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Sunbird will be at DCD Sydney on August 23- 24 located at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, Australia. Stop by Stand 501 for a demonstration of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution.    You don’t want to miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, get real-world tips from DCIM experts, and explore how Sunbird can help you simplify your data center management. See for yourself how easy power, network, and cable management can be with key features like:  ·         3D data center health map with real-time power data.  ·      

Although intelligent rack PDUs (iPDUs) are becoming more common in today’s data centers, many organizations are still choosing and using basic or “dumb” PDUs instead of the “smart” devices. iPDUs have several advantages over their unintelligent counterparts, particularly when it comes to efficiently managing power and energy. However, the costs of managing these expensive and often power-hungry facility items can make data center managers wary of purchasing them.   To some data center professionals, iPDUs may appear to bring extra expenses and complications without tangible benefits. However, when used in conjunction with Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software or

Accurate data center power monitoring is critical for managing modern data center environments. With many data centers rapidly running out of capacity and energy costs increasing, it’s more important than ever to know how much power is being used, when you expect to run out of capacity, and where you can make improvements to boost data center efficiency. Data center power monitoring can help you with all these things and more. However, with the massive amounts of data points generated by your PDUs, UPSs, CRACs, and other devices, you need data center monitoring software to help collect the data and then transform it into information. That’s where Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM

Sunbird’s Models Library release for July is now available: Version 3.106. Download and update to Version 3.106 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific make

Colocation data centers have increasingly become a major part of the modern data center landscape. According to 451 Research, over 40 percent of enterprise end users are renting space from colocation data center providers. The prevailing rationale behind the shift to colocation is based on resource management. Colocation data centers tend to be more cost effective and less resource intensive, since the data center is outsourcing all the hardware and services required for data center management to the colocation data center provider. When calculating data center colocation pricing, you may only be focused on how much space you need; after all, the more racks or RUs that you need, the more

If you look at online reviews before buying the latest phone or trying a new restaurant, you’re not alone. Over 90 percent of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business, and 88 percent trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. You may rely on online reviews to make your personal purchases, but did you know that they can also be an important tool in your Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software evaluation? Customer reviews from reputable sites can yield a wealth of customer satisfaction and use case data. This data can inform your data center software selection process and help ensure that you buy the best DCIM software for your organization.

Downtime continues to be one of the biggest data center management headaches faced by modern data center professionals. For owner-operated and colocation data centers alike, an unplanned outage can wreak havoc on business-critical systems and applications and result in unhappy customers. Additionally, downtime can be expensive, with the average cost of an unplanned outage reaching over $740,000. Avoiding unplanned downtime starts with addressing one of its chief causes: human error. According to the Ponemon Institute, humans account for 22 percent of unplanned data center outages. While data center training and certification programs can help to educate data center staff to reduce the risk

Gaining the financial resources to invest in Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software is a common struggle for modern data center managers. It might seem counterintuitive; after all, most organizations acknowledge data centers as mission-critical facilities. However, even though nearly 75 percent of enterprise data center budgets have increased or stayed consistent in 2017 compared with last year, today’s data center managers continue to face scrutiny associated with increasing data center operational costs while also being tasked to do more with less. Gaining the funds that you need to get your DCIM project off the ground requires careful planning and consideration of

Today’s data center professionals are increasingly tasked with managing hybrid data centers. These modern data center environments combine traditional, on-premises enterprise data centers as well as off-premises data center capacities, which might include cabinets and containment areas in colocation data centers, private or public clouds, or managed services. A recent 451 Research Voice of the Enterprise: Datacenter Transformation, Budgets and Outlook survey found that 59 percent of enterprise end-user respondents owned and operated server rooms, while 57 percent utilized cloud service providers, 54 percent owned and operated their data center facilities, and 41 percent rented space from

Whether they focus on maintaining enterprise data centers or monitoring colocation facilities, data center managers have tough jobs. They are responsible for the day-to-day operations and activities as well as 24/7 monitoring and management of data center sites and equipment. Their daily tasks may include anything from predictive maintenance and firmware updates to troubleshooting network issues to investigating unexpected downtime events with root cause analysis. True, many data center managers report high levels of job satisfaction and compensation—data center managers in the United States earn anywhere from $63,000 to $140,000 per year, depending on their level of experience. However,

We’re thrilled to announce that Sunbird has been recognized once again as one of the 20 Most Promising Data Center Solution Providers by CIOReview for holistic and cost-effective Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software that is transforming the way data centers are managed.   CIOReview creates an annual listing of 20 companies that are at the forefront of providing innovative data center solutions and impacting the marketplace. The main focus of this ranking is to spotlight companies who have successful proven track records in delivering data center solutions. Sunbird was recognized for providing a complete and easy-to-use DCIM solution for data center managers.

For many organizations, cloud storage and processing seems to be increasing, so it might surprise you that enterprise data centers and colocation data center providers still hold the majority of workloads. According to Uptime Institute,  65% of workloads are in enterprise-owned/operated data centers, a percentage maintained since 2014. Thus, even if cloud storage and processing solutions continue to be prevalent, it’s safe to assume that most organizations maintain at least some of their mission-critical applications in house. Why might data center managers stick with their enterprise data centers? Consider these five reasons to keep your enterprise data centers in favor of or in

Sunbird will be at DCD>Enterprise in New York on May 1-2 at the Marriott Marquis. Stop by Booth #92 for a demonstration of our award-winning second-generation DCIM software. Register for free if you're a qualified end-user or consultant and join over 1,500 of your colleagues for this event that will cover how enterprise data centers are being re-defined and re-shaped. Heading to DCD>Enterprise and want to chat one-on-one with a DCIM expert? Sunbird representatives also will be available for individual meetings. Let us know if you’d like to meet.

When you initially consider data center training programs, you might first think of popular data center professional certifications, such as Cisco’s CCNA credential or BICSI’s popular RCDD designation. These industry-recognized certifications have several benefits to both trainees and organizations, including higher job satisfaction, faster work performance, and improved efficiency. Training is also an effective method of motivating your team, especially if it helps them keep their jobs. According to PwC’s Workforce of the Future survey, about 75 percent of respondents said that they were ready to learn new skills or completely re-train to stay employable in the future. Professional

Sunbird’s Models Library release for April is now available: Version 3.103. Download and update to Version 3.103 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific make

For many data center managers, moving your data center assets to a colocation data center may seem like an obvious choice. After all, carrier hotels and other colocation facilities provide data center managers with scalability, reliability, and security for applications, data, and systems—without the pressure to build, staff, and maintain increasingly complex enterprise data centers environments. These benefits, coupled with market expansion into new geographic areas, are driving the growth of the colocation data center at a CAGR of 15.4%. Once you’ve decided that moving to a colo facility is right for you, it might be tempting to sit back, relax, and wait for your colocation data center

Today’s data center managers—facing data center uptime expectations, PUE compliance, budget concerns, and a general expectation to do more with less—are hard pressed to find creative, cost-effective solutions to the challenges of power management. So it’s no surprise that many forward-looking data center managers are turning to intelligent rack PDUs to provide power-metering data that can inform decision making, saving costs and improving efficiency in their data centers.   But how can you be sure that the time, money, and other resources dedicated to your iPDUs are well spent?   That’s where DCIM tools can make a difference. Whether you are just starting to roll out your

With more organizations on their second rounds of Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software, it’s more important than ever for data center professionals to ensure that the data center management solution they select is the correct one. But how do you avoid buyer’s remorse when choosing and deploying B2B technology like DCIM software? How do you avoid major pitfalls and obstacles that can derail the implementation? And what are the must-have capabilities that you should look for in a DCIM software solution? These questions and others are difficult to answer without significant experience with buying, implementing, and using DCIM software in a real-world environment. That’s why

