Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for data centre operators.
A checklist built from how data centre operators work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Customer contracts and capacity
- Rack and cable register
- Power and environment readings
- Visitor and access control
- Deliveries and remote hands tickets
- Facility maintenance calendar
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For sales and capacity planners
- For facilities engineers
- For technicians on customer tasks
- For security and reception
- For customers
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Power committed, drawn and free by hall, row and rack
- Rack and cage occupancy with reserved holds and expiry dates
- Cross-connects by carrier, customer and monthly charge
- Remote hands tasks by customer, with included hours used
- Visitor log by customer, building and date
- Maintenance tasks done and due by system and hall
- Contracts by renewal date, with power and space used
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- Power and environment monitoring export
- SMS
- Access control badge list
- Accounting export
- Payment gateway
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Does it replace our building management or DCIM system?
- How are power overage charges worked out?
- Can customers see their own racks and usage?
- Can we hold space for a prospect before signing?
- How do cross-connects get recorded?
- Does it control door locks?
- Can existing rack lists be loaded?
- Who owns the facility data?
- What does it cost?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Power is sold faster than it is measured
- Rack and cable records disagree with the floor
- Access lists go stale
- Remote hands work is billed late
- Maintenance proof is scattered
Prefer to talk it through? See the data centre operators page.