Going Back to the Future with Data Center Moves and Consolidations

Transcription

1 W H I T E P A P E R Going Back to the Future with Data Center Moves and Consolidations Brian Koma Data Center Institute

2 2 INTRODUCTION Back to the Future isn't just the name of a popular movie trilogy; it's also an apt description of how organizations are now thinking about their IT infrastructures. No longer taken for granted, establishing and maintaining a robust IT infrastructure has taken on new importance as businesses aggressively adopt e-business to boost productivity and get closer to customers. Despite this emphasis on the need for reliable and robust infrastructure, cost reduction pressures are leading many organizations to turn to data center consolidation initiatives as the single most popular means of reducing expenses. The reason is simple. If executed correctly, data center consolidations not only help organizations reduce costs by over 20%, they can also reduce complexity and achieve service improvements. If implemented poorly, consolidations can negate potential savings and cause significant service disruptions. In addition to consolidating data centers, many organizations are also looking at moving existing data centers to new facilities. As with consolidation, there are both economic and technological benefits to data center moves. There are significant new drivers for moves, including improving physical security by moving data centers to less vulnerable locations and taking advantage of state-of-the-art facilities that can better accommodate newer technologies. In addition, traditional drivers such as the availability of less expensive space can also have a big impact on reducing overall costs. So what are the drivers behind these growing trends, and how should you plan and execute an initiative to guarantee success? E-BUSINESS ADOPTION E-business has been embraced by industry to such an extent that it is no longer referred to as e-business anymore - it is merely the way business operates. Until recently, e-business was regarded as a child of the New Economy - a way of doing business that was held to be different by orders of magnitude from how transactions occurred in the "old economy." But leading IT organizations have embraced e-business as a fundamental approach to getting closer to customers and reducing costs. The hype surrounding e-business appears to be gone - while the substance remains. By providing customers online access, organizations make themselves and their services available on a 24x7 basis: a major means of leveraging customer relationship management. In short, the hyped e-business implementations of a few years ago have given way to a fundamental realignment of business that utilizes Internet and enabled applications as a matter of course. INFRASTRUCTURE RELIANCE The August 2003 power outage that affected much of the East Coast and Midwest dramatically demonstrated our collective reliance on IT infrastructures. Because of the outage, which affected numerous states and over 50 million people, data centers were shut down and critical applications were unavailable. According to the Data Center Institute, a data center industry think tank, the power outage caused significant economic disruption. Among almost 500 data centers surveyed, the effects of the power outage were dramatic. While slightly more than half (51%) of data centers affected experienced costs of less than $10,000 as a result of the outage, 49% experienced significant expenses. Twenty-six percent had losses of between $10K - $100K, 10% had losses of between $100K - $500K, 7% experienced losses of between $500K - $1 million, 3% report costs between $1 million and $5 million, 1% with losses between $5 million - $10 million, and 2% experiencing power outage related costs in excess of $10 million.

3 3 COST CONTAINMENT/REDUCTION In the economic climate of the past few years, data center managers have been forced to curb spending. The common theme that has emerged is 'making do with less.' Budget shortfalls and ongoing financial pressures have bred a number of innovative approaches aimed at increasing efficiency that might not have been undertaken in an environment with less monetary focus. Among the best practices identified by leading data center managers are tying infrastructure expenditures directly to key business drivers and consolidating data centers, servers, storage and software. If executed well, moving and consolidating data centers can help organizations address these key drivers in fundamental ways: Reduce complexity and improve application reliability Accelerate the process of helping IT organizations more closely align themselves with the underlying business Reduce costs, in many cases by over 20% If implemented poorly, however, data center moves and consolidations can negate potential savings and cause significant service disruptions. CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT The factors described above are part of an overall initiative by many organizations to achieve continuous process improvement. Consolidation efforts undertaken today are not discrete events that happen once every five years. Rather, many organizations are adopting a best practices approach to moves/consolidations that requires them to look at major hardware components at least twice a year, and software components on a quarterly basis. Only by having well-defined and automated processes are organizations able to achieve continuous improvement. DATA CENTER MOVE/CONSOLIDATION ROADMAP The key to a successful move and consolidation efforts is good planning and good execution. Identified here are eight critical steps that are the hallmarks of successful data center consolidations and moves.