Next week, Sunbird will be busy attending three tradeshows in the span of two days! If you're in London, Oslo, or Paris, be sure to stop by to meet us. London: Data Centre World (Stand D245) We'll be at Data Centre World from March 21-22 at ExCeL London. Stop by Stand D245 to meet us and explore how to radically simplify your data center management. Register for free to join the world's largest independent data center event with over 20,000 of your peers, hundreds of leading data center and technology providers and hundreds of the world's brightest minds & industry practitioners.  If you'd like to set up an individual meeting, let us know. Oslo: Datacenter Forum (Stand 3) On

Sunbird’s Models Library release for March is now available: Version 3.102. Download and update to Version 3.102 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific make

Sunbird will be presenting a customer case study with Chevron at Data Center World Global 2018 in San Antonio, TX from March 12-15 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. You won't want to miss Steve Lancaster, Chevron DCA Facilities Lead, present key learnings from five years of using Sunbird's Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software solution in Chevron's data centers. Sunbird's own James Cerwinski, Director of Product Marketing, will be facilitating this interactive discussion.   Steve has more than 18 years of experience in managing data centers and providing IT support. Steve has worked at Chevron for four years with primary responsibility for

The rise of micro data centers as part of modern data center deployments may seem counterintuitive. After all, many organizations are consolidating large, complex deployments to reduce their data center footprints, reduce costs, and simplify their data center management. Yet, at the same time, organizations are increasingly leveraging micro data centers, to the point where sales are expected to grow from $18 million in 2017 to almost $30 million in 2018, and the global market for micro data centers is expected to grow to $6.3 billion by 2020.   Given the rising popularity of micro data centers, it’s important to consider this trend and how it might affect your own data center

Many data center teams are so focused on data center monitoring and keeping an eye on the health of their data centers that they often neglect the softer side of things, like their emotional health. But data center professionals have feelings, too. This Valentine’s Day (or any day), make sure to share the love with that special data center someone. To make it fast and easy for you, here are our ten best data center management pickup lines: 1. You raise my temperature outside the ASHRAE allowable range. 2. Are you a critical event? Because you’re making me turn red. 3. You’ve got me tied in knots like spaghetti cabling. 4. You and I go together like two iPDUs in a

Sunbird’s Models Library release for February is now available: Version 3.101. Download and update to Version 3.101 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific

Sunbird will be exhibiting at the 2018 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition in Orlando on February 4-8 at the Orange County Convention Center. Stop by Booth #433 in the exhibit hall for a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution.  At BICSI in Orlando, you’ll see forward-thinking and motivational presentations and gain insight into new technologies and industry trends. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, get real-world tips from DCIM experts, and explore how Sunbird can help you simplify your data center power and cable management. Learn more and register here.

Whether you’re expanding your data center operations, moving to a colocation facility, or transitioning applications and services to a hybrid/cloud environment, a data center migration can be a difficult, challenging project. Experienced data center managers might leverage checklists, spreadsheets and other data center migration tools to keep track of the tasks and teams involved. However, even with careful planning, details are still likely to slip through the cracks. Yet, modern data center managers face the challenges of data center moves every day. Data center migrations are becoming more prevalent thanks to current data center trends. More organizations are looking to consolidate

Sunbird’s first Models Library release of 2018 is now available: Version 3.100. Download and update to Version 3.100 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific

In 2017, data center managers saw several significant shifts in the activities and technologies that shape and transform modern data center management practices. A surge in available data center business intelligence, increasing focus on the benefits of data centers at the edge, and renewed interest in security are just a few of the changes data center managers are facing with 2018 just around the corner. As 2017 comes to a close, let’s look back at some of the year’s data center trends and the challenges they pose to how modern data center managers monitor and operate their data centers: Data-driven decision making. Intelligent hardware and other facility items in modern data

When you hear the words “data center certification,” the first thing you might think of is a data center tier certification, especially if you work at a physical enterprise location or colocation data center facility. However, tier certifications, which indicate a data center’s reliability and availability as measured against industry standards, aren’t the only certifications that can benefit you and your data center.    Completing a data center professional certification is a key way for you to advance your skills and professional development. Whether you’re new to data center management and looking to build foundational credentials or want to refresh your existing knowledge,

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.099. Download and update to Version 3.099 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps to ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific

Compliance with the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) is top of mind for today’s federal data center managers. The most recent government mandate to focus on optimization and consolidation of federal data centers, the DCOI sets forth specific optimization and cost-reduction goals. With the DCOI deadline of September 30, 2020 fast approaching, federal data center managers need to quickly ramp up their optimization efforts, or risk being among the first facilities to close. To help federal data center managers understand how DCIM software can enable them to quickly achieve their data center optimization goals, our white paper provides an overview of the DCOI, including goals and Key

We’re thrilled to announce the general availability of dcTrack 6.0.2, the latest version of Sunbird’s DCIM Operations software. Release 6.0.2 features over 75 new interactive reports to help customers make the most of their data center business intelligence and visual analytics. The dcTrack 6.0.2 update is available worldwide on a cabinet/month subscription or perpetual license basis to all customers with valid maintenance contracts. Simply download the update file from Sunbird’s support portal to upgrade today. Interactive Reporting Capabilities dcTrack 6.0.2 builds on the dashboard and chart enhancements in previous releases to provide new interactive reports. This feature

Edge data centers are among the hottest topics in data center management today. But what exactly is an edge data center? How can you tell if a facility is truly an edge data center, or if it’s simply a data center in an underserved market? Unsurprisingly, it’s difficult to nail down a standard definition. That’s due in part to the relative infancy of edge data centers as an established trend. Another reason may be that data center professionals tend to define edge data centers from the perspectives of their own roles, industries, or priorities. While some may say that an edge data center is one that serves up large amounts of online content to the majority of the user population

More organizations are looking to strategically use data to guide their data center management practices, but few know how to get started or what to track—especially when it comes to capacity, one of the most challenging data center operational constraints. Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software is a critical enabling technology for today’s data center managers to maximize the value of their data. Data center business intelligence, visual analytics, and other components integral to DCIM software allow for greater transparency into data center operations, including capacity management. “For organizations adopting DCIM, typically visibility is a starting point,” said Rhonda

Join Sunbird at France's largest gathering of data center experts, Data Centre World Paris, on November 15-16, 2017 with our partner, EFIRACK. Stop by Stand C40 for a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution.  At DCW Paris, you’ll have the opportunity to meet 150 key market players and learn from 250 industry stakeholders. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, get real-world tips from DCIM experts, and explore how Sunbird can help you simplify your data center power and cable management. Learn more and register here.   Heading to DCW Paris and want to chat one-on-one with a

Sunbird will be exhibiting at Europe's most anticipated digital infrastructure transformation event, Zettastructure London on November 7-8, 2017 at Old Billingsgate. Stop by Stand 52 for a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution.  At Zettastructure London, you’ll join 1,500+ digital infrastructure professionals including operators, technology specialists, and end-users. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, get real-world tips from DCIM experts, and explore how Sunbird can help you simplify your data center power and cable management. Learn more and register here.  

