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    EB022 Sunbird Ebook DataCenterCMDB

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    Mehedi Hasan
    - A Data Center CMDB provides a more holistic view of all data center infrastructure resources and capacities compared to a traditional IT CMDB. It tracks physical data center assets like racks, PDUs, cabling and their connections in addition to IT assets. - A Data Center CMDB allows remote visualization of assets and connections through a 3D digital twin of the data center while a traditional IT CMDB is just a database. It can show real-time power usage and environmental readings overlaid on equipment. - A modern Data Center CMDB integrates with a traditional IT CMDB through out-of-the-box connectors to automatically share and synchronize data between systems, reducing manual effort and errors.

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    EB022 Sunbird Ebook DataCenterCMDB

    Uploaded by

    Mehedi Hasan
    12 views12 pages
    - A Data Center CMDB provides a more holistic view of all data center infrastructure resources and capacities compared to a traditional IT CMDB. It tracks physical data center assets like racks, PDUs, cabling and their connections in addition to IT assets. - A Data Center CMDB allows remote visualization of assets and connections through a 3D digital twin of the data center while a traditional IT CMDB is just a database. It can show real-time power usage and environmental readings overlaid on equipment. - A modern Data Center CMDB integrates with a traditional IT CMDB through out-of-the-box connectors to automatically share and synchronize data between systems, reducing manual effort and errors.

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    EB022_Sunbird_eBook_DataCenterCMDB

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    - A Data Center CMDB provides a more holistic view of all data center infrastructure resources and capacities compared to a traditional IT CMDB. It tracks physical data center assets like racks, PDUs, cabling and their connections in addition to IT assets. - A Data Center CMDB allows remote visualization of assets and connections through a 3D digital twin of the data center while a traditional IT CMDB is just a database. It can show real-time power usage and environmental readings overlaid on equipment. - A modern Data Center CMDB integrates with a traditional IT CMDB through out-of-the-box connectors to automatically share and synchronize data between systems, reducing manual effort and errors.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    12 views12 pages

    EB022 Sunbird Ebook DataCenterCMDB

    Uploaded by

    Mehedi Hasan
    - A Data Center CMDB provides a more holistic view of all data center infrastructure resources and capacities compared to a traditional IT CMDB. It tracks physical data center assets like racks, PDUs, cabling and their connections in addition to IT assets. - A Data Center CMDB allows remote visualization of assets and connections through a 3D digital twin of the data center while a traditional IT CMDB is just a database. It can show real-time power usage and environmental readings overlaid on equipment. - A modern Data Center CMDB integrates with a traditional IT CMDB through out-of-the-box connectors to automatically share and synchronize data between systems, reducing manual effort and errors.

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    of 12

    EBOOK

    What is a Data
    Center CMDB?
    DCIM as the Source of Truth

    DCIM that’s easy, fast, and complete.


    Introduction
    Modern data centers are more complex, distributed, and difficult to
    manage than ever before. This is true not just for the physical data center
    infrastructure, but also for the software tools used to manage it.

    Today’s data center managers often find themselves performing swivel chair
    management in which they must use disparate systems to manage their data
    center operations.

    The most common pain points of having unintegrated data center management tools are:

    • Data inaccuracy. When data needs to


    be manually entered into multiple
    systems, there is an increased likelihood
    that human error will lead to incorrect
    data in one or both tools.
    • Reduced productivity. The manual
    effort of dual entry is time-consuming
    and takes resources away from other
    more productive tasks.
    • Cross-functional silos. Functional
    blockages may lead to teams only
    having access to the data in their
    specific tools. This leads to a lack of data
    sharing and collaboration that enables
    the most informed decisions.

    To overcome these challenges, data center managers must create a single source of truth.

    In this eBook, we’ll explore how leading organizations are integrating modern CMDB and data center
    management tools to drive automation, boost productivity, and increase the accuracy of their data.

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 2


    What is a Traditional IT
    CMDB?

    To deliver IT services more efficiently and make better business


    decisions, most organizations leverage a Configuration Management
    Database (CMDB).

    A traditional IT CMDB stores information on the hardware, software, systems, facilities,


    and personnel within an organization. It provides a view of your IT environment to help
    you understand what assets (also known as Configuration Items or CIs) you have and
    how those assets are related.

    Traditional IT CMDBs are commonly used


    for accurate data center change
    management and ticketing requests,
    allowing data center professionals to
    account for and report on moves, adds, and
    changes. They are also frequently used for
    impact analysis, root cause analysis, and
    legal compliance.