4 4 Step 1 - Create a Move/Consolidation Task Force IT organizations must understand not only the technical requirements, but also the business requirements of any move or consolidation. To do this, it is essential to create a task force that is focused on the move/consolidation that involves representatives from affected business units. With this approach, IT can shape a plan that matches the needs of the business - and provide an opportunity to communicate to business unit owners about move/consolidation efforts, why they makes sense, and the potential impact on the business. By understanding how to best handle the business considerations, IT can configure a plan that not only addresses cost reductions and efficiencies, but also best supports users. This approach is easier said than done. For years IT has been trying to get closer to the underlying business but has been stymied by a variety of factors, including; a lack of IT knowledge by many business people; lack of compelling reasons for business people to pay attention to IT; and vastly different languages spoken by business people and IT professionals. With the economic downturn of the last several years and the mass migration of legacy applications to web-based programs, business and technology groups have been forced to deal with each other in fundamentally new ways. According to the Data Center Institute's recent Data Center Trends report, those IT organizations that are having the most success are using external influences as leverage points to create strong IT/business unit integration and understanding. Step 2 - Develop a Detailed Requirements Plan Using input from the move/consolidation task force, successful organizations then develop specific short-term and longterm requirements. This will include such items as: Application performance needs/service level issues Server requirements Storage needs Network infrastructure requirements Power requirements, including necessary backup Cooling requirements for the new or consolidated environment New facility size requirements and disposition of existing facilities One of the biggest drivers of IT requirements are Service Level Agreements (SLA's) that govern how critical applications need to perform, and which provide penalties for non-compliance. Recent studies indicate almost half of IT organizations

5 5 operate under strict SLA's that govern how and when applications are to be delivered. SLA's are growing in popularity because of the adoption of web-enabled applications that play a critical role in helping organizations get closer to their customers. For those companies contemplating moves or consolidations, either with or without SLA's in place, it is important to create a detailed requirements plan before implementing the program. In addition, many organizations in the post-9/11 world are taking a detailed look at their physical security needs, as well as delivery paths for critical utilities. Step 3 - Conduct a Comprehensive Inventory Successful data center moves/consolidations are handled by organizations that know exactly what physical and logical assets they have, where they are located, whether they are leased or purchased, under maintenance agreements, and what their power and cooling requirements are today. Too often, this data is hidden throughout the organization in asset management systems, CAD files, spreadsheets, Visio documents, PowerPoint charts and Word documents. Organizations must overcome these barriers and create an integrated, comprehensive view of the entire technology environment in order to ensure a successful move or consolidation effort. Inventories of asset data are notoriously difficult to obtain due to the fragmented approach many organizations take to tracking key pieces of the IT infrastructure, despite the benefits that can accrue from this knowledge. Only by having detailed knowledge of the environment can you understand where there may be opportunities to move or combine servers, eliminate software licenses or better utilize other storage and network resources. Step 4 - Design New Environment After conducting the comprehensive inventory, those undertaking successful moves/consolidations then turn their attention to the hard work of determining how to create the best new physical and logical environments for the enterprise. This task can be complicated by the fact that environments grow haphazardly over time, resulting in unnecessary complexity that drives up costs, creates systems and network management issues and reduces your ability to provide reliable service. While this job can be difficult, it is made easier by input from the move/consolidation task force regarding the criticality of applications, the timing of business cycles and overall performance requirements. When integrated with the comprehensive inventory, this information can serve as the basis for making crucial decisions about physical and logical environments that support the underlying business and improve service delivery capabilities. Step 5 - Layout the Data Center Once the new, physical and logical environment has been designed, it should now be translated into detailed specifications for physical space and the supporting infrastructure. The converged environment design provides the ability to translate the information into requirements for: Rack space Raised flooring Cooling capacity Power UPS requirements Network infrastructure Tape/media storage Fire suppression In looking at these requirements, it's critical to keep in mind plans for future growth so that the new environment can be easily reconfigured to meet changing needs. In particular, the increasing miniaturization of servers, and the rapid adoption of blade servers, is putting tremendous amounts of computing power in smaller spaces. While this allows organizations to use their floor space more efficiently, it also puts concentrated loads on electrical and cooling systems. These technologies can draw electrical loads that can easily outstrip the existing infrastructure, as well as inject large quantities of heat into the data center. These issues also can have a cascading effect on fire suppression systems, storage areas and backup power generation.

