USE CASES

edge

Improving remote management and deployment

what is AN EDGE DATA CENTER?

Edge means very different things to different people and will depend upon the specific requirements of a particular business. Edge requirements may be driven by data sovereignty needs or local legislation / regulatory issues rather than technological capabilities. Other possible issues driving Edge demand include demand for faster response times and reduced latency, network transit costs and local data aggregation from a wide range of locally deployed devices.

 

While no useful definition of Edge exists the best way to consider Edge is as a deployment strategy rather than a new technology.


Edge is not really new as a concept, remember that ‘Edge’ sites are used to create Content Distribution Networks (CDNs), it has been with us for at least 25 years.


The common factors for Edge sites though are they are typically smaller than the traditional centralized data centers used by a particular business (note that the size will vary significantly according to the business), along with the provision of proximal processing and storage.


what are the operational challenges faced by edge data centers?

How does UIIM address EDGE challenges?


Edge sites are typically smaller than traditional sites and are by definition geographically remote from the business and its traditional support functions. This means that Edge sites are normally unmanned ‘dark’ sites being managed from a distance. Yet the services from these sites may continue to be considered business critical.


The challenge then becomes how we continue to operate and manage remote sites reliably and how we collect and access the genuinely accurate data required to do so. This is especially relevant and important when we readily acknowledge the typically poor quality and accuracy of asset information even within traditional 24x365 managed data centers.


With the additional fact that site maintenance, IT equipment deployments and maintenance as well as physical network connectivity management, is often being provided by an outsourced third party, the challenge of providing reliable services increases exponentially.



XpedITe offers a number of solutions to the challenges highlighted above.

 

The first is the ability to offer a single accurate representation of the assets in a number of local and remote data centers. This accurate single source of truth can be derived in a number of ways but can include auto-discovery, full, easy and rapid integration with other systems and tools involving the sharing and rationalizing of multiple data sets in order to seek out the truth. This includes both facility infrastructure details as well as the IT infrastructure including the potential to share data with a remote CMDB.


Secondly, XpedITe offers the ability to automate equipment deployment planning, taking into account customer specific rules and practices in addition to industry standard requirements, such as true dual path resilience on both power and network connectivity. Not only does this automation significantly reduce planning time (by hours and days), it can also be done remotely without the need for site visits.


Thirdly, XpedITe generates automated work orders offering simple step by step instructions for the Adds, Moves and Changes determined above. These can be issued to 3rd parties with limited of zero site knowledge to implement according to simple detailed instructions. The works orders even include instructions for correct equipment and cable labelling.


Finally, seamless integration with your existing ticketing system simplifies internal process and has the potential to reduce the number of hand offs between disciplines and departments. This reduces both the administrative resource burden and the opportunity for errors for both local and remote sites.


With the capability for real time monitoring and data collection from both the facilities equipment in a site as well as the IT components, XpedITe offers a comprehensive management package that allows you to orchestrate your data center site operations equally effectively whether it is a fully staffed multi-megawatt core site or a small multi-kilowatt Edge site that is rarely visited.

WHAT ARE THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES FACED BY EDGE DATA CENTERS?

Edge sites are typically smaller than traditional sites and are by definition geographically remote from the business and its traditional support functions. This means that Edge sites are normally unmanned ‘dark’ sites being managed from a distance. Yet the services from these sites may continue to be considered business critical.


The challenge then becomes how we continue to operate and manage remote sites reliably and how we collect and access the genuinely accurate data required to do so. This is especially relevant and important when we readily acknowledge the typically poor quality and accuracy of asset information even within traditional 24x365 managed data centers.


With the additional fact that site maintenance, IT equipment deployments and maintenance as well as physical network connectivity management, is often being provided by an outsourced third party, the challenge of providing reliable services increases exponentially.




HOW DOES UIIM ADDRESS EDGE CHALLENGES?

XpedITe offers a number of solutions to the challenges highlighted above.


 The first is the ability to offer a single accurate representation of the assets in a number of local and remote data centers. This accurate single source of truth can be derived in a number of ways but can include auto-discovery, full, easy and rapid integration with other systems and tools involving the sharing and rationalizing of multiple data sets in order to seek out the truth. This includes both facility infrastructure details as well as the IT infrastructure including the potential to share data with a remote CMDB.


Secondly, XpedITe offers the ability to automate equipment deployment planning, taking into account customer specific rules and practices in addition to industry standard requirements, such as true dual path resilience on both power and network connectivity. Not only does this automation significantly reduce planning time (by hours and days), it can also be done remotely without the need for site visits.


Thirdly, XpedITe generates automated work orders offering simple step by step instructions for the Adds, Moves and Changes determined above. These can be issued to 3rd parties with limited of zero site knowledge to implement according to simple detailed instructions. The works orders even include instructions for correct equipment and cable labelling.


Finally, seamless integration with your existing ticketing system simplifies internal process and has the potential to reduce the number of hand offs between disciplines and departments. This reduces both the administrative resource burden and the opportunity for errors for both local and remote sites.


With the capability for real time monitoring and data collection from both the facilities equipment in a site as well as the IT components, XpedITe offers a comprehensive management package that allows you to orchestrate your data center site operations equally effectively whether it is a fully staffed multi-megawatt core site or a small multi-kilowatt Edge site that is rarely visited.

BEJING SUBWAY

“The value that RiT Tech and their DCIM software, XpedITe has brought to our operations is not only top-level technology and high quality products but the most important achievement is the impact it has had on our day-to-day provisioning and work orders. Through the software, we can design and simulate all connectivity tasks that are integrated with our intelligent hardware - avoiding human error and making our operations safe and efficient.”


- Ms. Zhao, Chief Technical Officer, Beijing Metro Network Control Center

KEY FEATURES 

DATA CENTEr INFRASTRUCTURE

MANAGEMENT (DCIM)


Through Integration, Automation and Transparency, XpedITe helps to reduce costs and run operations more efficiently. In order to help you Data Center achieve maximum uptime.

find out more

in our helpful capabilities guide

XpedITe is the only data center infrastructure management system (DCIM) on the market which gives our clients a solution that connects infrastructure and network in one platform. Our multi award-winning XpedITe provides the integration capabilities needed to enable universal intelligent infrastructure management (UIIM). XpedITe is used by progressive data centers across the globe from colocation to enterprises, including large corporations, government agencies, financial institutions, airport authorities, healthcare organizations, educational facilities and telecommunications.

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XpedITe Awards

Seeing is believing, XpedITe is getting the recognition it deserves across the industry.

WINNER -

DCS AWARDS 2022

Data Centre ICT Automation / Orchestration Innovation of the Year

WINNER -

DCS AWARDS 2022

Data Centre ICT Automation / Orchestration Innovation of the Year

WINNER -

DCS AWARDS 2021

Data Centre ICT Automation / Orchestration Innovation of the Year

WINNER -

DCS AWARDS 2021

Data Centre Intelligent Automation and Management Innovation of the Year

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