data Corp. (IDC), the average Data Center is 12 years old. DCIM helps uplift IT facilities by unifying the data that traditionally lies in siloes. This synergy ensures that these silos have a single source of truth, ensuring they reside on the same page.
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