9.1 The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to ... · The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to...
Transcript of 9.1 The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to ... · The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to...
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9.1 The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to Implementation and Beyond
Stuart Hallin Sr. Technical Consultant
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As an attendee you have a right to enforce this policy of having no sales pitch within a session by alerting the speaker if you feel the session is not being presented in a vendor neutral fashion. If the issue continues to be a problem, please alert Data Center World staff after the session is complete.
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The DCIM Journey: From Vendor Selection to Implementation and Beyond
If you’re interested in DCIM, follow these steps for selecting the right vendor to match your needs: prepare for what to expect in terms of monetary and people resources, set goals, implement DCIM successfully and expand DCIM beyond the initial implementation…because DCIM is a journey.
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Presentation Contents
Solution Selection Focusing needs, not wants
Understanding input, update, and output
Analyze resources
Solution Implementation The Process – who, what, where, when?
The Foundation – equipment and related info
The Work – import, audit, test
Beyond! Roll out to other facilities or sites
Monitor power, temperature, or others
Analyze your data, find new uses
Relax!
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What really works for DCIM?
Simple – Eases adoption and training, increases use and allows for staff turnover
Accessible – Increases likelihood of use, give access to everyone
Seek out solutions with mobility for enhanced accuracy
Process Integration – Ingrain DCIM into DC processes so data stays relevant and used long term
Flexible – Choose a solution with scalable abilities, grow it with the organization
The best solution for you – Consider solutions from vendors you don’t use today
Interface(s) – DCIM is part of an ecosystem, not monolithic
Just enough management – Solve the biggest problems first
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Solution Selection
Focus on needs, not features One size does not fit all – solutions will differ by vendor
Choose the one that’s right for you
Establish top 2 to 3 biggest needs right now
List and send what’s being tracked now (with formatting if your org. allows)
Focus on your biggest costs/pains instead of features
Every data center is a unique entity – only you can decide what’s best
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Solution Selection
Focus on needs, not wants Everybody wants to fix everything – it’s natural!
DCIM is part of an overall strategy, not a magic bullet
Not everything can be made perfect in one project
Establish/evaluate based on deeper goals (e.g. automation or integration) but save their implementation for later
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Solution Selection
Don’t make setup and configuration the center of your evaluation
Focus on enforcement of process, updates, and keeping the DCIM accurate
Get better tools
Use RFID/barcodes and mobile tools to make the system updates easier on Operators
Focus on needs, not wants
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Solution Selection
DCIM
Focus on needs, not wants Establish the framework or ideal implementation
of your process
Start at a high level (equipment comes in, gets maintained, then decommissioned) then dive deeper
Vendors are happy to respond to this need most of all – they understand the value of accuracy and reliability
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Solution Selection
Understand input, update, and output Share goals and working process with vendors…
Be open with vendors. They want to help you!
Package process framework info with your RFI/RFP to increase understanding
Narrow potential solutions by issuing RFI/RFP, then request demos from the best responses
Vendors want to answer your toughest questions – include them in the RFI/RFP
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Solution Selection
Understand input, update, and output …then make them prove it works
Have vendors prove they can meet top needs through a demonstration, followed by Proof-Of-Concept or trial
Be sure to establish criteria for success before POC or trial
Want the best evaluation? Pay for the trial, some consulting, or on-site presence
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Solution Selection
Understand input, update, and output Choose a single site or area for initial deployment
Set your main stakeholders (e.g. DC operations, facilities, network, sysadmin, etc.) and evaluate accordingly
Each stakeholder group (probably) has:
Managers
Operators
“Grazers”
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Solution Selection
Understand input, update, and output Managers – How easy or hard is it to…
See the past, present, and future?
Demonstrate reduced costs or increased efficiency?
Get “snapshot” information (e.g. from dashboards) about compliance issues?
Enforce process?
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Solution Selection
Understand input, update, and output Operators - How easy or hard is it to…
Maintain and query inventory?
Plan and execute change?
Get troubleshooting information (outage)?
Make efficient updates?
