1. InternetData CenterEnd to endtool
Challenge:There were arbitraryoutages,overheatsand“lost”equipment.(cause: There wasno
inventoryconsistencyandnomethodforaccuratelyknowingsystemlocations,support and
environmentof datacenter).Thisledto“lost”equipmentanduncertainstatus.
Actions:
1) I leveragedthe use of a“provisioning”tool inthe InternetDataCenterthatI supportedand
reviewedstatisticsthen, applieditscapabilitiesagainstthe DataCenterFloorinthe Enterprise
supportsystem(internal ATTDataCenterEnterprise) forinventory,monitoringand
environmentcontrol (failoverpower,network,coolingstatisticsandplacementof systemswith
respectto needs)
2) Afterevaluatingthistool withthe assistance of the vendor,itwaspresentedjointlytothe
executivesof the DataCenterdepartment(company-wide) asa possible application/toolthat
wouldimplementstandardsinfloorlayoutandlocation,cooling,poweranddual/secondary
supportfor systemsandotherequipment. Inaddition,if anythingwasphysicallychanged –it
would“showup/alert”immediately.
3) I workedwiththe vendorteamandfacilitymanagerof the prototype site (St.Louis) to
implementthe inventorytool asa proof of conceptpilot. Afterthissuccess,there wasafollow
up pilotin a more active and “real time”enterprise siteinDallas.
4) We jointlydocumentedthe inventoryprocedure(manuallytoloadatfirstfrom the firsttwo
sites– afterwardsthisbecame automaticthrough a“scan”), mappingwithstandardlocation
markerson all data centerfloors,and“tie in”to the other systemsthatsupplyinformationfor
newsystemadds,deletes,change instructure andenvironment.
5) Usingthe documentedprocessandthe automationthatdevelopedinthe tool fromthe firsttwo
sites,we developeda“roll out”schedule tothe restof the enterprise datacenters.The vendor,
an architectteamfrom the firsttwosite deploymentsandIrolledoutto eachsite leveragingthe
facilitymanagerthere.
Result:
Thissavedapproximately2major outagesperyearperdata centeron multiple datacenters.The
solutionwasadoptedfortop30 enterprise sitestakingabout5years to rollout. Inaddition,revamping
the floorand usage of space enabledthe use of more equipment,the abilitytotrack everysystem,
predictandpreventoutages andreduce powerconsumption.