Top 19 Data Center Management Interview Questions
Q1. How Do Older Generations Of Infrastructure Management Tools Differ From More Recent Versions?
Eay bodily infrastructure control equipment were restricted in scope and required good sized human intervention. While they might warn that a particular parameter were exceeded, the operator would have to decide what equipment was affected by the mistake. First-gen tools could not make correlations among a physical infrastructure tool and a server, nor have been they able to starting up movements to save you downtime, inclusive of speeding up f to dissipate a hot spot.
Never management equipment are designed to identify and solve problems with minimal human intervention. By correlating power, cooling and space assets to individual servers (physical and digital), DCIM tools nowadays can proactively tell IT control systems of ability physical infrastructure troubles and how they might effect unique IT masses. Newer making plans software gear illustrate, thru a graphical consumer interface, the modern physical kingdom of the data middle and simulate the effect of destiny physical equipment provides, actions, and failures.
Q2. What Does Data Center Architecture Mean?
Data middle architecture is the physical and logical format of the resources and device inside a statistics middle facility.
It serves as a blueprint for designing and deploying a statistics center facility. It is a layered system which presents architectural guidelines in information center improvement.
Q3. What Features/features Do I Look For?
Some functions/capabilities to bear in mind:
Open supply — supplier-neutrality is key, as very few facts centers are standardized on a single dealer from top to bottom. Open supply DCIM software program can combine records from, as an example, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) structures, electricity distribution devices (PDUs), and cooling devices from 3 (or greater) different providers.
In addition, with open protocols, it's far pretty easy to feature additional software program equipment and count on them to speak and paintings collectively efficiently.
Functionality — relying for your needs, you’ll need to explore numerous features:
Planning functions, including asset management and cause/effect analysis
Operational functions, which includes supporting to finish more tasks in less time, reducing human mistakes, and identifying root reasons of problems
Analysis functions, consisting of identifying operational strengths and weaknesses and optimizing electricity usage
Q4. What Is A Carrier-impartial Data Center?
A statistics middle is said to be carrier-neutral if a purchaser can order cross connections or communications offerings from any existing issuer and the statistics center company actively tries to courtroom additional providers into the facility.
Q5. What Are Some Common Scenarios That Dcim Tools Can Help Avoid?
Here are some we see greater often than we’d like:
A rack of servers loses electricity whilst an IT administrator by chance overloads an already maxed-out strength strip.
A huge records center virtualizes and consolidates its maximum crucial applications on a cluster of servers. Using the failover mechanism of the virtualization platform, they feel included from hardware failure. Unfortunately, in their panning, they don’t apprehend that each of the servers is depending on the equal UPS, which me that if the USAfails, no UPS-blanketed servers are available to migrate the affected loads to.
An operator is attempting to decide whether electricity potential that changed into simply handed on a rack is handiest an anomaly or a growing fashion. She goes on “gut feel” and leaves it by myself. The next time electricity capacity in that rack is handed, a breaker journeys and all the servers downstream of that breaker which can be walking mission crucial programs are all of sudden shut down.
In a large. Undertaking essential information center, the provisioning and installation of servers is so complex that best notably paid contract engineers are capable of perform the undertaking.
Q6. Is Dcim Just About Software?
No, DCIM tools include a group of software program packages (mentioned above), information series gear, and a dashboard. The information collection is generally finished by devices like meters, power safety gadgets, embedded cards, programmable good judgment controllers (PLCs), and sensors, which gather information and forward it to control software for processing.
The different factor of DCIM is a dashboard. Critical data from the DCIM software and statistics collection tools needs to be aggregated and supplied so IT managers can visualize the facts in a manner this is significant and actionable. Dashboards may be configured for exceptional needs, for example to awareness at the performance of the IT equipment versus the physical infrastructure (cooling, strength, security).
Q7. What Is Data Center?
A data center (or datacenter) is a facility composed of networked computer systems and garage that agencies or different groups use to organize, system, keep and disseminate huge amounts of statistics. A commercial enterprise normally is based heavily upon the packages, services and statistics contained within a statistics middle, making it a focus and essential asset for everyday operations.
Q8. Practically Speaking, What Do These Two Types Of Dcim Software Do?
