Aperture Data Collection Process: A Necessity for Realizing the Benefits of DCSM

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1 T E C H N I C A L B R I E F Aperture Data Collection Process: A Necessity for Realizing the Benefits of DCSM

2 2 Data Collection: The Initial Step towards Data Center Service Management As the data center continues to grow in complexity, the Data Center Service Management (DCSM) discipline is becoming widely adopted by organizations that wish to migrate to higher levels of process maturity. One of the essential first steps to following DCSM is the accurate collection of data and timely population of the inventory (physical assets) into a comprehensive enterprise solution that provides control over the infrastructure and assists in the management of the data center environment. Without this initial foundation and on-going updates, the data will quickly become out of date, impeding the ability effectively manage the data center. Inaccurate data will prevent data center executives from making accurately informed decisions to address the current and future needs of the business. Aperture Professional Services has designed a proprietary, three-phased methodology to ensure the data collection process for Aperture, the only proven enterprise solution with the ability to apply the principles of DCSM in the data center, is accurate, timely and effective. Where Preciseness and Timeliness is Next to Godliness in the Data Center The accurate compilation of the physical assets is essential for creating the basic foundation to effectively manage the data center environment. Each decision regarding the data center operations relies strictly on the data available. An accurate depiction of the physical assets within the data center must be the initial step to build a strong foundation for managing the data center overall, as well as following the principles of DCSM. Unfortunately, most organizations continue to rely on practices that were initiated in the 1970s, where data center staff members walk the floors with a clipboard in hand to manually count the number of devices within the racks. Studies have indicated that such practices produce documentation that is much less accurate and less complete than organizations expect. In fact, in many cases, organizations had 40 percent more devices and racks than originally perceived, no clear picture of how each of the devices were connected or what the power and cooling requirements were for each device. This significantly impacts the financial performance of the overall organization. Only accurate data provides actionable information that organizations can use to properly manage the data center, including: the optimization of data center capacity to meet critical business needs, the accurate provisioning of power and cooling to devices, and the ability to effectively manage lease and maintenance costs. In addition, the timeliness of the population of the data within an automated solution such as Aperture is equally as critical to ensure accurate information is utilized for business decisions. If the data is no longer relevant to the data center (i.e., data center changes have been made but not documented), then the data underpinning the decisions required to effectively manage the overall business is compromised. Traditionally, organizations have conducted a multi-tier process involving various siloed groups, ad hoc tools and significant time gaps between the collection of the data and the actual population of the data into the system. Such a practice causes significant inaccuracies, as no methodology for verification can be effectively implemented.

3 3 A Cutting-Edge, Proprietary, Three-Phased Methodology for Data Collection To follow the principles inherent within DCSM, Aperture Professional Services has designed a cutting-edge, proprietary three-phased approach to assist organizations with their data collection. The new process provides organizations with a structured methodology for a more efficient and accurate implementation of both the data collection and population of data within the Aperture solution (see Figure 1.0). Phase 1: Pre-Audit Aperture s Pre-Audit phase lays the foundation for the overall data collection process, where an Aperture Consulting Expert (ACE) and a team of Aperture professionals work on-site with the client organization to prepare and commence the overall data collection process. The project is initiated with an on-site Data Collection Workshop between the client organization and the Aperture team in order to fully understand the overall business needs, set expectations and goals for the project and identify the key parameters for the data collection (e.g., what specific devices should be included in the data collection process). Once the workshop is completed, the Aperture team works with the client to gather all unique symbols for both Floor-Mounted and Rack-Mounted Devices (FMD and RMD respectively). The compilation of all symbols is a critical component to the overall Data Collection project, as it identifies all the various types of devices within the client s data center and ensures the appropriate symbols are in place for future phases. Aperture completes Phase 1 of the Data Collection process by sending requests for any symbols that are not available within the Aperture repository and creating any missing symbols for new or legacy devices. In conjunction to gathering the symbols, the Aperture team assists the client by populating all Top Down data within Aperture to obtain an accurate floor plan for use in Phase 2. Phase 2: Data Collection The second phase is where the mass data collection and data population is conducted in a synchronized manner. In the initial step, a Top-Down (floor plan) data collection process is conducted gathering information on the number of racks and floor-mounted devices located in a particular data center environment and their location on the Data Center Grid. Once this is completed, the Aperture team sets forth to conduct the Rack Mounted Device (RMD) data collection and population. Information is gathered on a daily basis and immediately validated so that quality assurance is conducted within each step of the process. The data is then handed off to the ACE for its population within Aperture. The data collection phase generally requires two visits to each cabinet, in order to initially gather the data for a particular device, rack or cabinet, and then to verify the data. Verification of the data occurs on an iterative basis throughout Aperture s Data Collection process to mitigate any potential delays or issues that may result.

4 4 Phase 3: Verification and Approval The final phase of Aperture s Data Collection process focuses on the validation of the data to ensure it is accurate before handed off to the client. Although verification and validation is conducted throughout each step of the overall process, a final verification process is conducted to ensure data is not only accurate but also up-to-date for the client s production environment. Figure 1.0 Three Phased Approach to Data Inventory Services Conclusion Without specifically addressing the issues that high density equipment will have on the power consumption, heat output, and the human component within the data center, organizations will not be able to effectively run their operations and meet the demands of their business. High density equipment has created a significant burden on many organizations as it relates to considerably higher utility costs and increased stress on the environment power and cooling specifically which cannot be ignored. In addition, incorporating such computing resources also creates much more complexity within the data center increasing the probability of additional human errors to be made when making equipment installations. Although new technologies to address these specific issues are projected to be introduced into the market within the next five years, immediate action must be taken to accommodate these challenges; or organizations face the possibility of disruptions in service due to capacity limitations, change related incidents and outages. Organizations must follow strict data center management processes and dedicate the time and resource to design and plan based upon their specific needs, as opposed to merely following the trends of the industry driving merely for higher density. In addition, the IT and Facilities groups within the organization must proactively begin to utilize the same best practice processes and tools in order to manage an integrated system that serves all the needs of the business. Only with these types of capabilities will organizations be able to operate with high availability and reliability through the high density world.

5 About Aperture Aperture software from Emerson Network Power is used to manage the physical infrastructure of data centers, reduce operational risk and improve efficiency through the planning and management of data center resources and real-time monitoring of the environment. Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR), is the global leader in enabling Business- Critical Continuity TM from grid to chip for telecommunication networks, data centers, health care and industrial facilities. Emerson Network Power provides innovative solutions and expertise in areas including AC and DC power and precision cooling systems, embedded computing and power, integrated racks and enclosures, power switching and controls, infrastructure management and monitoring, and connectivity. All solutions are supported globally by local Emerson Network Power service technicians All rights reserved. Aperture is a registered trademark and the Aperture logo mark is a trademark of Aperture Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. US-SA