Rare Endangered Species: Data Center Manager

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:57:13 GMT

Computer World published an interesting article on Data Center Managers and the increased demand for people with these kinds of skill-sets. The link for the article is " here." As I thought about the points made in the article some things came bubbling up to the top of mind. The article outlines how Data Center Managers really need to be broad thinkers and solutions architects in a range of technologies much broader that just IT. This assessment is dead-on in its direction, but really doesnt go far enough in my mind on the challenges this type of roll actually has to deal with today or will deal with tomorrow. It mentions the basic requirements: Must be process-centric, Have strong program / project management skills, deep understanding of both IT (servers, network, storage) technologies as well as electrical and mechanical facilities technologies (chillers,CRAC/CRAH, Generators, Rotary or Battery systems, etc) and Security. This is a good rough idea of the skill-sets required, but the job is getting much more complicated than that in my opinion.

While the topic of "green" is briefly mentioned, I dont really see that as being a specific requirement for the job. Most of the sustainable decisions are made during site selection, facility design, and the creation of standard operations processes - which you do once. The Data Center manager wont have much to do with that space outside of reporting (though its still another task on an already full plate). However, another almost minute mention is around regulatory requirements. This is extremely big. The modern data center manager probably goes through numerous audits throughout the course of the year. Whether its just Sarbannes-Oxley in a small localized facility or the or you are pursuing an ISO certification, the Data Center Manager has a huge role in that process. Process credit card information? We have an audit for that! Store Personally Identifiable Information? We have an audit for that! Some of the larger more prolific data centers go through 10-20 audits per year. If you have international facilities compound that problem even further. Sure, the questions are similar, but its more cycles and regulatory stuff they have to deal with.

While not formally announced companies can probably bet on the fact that the EPA and DOE involvement on Data Center Power Consumption will lead to some guidelines and reporting around facility and energy efficiency, carbon footprint, and the like. These tasks will likely fall to the DCM for any given company as they sit in the only place that could accurately collect this information.

Data Centers are becoming critical infrastructural components to many companies whether they know it or not. The progressive companies who understand this will succeed and those that dont will probably learn it the hard way. For example, if you reference back to the article it talks about how the DCM must be the jack of all trades, yet it boggles my mind that the industry has resisted collapsing the Facilities Teams and the Traditional IT into the same function. In my role I get to talk to alot of Data Center Managers at customer companies. I cannot tell you how often in the real world that the disconnect between disparate Facility and IT functions impacts schedule, deployments, and lack of coordinated efforts.

The large players in this space get it. The question is does your company?

In my mind two things are certain - The first is that the demand for quality Data Center Managers is very high. My caution to you is that your organization may not understand the true cost of having a good one until you lose them. The second thing is if you lose them, they wont be on the market long.

/Mm

Random Thoughts: Data Centers - People

Rare Endangered Species: Data Center Manager