  According to Gartner's Market Share: Servers, Worldwide, 1Q16 Update, global server revenue was down 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016, but hardware shipments were up 1.7 percent. This seemingly contradictory figure highlights the decline in prices of hardware during 2015, which in turn is mainly attributed to the rise of cloud-based services and virtualization. That said, over 10 million new servers were shipped in the last 12 months. The affordability of hardware means that more organizations have access to faster, smarter devices for use in their data centers. These devices are housing mission-critical data and applications that end users need to drive business

Modern data center managers are constantly being asked to do more with less, and a data-driven approach can mean the difference between success and failure. But how do you identify which Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are right for your organization? How do you manage power and network capacity as well as space? Can you wait to invest in additional equipment or will you experience a shortfall of resources? And how can Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) help? Join us for our next live DCIM webinar, Data Center KPIs to Optimize Capacity Utilization, on Tuesday, November 7, at 2 PM ET to explore how making the most of your data can help you maximize the value of your data center

What makes a data center “intelligent”? What trends are driving data center transformation? And where does Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software fit in? Sunbird's own James Cerwinski, Director of Product Management and Marketing, was recently interviewed by Betty Yu for NetAdmin, a Taiwanese publication aimed at IT professionals, on these topics and more. During the interview, Cerwinski shared his thoughts on modern data center management and how DCIM software is critical for today’s intelligent data centers. He also shared how Sunbird’s 3D visualizations provide data center managers with a wealth of information and visual analytics. (You can read the article in the

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were celebrating Sunbird’s first anniversary. A year later, a lot has changed. As a company, we’ve grown significantly, with new faces added to almost every team. Our Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution has grown as well. This past summer saw our biggest and most content-rich DCIM software releases to date. Power IQ 6.0 featured RFID card reader support for data center security, bulk PDU configuration improvements, and dashboard enhancements. Meanwhile, dcTrack 6.0 incorporated new dashboard and widget capabilities, our patent-pending QuickConnect for making data and power connections faster and more efficiently, and a new

Sunbird focuses on creating a single-pane-of-glass view for global data center operations that makes it easy to get data into the system and meaningful information out. This case study explores how Sunbird’s preconfigured dashboards enabled our client to optimize their data center management practices by replacing their outdated, inefficient homegrown tool with more effective dashboards for analyzing and sharing data. Challenge Our client, a multi-billion-dollar, global consumer products organization, had multiple enterprise-class data centers with over 4,000 cabinets maintained by a staff of over 30 people. With such an expansive data center environment, the global data center manager

Whether as part of a data center move or when switching to a new Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software, most data center managers will need to migrate their asset management information from one database to another sometime in their careers. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Inaccurate inventory data, tracking devices in multiple spreadsheets, and inadequate reporting can wreak havoc on asset management. These issues also make it difficult to locate and troubleshoot your hardware. In our experience, certain data values are foundational for migrating from one database to another at the asset level. These values enable you to quickly identify and locate your assets

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.096. Download and update to Version 3.096 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a

Some of today’s biggest technology trends—like big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI)—are enabling business innovation across organizations in healthcare, financial services, government, telecommunications, retail, and other industries. Yet these trends can wreak havoc on data center capacity planning by requiring significant compute resources. How can modern data center managers address this increasing demand with responsiveness and agility? Our President Herman Chan shared his thoughts on this topic in a recent article in Data Center Frontier, an online data center industry publication focused on cutting-edge innovation in design, efficiency, and scalability

Challenge Our customer, a water services utility provider, was struggling to manage their data center assets and change requests through spreadsheets. With multiple versions of the same spreadsheets floating around, it was difficult and time consuming to gain an accurate picture of the locations of assets and how much power, space, and network capacity was available. Managing the statuses of change requests and who was doing the work was similarly challenging because the data center space was not well organized and the information was frequently out of date. These issues were compounded by the fact that the spreadsheet system depended on the legacy information held by a few key players

Today's data center managers are tasked to do more with less and are continuously facing additional demands on their time and their teams. Remembering to follow best practices for proper data center maintenance is ideal in theory but can be difficult even when your data center is running smoothly. That's why we've compiled a list of nine best practices for data center maintenance. As Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) experts, we've helped our customers learn to better manage their data centers, and along the way, we've learned a thing or two about data center maintenance and how DCIM can help. These best practices can serve as reminders for common maintenance tasks. Each best

Sunbird is excited to be participating with our strategic alliance partner Raritan, Inc. at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s 2017 Department of Defense Intelligence Information System Worldwide Conference from August 13-16, 2017 at America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri. Come talk to us, get a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution, and discover how our solution will work with Raritan iPDUs to optimize your data center management. If you're a government or military data center manager or a federal data center professional looking to network with your industry peers as well as senior leaders from the

Data center maintenance is key to keeping your business-critical systems up and running smoothly. Yet, despite the ever-present threat of disasters and the financial implications of unplanned downtime, many data center managers struggle to ensure that their facilities and equipment are maintained regularly.    Given the versatility of Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software and the variety of problems it can solve, it’s no wonder why today’s data center managers are increasingly looking to data center software as a tool to help them manage maintenance. Consider just a few of the common maintenance headaches data center managers face and how DCIM can help. 1.

Identifying your top data center management problems is a foundational point for any Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) project. Knowing the data center problems that you’re trying to solve helps you create your RFPs and RFIs, evaluate POCs, select and implement a DCIM software solution, and ultimately determines your criteria for initial success. Unfortunately, defining your data center management challenges is more difficult than it sounds. And with so many competing priorities from the data center, facilities, IT, infrastructure, network, and other teams, how can you whittle your problems down to the few that will everyone agree on? Once you have an idea what your data center

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.094. Download and update to Version 3.094 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a

Whether you’re migrating to an owner-operated facility, a colocation data center, or a cloud/hybrid environment, managing the risks and complications involved in a data center move is a challenge even for experienced data center professionals. Checklists and other resources to manage the tasks required for moving your data center are a good start. Data center colocation services often include assisting customers with the migration. But did you know that Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software also can help you simplify planning and avoid many of the risks associated with migrations? Although data center management software is often considered a tool to be implemented after

Modern data center managers and operators are often assailed by fears of losing their jobs to the cloud. This concern has only become louder and more frequent with the rise of cloud-based data center management and technology trends like virtualization and IoT. With today’s data center customers preferring to pay as they go for fast, on-demand deployment of IT resources, it’s easy to think that the future seems grim for physical, on-premise data centers and the teams that operate them. As a data center professional, what can you do to futureproof yourself and your data centers in a world where cloud is king? Common suggestions often include career changes, like making the jump to a cloud

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.093. Download and update to Version 3.093 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library simplifies your data center asset management. The library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. This information also ensures that your data center change management tickets and reservations are error free. Can’t find a specific make and

Most data center professionals view 3D data center visualizations with a jaundiced eye. They see 3D as a gimmick that may look flashy but ultimately doesn’t provide any relevant or helpful information. In Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software specifically, 3D floor map visualizations are thought to simply be resource intensive and add load without value. Keeping in mind all these myths around 3D in data center management software, can 3D floor map visualizations ever be useful, or are they always just for looks? Our Director of Product Marketing James Cerwinski addresses this topic in an article in Enterprise Management 360° (EM360°) Tech Magazine. Titled “Think 3D in Your

When it comes to data center management, downtime, power, and cooling are consistently among the most common problems facing modern data center professionals. Why link these three issues together? Because ineffective power management and environmental cooling are two of the biggest contributors to downtime. In fact, balancing power and environmental cooling in your data center is critical to reducing downtime. Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software can help you achieve this goal by not only monitoring your environment but also accelerating data analysis, leading to better, more efficient data center energy management. Power and Environmental Cooling Risks in Your Data

We’re pleased to announce that the newest versions of Sunbird’s Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Operations and Monitoring software are now generally available for download. Want to upgrade and see what's new for yourself? Simply download the update files from Sunbird’s support portal. New in This Release This newest version is comprised of dcTrack® DCIM Operations 5.2.2 and Power IQ® DCIM Monitoring 5.2.3. These maintenance releases address a small number of bug fixes to provide you with the best user experience to date. For more information, see the release notes on the support portal. How to Upgrade To download the upgrade for either product, you

