final thought
Look To The Future
Dirk Paessler, CEO of Paessler, discusses how to future proof the data centre using IT monitoring.
F
uture-proofing in a data
centre context is often
thought of as simply buying
the latest hardware to ensure
that the facility remains
secure, efficient, and can cope
with whatever demands are put
on it, both now and further down
the line. Some organisations can
afford to invest in the newest
technologies, but many are still
restrained by tight budgets.
However, this doesn’t
necessarily mean that future-
proofing the data centre is out
of reach for companies without
boundless financial resources.
Better data centre performance
can be achieved with the right
software solutions, avoiding
the need to commit significant
expenditure to new hardware.
Diagnosing problems
For organisations looking to squeeze
in as much capacity and gain the
highest possible performance from
their infrastructure, an IT monitoring
solution can be an indispensable tool.
Common network problems, such as
bottlenecks, can cause a problem to
the data centre if left undiscovered
and unchecked. Another issue is the
‘IT monitoring
helps to
detect and
diagnose
problems
before they
can cause
issues,
reducing
downtime in
the process.’
risk of devices underperforming; an
overloaded server, for instance. Once
again, if not addressed this could
result in outages.
IT monitoring helps to detect
and diagnose such problems
before they can cause issues,
reducing downtime in the process.
It can also analyse bandwidth use,
and inform organisations on how
they can maximise data usage. In
this way, IT monitoring is a crucial
tool when it comes to making
sure that valuable information in
the data centre doesn’t get lost or
become unavailable.
Improving ROI
When capital is freed up for IT
investment, a network monitoring
solution can help guide how the
money is best used and also assess
how effective the investment
has been. Businesses expect new
technologies to work seamlessly
within existing infrastructure and to
demonstrate how the investment is
having a tangible benefit.
The responsibility usually lies
solely with the IT team to ensure
this happens. By using an IT
monitoring tool, it becomes easier
to identify the most effective way
to integrate new devices into the
network, and IT staff can be more
confident of avoiding teething
issues. The added insight that
network monitoring offers, helps to
ensure that new hardware delivers
on its promised benefits.
A new world of data
One further consideration is future
technology developments, which
look set to dramatically increase
52 | August 2017
demands on the data centre. Take
the Internet of Things (IoT) as an
example – the possibilities it holds
are virtually limitless, and it has
great potential to radically improve
the way businesses operate. We can
only speculate how widely IoT will
be adopted at this point, but it is
vital to know how it could transform
the way we use the data centre.
When you consider that through
IoT virtually any device – from a
kettle to a robot on a factory floor –
can be connected into the existing
network structure, the amount of
data passing through the network
is set to expand exponentially. This
mass of data will need to be added to
the central IT system, analysed and
displayed in a meaningful way. And of
course, the IT network will be the key
to the interchange of all this data, so
will need careful attention to ensure
smooth running on an ongoing
basis. This is where an IT monitoring
solution can prove invaluable.
Monitoring the future
IT professionals must be proactive
if their organisation’s data centre
is to stand the test of time. The
knowledge of the IT infrastructure
that a network monitoring tool
provides, will put them in a strong
position when it comes to helping
businesses secure and maintain the
data centre. While we can only make
an educated guess at the true effects
of technological developments such
as IoT at this stage, it is clear that the
demands on the data centre could
increase substantially. Tools such
as an IT monitoring solution will
stand IT professionals in good stead,
arming and preparing them for such
dramatic change.