I'm sure that many of you already know or have heard of the term VUCA, but, in case there's anyone who hasn't had the chance or isn't quite clear about the relationship with Data Centers, we'll try to explain it.
VUCA is a term coined by the U.S. Army War College to describe the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the world that emerged after the end of the Cold War.
Today, more than ever, companies will have to navigate markets that are changing the way they operate. They will need to rely on people, knowledge, and technology to ensure their continued existence as a company.
While it's challenging to precisely apply this term to the world of critical infrastructures, it is a reality that those responsible for such infrastructures will have to confront some, if not all, of these VUCA concepts.
When we talk about Volatility, this term puts me on alert (like when I hear it in stock market news...). In the context of data centers, we refer to the need for those responsible to adapt to frequent, rapid, and significant changes that occur in their day-to-day operations, both in the Core and Edge infrastructure. The world has become smaller, and globalization means that competition is fierce, which is why volatility will be significant in this sector. In this regard, DCIM has much to offer, mainly by providing reliable information so that decisions are suitable and timely. It allows us to stop improvising or being reactive and instead be proactive. Overnight, the situation can change, and having DCIM tools allows us to quickly access real-time information to make rapid decisions.
Uncertainty (I'm sure we've all experienced this at some point, feeling lost in our daily lives, not knowing which way to go) is another concept that keeps us in a constant state of anxiety, often preventing us from acting correctly due to fear of the unknown. Surprisingly, in data centers, this is more common than we might think. Many data centers face situations of uncertainty, not knowing what will happen. Sometimes, no matter how much experience and resources we have, there are certain situations we've never encountered before, and we don't know how to react. We all know of large data centers that, for one reason or another, have experienced major outages that cost their clients or the company a lot of money. There are well-equipped data centers that, when the moment arrived, were caught off guard for a while. If we had anticipated and worked on this situation in advance, the times and costs would likely have been minimized. Having DCIM tools that allow you to simulate and recreate infrastructure failures will better prepare you, or perhaps, you may solve the problem before it occurs. Working proactively instead of reactively will help reduce moments of uncertainty.
Complexity (I don't need to tell you that we're all quite complex! But that's why we need to be more approachable and simplify things! Anyone who has had the opportunity to work in or visit a data center is aware of the complexity involved in managing the entire infrastructure. The day-to-day operations of such infrastructure require a significant number of hours of supervision and daily situational analysis. I'm sure we all agree on this. Through our experience, we have observed that many of these problems and execution times can be minimized in a large majority by working with more automated and optimized processes. We need to transform all the departmental islands we often see within these infrastructures into a unified whole. With coordinated processes, there's no need for constant visual inspection due to unreliable information, remote sites sending biased data, or departments operating independently. Instead, everything should be unified under a comprehensive solution that integrates all the tools for infrastructure management. Managing an infrastructure with a top-tier DCIM is a good alternative to minimize the complexity of critical infrastructure, such as a data center.
Lastly, let's discuss Ambiguity (I'm sure you've heard the expression, "You're so ambiguous... You don't know whether you're coming or going!"). This can be seen in some data centers due to a lack of clarity and the difficulty of understanding the exact real situation of their infrastructure. An environment is ambiguous when it is challenging to measure or diagnose what is happening, typically due to conflicting data from two information sources. With a management model based on DCIM and an enriched monitoring layer, you can have clearer and more realistic information at all times. This helps you avoid making ambiguous decisions and ultimately enhances the company's benefits. Unifying information eliminates ambiguity.
In conclusion, we all go through VUCA processes in our lives. Because we know what that means, we want to be with you and let you know that we are here to assist you with anything that might make you feel like you're going through a VUCA experience in your company.