Data center migrations are complicated projects. With so many moving parts and people involved across tight timelines, the biggest challenge is mitigating the risks—like extended downtime, unexpected delays, and nonfunctioning hardware—inherent in migrating your data center. Even with the most experienced data center move teams, migration-breaking issues can come up. So, when you’re moving your data center, what can you do to mitigate risks and give yourself the best chance of success? Scott Sandal, our Director of DCIM Support and Services, shared his thoughts on this topic in a recent article in Data Center Frontier, an online data center industry publication focused on cutting-edge

If you're still using Excel and Visio to manage your data centers or struggling with a DCIM solution that didn't deliver as promised, you might be surprised to see just how much DCIM has improved in recent years. Check out this two-minute video to see for yourself what today's DCIM has to offer. Join us for our next live DCIM webinar with our DCIM expert, Justin Capone, How Modern Day DCIM Helps Solve Your Most Common Data Center Headaches on Thursday, May 18. Focusing on real-world DCIM use cases, this webinar will:  Define the six categories of challenges most commonly faced by data center managers and operators. Demonstrate how modern DCIM can address

Whether you are a veteran of data center migrations or are just getting started, moving your data center is a risky, complicated project for any organization. Extended downtime, damage to equipment, and inaccurate installation are just a few of the headaches that migrating a data center can cause. However, when planned and executed well, it can also lead to cost savings, improved efficiency, and other rewards. What is a data center migration? A data center migration is any movement of data center assets from one location to another. Examples include moving to a new data center, moving to a colocation facility, moving from one room or floor to another within the same data center, and

We’re pleased to be recognized as one of the 20 Most Promising Data Center Solution Providers by CIOReview for transforming the way data centers are managed.   CIOReview creates an annual listing of 20 companies that are at the forefront of providing innovative data center solutions and impacting the marketplace. The main focus of this ranking is to spotlight companies who have successful proven track records in delivering data center solutions. Sunbird was recognized for providing a complete and easy-to-use DCIM solution for data center managers.   “Our solution empowers modern data center managers to overcome the limitations of Excel and Visio and boost efficiency and

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.089. Download and update to Version 3.089 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. Can’t find a specific make and model? Contact Sunbird’s Professional Services team, and we’ll make sure it’s added to the next Models Library update. New in This Models Library Release

    Worldwide, data centers consume around 30 billion watts of electricity, but the majority—as much as 90 percent or more—is wasted. This and other power management inefficiencies can cost modern data center environments in terms of not only energy expenditure but also money, time, and other resources.   Do you know how much energy your data center is using? Are you aware of how much power capacity is available at any given point in time? Are you trending your power utilization data so you can accurately predict when you will run out of capacity? Without the answers to these basic questions, efficient and environmentally friendly data center power management may be

We’re thrilled to announce that the newest version of Sunbird’s DCIM Operations has just been released. Want to upgrade to dcTrack® 5.2.1 and see what's new for yourself? Simply download the update files from Sunbird’s support portal. New in dcTrack 5.2.1 This version features API enhancements, fixes for bugs and customer-reported issues, and security updates to provide the most user-friendly, secure web experience to date. See how fast and easy DCIM can be with dcTrack 5.2.1. TLS 1.0 Disabled; Internet Explorer 10 and Below No Longer Supported To provide a more secure web experience, TLS 1.0 is disabled in dcTrack 5.2.1. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is an encryption protocol

Sunbird’s newest Models Library release of 2017 is now available: Version 3.088. Download and update to Version 3.088 to get all the most recent model data! Sunbird’s Models Library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most accurate and up-to-date model information. Can’t find a specific make and model? Contact Sunbird’s Professional Services team, and we’ll make sure it’s added to the next Models Library update. New in This Models Library Release

Most organizations look to DCIM software when they realize they need to better manage their data center infrastructures. However, given the wide range of point-to-suite solutions, how can you know that the DCIM software solution is comprehensive enough to meet your needs? Look for these five signs of a comprehensive DCIM software solution: 1. The DCIM software accommodates all users. Multiple parties work in data centers, including data center managers and operators, IT teams, facilities teams, and remote managed services teams. Your DCIM software should provide an intuitive GUI that works for teams as well as individuals. It should require fewer clicks to see the information that

3D data center floor map visualizations and thermal time-lapse video may seem like flashy "eye candy" aimed at impressing passers-by at tradeshows. However, when implemented as part of a comprehensive Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software solution, they provide useful, visually interesting ways to display power management and environmental monitoring information in your data center.  They can even help you gain actionable insights to run your data centers more efficiently.  For a glimpse of how these features work in Sunbird's DCIM software, check out the video below: Think we're just showing off? Schedule a one-on-one product demonstration with our DCIM

Data center management presents a number of challenges for today’s data center managers and operators. Unlike the days of old, when data centers used to be data rooms, modern data centers have grown increasingly complex, are more strictly regulated, and require data center managers to do more with less. Meanwhile, data center operators not only have the job of managing data but also ensuring that power consumption is monitored, equipment is kept cool, and enough space is available. Let’s take a closer look at eight common problems that data center managers and operators face and why DCIM software is a solution to them all. 1. Delays in deploying new services. Missing or inaccurate

More organizations are considering a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software solution to gain a competitive edge. As a class of software that helps data center managers operate their data centers more efficiently, DCIM can replace programs like Excel, Visio and homegrown systems, as well as bridge information across organizational domains. Few data center managers truly understand the specific ways that DCIM software can benefit their data centers. Look for a DCIM solution that will not only help with efficiency but also will solve your data center operations issues, meet environmental regulations, accelerate time to deployment, and address other key objectives. Here are

Sunbird is thrilled to be a gold sponsor at Data Center World Local Dallas on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at AT&T Stadium, Home of the Dallas Cowboys! Stop by Table #13 for a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution. Learn about the features and enhancements in the newest iteration of our DCIM software, including: New thermal map and time-lapse video to help you identify hotspots. Interactive dashboards built to accelerate data analysis. Door security status and access request audit reports that help you track who has access to different areas of your data center. Enhanced failover reports to accurately

We’re thrilled to announce the general availability of Release 5.2, the latest version of Sunbird’s Data Center Infrastructure Management software. This release includes enhancements that drive DCIM ease of use and security, including pre-configured dashboards, a thermal floor map and time-lapse video, door lock security management, enhanced rack capacity and failover reporting capabilities, and trap filtering and forwarding.   "Intelligent PDUs and other smart devices generate a significant volume and variety of data in data centers today, and data center managers are struggling to use it to their advantage," said Herman Chan, President of Sunbird Software, in a statement. "DCIM 5.2

Sunbird’s first Models Library release of 2017 features dual updates: Versions 3.085 and 3.086. Make sure to download and update to Version 3.085 and then 3.086 to get all of the most recent model data. Sunbird’s Models Library includes detailed information—such as U space, dimensions, weight, power ports, and data ports—for over 30,000 models across over 450 manufacturers. Updating the Models Library after you have implemented Sunbird’s DCIM software helps you ensure that you are using the most up-to-date model information. Can’t find a specific make and model? Contact Sunbird’s Professional Services team, and we’ll make sure it’s added to the next Models Library update. New in This

Justifying the investment in Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) can be a difficult task. Highlighting the lost productivity and expenses associated with data center operational issues, like wasted space and inaccurate asset inventories, is a good start, but when it comes to selling upper management on your project and securing budget, numbers are king. Our experience with implementing DCIM has shown us not only the common, costly pain points that can be fixed with DCIM but also the most often-overlooked areas where data center managers can save time and money. So we developed our ROI calculator to simplify the process of accurately estimating the potential return on

