Intro to Data Center Management: Why It Matters & How to Get It Right

Today more than ever before, data centers are at the heart of successful and secure business operations. And that makes effective and forward-thinking data center management absolutely critical. Here’s what leaders need to know.

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A Brief Introduction to Data Center Management

You may think you know the definition of data center management. But in practice, it’s probably much more complicated than you realize!

A key component of doing business in the 21st Century, data centers have surged in importance in recent years. This is due to a dramatic increase in data processing needs, of which AI is a central driver — but it’s certainly not the only one.

In general, businesses simply process much more data today than they did 10 or 20 years ago. And to meet the demands of customers and markets, as well as their own strategic goals, they need to do it faster and more dependably than ever.

Think of the surge in online selling, cloud computing, video conferencing, event streaming, data tracking and analytics, to name just a few factors. And then consider the increasingly sophisticated security protection that’s needed to protect it all from cyberattacks that are growing more frequent (and more expensive).

It all adds up to an urgent need for more comprehensive and proactive data center management, for businesses and organizations of all types, and in all locations — from ambitious startups to humble nonprofits to public-facing utilities, and all points in between.

What is Data Center Management?

Data center management is the complete process of monitoring, managing, and maintaining every aspect of every data center used by an organization, even if that use is minimal or secondhand. It means making sure everything is up to date, up to code, reliably connected, and running in the most optimal way possible, across the board, with no exceptions.

And yes, that means every aspect, including physical space where data or colocation centers reside, as well as any virtual space — like the cloud — where data passes through or is stored.

It also includes every bit of infrastructure that those data centers depend upon, from the servers and disk drives to the power systems to the structured cabling that connects it all together — a task that’s commonly called data center infrastructure management (DCIM).

But DCIM and physical infrastructure is just one part of data center management. Leaders also need to consider all the services and processes that are connected with the data centers they use. That includes factors like energy management, connectivity, and protecting the data that’s stored and processed in those facilities and by those systems.

The definition of data center management, then, is the strategic connection of all of these factors into a single task, and managed as a single holistic, continuum, from design to everyday operations to security and oversight.

Why Holistic, Expert-Driven Data Center Management Matters …

If that sounds like a big job, well, it is — and it’s only getting bigger as the role of data centers expand throughout our interconnected economy. For that same reason, it’s also important to get it right, and to leverage actual expertise in the management of this complex task — the kind of do-it-yourself mentality that may serve businesses well in other aspects of their operations simply won’t cut it here.

And that’s because failure to effectively manage an organization’s data center operations can have serious consequences. It can result not only in wasteful spending but also loss of data or disruption of business — both of which can cost money and customers, and damage a company’s reputation in a way that impacts its ability to do business.

Even if it results from a mistake or negligence, data loss can also put organizations at risk of fines and other penalties. For instance, California’s data governance laws — the strictest in the U.S., and based on those already in place in the EU — affect most businesses that interact with customers based in that state.

… and How to Achieve It

Those are serious consequences. And to avoid them, leaders of businesses and other organizations need to leverage real expertise to make sure all aspects of data center operations are handled reliably, effectively, and in a way that offers protection from legal, financial, operational, and reputational risk.

In practice, that means finding a data center management partner that can provide:

• Expert system and network design to translate present and future operational needs into a working blueprint that’s both efficient and cost effective.

  
  

• Critical facility assessment and development to build effective solutions using real intelligence based on available capacity, power, and resources.

  
  

• Performance management and monitoring to ensure that everything is compliant, up to date, and running reliably in relation to required workloads.

  
  

• Comprehensive, agnostic vendor management to integrate all third parties in a way that seamlessly and reliably meets delivery standards.

  
  

• Reliable and secure data migration services to oversee and manage the flow and distribution of all data and software applications.

  
  

• Industry-standard data eradication services to ensure full erasure of everything from disks to large OEM subsystems in a way that meets regulatory standards.

  
  

• Seamless relocation services to ensure the highest levels of operational continuity and data integrity when expanding or relocating physical assets.

On top of all this, a true expert will also help ensure resilience, flexibility, and regulatory compliance across every aspect of data center operations. And of course, they’ll also provide the highest standards of security, in every sense of the word — from locking down the physical building’s access points to implementing the most advanced cybersecurity possible to creating and maintaining robust backup and disaster recovery plans.

Get Data Center Management Expertise Now

If you’re seeking an expert to help with data center management, you’ve come to the right place! From design to implementation, and from data erasure to integrated security, you can trust IES Communications to deliver the comprehensive data center management solutions your business needs to thrive — today, and in the years to come.

Learn more about what we can do for you: Contact us today to start a conversation.

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