Many data centers have purchased DCIM tools to assist in managing their Data Centers. However, these tools will fail if the scope is not well defined and if they are not properly implemented. Failure to do so will cost you time, money and credibility within your organization.
Below are important items to consider while implementing a DCIM solution:
- Define your Implementation Team:
- A project leader from the DCIM vendor
- An internal project leader from your data center
- DCIM experts from your DCIM vendor
- Internal senior users within your data center
- DCIM Training:
- Always participate in some level of training with your new product, even if the DCIM vendor tells you their product is User Friendly. There is always some sort of learning curve.
- All key users for the DCIM should participate in training on the solution, this way the senior users can train other users after the fact
- Process:
- No tool will solve your problems if it doesn’t compliment your process. It is very important to clearly define, document and communicate a repeatable process where the tool is a complimentary component
- Support:
- Define the staffing requirements that will be required to support your new tool. Many customers struggle to get new tools off the ground as a result of insufficient resources
- Data Import:
- A fresh data collection typically is the best option for your data center assets, remembering your DCIM solution is only as accurate as the data you provide
- If your inventory is up to date, you can always normalize the data and import it into your new DCIM solution
- Integration:
- Make sure your DCIM tool integrates with your existing 3rd party tools and work with the DCIM support team to make sure these integrations are properly implemented
- Always test integrations with non-production data, to be sure you aren’t corrupting your production data once fully implemented
- Roadmap and Influence:
- Understand the vendors development road map to make sure your wishes are included before you make the purchase, having them provide you a release cycle for bug fixes
- Make sure their new releases also include release notes that document specific fixes of the release
Or I’ve created these tables to summarize the points above:
| Considerations |
Brief Descriptions
|
| Implementation Team |
– DCIM vendor’s project leader – Internal project leader from your data center – DCIM experts from the vendor – Internal senior users within your data center
|
| DCIM Training |
– Participate in training, even if the product is “User Friendly.” – Ensure key users receive training to empower them to train others.
|
| Process Alignment |
– Define, document, and communicate a repeatable process that complements the tool.
|
| Support Resources |
– Define staffing requirements necessary to support the new tool effectively.
|
| Data Import Strategy |
– Consider a fresh data collection for the most accurate results. – If your inventory is up to date, normalize data and import it into the DCIM solution.
|
| Integration with 3rd Party Tools |
– Ensure your DCIM tool integrates with existing 3rd party tools. – Test integrations with non-production data to prevent corruption of production data.
|
| Vendor’s Roadmap |
– Understand the vendor’s development roadmap and check if your requests are included. – Request a release cycle for bug fixes and release notes for new versions.
|
Remember, your new DCIM solution is just a tool. It will take work and change in your organization to properly implement the solution to make sure you get maximum productivity out of the product. Getting positive results from your DCIM solution relies on the success of the implementation process.