New Preconfigured Dashboards, Time-Lapse Thermal Videos, and Cabinet Door Access Control Make Data Center Analysis and Security Effortless and Errorless SOMERSET, N.J., Dec. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunbird Software, a global innovator in software solutions that simplify how data centers are managed, today introduced the next iteration of its DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) software. Release 5.2 expands the centralized, single-pane-of-glass view integral to dcTrack® DCIM Operations and Power IQ® DCIM Monitoring with enhancements that enable users to

Sunbird is thrilled be participating with our strategic alliance partner Raritan, Inc. at the Gartner Data Center, Infrastructure & Operations Management Conference at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 5-7, 2016. Stop by Booth 255 to meet with our DCIM experts and get a sneak peek at the new features in the upcoming release of our Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software.   The Gartner Data Center, Infrastructure & Operations Management Conference will help attendees learn to adapt to today’s complex data center environments. Attendees will discover how to apply a bimodal strategy that delivers both core services and enables agility, develop

Did you know that approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day? This explosion of big data – 90% of data in today’s world was created in the past few years alone – has provided all sorts of opportunities for organizations to mine the data collected for customer insights, but it also brings to light an often-overlooked question: Where is all of this data stored? The answer lies not in 100 million 25 GB Blu-ray discs, but rather in a physical location full of computer systems, servers, network connections, and environmental sensors: the data center. As data center professionals grapple with the challenges of this influx of data, managing the aforementioned components in

One of the most frustrating roadblocks that organizations encounter when first looking for a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution is finding a clear definition of what exactly DCIM is. In an ideal world, there would be one industry-standard definition that buyers could reference when choosing a DCIM solution to deploy.   Unfortunately, the reality is far more complex. A myriad of DCIM definitions abound, and despite the amusement around the idea that DCIM means different things to different people, the resulting lack of clarity for organizations is no joke.   Our president Herman Chan shares his insights on this topic in an article published in the

Many data center professionals today have a myriad of dashboards displaying an overwhelming volume and variety of data from multiple different systems—just for operating and monitoring their data centers. But what if Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software could be the difference between spending countless hours sifting through spreadsheets and finding the data you need with just a click of a button for an immediate, complete picture of your data center?   Our President Herman Chan tackled this topic in an article exploring the benefits and opportunities of DCIM dashboards in the November 2016 issue of Inside_Networks, an online magazine dedicated to IT network

Today, data centers are not only focused on maintaining availability but also ensuring efficiency and sustainability, helping to conserve energy and save costs. Here are the 5 things to know about data center environmental monitoring:   1. Temperature All servers and server racks should operate within the defined inlet temperature as defined by server manufacturers or ASHRAE TC 9.9 Thermal Guidelines for Data Center Processing environments. Failing to do so can lead to serious uptime issues or wasteful overcooling, inefficiency and cost.  Temperature sensors should be placed at the top, middle, and bottom inlets of server cabinets. Data center operators should also look at

We’re thrilled to be a Silver Sponsor at the 2016 BICSI Mainland Europe Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for Tuesday, October 4, at the Corinthia Hotel in Prague in the Czech Republic.   Meet with our European Sunbird representatives for a demo of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution and see for yourself how easy power, network, and cable management in your data center can be with key features like: Navigation of 3D data center health maps with real-time power data. Visually build data circuits, including structured cabling, between any combination of devices, network equipment, and patch panels—all at the click of a mouse

The dynamic nature and growing competition of the business world has led to new demands for modern data centers. As the IT consumer base and cloud computing continue to expand, resource utilization is also growing. Organizations have a tough task to efficiently support new business requirements with limited data center infrastructure resources. The concept of data center capacity planning is truly evolving due to this increase in demand. New software technologies are being used to provide services, create new data center delivery models, and optimize overall management strategies. The emerging trends towards Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) and Software Defined Data Centers (

What should I know before moving to a new data center or colocation facility? What are open-source data center management tools, and how will I know if they’re right for me? How can data and analytics help me manage and monitor my data center more effectively?   These are just some of the questions that our own James Cerwinski, Director of Product Marketing, will be addressing during panel discussions next week at Data Center World in New Orleans, Louisiana (DCW NOLA).   Prior to DCW NOLA, we caught up with James to get his thoughts on what works (and what doesn’t) in managing a data center or colocation move, little-known information about open-source DCIM tools, and what the

Sunbird will be participating at Data Center World in New Orleans (DCW NOLA) on September 12-15, 2016 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Stop by Booth #841 in the exhibit hall for a taste of features to come in the next version of our award-winning Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution.   Looking for practical advice on using DCIM to tackle some of your data center’s toughest challenges? Hear from Sunbird’s very own James Cerwinski, Director of Product Marketing, in back-to-back panel sessions on Monday, September 12: Using DCIM for Data Center and Colocation Moves (Room R206; 1:00-2:00 PM): This panel discussion will focus on eliminating common

We’re pleased to announce updates to Sunbird’s DCIM Operations and Monitoring suite of tools! Simply download the upgrade files from Sunbird’s support portal to update today.   New in This Release   This version features the joint release of dcTrack® 5.1.2 and Power IQ® 5.1.3 and provides several enhancements and improvements for the best user experience to date.   New in Power IQ: Enhanced Liebert, Tripp Lite, and NetBotz support New ODBC View for Watt-HR delta reading to add in energy reporting Updates to charts and reports for increased accuracy New in dcTrack: Web Import updates LDAP updates Resolution of security

Newly released manufacturer updates include Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Dell, and Raritan PDU’s, network devices, cabinets/racks, and much more.   To access these updates, you will need to have a support login and valid maintenance contract. Click here to log in or sign up today: http://support.sunbirddcim.com/support/login   Visit the Sunbird Support Portal and download Models Library Release 3.079 today!  

The efficiency initiative Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is changing the management of federal government data centers, including the mammoth-sized, one-million-square-foot National Security Agency (NSA) facility located in Utah. This new initiative requires agencies to develop and report on data center strategies to consolidate inefficient infrastructure, optimize existing facilities, achieve cost savings, and transition to a more efficient infrastructure. The mandate requires agencies to install and use energy metering tools, an essential piece of DCIM software, to collect data and report on energy usage.   How the

Mention 3D visualizations to a data center professional, and chances are that the response will be less than enthusiastic. Considered everything from an insignificant "nice-to-have" to an unhelpful, overrated, resource hog, 3D appears to be more trouble than it is worth. With this perception, is it any wonder why so many data center management software applications either eschew 3D in favor of its 2D counterpart or halfheartedly implement 3D in an attempt to attract prospects and keep pace with the competition?   Implementing 3D data center visualizations may have seemed counterintuitive to Sunbird's mission to radically simplify data center management with elegant software. That's

We’re thrilled to announce the general availability of Power IQ 5.1.2, the latest version of Sunbird’s DCIM Monitoring software. New in this release is support for Hyper-V, Microsoft’s native hypervisor, to provide customers with another option for installing Power IQ in a virtual environment. The Power IQ 5.1.2 update is available worldwide to all customers with valid maintenance contracts. Simply download the update file from Sunbird’s support portal to upgrade today. What’s New in Power IQ: Microsoft Hyper-V Support Previous versions of Power IQ allowed customers to run the application on VMware ESX/ESXi servers. In 5.1.2, Power IQ customers gain the flexibility to

In this new blog series, we’re introducing Sunbird’s interns for Summer 2016. This post shares the perspective of Brittany Sheehan, our Marketing intern who is approaching her junior year.   I am currently a rising junior at Loyola University Maryland majoring in Digital Media and minoring in Marketing. However, this fall I will be studying abroad at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.   What I like most about my major is the relevance it has in today’s society. Because we live in such a technological era, digital media applies to many different aspects of companies, not only marketing. However, what I like about marketing is the psychological aspect. It is interesting