6 6 Step 6 - Communicate Your Plan One of the most critical components of the move/consolidation process is to communicate the plan to affected employees and business units before it occurs in order to appropriately set expectations. This is a critical element in helping to ensure that the perception of the move and the reality of the move are the same within affected organizations. While the move/consolidation plan may contain levels of detail that many business units are not able to easily assimilate, it is still important to provide affected organizations with highlights from plan. Even more critical to success is the process of explaining the potential impact and what has been done to minimize business disruption. All moves carry the risk of disruption, and data center moves/consolidations are rarely without impact. The key to success is to set expectations accordingly and put the benefits of the move into business - not just technology - terms. Step 7 - Make Your Move Successful moves/consolidations are best handled with a detailed physical move plan that covers all phases of the physical move including sequencing, mirrors/backups, de-installation, installation and testing. The best move plans define phases, schedules, system change lock-downs and detailed system testing. One of the most critical aspects is to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to receive the equipment, and that errors are minimized in standing the environment back up. The move process can also provide an opportunity for analyzing equipment and facility disposition. In some cases isn't financially viable to move equipment to a new location that would best be scrapped or traded. Pre-configured new equipment may be the best alternative depending on the age of the hardware. The disposition of the existing facility is also an important component in deriving maximum return from move/consolidation efforts. Step 8 - Audit and Process Improvement Once the project has been completed it's important to conduct a detailed audit of the entire process to determine what worked and what didn't. Based on this audit, process changes can then be made that will allow continuous improvement in ongoing move/consolidation efforts. In many instances, processes are easier to change just after a move/consolidation event because it puts a spotlight on the areas that require additional attention. Taking advantage of change to implement new business processes isn't a new concept. Today's hyper-competitive business environment requires a commitment to continuous process improvement. Only with an eye towards continuous improvement can organizations reap the real benefits of consolidation. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Achieving ongoing process improvement is now made easier with new tools that allow real-time, graphical views of the IT infrastructure. Instead of obtaining up-to-date information only when moves and consolidations are contemplated, information can now be made available in real-time, every day. By keeping on top of these processes on an ongoing basis, IT managers can ensure they are receiving maximum return on their infrastructure investments. One of the most important tools to emerge in the last several years that best addresses this issue is Aperture VISTA. Leveraging advanced visualization and work-process technologies, Aperture VISTA has evolved into the leading solution to assist in data center consolidations and moves. It does this by providing a standardized process for designing, capturing and communicating the necessary information for these mission-critical initiatives through a central web portal. HOW APERTURE VISTA WORKS Aperture VISTA is a visual management system designed to transform the way data centers operate. It can provide direct benefits to multi-million dollar data center consolidations and moves by: Providing a detailed inventory of the existing data center Optimizing the design and layout of the new data center Managing and communicating the status of the move Providing the framework for managing change and maintaining a physical asset repository in the new data center

7 7 COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY REPOSITORY Successful data center consolidations and moves require organizations to have detailed information regarding the physical and logical assets within the enterprise. Aperture VISTA provides a visual web repository to provide a consolidated view of the entire technology environment to ensure successful data center consolidation and move efforts. Aperture VISTA works by consolidating information that is scattered throughout various asset management systems, spreadsheets and documents, and then presents that data in a visual manner showing all assets, their financial status (leased or owned), and their respective power and cooling requirements. OPTIMIZED DESIGN AND LAYOUT Aperture VISTA enables IT organizations to optimally design the exact layout of the new data center with regard to its critical infrastructure -- space, power, cooling, weight, diversity, and other factor. It does this by helping organizations determine how to best consolidate the physical and logical environments, and then translates that design into detailed specifications for physical space and the supporting infrastructure. Because Aperture VISTA utilizes innovative visualization technology, IT organizations can easily assess the impact of various design and layout schemes prior to actual implementation to ultimately reduce costs and minimize potential errors. APERTURE VISTA PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR CLARITY WITHIN THE DATA CENTER Actively managing and communicating the data center consolidation or relocation efforts is vitally important to ensuring a successful project. Aperture VISTA provides a standardized, automated process to easily manage and communicate changes within the data center, coordinate the tactical steps required for the consolidation or relocation effort, and notify those involved with the process with constant, up-to-date status information. IMPLEMENTATION MADE EASIER In most organizations, data center consolidation or move initiatives are conducted to achieve economic benefits and to improve overall operations. Aperture VISTA helps organizations achieve these benefits and provide the clarity necessary for data center operational excellence by providing a rigorous focus on data center infrastructure management. Aperture VISTA provides a structured process to manage the overall physical environment of the data center - equipment, space, power, environmentals and network connectivity - to ensure successful data center consolidation and relocation efforts, as well as ongoing change management activities. This solution helps organizations to better align the IT environment with overall business objectives, deliver maximum value to customers, and make better business decisions with a higher level of precision and clarity. This white paper was sponsored by Aperture Technologies, Inc. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brian Koma is an acknowledged data center industry expert who has played a key role in defining trends and strategies for enterprise data center professionals. Brian was a founder of the Data Center Institute and served as vice president of marketing for AFCOM, the industry's leading data center organization. For more than 20 years, Brian has worked in various components of the enterprise data center industry, having consulted with many leading enterprise IT software and services vendors as president of his own firm, Stratagem. In addition, he has also served in an executive capacity at Legent, an enterprise systems management software company, and in other organizations involved in the IT outsourcing industry.

8 About Aperture Aperture is the leading provider of enterprise software solutions that enable organizations worldwide to manage the physical infrastructure of their data centers. Aperture solutions automate and facilitate standardized best practice processes to manage the complexity and ever-changing conditions in today's enterprise data centers and to deliver world-class performance in IT operations. With Aperture, organizations worldwide have reduced operational risks, increased efficiency and generated actionable information to make better business decisions. Aperture's flagship product, Aperture VISTA, is an enterprise software solution which reduces operational risk and improves efficiency through the visual management of the data center. Aperture VISTA delivers the key processes that enable organizations to take control of an increasingly complex physical environment including equipment, space, power, cooling, network and storage. The world's largest companies use Aperture VISTA to achieve substantial improvements in the quality, reliability and cost effectiveness of their infrastructure planning, design, provisioning, troubleshooting and analysis All rights reserved. Aperture and Aperture VISTA are registered trademarks and the Aperture logo mark is a trademark of Aperture Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners