4 minute readSix Professional Services for Your Data Center

Data center maintenance is essential for keeping your entire IT operation running smoothly. Once the data center is built, you must keep the facility and equipment maintained. Proper maintenance maximizes systems performance and reliability, and minimizes downtime. Successfully operating a Data Center, however, requires an orchestra of skill sets and managing it can become an expensive affair, if not done properly.

That’s where professional services come into play. You should do what you do best and outsource the rest. Here are six types of services related to the implementation, maintenance, operation, and enhancement of the Data Center.

1. Managed Services

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offer technical support for one or more lines of products. They may be specialists in a specific type of hardware or software or work across a spectrum of different technologies. In data centers, support services address challenges with the servers, storage, software, networking equipment, or associated processes needed to manage a data center’s physical assets. These services can also include equipment installation and configuration.

2. Technical Consulting

Consulting and integration services providers have expertise and knowledge to help companies make clever decisions regarding systems integrations. Technical consulting services offer guidance on the application of technology which might include:

⋅ Choosing or outlining new technology needs
⋅ Designing or redesigning current technology strategies
⋅ Migrating the current technology to a new environment
⋅ Integrating new technology into the already existing landscape

Specific examples of technical consulting services for a data center might include:

⋅ Selecting a new location for the data center
⋅ Consolidation, virtualization, and automation
⋅ Redesigning and reconfiguring the data center for cloud computing
⋅ Completing storage arrays
⋅ Adding offsite storage services into the current network

3. Application Services

Application Service Providers (ASPs) typically offer software-based services such as Web and email hosting. ASPs can also include services that help companies develop, integrate, or manage their network’s applications.

4. Technical Training

Technical training services offer skills, labs, and specialty programs that teach hardware, software, or data center management processes. Topics usually include uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and cooling systems, measuring availability, temperature, humidity, airflow, and other similar infrastructure requirements.

5. OEM Maintenance

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) maintenance from vendors such as Dell EMC, HPE, Cisco, and IBM are the traditional default for support in most data centers. At the end of the warranty, cata center managers are offered the option of buying an extended service level agreement (SLA). After approximately 6-9 years, OEMs usually submit an End of Service Life notice announcing that they will no longer provide support, which generally forces a hardware refresh.

6. Third Party Maintenance

Third Party Maintenance Providers offer the same level, or better, service terms as OEM maintenance, at about half the cost. Where OEM’s have product-specific contracts, Third Party Maintenance providers have the flexibility to lump multiple manufacturers, asset classes, and families into one contract. One of the more beneficial aspects of switching from your OEM to a Third Party Maintenance provider is the provider’s ability to increase the lifespan and usage time for equipment nearing End of Life (EOL) or End of Service Life (EOSL). EOL and EOSL are the terms the OEM sets to compel the purchase of newer equipment.

There are many options for outsourcing all or some of your data center’s operations. From storage and security to data backups and disaster recovery to service and support of your IT assets, engaging professional services can save a lot of time, money, and alleviate risk.