Taking A Data Center SnapshotSoftware & Tools Can Help SMEs Get A Clearer Picture
By Elizabeth Millard - Processor - Vol.29 Issue 24
Creating a holistic strategy for power, cabling, and cooling is paramount for any data center, but putting the time into developing a cohesive monitoring plan can be challenging. Fortunately, plenty of tools are at the ready to help tackle the issue.
As more small to medium-sized enterprises demand software and tools that can interoperate with existing applications in data centers and give them a comprehensive view of vital operations functions such as cooling, vendors have stepped up with software that can do everything from use computational fluid dynamics to track airflow to address cable management problems.
Power Player
A major area for tool deployment is power. Power management products that can help include the type of products found at Chatsworth Products, which has a variety of configurations of power strips, or PowerVision from Eaton, which offers uninterruptible power systems and also the software to monitor them and other data center elements. PowerVision Network Edition, for instance, has remote monitoring and operating system shutdown for single-phase UPSes and other equipment.
BayTech is another market player, with its Global Power Management software for remote power control devices. The application supports equipment with single or redundant power supplies, provides a graphical representation of power environments, and emails alerts about temperature changes and threshold issues. In terms of getting a snapshot of a data center’s power usage, the software is able to graph power, voltage, current, max current, and temperature over a specified time interval. This can be very helpful for seeing trends such as energy spikes in certain months, which can be useful for long-range planning.
Cool Running
A much-discussed issue for data centers is cooling, which goes hand-in-hand with power because the cooling system affects power costs and utilization. In general, IT managers should be thinking about software and tools that can give them a clear indication of current cooling but also provide monitoring capability, says Lisa Raffin, vice president of professional services at software firm VFA.
Without adequate cooling, servers simply shut down, she notes. Yet because blades are packed tightly into a rack and each blade generates a large amount of heat, cooling the racks effectively can be a challenge. Some data centers have been replacing traditional air cooling with alternatives such as chilled-water liquid refrigerants. No matter what a center is using, though, having a clear indication of the situation is vital.
A number of firms provide environmental monitoring. One is AVTECH Software, which has products such as Room Alert, which assists with monitoring temperature, humidity, power, and changes in environment. Several sensors can be used in one center to log hot spots and cooling areas.
Another tool that’s been beneficial at many data centers is the WeatherGoose from IT Watchdogs, which also has SuperGoose and PowerGoose. These sensors contain an internal Web server that operates without PC or client software and needs only a Web browser to monitor environment conditions.
Cable Channel
Another area where software and tools can help to give IT managers a snapshot of the data center, and also help with management tasks, is in cable management. Although there are a number of physical cable management products—those that bundle wires together with color-coded clips, for example, or encase cables in a larger tube—cables can also be configured using software.
In its “Sixth Commandment of System Administration,” cable management firm UltiCAM states, “Thou shalt know what cable goes where.” Although the faux-biblical language may be tongue-in-cheek, the message is a solid one. Tracing cables back to their sources can take time and cause frustration if they’re not configured properly in the first place. Also, creating documentation will help reduce network downtime, assist with moves and changes, and develop better connections between voice and data networks.
UltiCAM is a graphic-oriented system written in Microsoft Access that’s geared toward network designers and consultants. It controls the management of the physical layer, device configuration, and circuit connectivity in a number of systems such as networks, facility management, and cable testing. The application documents the physical characteristics for any network and then presents the configurations of equipment and cabling in either a database view, schematic, or drawing.
Another option is Cable Manager from TelSoft Solutions, which documents circuits and physical connectivity for all cable connections that run between voice and data equipment. The application allows managers to identify space capacity while planning moves or changes, store information for multiple buildings, and define connectivity and circuit routes.
Also available is NetDoc Cable Management Software from Brady. The application allows for documentation of horizontal and backbone cables, hardware, assets, pathways, locations, and users. In its product sheet, the company points out that 75% of service calls are cabling-related, with technicians spending most of their time searching for the problem and only a small amount of time actually fixing it.
With cabling, as well as with power and cooling, having adequate knowledge of a data center’s operations and putting monitoring controls in place can go a long way toward preventing issues and giving you a more holistic view of your data center.
As more small to medium-sized enterprises demand software and tools that can interoperate with existing applications in data centers and give them a comprehensive view of vital operations functions such as cooling, vendors have stepped up with software that can do everything from use computational fluid dynamics to track airflow to address cable management problems.
AVTECH Software, Inc.