Good data center monitoring is crucial in the efficient running of any business. When data centers are monitored effectively, companies stand to benefit in a number of different ways. However, far too many organizations remain unaware of the importance of data center monitoring, particularly when it comes to managing their remote workers.
Companies that are in the dark about their IT run the risk of all kinds of problems. Remote workers are highly reliant on IT to stay connected and fulfill their responsibilities. So when IT issues crop up, these workers can quickly be left unable to complete the tasks they’re paid to do. This is just one reason why data center monitoring is imperative in today’s world, where the vast majority of companies rely on IT to complete any number of different processes.
Data center monitoring helps companies steer clear of catastrophic network problems, by ensuring that team members are always in the know about their key performance metrics. Read on and we’ll reveal more about how data center monitoring can be used to empower your remote workforce.
In this article, we’ll explore data center monitoring and find out why it’s so important for remote workers. We’ll discuss what it is and how it works, before moving on to the key goals of data center monitoring for those working remotely. We’ll talk through best practices for data center monitoring and introduce you to some of the tools you’ll need to make the most from your monitoring. Then, we’ll consider who benefits – and how.
Read on and we’ll reveal more about how data center monitoring can be used to empower your remote workforce.
What is Data Center Monitoring?
Data center monitoring refers to the continuous monitoring of the IT metrics that matter most to your business. The term is used to talk about a number of different management tasks, as well as monitoring and operational processes.
Through data center monitoring, companies can ensure that their data center is always compliant with ongoing operational needs, and that it’s able to provide the required flexibility to support any changes in these requirements.
Monitoring covers everything from power requirements and bandwidth use to peak loads and data packets. Understanding such information enables teams to continuously optimise their data center usage, in order to provide a better service to both in-house teams and customers.
Various different tools are used in data center monitoring. These include automated tools, such as specially designed software, alongside a number of reliable manual techniques. The combination of manual and automated options tends to provide the best visibility on how a data center is working, and what changes (if any) might need to be made in the future.
The Different Types of Data Center Monitoring
The best data center monitoring is unique to a business, and will depend on the particular parameters that matter most to that company.
There’s no clear answer as to which monitoring systems are best for any single company. It really depends on the parameters you need to look into, and the levels in the power hierarchy that you choose to deploy monitoring at.
Typical data center parameters that are monitored include power, energy, temperature, humidity and pressure. This monitoring tends to happen in main feeds, PDUs, cabinets, busways and servers, or a combination of these.
For best results, businesses typically like to gather data from as many parameters as possible, at as many points in the hierarchy as possible. For monitoring to be as accurate as possible, it will also take place on multiple time scales.
Monitoring in real-time
A degree of real-time monitoring is essential. Some events require the attention of IT teams immediately, so it’s vital that monitoring systems can pick these up and communicate with those who might need to take action.
As an example, a sudden load change could indicate an issue like a failure, or it might even mean that unauthorized changes have been made. Similarly, dangerous changes in temperature could indicate an issue that needs immediate attention.
The best monitoring systems allow teams to decide what should trigger an alert, and what shouldn’t. Notification channels can be allocated through such systems, meaning that several members of staff would receive notifications in different ways – and vital information can never be missed.
Real-time monitoring systems will often come with visual dashboards, providing specific information on different sites through one interface. Programs governing cooling will often access data through these systems to control temperature.
Short-term solutions
From time to time, projects might crop up that require more intensive monitoring, on a short-term basis. You might, for instance, need more in-depth monitoring for system migrations, or you might want to gather detailed data when rearranging cooling systems. During data center expansions, teams will often opt to gather short-term data.
This is just another example of why flexibility is so important in data center monitoring. A truly flexible solution will allow for easy short-term monitoring as and when it’s needed.
A good system will enable the addition of new dashboards, and allow for the gathering of data and reports as and when needed. The ability to move existing sensors or set up new ones for short-term projects is also invaluable.
Long-term monitoring
Data center monitoring doesn’t just cover what’s happening in the immediate future. It’s also important when it comes to understanding long-term trends, particularly in the case of things like usage. Long-term monitoring can also be hugely beneficial when it comes to establishing the initial cause of certain events.
When data center monitoring is established, long-term monitoring allows for the careful analysis of data at any timescale. Therefore, teams have access to the particular reports they need, when they need them, and can use those reports to identify patterns and act upon them.
How does data center monitoring work?
