Many organizations have started using the cloud and virtualization, but many are still operating some of their own infrastructure. This means that there might be operating servers and other equipment that aren’t achieving anything. These servers can cost up to $2,000 a year and in most organizations between 10-30% of the servers are dead.
Most servers become dead and are not removed simply because they are forgotten. The need for the application on the server might go away, but there is no tieback to any physical process to decommission it. Or the user of the service on a server may have never been recorded and when it eventually stops being used no one will know.
In order to get your data center under control it is important to start with good documentation. This would include an accurate record of your physical equipment, including owner information and a record of network and data connections. You will also need a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tool and to keep your records regularly updated. When you have everything in place it is important to regularly analyze the logical information at your disposal and continually check your servers.
Does your company need to clean up their data center and this information is ripe? Or is this hype and everything is functioning as efficiently as possible?
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