DCIM In 2013: The IT struggle

Mobile devices pose a unique challenge to IT departments in regards to what standards should be in place.

Mobile devices continue to pose a challenge for enterprise level IT departments as no one has figured out what standards should be put in place in regards to the emerging trends.

Organizations that moved to the cloud last year are finding out what systems work well and which don’t. As a result, IT managers have opted to use a hybrid system or stick to using dedicated servers entirely.

Infrastructure management should be centralized but with all these emerging trends (mobile device’s as IT tools, cloud and shared virtual networking) such a task becomes much more complex than it needs to be.

Furthermore, the build out of more and more infrastructures means there is more than enough physical space to go around. So what’s the solution?

Improve Scalability & Decentralize

IT managers know there are a plethora of options available, yet the main focus should not be on implementing new management systems, or even worse, building out a new centralized management system entirely.

Such a task could take all year and slow an organization down. Instead managers should focus on leveraging existing infrastructures. Scalability is key as is creating a highly resilient network capable of meeting the demands of a busy organization. Data protection and internal controls should continually evolve in an effort to improve security and productivity. Perhaps creating a standardized protocol for mobile IT tools on a corporate network (smart-phones, tablets etc) shouldn’t be a priority.

Perhaps a decentralized approach is best while letting the industry work these issues out before devising a system that may turn out to be defunct by years end. Enterprise level IT will definitely embrace the BYOD trend but it’s just too early to tell how fast this may or may not happen. The problem is always with security. How do employees share files, access and store them from either outside or inside an office environment.

Embrace Colocation Services

Since many organizations are still merely thinking of moving to a private cloud, Enterprises should look to colocation companies for customized solutions. Colocation providers can help organizations devise a hybrid system to better utilize what existing tools they already have. Outsourcing some responsibilities of a managed network may help IT departments stay on top of other pressing issues.

Sometimes lacking the insight to leverage new tools isn’t a bad thing. Sticking to your guns and enlisting the help of a reputable data center operator may help organizations to remain productive until the dust of the BYOD and Cloud trend settles. In the words of a famous recording engineer, “Rock what you got”, or until you have the money and knowledge to upgrade to a new system.