In the Spotlight: Overcoming monitoring gaps using an active model of your power stream.
A complete model is the only way. Power values for every device!
Your power chain is both varied and complex. Across that diversity, you have to account for and manage a wide range of monitoring capabilities, protocols, and data points. However, no matter your level of monitoring, you should still have a complete model of your power chain.
It is not always possible to monitor every device, but every device should be represented. You have measured points at every turn in an ideal world but do not accept vacancies without monitored data because your DCIM solution can’t handle it. Blind spots in your power chain can be a disaster waiting to happen. Your DCIM solution should keep you ahead of the curve with an acute awareness of the state of things.
Our OpenData DCIM solution approaches this by actively modeling your power chain to give you visibility where other systems may provide you with none.
The power chain in OpenData describes the interconnections between your power devices. More than connectivity, it represents the relationship between those components. From this, it can build a complete image, despite incomplete monitoring capability: a bold statement but a simple concept. Where you lack direct device monitoring, you can create a power load and capacity model using points from other sources. You can aggregate loads from child devices where you lack points on other sources. Where you lack those, you can substitute fixed values. The result is a model where you have the best possible case data and never a vacancy.
It’s also a model that can evolve with you. Ideally, every device is fully monitored, but until you have built that world for yourself, you can fill in the gaps. Then, as you upgrade devices or add monitoring, you can update individual aspects of the model to leverage the improved data. From there, you automatically improve any derived points.
How does this translate to the real world? First, think about the evolution of a power strip that you add to a configuration and want to monitor
- Week 1-no monitoring – substitute fixed values, perhaps from a tech measuring with a power tap.
- Week 2-downstream loads defined – the sum of children gives you a dynamic value that reflects the load of the connected child devices.
- Week 3-downstream loads monitored – the sum of measured points gives you real-time load on the power strip.
- Week 4-monitored iPDU installed – direct values reported.
Accuracy evolved. History maintained. And through the process, the upstream unmonitored breaker’s load improved as an automatic byproduct. You have created an active power stream model that evolves with your DCIM monitoring.
