Integrated and federated: TDB Fusion aims to bring seamless management to datacenters

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1 Integrated and federated: TDB Fusion aims to bring seamless management to datacenters Analyst: Andy Lawrence 5 Aug, 2015 TDB Fusion started out as a systems integrator specializing in enterprise integration; it later transitioned to a software company developing its own tools. Its core product is Federos, a workflow and integration engine that enables managers to link applications using adaptors, building processes step by step. Federos is a flexible integration platform that can be used to build and manage two-way links between a variety of systems. TDB Fusion has worked on projects covering systems management, automated network service provisioning and cloud management. Unusually (and arguably uniquely), TDB Fusion's Federos-based Holistic DCIM product provides the only independent platform for linking physical datacenter management (DCIM) systems to other systems used by enterprises and datacenter operators. TDB's recent integration of Salesforce with DCIM systems takes it into a new area, enabling business managers to get a consistent and accessible view of datacenter status, resources and capacity. The 451 Take TDB Fusion has set itself a difficult task, attempting to sell integration and process management software to clients that often hasn't invested sufficiently (either in tools, training or management processes) in the underlying systems they seek to integrate or they have invested, but aren't ready to invest more. In the datacenter sector in particular, big software projects are undertaken with considerable caution. Even so, the message is strong and persuasive: integrating different tools and unifying data between systems has a multiplier Copyright The 451 Group 1

2 effect, enabling automation and reducing risk, while improving service. TDB's initiative in integrating Salesforce with DCIM a move prompted by client demand is a clear example of this, and will undoubtedly attract interest in the colocation sector. 451 Research has long advocated better and real-time integration between physical, logical and business management systems although clearly this will take time. Context Privately held TDB Fusion is still a small company, with sales of less than 6m ($9.3m), we believe. But it is growing strongly, with operating profits increasing 50% a year. It is currently nearing 60 staff, doubling over the last two years. Most sales are in the UK, although global clients have led it into Europe and the US. The company has received funding from private investors and from FSE, a UK investment company that owns a minor share of TDB. TDB recently added senior operational management and new developers as it plans for growth, driven both by the network-operations side (where it is strong) and the datacenter side (where its business is at an earlier stage). One key high-profile datacenter customer in the UK is VIRTUS, a fast-growing colocation company with two major datacenters in London. Virtus is known for its 'next generation' view of datacenters, investing in the management of software, and high-density, high-availability capacity. Technology TDB Fusion's holistic DCIM product is based on the underlying Federos integration and process management platform. Holistic DCIM does not replace DCIM systems, but links to them CA Technologies' DCIM and itracs are among the systems it has integrated. The system provides the adaptors to link to third-party systems, tools for building and managing workflows, and a presentation layer. Federos sets out and manages the steps that must be accomplished for a process to be completed whether that process takes sub-seconds or lasts weeks. Like most integration tools, Federos makes use of RESTful adapters REST is a Web-services protocol that enables software programs to interact with the server application in a simple way that does not involve significant programming. Federos has been used to integrate with management software from IBM, HP, Microsoft, Red Hat and VMware, SevOne and ServiceNow, and in networking, Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent. In the datacenter, there are Federos/holistic DCIM integrations with Schneider, Liebert (Emerson), GE, Mardix Group and, as mentioned, CA DCIM and itracs. Other integrations are Copyright The 451 Group 2

3 not difficult, because they are likely to be variants on existing integrations. The move toward more integration with business management systems is less common in the DCIM sector. TDB has integrated with Sage Software (financial/business management) and Salesforce. The Salesforce integration means that datacenter operators (and, if it chooses, colocation clients) can view the assets, status and capacity via their Salesforce record. For example, it can see who owns what, as well as history, contract documentation, account status and service levels. It is possible to drop down from Salesforce to get a visual view of the datacenter, and where the capacity is. Datacenter staff can choose how much, or how little, information they expose to Salesforce. Subsequent integrations will improve visibility of payments and financial records, and of real-time or near-real-time power use. One key advantage is that the integration creates a single version of the truth: this should resolve a common problem in colocation businesses, where business managers and datacenter managers have different understandings and views of assets and capacity. The link can be two-way, so that staff can enter either from the DCIM or from the Salesforce systems. The Salesforce integration is an example of DCSO (datacenter services optimization), where customers use integration and management tools to run their datacenters more effectively as a business. In a recent demonstration, TDB demonstrated how a change in a customer order that was initiated in Salesforce started a process that included service provisioning, notification of all systems and billing for the new service. In addition to the Salesforce integration, TDB has demonstrated other integrations using holistic DCIM that improve datacenter management. For example, at a recent event in London, it demonstrated how disruption due to a planned maintenance to datacenter power equipment was managed by automatically informing the IT service management systems, the IT NOC and all affected services. Similarly, in an unplanned maintenance event, the Federos software could be used to inform affected systems, and enable remedial action to be taken. Competition All DCIM systems place a heavy emphasis on integration, and all DCIM systems need to exchange information with other systems, such as building management systems. To a degree, then, TDB's competitive position is a little blurry, since it is likely to only be considered when the datacenter operator wants to deploy more than some basic data exchange. The point where that becomes necessary will depend on the customers, and their overall goals. Copyright The 451 Group 3

4 Many operators will also link systems together using generic integration tools (such as WebSphere or Microsoft's.NET), although this requires adaptors to be sourced, and may also involve the use of third-party integration services. Many DCIM products such as Nytle and CommScope's itracs have developed a large library of integrations, and have invested in creating workflow tools. Schneider's StruxureWare and Emerson's Trellis have good data exchange, as do most others. The small UK company Smart Carbon Controls and California-based DCIM supplier Modius have both developed a powerful set of adaptors for integrating and presenting data from underlying datacenter-monitoring and control systems. One notable newcomer is Vapor IO, which is a datacenter rack and hardware company, as well as a supplier of integration and analytics tools. Another small company, based in Ireland, is Cranntech, which has developed software to build simple processes across DCIM and other systems for day-to-day operational management, especially using mobiles. SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses TDB has a proven integration platform, experience in building cross-platform automated business processes, and one of the few tools aimed at datacenter operators. It also has good relationships with many blue-chip enterprises. Opportunities Threats The future of the datacenter will involve more and more software, and more end-to-end integrated systems. TDB's opportunity is to ride this wave, when it comes. TDB's business is based on customers buying into an overall architecture for integration and on having the underlying systems in place, and working effectively. This is not yet common among datacenter management. TDB is small, and currently has little presence outside the UK. Bigger clients, especially DCIM and ITSM companies, will offer more integrations and platforms around their products, squeezing out smaller players. Cloud-based offerings will emerge, threatening margins and increasing competition. Copyright The 451 Group 4

5 Reproduced by permission of The 451 Group; This report was originally published within 451 Research's Market Insight Service. For additional information on 451 Research or to apply for trial access, go to: Copyright The 451 Group 5