In this new blog series, we’re introducing Sunbird’s interns for Summer 2016. This post shares the perspective of Jennifer Eaton, our Marketing intern who is approaching her senior year.   I’m currently a rising senior pursuing a marketing degree from The College of New Jersey. I am also the social media advisor for my sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, while at school. I plan to use these skills as well as my degree to further my experience in the marketing world and eventually achieve a career in marketing.    I started becoming interested in marketing during my first semester of college and then declared my major as marketing at then end of my second semester. I really like

Introducing dcTrack® 5.1 We’re thrilled to announce the general availability of dcTrack 5.1, the latest version of Sunbird’s DCIM Operations software. User-requested features in dcTrack 5.1 make it faster and easier than ever for data center managers to get the information they need to plan and manage data center capacity more effectively.   The dcTrack 5.1 update is available worldwide on a cabinet/month subscription or perpetual license basis to all customers with valid maintenance contracts. Simply download the update file from Sunbird’s support portal to upgrade today.   3D Visualizer dcTrack 5.1 introduces the 3D Visualizer, which displays data center floor maps

According to a recent survey by 451 Research of data center operators’ priorities, nearly 28% of respondents were focused on data center consolidation, 9.3% on building or buying a new data center, and 8.3% on outsourcing data centers to a third party, such as a colocation facility. Andrew Donoghue, European Research Manager at 451 Research, shared these insights and other thoughts as he defined data center moves and DCIM trends during the first segment of our webinar on “Common Pitfalls to Avoid in a Data Center Move.” This focus on data center moves reflects organizations’ attempts to replace aging or inefficient data centers with more modern and efficient (in terms of power, energy

Data center managers often find themselves making data center moves in response to changing business needs, technology updates, government energy mandates, and other demands. Regardless of the type of move, the goal is often the same: savings in terms of space, power, and energy.   However, data center managers need to choose the type of move carefully. The best move for a particular situation may depend on how complicated the move will be, where the data center manager wants to focus, and the expected benefits of the move.   Pro tip: Before undertaking a data center move, make sure to include identifying ownership, understanding workload demands, and securing permission in

Newly released manufacturer updates include Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, IBM, Panduit, and NetApp. PDU’s, network devices, cabinets/racks, and much more.   To access these updates, you will need to have a support login and valid maintenance contract. Click here to log in or sign up today: http://support.sunbirddcim.com/support/login   Visit the Sunbird Support Portal and download Models Library Release 3.075 today!

Note, this webinar has ended. Watch the recording here.   Whether you’re building a new data center or migrating to a colocation facility, a data center move can be fraught with challenges. What do you need in terms of power and space? How do you allocate resources and forecast growth accurately? And how can Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) help?   Join us for our next live DCIM webinar, Common Pitfalls to Avoid in a Data Center Move, on Thursday, May 19 at 11AM to explore how to overcome the challenges that can derail your data center move. In this webinar, you’ll learn: Best practices for efficient capacity utilization. Tips to avoid downtime

According to a 2014 article on Department of Energy enumerating facts about data centers, there are approximately 3 million data centers in the United States alone, which essentially means that for every 100 people in the country there is one data center! With the number of people using the internet increasing exponentially across the world, the need for such facilities are only slated to rise. Proper monitoring is essential to get the best out of data inventories. Data center monitoring software helps you get comprehensive reports, records, data and alerts pertaining to the infrastructure supporting the data center facility. Here are all the crucial items you must keep an eye on. Things

Did you know that the theoretical optimum for Power Usage Effectiveness of a data center should be 1.4? To calculate your facility's energy consumption, simply divide the total facility power by IT equipment power. If the result is 2 or less than 2, then you are running by the usual standard. However, if the number is 3 or more, then the IT equipment is actually using only a third of the data center energy. This is indicative of the need to focus on data center power management. According to a blog post on Csmonitor.com about data centers going green, the Department of Energy revealed in 2013 that approximately 100 billion kilowatt-hours of energy is used by data centers. The Need for

Just released manufacturer updates include new Cisco Systems, Hitachi, Panduit, and Huber + Suhner. PDUs, cabinets/racks, network devices, comm panels and many others. To access these updates, you will need to have a support login and valid maintenance contract.  Click here to log in or sign up today:  http://support.sunbirddcim.com/support/login. Visit our NEW Sunbird Support Portal and download Models Library Release 3.074 today!  

- Single pane of glass to monitor smart racks and critical infrastructure devices -   SOMERSET, N.J., March 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunbird Software, a global innovator in software solutions that simplify how data centers are managed, announced today general availability of Sunbird Power IQ® 5.1 DCIM (data center infrastructure management) monitoring software. Sunbird DCIM 5.1 provides a single pane of glass to make it easier to monitor and manage critical facility infrastructure devices such as the UPS.  With the new functionality, Data Center Managers will have an integrated view of the health and capacity of their UPS.  This enhanced view now

Management of federal government data centers is about to change.  Until now, there has been little regulation around energy metering, monitoring and management within a data center.  This is all about to change with the efficiency initiative, Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI), from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  This new initiative supersedes the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative announced in 2010.   The DCOI requires agencies to develop and report on data center strategies to consolidate inefficient infrastructure, optimize existing facilities, achieve cost savings, and transition to more efficient infrastructure, such as cloud

Most data centers are expected to be able to reduce their physical space by a minimum of 30 percent over the next five years. This is only one of the several emerging trends through 2020 identified in a December 2015 article by Tech Target. Other important trends to look out for in data center monitoring include increased density, security, virtualization and intelligent PDUs (Power Distribution Units), among others. Here's a look at the top five trends experts are looking for in 2016. Top 5 Trends for 2016 Increased Power Density Data centers in the United States are expected to need six times the electricity used by New York City by 2020. In fact, it is estimated

Just released updates to more than 25 various manufacturer PDUs, cabinets/racks, network devices, comm panels and much more.   Manufacturer updates include Cisco Systems, Dell, EMC, HP, Liebert, Raritan, Sun Microsystems, Tripp Lite and many others.   To access these updates, you will need to have a support login and valid maintenance contract.  Click here to log in or sign up today:  http://support.sunbirddcim.com/support/login.   Visit our NEW Sunbird Support Portal and download Models Library Release 3.072 today! 

Your compute device needs a network connection and power to perform useful work.  You know your IT organization is monitoring the compute device for up/down status and performance statistics such as CPU, memory and hard drive utilization.  You feel good that you purchased and deployed an APC UPS in all your locations. While the UPS ensures good clean power from your commercial power provider, most importantly the battery becomes the champion as the power source for your compute device when commercial power is lost.   Are you monitoring your UPS so it is ready to meet your needs when you need it the most; and are you ready to take action when commercial power is lost?

Just released updates to more than 25 various manufacturer PDUs, cabinets/racks, network devices, comm panels and much more.   Manufacturer updates include APC, BayTech, Cannon Technologies, Cisco Systems, Dell, EMC, F5 Networks, Geist, HP, IBM, PaloAlto Networks, Raritan, Server Technology, Tripp Lite and many others.   To access these updates, you need to have a support log in and valid maintenance contract.  Click here to log in or sign up today:  http://support.sunbirddcim.com/support/login.   Visit our NEW Sunbird Support Portal and download Models Library Release 3.07 today!

