Defining Data Center DCiM

With great hype and much ado DCiM is here! But what is it, how do I use it and is it worth it? DCiM or Data Center Infrastructure Management is supposed to integrate IT and facilities functions under one clean umbrella. But let's be honest with ourselves, buying a robust package that measures dozens, hundreds or even thousands of points is useless if my organization isn't intending to spend money to make changes. Today there are a couple dozen software and hardware vendors slinging their packages as the answer to measuring and amending your data center. The key is understanding what, if any, projects you intend to take on and matching that to what type of data you will need to gather before making alterations. So measurement for measurement sake while good may not be justifiable in the grand scheme of inactivity after implementation. The GDCA is currently reviewing 20 of these technologies and mating them to various portions of our DCEEF (Data Center Energy Efficiency Framework). So if you organization isn't interested in bill-back or a CMDB a package with this functionality may not be the wisest under taking. Perhaps you only intend to make amendments to air flow or temperature, maybe CFD or a "real" time package is the way to go. Know thy self and choose not on what is flashy but on that which enables the changes you intend to make. And if the changes you intend will never cover the cost of your DCiM perhaps you should simply use extrapolation.