Why You Need Cloud-Friendly DCIM Software
By Fred Koh - December 23, 2018In a previous article here, we discussed the importance of viewing your entire Cloud and Infrastructure. In this blog, we will pick up where that article left off and discuss why exactly this is important when it comes asset management. To illustrate, we will use our own Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software, netTerrain DCIM,…
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5 Reasons You Need DCIM Software
By Fred Koh - December 17, 2018Is your organization considering the need for Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software — and trying to determine if it is something that will truly impact your functionality and bottomline? It’s all too easy to get distracted by all the features and bells and whistles you see in a demo or even in a proposal….
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Why You Need Practical Views for DCIM Software (Not 3D Views)
By Fred Koh - December 16, 2018In a previous blog article, we looked at the question of 3D views when it comes to DCIM software. At first glance, this may seem like a fair assumption: if vendors don’t offer 3D views of their data center room and racks, does that mean their software is old or behind the times? In that…
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Network Documentation vs. Network Management Systems
By Fred Koh - December 9, 2018A few weeks back, I wrote about automated network documentation as a solution for sharing and collaborating vital network information between colleagues. In that blog, I mentioned that I’ve run into many organizations sharing spreadsheets and Visio diagrams using shared folders or SharePoint. For these organizations, the need for an automated network mapping solution such…
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OSP Software: 3 Steps to Find the Right Solution
By Fred Koh - December 4, 2018Tasked with finding OSP software? If you need to find an outside plant (OSP) tool to help document and manage your fiber plant, you may be wondering how you can get the project started and find the right OSP solution for your team’s unique needs? First off, find out what your budget is (the cost…
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Automated Network Documentation for Sharing & Collaboration
By Fred Koh - November 12, 2018These days, Visio and spreadsheets shared via a shared folder or via SharePoint seems to be what many of the people with whom I speak are using to document the network. Are you using Visio and/or spreadsheets to document the network? If so, how is this working out for your company? Being able to access…
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Graphical Networks at Orlando’s BICSI Winter 2019 Conference
By Fred Koh - October 29, 2018Graphical Networks has announced it will showcase netTerrain 8.0, its flagship IT documentation software, at BICSI Winter Conference in January of 2019. Attendees will be able to get a demo of netTerrain and see how they can manage the entire plant, inside and out, with end-to-end connectivity views, GIS-enabled diagrams, and in three flavors: DCIM, network…
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October is National Cyber Security Month: Why Network Diagrams Matter
By Fred Koh - October 15, 2018Ah, October. Falling leaves, changing colors, a chill in the air (all dependant upon where you live, of course), and of course, the ubiquitous pumpkin spice in everything. Less well known, but not any less important, is that October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) dates back to 2004, an…
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How to Calculate Data Center PUE
By Fred Koh - September 19, 2018PUE, which stands for Power Usage Effectiveness, is a ratio used to measure data center energy consumption. This ratio was first released in 2007 via The Green Grid, which is a nonprofit consortium of data center end-users, tech professionals, utility providers, and policy makers dedicated to ‘greening’ modern data centers. Data Center PUE: What’s the…
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The netTerrain Product Selection Pocket Guide
By Fred Koh - August 31, 2018Need to document the network — and your outside plant, as well? Or maybe you need to manage rack capacity and weight? Not sure which netTerrain product you need? Let’s figure it out! netTerrain is designed to be user-friendly, and it shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which product you need: this quick…
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Change Management Crucial in DCIM & Network Mapping Success
By Fred Koh - August 29, 2018Have you been using spreadsheets and Visio diagrams to document your data center and networks? Are you considering upgrading to DCIM or an automated network diagramming solution? I’ve consulted on numerous project approvals and over the years, I’ve found that two key questions pop up time and time again: How, exactly, will you maintain the…
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Network Visibility for IoT Devices
By Fred Koh - August 27, 2018By now, we’ve all heard about the Internet of Things (IoT) via various news articles, social media posts, and maybe even stock analysts. How you define IoT depends upon what you’re doing: for some, it’s self-driving vehicles, sensor networks for monitoring, ‘smart cities’, or walking into an Amazon grocery store and picking up lunch without…
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