FEATURE
Businesses need to have a single view of how their data centre is performing , however , this can often be a challenge as several tools and solutions work separately to monitor the critical aspects of a data centre .
To successfully manage a data centre , the technology , the conditions within the facility and the people , all need to be carefully monitored . This requires a carefully designed approach – one where all potential threats to a data centre must be accounted for .
Getting the conditions right inside the data centre
Monitoring and regulating the environment of a data centre on a frequent basis is crucial . This includes the temperature levels to ensure the equipment can operate at its optimum level . Computers generate heat and this can pose a serious risk . Overheating can result in breakdowns and increase the wear on fragile IT components over time .
This could effectively reduce the lifespan of the machine and increase the overall operating costs of a large data centre . Air conditioning is a suitable remedy to this issue – it isn ’ t a cheap solution but it is a necessary one . The real challenge that facility managers face is to regulate the temperature throughout the building and make sure that aren ’ t any hot spots or that it gets too cool ( otherwise this will incur high costs ). If the environment gets too cold , this could be an indicator for defect or wrongly adjusted HVAC devices .
The good news is that it ’ s possible to easily monitor the temperature of IT equipment via SNMP or an API . Even if the air conditioning system is old and monitoring is only accessible via protocols such as Modbus TCP or OPC UA , businesses now have the opportunity to invest in a monitoring tool that is able to support various protocols . This means that it can still monitor the temperature of this outdated or aging air conditioning units . With a singular monitoring platform at hand , IT and facility managers will be able to instantly monitor and determine the health of the physical data centre environment without having to compare and contrast various reports from different monitoring systems .
Managing the security features
IT and facility managers need to also consider the security aspects of a data centre management . Data is a company ’ s most precious asset and needs to be protected from both online and physical threats . Physical threats such as those from intruders is a constant risk that needs to be managed . In-built safety features should be integrated into the building to monitor for these threats . This includes , access control systems , video surveillance and 24 / 7 onsite security guards .
Regular audits should be carried out to identify potential risks , hazards and entry points . CCTV can also be effective in detecting intruders as well as picking up smoke from a fire in the building . Implementing a system that monitors the physical security of the data centre is a must have . Having a system that incorporates 24 / 7 monitoring , surveillance data collection , the ability to display all information in clearly arranged dashboards , central alarm system integration , will give facility managers more control when ensuring the data centre ’ s physical security .
Trust is a vulnerability
Martin Hodgson , Country Manager , UK & Ireland at Paessler AG
It ’ s not enough to simply protect the computers and equipment from physical threats . Protecting data centres from www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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