Xerus platform serves as smart foundation for 100-rack facility

About five years ago, a leading financial services provider based in Singapore had a hard look at how the data center at the heart of its IT operations could be better run and managed. The review ended with a decision to introduce intelligence into its 100-rack co-located facility so that it could readily meet the future needs of the enterprise and its customers while being easier to manage, more efficient, and perform better without adding process or technological complexity.

The enterprise began its journey towards an intelligent DC by deploying two Raritan intelligent power distribution units in each of its racks. The PDUs are based on the Xerus platform, which combines hardware and software technologies to deliver intelligent and future-proof rack power architecture. Easy to integrate with BMS or DCIM systems, the platform incorporates security features that actively protect data against both internal threats and external intrusions.

Poor visibility into power chain

Before the PDUs were commissioned, the financial services provider could not accurately measure and track power consumption in each rack, making it difficult to distribute available power and assess whether its power assets were nearing their capacity limits. Nor could it identify ghost servers or those that draw amounts of power that were disproportionate to their computational outputs.

The PDUs were installed over 48 hours, with Raritan professionals performing the installation work one rack at a time on a weekend and then integrating the PDUs with the DCIM system so as to avoid disrupting business operations.

Now, with detailed data on how much power each asset within each rack is drawing, it can better plan how to populate each rack, manage rack assets, maximize rack space, and optimize the available power capacity for each of the 100 racks. Additionally, the financial services provider can now plan its power capacity, power protection, and cooling infrastructure needs for a longer time horizon with more confidence and at a higher level of accuracy.

Improving vendor access and control

More recently, the financial services leader went about improving the access control and monitoring of third-party maintenance staff. The previous access process for such staff to perform work within the racks was far from efficient. Vendor staff had to notify the IT team responsible for the DC a fortnight in advance, providing details of the nature of the work, rack number, expected duration, etc. On the day of the actual visit, a member of the IT team would first check a spreadsheet to verify that access is indeed required, then escort the vendor staff to the DC, go with them to the particular rack, unlock it with a key, and stay till the work is done or leave the DC and return later to confirm that work was indeed done, lock the cabinet, and escort the vendor staff outside the DC.

Given that such work is performed three to four times a week and that the financial services provider’s DC team comprises just four members located on a different floor from the DC, the overall process exacted a heavy burden and was also cumbersome, with rack keys misplaced on occasion.

SmartLock at Rack Level

To streamline the vendor access process, the enterprise adopted Raritan’s SmartLock electronic door access and control system for its racks. Vendor-agnostic, the system automates the physical access control and monitoring of defined users or groups. SmartLock is a modular solution compatible with Raritan PDUs so implementation was a breeze, with no need for additional controllers or U space within the racks if a Raritan PDU with Xerus Controller is already in use.

With SmartLock at the rack level, the vendor access process is now straightforward yet secure. Vendors submit an access request two days in advance, again with details of particular rack, expected duration and so on, gain access to the DC and particular rack on the actual day using an access card issued by the IT team, and proceed to perform their work. All this while, the IT team has full visibility of the person(s) performing the work through linked webcams, whether the front or rear rack door was open, task duration, etc. The preparation of reports for audit purposes has also become simpler: IT team members simply select the data they need and download it in report form from the DCIM system.

With an intelligent DC that it envisioned years ago and has realized with help from Raritan, the financial services leader will be moving towards integrating IoT devices into its technology architecture so as to better serve its internal and external customers.

< Series 2