Data center monitoring systems vary, but the best systems will allow the centralized management of all devices in a data center. IT teams can use monitoring systems to connect, gather data from and configure a whole range of different devices – no matter where they are.
Data can be gathered in real-time using these monitoring systems, and all relevant data can then be accessed easily, through a user-friendly interface.
It’s possible for teams to set up their own thresholds on what data should be gathered, and when alerts should be triggered. This is hugely important in terms of troubleshooting, allowing teams to fix potential issues before they become time-critical problems.
Good monitoring systems allow teams to set filter traps, so that notifications are only sent to the specific team members who really need them. That way, notifications are far less likely to be missed – and team’s aren’t left frustrated by a constant barrage of notifications that don’t apply to them.
Data center monitoring systems organize data to allow for quick analysis, meaning teams get access to the insights that matter most to them at the touch of a button. This alone provides incredible benefits when it comes to future forecasting and strategy planning.
Security concerns are easily managed through monitoring systems, too. Door locks and card reader permissions can be linked to such systems, allowing teams to set authorization for team members and keep unauthorized personnel away from expensive equipment.
Best Practices for Data Center Monitoring
Taking those first tentative steps into data center monitoring can seem like an insurmountable task at first, but if you follow our best practices you’ll soon see that it isn’t nearly as difficult or as time-consuming as it might first appear.
In essence, data center monitoring is a low risk initiative that will quickly start to provide clear benefits that show just how valuable that work you’ve put in has been. Here’s how to get started.
Choose a scalable solution
Begin by taking the time to investigate different options and explore how they work, and how they scale. The best options provide flexibility to support your business as your needs evolve over time. It’s always worth opting for a solution with the ability to add monitoring in steps, and tweak monitoring in accordance with the data you’ve gathered.
Identify areas of need
Monitoring might cover all bases, but in reality some provide far more valuable data than others. It’s worth focusing on the systems most likely to provide the insights that will really matter to your business, rather than wasting time gathering data that won’t really tell you anything of value.
Think about how data will be used
The data you gather only has value if you can learn something from it and make improvements as you go on. So, consider what you need to know and how you might use the data you seek to build upon existing learning. Don’t get distracted by the amount of data it’s possible to gather, narrow in on the data that’s most likely to tell you what you need to know and focus on how you can use that information.
Have the confidence to go for it
When the capabilities of data center monitoring become clear, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and avoid making a decision for fear of missing out on something important. Our advice is to just go for it. Rarely will you land upon the ultimate solution from the get go, but if you choose a flexible solution you can tweak your monitoring as you go to find the best fit for your business.
Remain flexible in your approach
The data that you need to know now might not be the same as the data you need to monitor in six months’ time. It’s vital that teams remain flexible in their approach, particularly as business objectives change and demand evolves. The best solutions support this need for flexibility, allowing for a focus on certain data at the times at which this data is most valuable for a business.
H3: Save moving through clever monitoring
If you’re looking for cost savings, you might just find them in the data you gather. Monitoring systems often reveal where savings can be made, and that’s why they’re such a valuable asset for businesses. The best systems make it easy to identify vital information like this, and share it with those who need to know about it.
Simplicity is key
Real-time monitoring should be accessible without huge amounts of additional investment. We’d never recommend replacing your equipment in order to access data, there are plenty of options out there that don’t require such an investment – and are just as practical and reliable in terms of gathering information. Look for ways to do it without breaking the bank, that way you’ll be able to reap the rewards of the cost savings coming your way.
Why is Data Center Monitoring So Vital for Remote Workers?
Remote work was on the rise well before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, but over the past two years we’ve seen a huge upsurge in the numbers of businesses being run primarily by workers based outside of the office. So, it’s vital that companies understand both what this means for their data centers, and what they need to do to equip their remote workers with all the tools they need to keep working effectively. That’s where data center monitoring comes in.
If a company has a remote workforce, then its immediate focus should be on network bandwidth requirements. Upload speeds will also be a priority, as remote workers will likely be uploading data at the same time, so the network will need to be able to support that.
Security will of course be another key concern for companies with remote workers. Security protocol should be followed closely whether teams are based in the office or not, but the use of remote workers does mean that security is of heightened importance. Uploads made by remote workers can therefore cause delays across the network as they will need to be filtered and inspected even more carefully.
