Data center management software: Critical procurement considerations

A number of crucial strategic and tactical considerations should be underscored when assessing a DCIM system. This report, the second in a two-part series, details questions for vendors that may not be obvious to all data center managers or may not be top of mind for many.

KEY FINDINGS

• The choice to deploy a particular vendor’s DCIM system involves making a long-term commitment. Careful consideration should be given to the type of DCIM product (or products) selected — including the numerous feature and functionality options, as well as ongoing product support from the DCIM vendor.
• Not all data center managers may be aware of some of the considerations in this report, or they may not be “top of mind” — for example, the granularity of data collected in terms of time (every millisecond, second or hour); integration with customized, homegrown or custom-built proprietary systems; the amount and cost of customization required; and the way that ROI for DCIM systems is calculated.
• Managers should make their own list of data center operational targets and desired DCIM feature lists. This report is intended to supplement and support these processes and documents and can be used as a guide to help ensure that important, but less obvious, DCIM procurement considerations are not overlooked.