7 myths about DCIM you need to know as an I&O leader

Elvis is not alive, the moon landings weren’t faked and Bill Gates is not using Covid-19 vaccines to implant tracking microchips into the world’s population. All in agreement so far? Okay, then time to tackle some of the perpetual untruths that circle Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) – a field that has become full of falsehoods as a consequence of more than a decade of mis-pitched promises and a legacy of ineffective deployments.

At RiT Tech, we are in the business of reality and hope our seven sanity checks below help to dispel some of the widely held myths that muddy the name of a capability based on sound ideology.

1. Myth: Picking up a proficient DCIM is as simple as procuring any other ‘run-of-the-mill’ software solution.

Reality: If you’re looking for a simple, shrink-wrapped product that can be bought off the shelf and slung quickly into action, it’s time to call off your search. Contrary to the marketing spiel and slick sales pitches surrounding some offerings, there isn’t a company on the planet that has the full suite of tools that can deliver all that a DCIM should. There are products and services that address parts of a data centre’s complex operations but not all of them. Plug-and-play is not an option – a tailored toolset that complements and integrates with, rather than replaces legacy systems, is the only solution. 

2. Myth: If a DCIM monitors, that is all that is needed.

Reality: “Watching” the inner workings of a data centre is all well and good, but insights need to be actionable. Unfortunately, in many cases the “management” aspect of the DCIM monitor is largely missing from marketed solutions and the disconnect between oversight of building facilities and computing, storage and networking equipment is alarming. Monitoring systems in isolation fall short of the mark – a DCIM should provide a single source of truth in real-time while focusing on the management, connectivity and automation of every element of the data centre ecosystem. The clue to a DCIM’s key capability really is in its name. Merely collecting data is pointless if it is not converted into useful management information.

3. Myth: DCIM applications are merely Building Management Systems (BMS) for data centres.

Reality: Do you know of a BMS that can interrogate a data centre’s IT stack and accurately map and track every cable and connection down to the last portal? Didn’t think so. A decent DCIM will augment a facility’s BMS – merging metrics from power and cooling systems with those of the data networks to supply both IT and facility managers with the insights they need to optimise performance, maximise capacity utilisation and evade unnecessary downtime. A strong connection and seamless communication between the two areas of operation are paramount. 

4. Myth: Implementing a DCIM based on proprietary hardware is the way forward.

Reality: If you misguidedly want a system wilfully blinkered to anything beyond its own corporate collateral, then perhaps so. However, such an electronic ecosystem simply does not exist in a data centre and consequently a DCIM should be a central cog – albeit an important one – in a grander, well-oiled machine. The need to interact and integrate with other vendors’ hardware and software is imperative if optimal efficiency is to be achieved. Rather than attempting to be the entire ecosystem, a DCIM should supplement and interface with existing capabilities – not replace them. 

5. Myth: A DCIM only needs to reference a subset of an enterprise to be effective and worth the investment.

Reality: When flying, would you be happy for a pilot to only consult a fraction of an airplane cockpit’s instruments before take-off? If so, let’s hope you’re not responsible for providing safe carriage to customers’ digital services and data. Decisions, in all walks of life, should be based on all of the evidence available and especially so in a data centre, where a misinformed step can be an extremely expensive one. Consequently, a DCIM should aspire to be the technological equivalent of a top surgeon – referencing every element of a data centre’s health before making any kind of incision. A snapshot of an IT stack is of little use if a blind eye has been turned to the information provided from other quarters of the data centre ecosystem, such as available power and cooling capacity and billing systems.

6. Myth: You don’t need to bother with a DCIM solution. A detailed spreadsheet is a sufficient substitute.

Reality: It is indicative of the disdain felt towards the DCIM acronym that its technologies are largely shunned in favour of simplistic – and significantly cheaper – software programmes or off the shelf tools. However, just because Microsoft Excel is the most widely used solution it does not mean that it is fit for purpose. A standalone spreadsheet, little more than a glorified asset register, populated and maintained by an individual falls far short of the functionality needed to drive efficiencies in a data centre. A complex problem requires a more complex and comprehensive solution.

7. Myth: Implementing a DCIM is a fire-and-forget mission.

A one-time, short set-up that solves the conundrum of keeping operating costs down, maximising resource utilisation, ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining optimal performance levels sounds like a dream – and that’s because it is. DCIM implementation is a programme not a standalone project and is necessarily so as forging a single source of truth can’t be done in the snap of a finger. A data centre’s activity and occupancy ebb and flow and – whether an enterprise, edge, colocation or geographically-dispersed operation – its component parts evolve. In turn, a DCIM must develop with its surroundings and embrace change and be given the ongoing care and attention needed to do so.