Sep 26, 2022

Security Boulevard Community Chats Webinars Library Combat Data Center Downtime with Automation and Asset Discovery Data center infrastructure management (DCIM) is no longer optional for data center operators. With the increasing complexity and scale of data center and edge environments, DCIM software has become a must-have for those tasked with managing these critical facilities. Unfortunately, many data center operators are still using error-prone manual processes and tools to manage their environments, which is simply not sustainable in today’s dynamic landscape. The good news is that there is a new wave of DCIM solutions on the market that are designed to automate and simplify many of the tasks associated with managing a data center. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at two of the most important aspects of DCIM—automation and discovery—and how they can help data center operators free up time, money, and resources. The Benefits of Automation in Data Center Operations One of the key benefits of automation is its ability to help data center operators eliminate error-prone manual processes. According to the Uptime Institute , about 70% of data center failures are caused by human error and cost the average organization an estimated $62.4 million a year.1 With automation, operators can significantly reduce errors, increase accuracy, and free up more hours in their day. For example, imagine you need to make a change to the configuration of a server. In the past, you would have had to physically access the server, make the change, and then manually update the documentation to reflect the change. With automation, however, you can make the change remotely and have the documentation update automatically. This not only ensures that your documentation is always accurate but also saves you time. In fact, 53% of employees state that they can save up to 2 work hours a day (240 hours per year) through automation.2 Another benefit of automation is its ability for data center operators to proactively manage their environments. With automated monitoring and alerts, data center operators can be notified immediately when something goes wrong—such as a power outage or equipment failure—and take action accordingly. This not only helps to avoid downtime but can also save money by preventing small problems from turning into big ones. Last but not least, automation can help data center operators improve their compliance posture. By automating tasks such as patch management and security updates, data center operators can ensure that their environment is always up-to-date with the latest security patches and software updates. This not only helps to protect against cyberattacks but also makes it easier to pass compliance audits. The Benefits of IT Asset Discovery In addition to automation, another important aspect of DCIM is automatic asset discovery . Discovery involves cataloging all of the assets in your data center—including servers, networking equipment, storage arrays, etc.—and then creating an inventory and digital twin of those assets. This inventory can be used for a variety of purposes, such as capacity planning or troubleshooting issues. One of the biggest benefits of discovery is that it gives data center operators visibility into their entire environment including on-premises, colocation, edge, and cloud. Without discovery, it can be very difficult to know what assets you have and where they’re located. This can lead to problems such as over-provisioning or underutilization because you don’t have a good understanding of what you have and what you need. Asset discovery solves this problem by giving you an up-to-date view of your entire environment so that you can make more informed decisions about capacity planning and resource allocation. Another benefit of discovery is that it simplifies troubleshooting. When something goes wrong in your data center, being able to quickly identify which assets are affected can be critical for minimizing downtime. With discovery in place, you can quickly locate the affected assets and take action accordingly. This not only saves you time but also helps to reduce downtime by ensuring that problems are fixed quickly and efficiently. Data center infrastructure management is no longer optional for data center operators; it has become a must-have for those tasked with managing these critical facilities. Fortunately, there are modern DCIM solutions like Hyperview on the market that are designed to automate and simplify many of the tasks associated with managing a data center—and help data center operators free up time, money, and resources. 1 K. Heslin. (23 September 2019) Uptime Institute : How to avoid outages: Try harder! 2 (2020) WorkMarket In(Sight) Report : What AI & Automation Really Mean For Work