Console management can support user-centric data centers
As end-user efficiency becomes a priority, console management becomes a key enabler.
By Donna DonnawitzNovember 23, 2012
A recent Data Center Knowledge report focused on a new way to measure data center efficiency - by the end user. This method of looking at the data center takes changing technological roles into account in a way that recognizes shifting needs in IT operations. It also emphasizes the importance of console management and similar technologies in contemporary data centers.
Considering the user-centric data center
The news source explained that organizations are beginning to obsess over data center efficiency, and with good reason.
If you look at power usage metrics across the data center industry as a whole, you will notice that the sector takes a ridiculous amount of energy. If you analyze the metrics used to measure power efficiency, you may notice some analytical holes. For example, the power usage effectiveness measure rates data centers based on how much energy is used for servers compared to that consumed for non-IT systems. Basically, it tells you if you are doing a good job not wasting energy in the power and cooling infrastructure, but has no problem if your storage, server and network equipment solutions are using excess power.
These types of metrics center around an older vision for the data center - one in which the purpose of the facility was to support IT. Data centers are increasingly deployed to enable business functionality while housing technology. According to the report, companies should focus on measuring efficiency based on the end user, not the hardware. This will allow them to see how well the data center is doing at meeting its core purpose and help IT leaders view IT and facility architectures through a potentially more important lens.
This user-centric approach is especially important as cloud computing, mobile device use and other emerging trends come together to reshape how enterprise computing systems function, the news source said.
Importance of console management
If you want to focus on end users, you must have a management system that is responsive enough to make changes quickly and easily. Console servers can pay major dividends in this area because they enable IT managers to control everything from the lights to virtual machine operating systems from a remote location, enabling a much more responsive approach to maintaining efficient operations.
Perle’s wide range of 1 to 48 port Perle Console Servers provide data center managers and network administrators with secure remote management of any device with a serial console port. Plus, they are the only truly fault tolerant Console Servers on the market with the advanced security functionality needed to easily perform secure remote data center management and out-of-band management of IT assets from anywhere in the world.
Considering the user-centric data center
The news source explained that organizations are beginning to obsess over data center efficiency, and with good reason.
If you look at power usage metrics across the data center industry as a whole, you will notice that the sector takes a ridiculous amount of energy. If you analyze the metrics used to measure power efficiency, you may notice some analytical holes. For example, the power usage effectiveness measure rates data centers based on how much energy is used for servers compared to that consumed for non-IT systems. Basically, it tells you if you are doing a good job not wasting energy in the power and cooling infrastructure, but has no problem if your storage, server and network equipment solutions are using excess power.
These types of metrics center around an older vision for the data center - one in which the purpose of the facility was to support IT. Data centers are increasingly deployed to enable business functionality while housing technology. According to the report, companies should focus on measuring efficiency based on the end user, not the hardware. This will allow them to see how well the data center is doing at meeting its core purpose and help IT leaders view IT and facility architectures through a potentially more important lens.
This user-centric approach is especially important as cloud computing, mobile device use and other emerging trends come together to reshape how enterprise computing systems function, the news source said.
Importance of console management
If you want to focus on end users, you must have a management system that is responsive enough to make changes quickly and easily. Console servers can pay major dividends in this area because they enable IT managers to control everything from the lights to virtual machine operating systems from a remote location, enabling a much more responsive approach to maintaining efficient operations.
Perle’s wide range of 1 to 48 port Perle Console Servers provide data center managers and network administrators with secure remote management of any device with a serial console port. Plus, they are the only truly fault tolerant Console Servers on the market with the advanced security functionality needed to easily perform secure remote data center management and out-of-band management of IT assets from anywhere in the world.
