DCIM – How Do I Decide What’s Right For Me and Cut Through All the Hype and Confusion?

July 15, 2011

As SVP of Global Sales and Marketing for Raritan, I have had the opportunity to speak with many different companies around the world that have been considering a DCIM solution. In most cases, the conversation quickly turns to “with over XX companies and growing claiming to have some sort of a DCIM solution out there today, how do I chose the right one?” I can see the frustration on their faces as they try to decide which solution is right for their specific needs. At this point I tell them to take a deep breath and then I try to help them simplify the problem down to some basic needs.

First, let’s identify your top one to two most pressing needs. What problem or problems are you trying to solve? Are they in the areas of asset management, capacity planning, energy management, visualization, change management or environment management? Sure many of the companies that offer solutions in the DCIM space claim to offer all of these features, but do they really solve the problem that you are facing? Chances are not. Don’t try and boil the ocean. Solve for the few biggest problems first.

Next I ask them how, if at all, they are getting the information they need to solve the problem today. Is it in a spreadsheet, on a clipboard at the end of the aisle, in a document on their computer or is it nonexistent? Regardless of the answer, the goal is to get that important information into a system that can provide them with the capability to not only see all the data, but take positive action to solve the problem or problems. You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Finally, once the problem definition is agreed upon I ask them if they are ready to dedicate the internal resources to make the system a valuable dynamic tool both today and in the future. This is where it is very important to establish up front if the company is planning to deploy and maintain the system themselves or seek outside help for some or all parts of this. It is critical that a statement of work (SOW) is established defining process, timeline and most importantly ownership both internally and externally. This will give all parties involved the ability to set fair and reasonable expectations of the DCIM solution and a high probability of success. It is also critical as the software license, the installation/professional services costs and the ongoing resources costs will make up the total cost of ownership.

At Raritan we know that our customers have many choices of vendors to choose from.  We always strive to not only take the time to understand all the upfront requirements, but also exceed our customers’ expectations with our products and services. We are committed to making every customer a delighted Raritan customer.