    Traditional IT CMDBs are useful, and many


    organizations would not be able to function
    properly without them. However, data
    centers are mission-critical to modern
    organizations and traditional IT CMDBs do
    not offer the complete solution they require.

    Today’s data center teams need a Data Center CMDB.

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 3


    What is a Data Center
    CMDB?

    A Data Center CMDB is a component of Data Center Infrastructure


    Management (DCIM) software that expands upon and enhances the
    information that is typically tracked in a traditional IT CMDB.

    It provides an accurate, real-time


    view of the IT equipment
    residing in the data center (i.e.,
    servers, network, storage) and
    the supporting infrastructure
    assets (i.e., racks, rack PDUs,
    patch panels, structured cabling,
    patch cabling, floor PDUs, UPSs,
    busways, branch circuits).

    A Data Center CMDB shows you


    what assets you have, who owns
    them, where they are located,
    and how they are connected
    with relationship mapping down
    to physical port levels and up to
    virtual machine and application
    levels.

    Watch a two-minute demo of a Data


    Center CMDB.

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 4


    How Does a Data Center
    CMDB Compare to a
    Traditional IT CMDB?
    While a Data Center CMDB and a traditional IT CMDB share some
    similarities, they are typically used by different teams and track different
    information for different use cases and desired outcomes.

    Both types of CMDB complement one other. Rather than using one or the other, both tools have
    advantages that are amplified for all teams when they are integrated and share data.

    Traditional IT CMDB Data Center CMDB

    Used by IT teams Data center operations teams

    Rich 3D visualization with


    User interface Database of fields
    detailed information

    All corporate IT assets and their All data center resources and
    Tracks
    configurations as logical objects capacity

    Asset management, power and


    Change management, ticketing, environment monitoring,
    Use cases impact analysis, root cause analysis, capacity planning, connectivity and
    legal compliance port management,
    visualization

    Better align IT with the business Optimize the availability,


    Goals through the product or service deliv- efficiency, and utilization of the
    ery lifecycle data center

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 5


    What Is Typically Tracked in
    an IT CMDB vs. a Data
    Center CMDB?
    There is some overlap in what information is commonly tracked in a
    traditional IT CMDB and a Data Center CMDB. However, a Data Center
    CMDB provides a much more holistic view of all the data center
    infrastructure resources and capacities.

    Data Center
    What Is Typically Tracked IT CMDB
    CMDB

    Asset identification and description

    All corporate IT assets (Configuration Items)

    Configuration Item relationships

    Hardware/software configurations (e.g., server,


    memory, disk space)

    Asset lifecycle (e.g., in service, out of service)

    Hardware/software that resides in the data center,


    along with their configuration and asset lifecycle

    All physical data center infrastructure (racks, rack


    PDUs, patch panels, structured and patch cabling,
    floor PDUs, UPSs, busways, branch circuits) along
    with their physical relationships/connections

    Detailed physical location of data center assets


    (e.g., site location, cabinet location, and U position)

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 6


    Data Center
    What Is Typically Tracked IT CMDB
    CMDB

    Rack elevation views with high-fidelity front and


    back images

    Measured power and temperature readings,


    trending, and alerting

    Dimensional, weight, and physical data/power port


    information of assets

    Physical relationships and connectivity for power


    supply and network interface cards along with
    capacity of all physical port types

    Utilization and capacity of data center infrastructure


    resources (e.g., power, space, and cooling)

    3D visualization of assets and logical connectivity


    between equipment

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 7


    What Can’t You Get
    From Your Traditional IT
    CMDB?
    A traditional IT CMDB is just a database of fields. It does not allow you to
    remotely visualize any of your devices or how they are connected.

    By comparison, a Data Center CMDB provides a digital twin of your data center.

    With a Data Center CMDB, you can visualize:

    • Assets. See where your servers,


    networking, and storage equipment are in
    real-time. High-fidelity images of each asset
    provide a 3D replica down to the port level
    that’s to scale. Rack elevations of single or
    multiple racks can be viewed at any angle or
    side by side.
    • Connections. See all your structured, patch,
    and power distribution cabling with port-to-
    port information such as cable length, color,
    and type. You can even visualize cables that
    are under the raised floor or in overhead
    cable trays.
    • Power. Real-time power data from metered
    devices such as intelligent rack PDUs is
    overlaid on floor map and rack elevation
    views to understand health and capacity at a
    glance.
    • Environment. Live measured readings from
    environmental sensors such as temperature,
    humidity, and pressure differential provide an
    accurate view of what’s happening in the
    data center.

    Watch a two-minute video of what your IT CMDB can’t provide.