“Grazers” - How easy or hard is it to…
Search for information flexibly?
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Solution Selection
Analyze Resources Determine cost of investment – items
include: License – by asset, seat, feature, or other
Maintenance/Support – critical for upkeep
Professional Services – best used for existing record conversion and integration
Hardware – Appliances? Mobile devices? Barcode/RFID scanners?
Internal staff time – how many hours per week?
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Solution Selection
Analyze Resources Determine budget
Consider tapping budget from multiple departments – IT, Facilities, Operations, etc.
Consider how much work should be outsourced
Record conversion should be top item for outsourcing
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Solution Selection
Analyze Resources Budget tips
Consider tapping budget from multiple departments – IT, Facilities, Operations, etc.
Consider using OpEx instead of CapEx by…
Finance through a lease, rent-to-buy agreement, etc.
Purchasing license increases over time
Spread cost across sites
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Solution Selection
Analyze Resources Determine people resources
Elect one to two administrators who can enforce setup and implementation
Who is involved in your process? Count how many will need to be trained – that’s who will use the DCIM
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Implementation
Congrats!
You’ve chosen a system.
Now what?
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Implementation
The Start – Kick off Step 1: Set up system framework
Schedule training (the earlier the better)
Install software
Set project requirement details with vendor: custom field names, reports, dashboards, etc.
Set or limit the scope of initial deployment to help control/test process and input
Setup system
framework
STEP 1
Import existing
equipment records
STEP 2
Audit STEP
3
Test your process
again
STEP 4
Establish output
STEP 5
Optimize process
STEP 6
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Implementation
The Foundation – Equip. location & data Step 2: Import any/all existing equipment records
Starting from scratch is (usually) too time consuming
You’re already better off by giving records structure in a database
Your data is not any less accurate after migration
Use professional services or consulting when possible
Exceptions: those with new sites or truly terrible records
Setup system
framework
STEP 1
Import existing
equipment records
STEP 2
Audit STEP
3
Test your process
again
STEP 4
Establish output
STEP 5
Optimize process
STEP 6
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Implementation
The Work – Auditing Step 3: Audit
“True up” record set with a full equipment audit
Follow up with a full patch connection audit
Break audits into small segments
Start with areas that change infrequently
End with areas that change frequently
Setup system
framework
STEP 1
Import existing
equipment records
STEP 2
Audit STEP
3
Test your process
again
STEP 4
Establish output
STEP 5
Optimize process
STEP 6
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Implementation
The End – Testing and Output Step 4: Test your process again
Step 5: Establish output
Add users for stakeholders
Build and/or schedule reports for output
Set up dashboards
Step 6: Optimize process
Run, fail, and update your process for a month or two before rolling out to other sites
Setup system
framework
STEP 1
Import existing
equipment records
STEP 2
Audit STEP
3
Test your process
again
STEP 4
Establish output
STEP 5
Optimize process
STEP 6
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Beyond!
Take it to the next level (or facility) Deploy to other sites/facilities
Provide or purchase training for new users
Update the process to incorporate their needs but…
Enforce the process on new users – some will resist simply because change is difficult
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Beyond!
Monitor power, temperature, or others Use the chosen system’s functionality to monitor:
Power – Go direct to PDUs with SNMP or another monitoring program with an API
Temperature – Most DCIM vendors will have a partner who can provide sensors if you need them
Network – Uptime, throughput, and error rates are the simplest measurements to collect
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Beyond!
Analyze your data, find new uses Integrate DCIM with other systems
Monitoring
Work/task management
Automated provisioning
ERP
CRM
The list goes on!
Order Management
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Beyond!
Relax! Things are under control
Records are accurate
Planning is a breeze
Efficient capacity utilization
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3 Key Things You Have Learned During this Session
1. What specifics should be considered when evaluating DCIM solutions
2. How a DCIM project should be structured
3. The fact that a DCIM project is never “one and done”
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Thank you
Stuart Hallin Sr. Technical Consultant
Let’s chat about DCIM!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 805 242 5310