Guest Post: The Top 9 Mistakes in the Data Center Infrastructure and Operations

Data centers are responsible for providing backend support to a number of mobile and data communication services. With cloud computing and content delivery requirements seeing an upsurge continually with the advent of high end technology, it has become imperative of data center operators to pay attention to cost-effective infrastructure planning and also to ensure better heat management and to introduce more flexibility in the overall data center structure. But, the situation takes an ugly shape if the data center is run by poorly trained officials who think that all types of data centers can be evaluated using the same quality stick. Listed here are some of the most common mistakes that operators make while designing infrastructure and carrying out operations of the data center.

Mistake #1: Failure to take Total Cost of Ownership into Consideration

This mistake happens while planning the data center infrastructure. It is essential for the data center managing companies to calculate the total cost that goes into managing the operations of the premise over a period of 5-7 years, which unfortunately they do not consider. With the passage of time, factors like energy-efficiency and better connectivity can creep into the data center operation plan and along with these; the cost is likely to go up. If the operators do not take such time-based operational costs into consideration, the companies start scoring losses making it difficult for them to survive.

Mistake #2: Overstuffing the data center with components

Data center need not be stuffed with all possible networking components. If the planning is not proper, the purchase manager may end buying resources that ultimately lie idle only, eventually suffocating the internal environment of the premise and also raising chances of occurrence of instances of eavesdropping, poor signals or faulty connections. Simpler is more easily manageable and optimality can be enjoyed better if only the needful components are put into the infrastructural map.

Mistake #3: Considering one size fits all

While planning the data center, one tends to think that building a standard design model can be adopted by all sorts of companies. The truth, however, is that the data center should be designed only after resource planning. Every data center is designed to meet purposes different from one another; thus, a common design may fail to deliver results when the conditions and requirements change.

In fact, flexibility is the key to success of any data center as leaving scope for enhancements and upgradations makes the data center company viable for longer time.

Mistake #4: Employing poorly talented workforce for managing operations

Data center needs nothing but the best of the expertise and experience. You are going to put at stake couple of thousands of dollars by leaving management in the hands of the employees you are going to hire for the job. So, if you do not select the best hands in the industry, you may face lot of wrath from the end users in the long run. Piling up of complaints and unavailability of resources like servers can destroy the spirit at work completely. Thus, assign the management of valuable resource like data center to the people only after thorough training and complete examination.

Mistake #5: Taking mock drills not so seriously

Data centers need to remain available 24x7x365. But, this omnipresence can be achieved only if the workforce is trained enough to handle the emergency situations. Not giving practical experience of handling the unforeseen issues may crumble down the management plan at a crucial hour causing unrecoverable losses. Thus, it is necessary to include routine mock drills as part of on-the-job training program, not having which can cause chaos.

Mistake #6: Choosing irrelevant technology

Virtualization or docker – what would be the ideal technology to adopt? If you have not understood the requirements properly, you are surely going to lay weaker foundation for the data center. The requirement of storing lots of core program files can be best met with docker system of management; while serving end users that need faster access and lightning fast downloading, adopting fully virtualized operations system can earn the data centers lots of praises for good work. Implementing the wrong technology at the data center is quite a mistake, rectifying which itself costs a lot.

Mistake #7: Mindless buying of products

Just because a product is technologically advanced does not mean that it can guarantee fabulous results for data center operations. It is a thing of common occurrence that the data center starts looking like a dump yard in due course of time, as the products are bought without learning the integration procedures. Also, if the integrations requirements are not chalked out in advance, the product is useless and unnecessarily eats up the space in the data center, something which is already an issue of concern.

Mistake #8: Making data center more device vendor dependent

Many vendors market their products in such a way that it makes the operators uncomfortable whenever an open source is tried. However, the best management practice is one where the open or public protocols are followed. Not using the devices following open standards can lead to an operational fix making the management a bit difficult.

Mistake #9: Poor communication with the stakeholders and end users

Operators of the data centers need to communicate clearly the functional requirements of the devices and networking components. Sharing what can cause an outage can help prevent unwanted downtimes. Also, using complicated procedures and technology is not the correct approach; instead, what works more effectively and delivers results in the fewest possible efforts is the better way of designing the equipment plan.

Conclusion

To conclude, data centers need to be supportive of easy to operate protocols, open source and more flexible topology. Additionally, the properly trained staff is required to leverage the best benefits of the technology adopted for planning and managing the data centers.

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