Psychrometric charts can be pretty tricky to interpret.  Just taking a look at it, you may already be confused. With so many lines and axes, you can get lost trying to follow the chart and find out which line represents which axis.    So why is it important to know how to read a psychrometric chart?   Psychrometric charts allow you to track and monitor the physical and thermodynamic properties of gas-vapor mixtures.  To correctly read a psychrometric chart, here is a breakdown and visual representation.   Axis Starting at the basics, there are nine different axes, which are categorized one through nine in the graph.  Starting at one, they’re

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Sunbird Named a Major Player in IDC MarketScape on DCIM   SOMERSET, NJ, October 29, 2015 – Sunbird Software, a global innovator in software solutions that simplify how data centers are managed, is positioned as a Major Player in the report (IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Datacenter Infrastructure Management 2015 Vendor Assessment, doc #259603, October 2015) published last week.  The IDC MarketScape report analyzed 15 companies that qualify as DCIM providers.   “We are delighted to be part of this important DCIM report, and to be among the top pure-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Introducing Sunbird Software, a DCIM Global Leader -- Spin-off from Raritan completed; Sunbird Software continues to invest and deliver innovative solutions to customers   SOMERSET, N.J., September 28, 2015 – Sunbird Software, a global innovator in software solutions that simplify how data centers are managed, announced today the completion of its spin-off from Raritan Inc.  As an independent pure-play software company, Sunbird will focus on growing its leadership position in the DCIM (data center infrastructure management) field, accelerating software development, and helping customers create and manage agile and efficient data centers.   “

With data center energy costs often accounting for 50% of total data center operating expenses, and the continual push to do more with less, energy management continues to be a focus of data center operators.  With energy prices continuously in flux, reducing such significant costs would greatly improve savings of any company.   According to BLS Strategies, “Data center operators and owners can minimize the impact of unpredictable energy markets by better understanding the markets and establishing smart energy procurement strategies.”   While often overlooked, understanding the market for energy has become more appealing to data center managers because it allows them

Every day your expanding business forces you to stay within budget while meeting endless customer and organizational demands. Intelligent capacity planning keeps operations running smoothly by helping you prepare for the future. Take action according to your needs by understanding your capacity limitations, getting the most out of current capacity and adding capacity in a deliberate way. Determining Capacity Before you can plan for extra capacity, you must understand your current capabilities. You need to know about servers, cables, routers, switches and storage devices. You need to track existing racks, power supplies, cooling capacity and floor space across all data centers. Without

Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) are now offering performance-based financial incentives for companies seeking to undertake data center efficiency projects.       Under the Data Center Efficiency Program (DCEP) and the Demand Management Program (DMP) funding might be obtained through eligible projects including: IT infrastructure Upgrades Facilities Improvements   Facilities improvements include UPS, VFD, CRAC and cooling system upgrades.  The implementation of a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) provides for facility improvement, including substantial savings in

With your data center constantly changing to keep up with user needs, how do you know if you are managing all of the components effectively? If your situation falls into one of these four scenarios, DCIM may create the efficiency boost you need to handle future growth. 1. You rely on multiple spreadsheets in different locations to track assets. Excel files and Google docs function well enough when storing static information, but their brilliance fades when tracking statuses, processes and assets that frequently change. A few forgetful employees and unsaved updates can corrupt records with incorrect, out of date or missing data. In addition, integrating these files with other systems is

For the last several years, ASHRAE has been advocating that data centers allow temperatures to rise in order to save money on cooling resources.  Now, an upcoming study will assert that data centers save even further by allowing humidity to drop to an RH of 8 percent.   In a recent interview with Data Center Dynamics, Dan Beaty, Cofounder of ASHRAE's TC 9.9 said, "We ran a test with different types of floor tiles and clothing, and we found that between eight percent and 20-25 percent, the difference in static electricity is insignificant."   The finding could lead to significant operational cost savings.  According to EnergyStar.Gov[1]:   A typical data center

Data center infrastructure management, or DCIM, is a category of solutions that extend the traditional data center management function to include physical assets and resources found in IT domains. It aims to integrate information technology and facility management disciplines to centralize monitoring, management and intelligent capacity planning of the critical systems within a data center. Complete DCIM services involve specialized software, intelligent asset tags and sensors and power solutions. In 2014, Gartner recognized the DCIM market to be comprised of 75 vendor offerings.. If you are looking for DCIM vendors who can effectively manage your data center, here are some essential

Datacenters.com recently published a post on the 2015 top five data center trends which includes perspectives on industry trends in: cloud, virtualization, automation, the Internet of things (IoT), and physical size.  Here, we will consider how a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tool can help you to mitigate any potential disruptions while taking advantage of emerging frameworks that improve operational efficiency and help to increase your organization’s bottom-line.   First, what does the move to the cloud mean for your data center?  According to the article, “the cloud is growing rapidly and is quickly evolving into a standard in every IT organization. In fact

For the fifth consecutive year, Sunbird was recognized in The Channel Company’s CRN Data Center 100 list for cutting-edge technologies that power, support and protect today’s data centers.  The list features leading technology vendors whose solutions are vital to today’s data centers.  Sunbird - as one of the first to introduce DCIM solutions and create the intelligent rack power distribution unit (iPDU) category - was selected for its innovative solutions that solve critical data center issues, such as reducing power and cooling costs, finding infrastructure capacity, managing assets and monitoring performance.  Selected by the CRN editorial staff after months of in‐

Information Technology is so fundamental to every business today that every organization needs to establish formal processes to ensure that IT services are continually aligned to the business, and deliver efficient and reliable support over the entire lifecycle of products and services. These processes, commonly classified as IT Service Management (ITSM), may follow a well-known model such as ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) or, more likely, a set of internally-developed best practices.   Regardless of the chosen approach, it will typically include a database that defines the current overall IT function status accompa­nied by a set of ITSM processes with well- defined steps and

In IDC’s latest study—“IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) Datacenter Infrastructure Management Solution 2014 Vendor Assessment”— Sunbird was positioned prominently in the “Major Players” category and portrayed as having one of the largest DCIM market footprints in the region.   This new study is designed to help IT buyers compare vendors’ current capabilities and strategies relative to one another and to the factors that IDC believes will be most conducive to future success in the DCIM market.   According to the IDC report, “Sunbird has defined itself in the DCIM market by providing an open, robust solution for midsize enterprise data centers.  It has

Often the best lessons learned are from those that have experience.  Listen and learn as British Airways and Comcast, two companies that have successfully deployed DCIM, discuss the benefits they have received from their DCIM implementations.    In this hour long webinar, Keith Bott, Comcast, and Micah Petty, British Airways, spoke with Jennifer Koppy, IDC Research Director, and provided valuable insight into lessons learned, pitfalls to avoid, and gave viewers tips on how to be successful with a DCIM deployment.   As many data center managers are tasked to do more with less, and deliver services faster and more economically, improving the management of data center

Wednesday, November 12, at 11 am EST   How British Airways and Comcast, two of the largest companies in the world, successfully deploy DCIM in their data centers; and, what are they doing to get the most from DCIM? Find out as IDC’s Jennifer Koppy leads a revealing hour-long webinar that will uncover the most important lessons learned and pitfalls to avoid -- information useful to data centers of all sizes. Register here and learn how DCIM can help you and your data center today.    

October is National Energy Awareness Month here in the US.  Although it was first decreed in 1991 to encourage government and private sector awareness of the importance of managing energy resources wisely, this year the matter seems all the more poignant for the data center industry at large. Consider the results of Data Center Efficiency Assessment report published this past summer:   “In 2013, U.S. data centers consumed an estimated 91 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. This is the equivalent annual output of 34 large (500-megawatt) coal-fired power plants, enough electricity to power all the households in New York City twice over. Data center electricity consumption is

PUE, or Power Usage Effectiveness, which was developed by The Green Grid™, has become the standard for measuring data center efficiency.  What does it really mean and how do I calculate it?  Rumors are in industry is that you want to be as close to 1 as possible.  Why 1?  PUE is a ratio of the amount of power needed to drive and cool the data center vs the power draw from the IT equipment in the data center.  1, in the case of a ratio would mean that you have a perfect data center, one where all the power coming into the building makes it to the IT equipment with none used for loads to cool or light up the room and none lost in transmission to the IT equipment.

