Data centers, which store and process massive amounts of data, are essential to our modern digital world. Downtime and service disruptions can result in substantial financial losses, so it is crucial to maintain uninterrupted operations— the five nines (99.999% uptime). Enter data center automation.
While most attention is given to the hardware and software inside the data center, the building itself and its environment significantly impact the equipment’s optimal operation and reliability. OT networks are essential for maintaining the stable environment required by data centers for many of the systems that keep operations running.
In this industry focus, let’s examine how important building and data center automation is to maintain peak performance for data centers and how a modern OT network makes that possible.
Data Centers Can’t Afford to be Offline
At 13% and climbing, heat and other environmental factors continue to become larger contributors to data center downtime. For example, in July 2022, Google and Oracle data centers in the UK were forced offline because they could not keep up with the 40-degree heat wave.
When a data center goes offline, the financial and operational consequences are immediate and severe. Industry studies estimate that the average cost of data center downtime is $100,000 to $1M in losses. For large enterprises and critical facilities, this figure can climb even higher, especially when factoring in lost revenue, damage to reputation, and potential regulatory penalties.
The Critical Role of OT Networks in Data Centers
Strict environmental control
Without question, environmental control is the most important aspect of an OT network in a data center. The Building Management System (BMS) is tasked with monitoring and controlling critical environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and airflow through the HVAC systems. Maintaining precise environmental conditions is essential to prevent equipment failures and ensure optimal performance.
The OT network functions like the connective tissue for these systems, creating the network that allows the monitors, sensors, and HVAC appliances to provide the data needed for environmental monitoring.
This allows the BMS to dynamically adjust cooling systems, such as air handling units and chillers, to prevent overheating and maintain optimal conditions.
Reliable power management
Like the BMS, the Energy Management System (EMS) oversees the electrical distribution and power systems. OT networks are the networks that enable the EMS to manage power distribution and backup systems within data centers.
Reliable power is essential for continuous operation, and OT networks provide the intelligent sensors to regulate and instruct the systems that help prevent power outages and surges that can damage equipment or cause data loss.
Energy efficiency.
Data centers, particularly those involved in AI processing, require a lot of power. So it’s in everyone’s best interest—from those within the company concerned with uptime, to those in the community with environmental concerns—that ESG principles play a role in the building’s operation.
OT networks are key to achieving energy efficiency, not only in enabling environmental control and power stability, but adding a layer of intelligence and real-time decision-making to the process to enable tangible savings. This includes:
- Intelligent cooling: OT networks can optimize cooling systems by continuously monitoring temperature and humidity levels, adjusting cooling resources to prevent overcooling and reduce energy waste.
- Power usage optimization: By monitoring power consumption patterns, OT networks can identify opportunities to optimize power distribution, balance loads, and leverage renewable energy sources.
- Waste heat recovery: OT networks can integrate with systems that capture and reuse waste heat generated by data center equipment for heating offices or other purposes, reducing energy consumption.
- Predictive maintenance: Through real-time data analysis and machine learning, OT networks can help predict equipment failures and enable predictive maintenance, minimizing downtime and reducing energy waste.
OT networks also help manage security systems and access control within data centers, protecting valuable assets and data from unauthorized access and potential threats. The Security System (SEC) ensures physical security through access controls, video surveillance, and threat detection.
The Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)
A term unique to the industry, it’s the culmination of all the management systems we’ve touched on under one umbrella. A Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) system is specialized software designed to provide visibility into a data center’s physical and logical assets. That means it monitors, measures, and manages critical (physical) components like power, cooling, and occupancy, as well as the network (logical) resources, to optimize performance and efficiency.
DCIM is the product of IT/OT convergence. It leverages data from IT and OT facility systems to provide a unified view, helping operators make informed decisions, reduce energy consumption, and prevent downtime.
DCIM software, powered by OT networks.
Without a robust OT network, a significant part of data center automation’s critical needs aren’t monitored, measured, and maintained. In short, a modern OT network delivers the data needed by the DCIM to maintain the optimum environment for peak data center performance, including:
- Improved Reliability and Uptime: Robust OT networks improve the reliability and uptime of data centers, minimizing the risk of costly downtime and ensuring continuous operation.
- Enhanced Operational Efficiency: OT networks enable efficient management and control of critical systems within data centers, reducing operational costs and improving overall efficiency.
- Increased Security and Protection: OT networks enhance security and protect valuable data and assets within data centers, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.
Data Center OT Networks Need OptigoVN
OT networks have needs too. Chief among them is proactive maintenance for issue prevention. An OT network equipped with advanced diagnostic software allows for proactive maintenance and early detection of potential issues, preventing costly equipment failures and downtime.
OptigoVN provides device-level results for data facilities managers and systems integrators tasked with maintaining the OT network. Its suite of diagnostics leverages packet inspection to analyze BACnet traffic like no other solution.
Key Features of OptigoVN for Data Centers:
- Packet Inspection: Analyze network traffic to identify connectivity problems, latency, or protocol errors, pinpointing the root cause of network problems.
- Real-Time Alerts: Send alerts when network problems are detected, enabling quick action to resolve them.
- Historical Data: Store historical data about network traffic to identify trends and patterns, predict future issues, and take preventive measures.
- Cloud-Based Access: As a cloud-based solution, OptigoVN can be accessed from anywhere, making it ideal for data centers with multiple locations.
Overall, OptigoVN is a powerful tool that can help data centers improve the performance and reliability of their OT networks, power their DCIM, and ensure they meet the high demands of modern digital infrastructure.
Ready to harness OptigoVN’s network monitoring to see your network better than ever? Sign up for a free OptigoVN account today or contact us to schedule a personalized demo and see how our platform can empower your team.
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FAQ: The Role of OT Networks in Data Centers
1. Why are OT networks critical for data center automation?
OT networks connect and control essential systems like HVAC, power distribution, and security, ensuring optimal environmental conditions, energy efficiency, and uptime for data centers.
2. How does an OT network help prevent data center downtime?
By enabling real-time monitoring of HVAC, power, and security systems, OT networks detect and respond to issues before they escalate, reducing the risk of costly downtime.
3. What role does OT play in data center energy efficiency?
OT networks optimize cooling, power usage, and waste heat recovery, reducing energy consumption and helping data centers meet sustainability goals.
4. How does OptigoVN support data center automation?
OptigoVN provides advanced diagnostics, packet inspection, and real-time alerts to improve OT network visibility, detect issues early, and enhance operational efficiency.
5. What is Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), and how does it relate to OT?
DCIM integrates IT and OT data to monitor power, cooling, and network resources, leveraging OT networks to maintain peak data center performance.
6. How do OT networks contribute to data center security?
They support physical security measures like access control and surveillance while ensuring network integrity to protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats.
7. Can OT networks help with predictive maintenance in data centers?
Yes, by continuously analyzing real-time data, OT networks enable predictive maintenance, reducing failures and optimizing equipment lifespan.