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 8


    How Does a Data Center
    CMDB Integrate with a
    Traditional IT CMDB?
    Data center management involves a lot of manual effort which is time-
    consuming and has the potential for human error.

    A modern Data Center CMDB vendor will be focused on providing “automation via integration,” in which
    out-of-the-box CMDB connectors enable you to automatically populate data in the systems you want to see
    it to eliminate swivel chair management. This not only reduces the manual effort required to track your
    physical infrastructure but also increases the accuracy of your data and enhances the presentation
    of information.

    Your Data Center CMDB should work with what you have and come with open APIs and configurable connectors to
    simplify integration and enable bidirectional communications to automatically create, update, and delete assets in
    both systems.

    ServiceNow is one of the most popular IT CMDB tools and is also the easiest to integrate with a Data Center CMDB.
    Leading Data Center CMDB providers will have a certified ServiceNow connector app available on the ServiceNow
    store. Integrating the two typically takes less than one hour. Once you’ve planned out your goals for integration, it’s
    simply a matter of installing the connector app, mapping a few key fields, and optionally configuring any filtering.

    For other popular IT CMDBs like BMC, Jira, and Ivanti/Cherwell, leading Data Center CMDBs will have a universal
    CMDB connector that can be configured to integrate with virtually any CMDB that exposes its REST APIs, even
    homegrown systems.

    and others...

    Watch a two-minute video of how easy it is to integrate CMDBs.

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 9


    What Are the Benefits of
    Integrating CMDBs and
    Sharing Data?
    There are many benefits of driving automation via integration in your
    data center.

    The key benefits we hear most from leading data center managers include:

    • Enabling a single source of truth. Integrating systems breaks down information silos and
    increases the accuracy of your data.
    • Increased collaboration across functional teams. Integration creates one holistic
    picture of all available data, enabling data-driven collaboration and decision-making across
    all teams.
    • Improved workflow and productivity. Information entered in one system is automatically
    pushed to another, saving you time by not having to update multiple systems or cross-check
    data.
    • Elimination of human error. Automation dramatically reduces human error which can
    negatively impact uptime and efficiency.
    • Better focus on more strategic projects. Automating routine, time-consuming tasks frees
    your team up to spend more time on higher priority projects.
    • Simplified data center security management. You can easily maintain user permissions
    across multiple systems to ensure security policies are adhered to.

    FROM THE EXPERTS:

    “We’re going to use the ServiceNow integration so that when our operations team adds the serial
    numbers and asset tags, it’ll automatically populate [in our DCIM]. That saves a pretty big step for
    both our teams.”
    Ken Torres, Global Data Center Engineer, eBay

    “Say we didn’t put a rack in our DCIM. If something is installed from the ops team, ServiceNow will
    actually go and tell our DCIM which cabinet and which U. It will automatically place the item in our
    DCIM when it’s been inputted into ServiceNow.”
    Mark Jones, Global Data Center Engineer, eBay

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 10


    Conclusion
    To reduce the complexity of modern data center management, you need to maximize
    the value of your data and eliminate swivel chair management. However, with
    different teams and disparate systems for separate areas and functions of the data
    center, it can be difficult to standardize on common tools.

    The best data center managers are enabling a single source of truth by leveraging a
    Data Center CMDB and integrating it with their traditional IT CMDB.

    Don’t be left behind. Drive automation via integration with modern data center
    management tools to save time and improve data accuracy.

    Other Resources to Help You Enable a Single Source of Truth with CMDB Integration:

    • DCIM Software and CMDB: Why You Should Consider Integration


    • Creating a Single Source of Truth with DCIM Software and CMDB
    • 3 Real-World Use Cases of Data Center Automation via Integration
    • Integrate and Automate with DCIM Software
    • 5 Ways to Automate Data Center Operations
    • Top 10 Ways to Drive Data Center Automation
    • Data Center Automation: 15 Best Practices

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 11


    Take the Next Step
    with Sunbird

    Schedule a Personalized Demo


    Get a one-on-one live tour of our Data Center CMDB.

    Request Demo Now

    DCIM Operations Online Demo


    Remote 3D visualization of all your racks, assets, power, and network connections. View
    200+ dashboard charts and reports. Know the capacity of all infrastructure items.

    Try it Free

    Watch Data Center CMDB Videos


    See two-minute videos of the full-circle capabilities a modern Data Center CMDB
    provides such as asset management, visualization, BI and analytics, connectivity
    management, capacity management, and more.

    Watch Our Videos

    What is a Data Center CMDB? DCIM as the Source of Truth 12

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