Data center racks are becoming denser with IT equipment and a supporting infrastructure that consumes more power than ever before.  When power was cheap, few companies gave any thought to how well they managed their power resources.  But with electricity costs reaching historic highs, companies have had no choice but to investigate energy efficient technologies and practices that can help lower those costs, and keep them competitive in a tighter global market.   This is no easy task.   Even with so many data centers having successfully implemented consolidation and virtualization projects, new high performance computing racks often demand the same amount of power

Conserving energy and lowering its usage are two of the most frequently dictated mandates for any Data Center Manager.  There are a number of ways this is accomplished: server decommissioning/consolidation, high density computing, air containment systems, air-side economizers, and so on. One method that’s rarely discussed is the practice of completely shutting down servers during off-peak hours.   Shutting down servers is often overlooked as an energy saving practice because when servers are shut down abruptly, data and applications being run on those servers may become corrupted.  But this shouldn’t deter anyone from employing graceful shutdown to power off servers, and

Dashboards are often used by businesses to give an at-a-glance view of the current status and historical trends of an organization’s key performance indicators (KPIs).  This view is often in graphical format, enabling users to easily decipher the information for informed decision making.   A good DCIM solution provides users with the ability to easily review the state and performance of their data center from a single pane of glass.  But what if you want to monitor more than one data center?  Or have multiple slices of information that can be presented?  Can you display more than one dashboard at a time? With Sunbird’s dashboard, users can customize

DCIM solutions need to seamlessly integrate with IT and facilities management systems to collect, maintain, and ensure the most accurate information.  Accurate, up-to-date information regarding assets and their interdependencies is critical to the initial population and on-going management of your data center infrastructure.  The scope of the data collection project depends on the amount of data that needs to be collected, and how easily that data can be gathered based on where it is currently stored.    Often the first step in obtaining this information is to use “auto-discovery”.  Auto-discovery provides a way to automatically search and identify data center

It’s that time of year again – hurricane season here in the US. And with that comes the potential for tropical storms, stronger than average winds, and power outages.  If you’re a data center manager, here are a few things you should consider before one of these weather events hits: Disaster recovery procedures.  What redundancy procedures do you have on site?  Do you have both redundant systems on site and a remote backup site?  Although at times painful and costly, the costs of downtime often dwarf the costs of preparing for disasters, major or minor.  Learn from your past and incorporate procedures ahead of time. Active monitoring and alerting. Use

You’ve outgrown your current facility and anticipate big-time IT infrastructure growth in the future.   Although you considered expanding your current facility or creating new one, you may have determined that neither was cost-effective in your situation.    So instead, you’ve opted to move to a colocation facility. But, while moving to a colo may provide the additional space, flexibility, and capacity you’ll need, how can you continue to manage your infrastructure effectively and meet industry regulations without being physically present?   The key is selecting a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) tool that offers you full visibility of your data

California’s Title 24 2013 energy efficiency standards will go into effect on July, 1 2014. Prior to 2013 California data centers were considered exempt from Title 24, but that’s no longer the case as most data centers will now require: Economizers in small computer rooms in buildings that have economizers Prohibiting reheat in computer rooms Prohibiting non-adiabatic humidification in computer rooms Limiting power of fan systems serving computer rooms to 27 watts/kBtuh of net sensible cooling capacity Variable speed controls on all chilled water fan systems and all direct expansion (DX) systems over 5 tons serving computer rooms. Containment in large,

The demand for new on-demand technology services and the cost of deploying and managing them continue to skyrocket.  In order to manage deepening costs, complex deployments, and ensure reliability and uptime, data center managers need access to information and data that isn’t always readily available.  These are the top five challenges data center managers face and how a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution can address those challenges.   Challenge 1: Maintaining Availability and Uptime   If you’re using spreadsheets or homegrown tools to manage your server information, you probably already know the information stored can be outdated, inaccurate, or

We’re excited to announce that the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), has named Sunbird a finalist for the 2014 CODiE Award for Best Asset Management for its DCIM operations software dcTrack®. Judges for the award recognized Sunbird for its innovation and creativity in developing a software solution that tracks and provides a visual mapping of data center assets, including IT and facilities devices.  With the increase of new services bombarding data centers, traditional asset tracking tools such as spreadsheets and Visio diagrams prove inadequate, and asset information often goes missing.   Sunbird’s DCIM solution is a proven and effective way to

Data Centers provide the basis for the delivery of new services and applications; it’s a crucial component of most modern organizations.  But bringing new services up quickly can rack up business costs.   To counter this, data center operations optimization projects are undertaken to streamline existing IT procedures, reduce operational costs, and increase productivity. Automation is Key Using DCIM to automate and streamline time-consuming processes can help optimize data center operations and reduce expenses.   DCIM solutions provide functionality that automatically discovers, populates, and stores asset information supporting the new services,

Worldwide demand for real-time data, applications, and services has led to an unprecedented increase in data center density and energy costs.  While IT equipment accounts for 50% of those energy costs, another 37% is consumed when cooling and circulating air; a figure that amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars per year.    IT departments often overcool data centers to ensure that their mission critical equipment will not fail due to overheating.  But studies have shown this is an unnecessary and costly practice.  According to David J. Cappuccio, Gartner Managing VP and Chief of research:   “Data center managers can save up to 4 percent in energy costs

You’ve been here before – a new enterprise solution comes out of nowhere promising to cut costs, reduce inefficiencies, and increase productivity – and now you’re scrambling to figure out if those seemingly intangible value propositions are really something you need, how it all fits into your current system, whether you can ever hope to recoup your initial investment, and what it spells for your career in both the best and worst case scenarios. Well DCIM isn’t that kind of a solution.  At its core, there are real, measurable value propositions that are self-evident to any data center employee: Efficient energy consumption, effective infrastructure management, and maintaining high

While it might appear that restructuring space in an existing Data Center might be less costly than moving to a new one, the reality is that it really might not be.   Do your research; determine the compromises you might have to make, and carefully plan for your move.  Consider using a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution to complement the physical move.   What follows is a high-level summary of the process that Greg Rutledge, Data Center Manager and Trey Jones, Director of IT Infrastructure Services for Houston Methodist Hospital used in deciding their strategy.   When the Houston Methodist Hospital Data Center started to run out of space,

Managing a data center and therefore Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) is by nature complex.  Each vendor has a slightly different twist on the definition and no two data center operations managers are the same – each may require different pieces to best manage their facilities and IT infrastructure.  With these sometimes divergent viewpoints no one vendor may exactly match the needs of each organization.  Understanding what you want from your DCIM implementation will be key to choosing the right data center tool vendor and having a “successful“ deployment.    So how do you begin to discern your choices?   In an analyst report, Gartner stated

Preparing to issue a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) bid?  Do you know what you actually need or what your requirements are?  There are many choices of vendors and solutions, each having a slightly different twist. When issuing your bid, Request for Quote (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP) describe your specific problems and desired outcome to potential vendors and challenge them to show how you can achieve objectives with their product and support.    Provide the bid to two or at most three DCIM products/vendors thoroughly with respect to your “must have” requirements. Any more, your evaluations might dilute the resources and the process. Ensure that