Data centers are powerful hubs that keep the digital world running smoothly. Business enterprises and beyond are becoming more dependent on them.
At the same time, data centers are increasingly competing with one another worldwide. The demand for various services continues to rise, which is causing intense pressure when it comes to delivering high efficiency.
In addition, data centers are constantly becoming more complex. As performance density increases, managing operations poses a major challenge. New approaches to data center operations are necessary to overcome these hurdles.
Fujitsu Data Center Management and Automation (DCMA) provides complete solutions to address operational issues in data center environments. Our Digital Twin and AIOps (Artificial Intelligence in IT Operations) solutions provide the foundation for future-proofed operations, offering the highest levels of reliability, efficiency and flexibility.
Digital Twin and AIOps
A digital twin is a virtual representation of reality. It can serve as a model for a product, process, system, factory, or even an entire city.
The counterpart represented by the digital twin doesn’t even have to exist in reality. Digital twins are often created for simulation purposes. For example, when planning manufacturing processes for a specific product. All of the process steps are mapped out in the digital twin so they can be tested and optimized virtually. If the digital twin is constantly “fed” real data, it will behave just like its real counterpart does. When this approach is applied to a data center, the digital twin can lead to improvements throughout the entire life cycle.
AIOps is a term that was coined by Gartner in 2014. It stands for using big data and machine learning to automate IT operations, as well as identify and resolve problems. This approach requires massive volumes of log and performance data of relevance to data center operations.
The future is digital – even for data center operations
The digital twin and AIOps can help IT teams cope with the growing complexity of modern data center environments. Even though data centers are the critical performance hubs behind the digital world, operations still require a lot of manual work and in-depth specialist know-how to keep things up and running.
For example, in some cases emergency response plans are only available on paper. In other instances, information can only be provided by a handful of experts who must “use their head” because key knowledge hasn’t been transferred or archived. If standardized interfaces haven’t been implemented across departments, the smooth flow of information can’t be guaranteed, and classic monitoring tools are often flooded with alarms that make troubleshooting difficult due to a lack of clarity. All of this results in poor efficiency – or worse, especially when decisions need to be made quickly.
Even routine processes can be impacted. Determining whether sufficient resources (servers, energy, cooling, storage, network, space, etc.) can be provided to a platform on short notice often requires too much time. This is where a digital twin can help because it visualizes the current situation in the data center. But that’s just one reason showing the necessity of having a digital twin in today’s modern data centers.
Risk mitigation and energy management can also be optimized with this approach. Energy accounts for about 50% of the costs stemming from data center operations. And these expenses are rising.
The digital twin makes for better and faster decisions
The digital twin exists and interacts with the real data center in real time. To do this it receives information via sensors as well as standard interfaces and protocols. There’s no need to install additional system software; the digital twin functions as the “intelligent buddy” of the real data center.
For example, it uses a heat map to visualize the temperature development in various areas of the data center. Hot spots can be identified immediately, thus making it much easier to optimize cooling in the data center and distribute systems effectively to boost energy efficiency.
Process automation also leads to considerable optimization potential when it comes to data center operations. A good example of this is automated emergency management in response to IT system outages or cooling system failures. If these processes are automated, applications can be relocated faster without the risk of any manual errors taking place.
Measures like these reduce staff workloads and considerably reduce operating costs, while ensuring operations are consistent, trouble-free and in compliance with applicable guidelines.
Intelligent orchestration of energy, systems and processes
The Fujitsu Digital Twin delivers an integrated overview of the data center so it’s increasingly complex environment can be managed efficiently.
Automation serves as the basis for implementing AIOps. The solution combines monitoring and management of all resources with IT management and business service processes to ensure business success. Process automation across all platforms, applications and departments, in combination with AIOps, supports IT teams in identifying, resolving and even predicting problems. The Digital Twin, process automation and AIOps from Fujitsu fills in any gaps between facility management, IT infrastructure, operations, and IT personnel.
The clever way to start the future: our modular workshops
Digitization continues to pick up speed. In just a few years the digital twin and process automation, in combination with AI, will be standard tools in modern data centers.
Our modular workshops can help you get ready for the data center of the future. Join us to explore the real-world advantages to be gained by implementing a digital twin. Get a compact overview of data center automation. And experience how your data center can gradually evolve into a “Self-Driving Data Center” based on artificial intelligence.
Get your data center operations in shape for the future with the Digital Twin and AIOps from Fujitsu.
