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DATA CENTER ASSESSMENTS:
IMPROVE DATA CENTER PERFORMANCE
Data Center Audits and Analysis are essential to efficient operations, controlling costs and planning.
Costly data center decisions are too often made without the benefit of a solid audit and analysis of your data center and identification of your alternatives. Easily-resolved problems are allowed to persist until resolution becomes challenging, or even a crisis. Day-day operations and minor issues can get all the attention while significant risks remain that are not even fully understood, let alone mitigated.
With over 25 years of experience, PlanNet has performed detailed on-site assessments of hundreds of data centers and other critical facilities. Whereas no two facilities are alike, a professional analysis should readily highlight concerns relative to other data centers supporting similar functions.
PlanNet’s assessment deliverable typically includes:
- A concise, executive summary with recommendations and financial considerations.
- A definition and a model of your current and future data center requirements / demand.
- A detailed assessment of geographic location risks, location in building risks
- Usable spaces
- Equipment current operating condition and maintenance practices
- Equipment usable capacities with redundancy failover
- Power and cooling efficiency
- Equipment loading and available capacity (many operators think they have more in reserve than they actually have)
- Local and remote monitoring and controls
- Equipment labeling and signage, as-built construction drawing accuracy, operating procedure effectiveness
- Operator coverage based on the site-specific needs, qualifications
- Repair/maintenance and operating costs
- Desired future state scenarios, with design options, to address expected changes in requirements. These may involve expansion, downsizing, rightsizing, hardening, refreshing equipment or allowing low-risk, online maintenance
- Detailed cost estimates for future state options.
- Block diagrams, sketches or other documentation developed to effectively convey current and future state details.
Data center assessments need to be kept current and should be refreshed at least every few years. Equipment ages, problems develop, loads change, available technology improves, including energy efficiency, which directly affects power costs (the highest ongoing operating cost of data centers).
Not all problems need to be resolved, especially where resolution is costly, risky or otherwise disruptive. But to effectively live with and manage a problem, the risks need to be fully understood. Many vulnerabilities can be resolved at low cost and low risk.
PlanNet is often engaged to provide troubleshooting and dig into a failure, uncover the root cause and provide mitigation options. PlanNet is often brought in to resolve specific issues and problems like :
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- Failures, especially repeat failures causing unplanned downtime;
- Replacing and often re-configuring end-of-life equipment;
- Not enough white space, or too much white space;
- Not enough utility power, generator, UPS or PDU capacity;
- Not enough cooling capacity or hot spots/poor air management;
- Inability to perform required maintenance without presenting undue risk;
- Emergency Power Off (EPO) shutdown risk;
- Water intrusion risk; and
- Physical security risk.
Data Center Strategy & Consulting Services

DATA CENTER ASSESSMENT
& DESIGN
Are you looking to resolve a problem, to design upgrades or design a new data center? A comprehensive, up-to-date assessment of your data center is essential to understand the risks, available capacities, costs and equipment reliable life expectancies.

DATA CENTER MIGRATION
Data center migrations are complex and risky. PlanNet’s migration experts thoroughly assess requirements, evaluate business and technical constraints, develop a comprehensive migration plan, and navigate the transition from validation testing to go-live.

DATA CENTER PLANNING
To help businesses make informed decisions, PlanNet develops strategic sourcing strategies for their data center facilities. PlanNet’s knowledge base covers IT infrastructure, applications, DR, real estate, finance, operations and engineering.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY / DISASTER RECOVERY
With the reliance on enterprise applications and the proliferation of public and customer-facing information services, reliability and uptime of IT infrastructure is absolutely critical. Protecting your business from unnecessary risk is the prime objective. Are you prepared?

COLOCATION & CLOUD SOURCING
Let PlanNet find you the best options for your co-location or cloud data center. Our extensive database of worldwide co-lo and cloud providers allows us to quickly determine which providers and locations best meet your requirements. PlanNet’s delivery model saves both time and money.

IT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Does your project manager know technology? Technology projects are complex, they impact business, require significant coordination and financial control. PlanNet only assigns project managers with proven track records deploying technology.
Helping Fortune 500 companies and mid-sized organizations since 2001
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Get a Free Phone Consultation.
Or Call Us Today at 714.982.5832
I cannot thank you enough for your facilitation of the data center migration project. PlanNet is more than a partner…you really are part of our team as a trusted advisor and I would not be where I am today without your expertise and most importantly, your dedication to SEFCU.
[PlanNet] brought experts, technical resources to bear that the other vendors didn’t, and they were able to very concisely summarize the technical discussions and presentations in very manageable sound bites.
They do a good job, not only providing the analysis that we ask for, but also in explaining it to us, so that we fully understand what went into it and we’re all on alignment on the metrics.
Thank you again for all your efforts on this site, given my role to ensure this sight stays Operational, you definitely have made my life a lot easier.
RECENT PROJECTS
About PlanNet
PlanNet is an independent professional services firm that provides objective advisory, design, project management and implementation services to both private and public-sector organizations. The firm, founded in 2001, is headquartered in Brea, California. PlanNet’s experienced and highly skilled team of technologists, engineers, project managers and construction professionals support a broad variety of clients with engagements ranging from IT infrastructure and enterprise systems to workplace technologies and all aspects of critical facilities, including construction. PlanNet primary practice areas include: Technology Consulting, Data Center Strategy & Consulting and Critical Facilities Design & Construction.