Data center monitoring is enormously important for remote workers. Through monitoring, data center performance can be continuously managed and improved, opening up a number of new opportunities for optimization – no matter where workers are based. If data center monitoring is managed well, IT teams will always be kept informed on the level of demand on different applications, and will be able to respond quickly to any issues, keeping all remote staff online and working efficiently.
The Goals of Data Center Monitoring
The scope of data center monitoring is enormous. While some companies work with very little monitoring at all, others will choose to monitor everything they possibly can. The best solution for most companies will lie somewhere in the middle, but to find it it’s worth taking a step back to assess what it is you’re looking to get from your data center monitoring.
Often, it’s possible to gather all the data you need to reach the goals you have in mind, without using as many sensors as you might think. Start by deciding what those goals are and go from there. Typical goals include:
Measuring and tracking PUE
PUE, or power usage effectiveness, is a metric used to determine how energy efficient a data center is. It can be measured with the use of just two data points, the total energy usage of the facility and its IT equipment usage. PUE can be measured fairly simply, and once it is measured steps can be taken to improve it.
Check for temperature or energy problems
Monitoring is often used to keep an eye on potential problems, particularly when it comes to raised temperatures or energy interruptions. Circuits reaching the thresholds of their usage can trigger alerts through such monitoring, allowing teams to identify the root cause of the issue and take action before key services are interrupted.
Improve energy efficiency
Cooling is enormously important in data centers, responsible for approximately one third of the average center’s usage. However, in the majority of cases data centers are actually overcooled. ASHRAE guidelines recommend a temperature range of 64–81°F (18–27°C) for data centers, and many are cooled to temperatures at the lower end of that range.
There is therefore huge scope for data centers to optimize their cooling efforts, and make energy savings in doing so. Monitoring is key here, as it allows us to better understand the effects of temperature and establish ways to make savings without compromising on the level of protection given to equipment through this cooling.
Who Benefits from Data Center Monitoring?
Data center monitoring holds incredible benefits for every member of the team. It’s invaluable for data center managers, operators and engineers, but it’s also hugely important for their customers. The truth is, the more data center managers and technicians know, the better their facilities can be for everyone.
Steps taken to optimize things like energy efficiency and cooling though data center monitoring hold tangible benefits for those running the data center, but cost savings and efficiency improvements can also be felt by those using the data center. As managers take action to improve efficiency, they can better support the customers using their data centers, particularly as demand grows in line with business expansion plans.
IT teams also stand to benefit from data center monitoring. Monitoring allows IT staff to perform their jobs in a more methodical and organized way, while also avoiding last minute panics over issues that could have been resolved at an earlier stage, had monitoring systems triggered notifications.
The best monitoring systems use data to identify areas where real cost savings can be made, and that’s great news for everyone involved in a business.
Essential Data Center Monitoring Tools
There are a number of different data center monitoring tools that you might be able to make use of. Here are just a few of the most important data center monitoring tools for companies with remote workers.
Colocation Inventory Tracking: This method of monitoring inventory allows teams to see which resources the company is using. Whether you need to keep an eye on the use of cabinets, power circuits, cross-connects or any other resources, you’ll be able to do so via colocation inventory tracking tools.
Compliance and Security: It’s never a good idea to overlook security – particularly if you’re working with remote team members. Make compliance and security a key part of your data center monitoring, and you’ll stand the best chance of keeping your business safe. Tracking compliance and security will allow you to check how remote workers are following cybersecurity protocol. It’ll also enable your team to make sure the business is meeting its own compliance requirements. Tools designed to monitor compliance and security are hugely informative on issues like these, and can be used to help identify potential problems before they cause serious trouble for your company.
Data Center Activity Reporting: Track all activity relating to your company’s use of its data center to keep IT professionals in the know about how staff are accessing information. Use data center activity reporting to restrict access to certain files and applications, so that only those who need them can use them. This will help to avoid security breaches and intrusion attempts.
Bandwidth Usage: Checking your bandwidth usage should be a key part of your data center monitoring. Make sure your team understands bandwidth and power requirements, and check that key personnel are aware of how to scale data center resources if needed. Monitor usage reports to check that you’re not under or over utilizing power or bandwidth, and make adjustments as needed. Real-time alerts can also be set up if you start coming close to any bandwidth or power limits.
Contact Our Team to Learn More about Data Center Monitoring
If you’re working with remote team members and want to make sure you’re doing all you can to optimize your data center usage, talk to us. We’re here to talk you through data center monitoring in detail, and we can answer any questions you may have. Contact us and we’ll be happy to advise you.
