Trends and Insights

Is Your Data Center Communicating With You?

Data centers are very much alive. Like humans, they need energy to survive, process a lot of information, and give out heat. Also, like us, they sometimes need help. Data centers can look after themselves some of the time but they always need humans to come and fix things or stop problems from happening again.

Humans come with built-in sensors but data centers need theirs to be added. Without the right sensors in place, data centers cannot tell us when things aren't right or when they aren't in the best of health. Equipped with the correct sensors, data centers can communicate with us by various means: email, phone call, text message, etc. In addition, they also record all events and problems with a date and time stamp into a log file for reporting so that we can make then run better in the future.

There is a misperception among some that sensors are expensive and that each connects to its own controller so there's lots of gear and cabling to manage. This misinformed thinking leads some operators to install just basic sensors for measuring parameters like temperature, humidity, and so on in their data centers. But it is not the case that sensors are costly and cumbersome. Raritan's plug-and-play environment sensors, for example, do away with the need for a separate controller for each sensor -- a Smart Rack Controller serves as a central connection point for these and other sensors. The all-in-one intelligent device can connect up more than 200 sensors, requires minimum change to the configuration of existing power distribution or IT infrastructure, and seamlessly integrates with BMS and DCIM software.

Every data center operator aims to have effective and efficient facility operation, management and optimization. To realize this objective, your data center needs to be able to tell you when something isn't right or can be improved. Such communication can be achieved by using the right data center solutions, so have a deep look at your data center and discover what you've been missing out on.

Raritan environment sensors and Smart Rack Controller are part of Legrand's Data Center Solutions suite. Designed with modularity, flexibility and energy-efficiency in mind, the solutions provide customers with the latest data center technologies. The rapidly changing role of the data center presents new challenges when it comes to designing and futureproofing data center infrastructure. Data center projects are also becoming more and more complex due to increasing globalization. Expertise and support from a well-informed, trustworthy partner is essential.