Tip Sheet - 7 Ways to Slim Down and Manage your IT Deployment

7 ways to slim down and manage your IT deployment

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As the IT manager of a small or medium-sized business, you may often deal with cramped or remote IT environments. To make the most of your available space, you need to plan out your physical infrastructure in a way that is cost effective, efficient, convenient, and manageable, while ensuring maximum data availability with proper power, cooling, power distribution, and cable management.

So how can you slim down and better manage your IT deployment?

Consider these solutions:

1. Short-depth UPS systems allow for easy deployment in a two-post or other shallow-depth rack when needed. When combined with the network management card, you are able to proactively manage your space by receiving alerts of potential on-site issues.
2. A unified dashboard and monitoring solutions allow you to remotely view and control all of your physical data locations through a single pane of glass, and collect alerts from all environments on the network. Monitoring solutions at the rack or room level let you keep an eye on critical equipment from any location. Ideally, this dashboard allows for management of third-party devices so your entire network can be managed.
3. Simple, cost-effective racks are a standard in the networking world. This allows for consolidated installation of networking devices that are not as deep as other equipment. Vendor-neutral racks make power management easier and more organized, and improve front to back airflow for proper cooling of IT equipment.
4. Remotely manageable power outlets and security cameras provide additional security, better organization, less downtime, and better efficiency. You can manage everything without being physically present, and turn your appliances on and off remotely to save time, money, and energy. Security cameras can be installed in existing racks, keeping the area secure, while monitoring temperature to sense potential leaks.
5. Mixed voltage outputs for both 120 V and 208 V mixed equipment allow for fewer UPS and power distribution units (PDUs) because more IT devices can be powered by a central unit.
6. Cable organization managers keep cables organized to maintain proper airflow, reduce troubleshooting time, and keep the space clean. This also simplifies cable routing and installation, especially since these cable managers can be applied to existing racks.
7. Flush-mounted equipment capabilities allow equipment to be easily mounted against the wall, not requiring additional space, which is essential in a space that is already tight.