Commercial level Data Centre Automation

As datacentre managers increasingly rely on software and automation, what can a software-defined datacentre bring to the enterprise? A software-defined datacentre is an IT facility where the elements of the infrastructure – networking, storage, CPU and security – are virtualised and delivered as a service. The provisioning and operation of the entire infrastructure is entirely automated by software. This also means this is run in a remote manner with no actual staff on site to run the set up of the software. 

Potentially, an SDDC implementation could allow servers and other hardware to be shut down or run at lower power levels, which has implications for energy use. Some experts see SDDC as a more secure option to cloud. Architecting software-defined environments implies rethinking IT processes such as automation, orchestration, metering and billing, and executing on operating model step changes (such as service delivery, service activation and service assurance).

For years organisations have faced increasing investment in IT and associated support costs. A large proportion of these costs include the internal provision and support of data centres that house the organisation’s IT systems. In the past, this demand for IT and data centre capacity may have increased in a relatively predictable manner, increasing as new services are launched or new markets are entered. Organisations now face combined challenges of dealing with fluctuating demand combined with an expectation that the organisation’s IT department can provide these services in a rapid and cost-effective manner. The long lead-times to increase IT capacity are often compounded by the capacity or flexibility constraints of the data centre facility itself. To manage these constraints, organisations often invest upfront in additional capacity at a level of demand which is above their current needs.

New data centre technologies, support services and commercial options are now available to organisations allowing them to choose between owning, leasing, outsourcing or even leveraging a combination of externally provided services. An informed investment in the right combination of internally and externally provided data centre services can deliver excellent value for money while providing the necessary service, flexibility and security to meet your business needs.