Monitoring and automation software can do such things as:
Provide power use details that enable the linking of operating prices to each business unit user institution, which then ll ws for” rate backs”
Monitor and control facility warmness, ventilation, and aircon (HVAC) structures, in addition to fire, water steam, and gasoline systems, and facility protection
Perform auto discovery of recent device additions, verifying that everything works out of the field
Report actual-time, common and height power utilization by means of rack, which may help you make a decision in which to feature a brand new server or identity and take away recurring and feasible dangerous load spikes
Measure electricity usage effectiveness (PUE) on a daily foundation and track historical PUE, assisting you examine whether fee slicing and electricity saving techniques are actually operating.
Planning and implementation software can do such things as:
Generate stock reports organized via device kind, age, manufacturer, and properties of the device (on hand to speedy identify underutilized property, property out of guarantee, and property that need to be upgraded)
Generate an audit trail for modifications to belongings and paintings orders, including a record of alarms raised and alarms removed, supplying genuine evidence for publish-failure analysis Perform auto discovery of new device additions, verifying that the whole lot works out of the field
Map out what-il scenanos, which includes: unwell change the contents of this rack, how will it effect my cooling? Measure electricity utilization effectiveness (PUE) on a day by day basis and track historic PUE, assisting you analyze whether value cutting and electricity saving strategies are sincerely running.
Answer questions such as:
What is my statistics middle’s PUE?
What is the foremost location to put my next physical or digital server?
What will the effect of recent system be on my redundancy and protection margins?
Q9. What Does Data Center Management Mean?
Data middle control refers to a small wide variety of personnel who've been detailed and employed to manage large data sets and hardware structures which can be generally a part of a large allotted network. The statistics middle is responsible for the control of full-size amounts of statistics and the hardware required to store it and distribute it to customers.
Data center management plays a essential position in protecting records and retaining it at ease in an effort to keep away from statistics protection breaches. The hosted pc environment within a records middle have to be explicitly controlled, but maximum of the control is performed in an automated fashion, hence saving hiring and electricity charges. Data centers may be controlled remotely and may not even house real personnel.
Functions of statistics middle control include upgrading hardware and software/operating systems, coping with facts distribution and storage, backup regimes, emergency planning and a few technical support.
Q10. How Do I Evaluate Dcim Solutions?
There are many DCIM equipment and suites of answers on the market, and as with any acquisition, you want to observe each seriously and pick out the one that great meets your precise wishes.
Q11. What Is A Cross-connection Or Data Center Cross Connect?
A cross connection is most customarily a layer 1 or bodily layer connection between networks. Data center providers commonly segment move connections by means of type of cabling used to make the connection - copper, coaxial or fiber. Cross connections are commonly completed with the aid of the information middle provider for a non-routine (NRC) and a month-to-month routine (MRC) rate.
Q12. What Can Dcim Tools Do To Help Manage Energy Consumption In M Data Center?
Newer DCIM gear degree, screen, automate, and optimize methods for energy performance. They can do things like:
Initiate load shifts: as an instance, whilst a tracking gadget detects a discounted statistics center load at night time, it might consolidate programs onto rack #1 and turn off rack #2, saving power. In addition, if the reduced IT load can function at a better temperature, variable velocity f in CRAGS can be adjusted down, and the decreased cooling load would be stated to the building management device (BMS), which optimizes the chiller by way of elevating the chilled water temperature, saving greater power.
Maximize use of existing capacity: DCIM gear assist identify extra ability and pinpoint devices that could both be decommissioned or used someplace else, saving on power, capital, renovation, and manpower expenses. DCIM equipment additionally assist identification stranded capacity, or unusable ability due to an imbalance in electricity, cooling, and/or rack area. Map out what-if situations, including: if I change the contents of this rack, how will it impact my cooling? Measure power utilization effectiveness (PUE) on a day by day foundation and song ancient PUE. Assisting you examine whether or not value cutting and electricity saving strategies are genuinely working.
Measure energy utilization effectiveness (PUE): DCIM gear tune each day and ancient PUE, assisting you analyze whether price cutting and electricity saving strategies are simply running and make modifications thus
Q13. What Does Critical Power Mean?
"Critical" power or "IT load" often refers to the statistics middle load this is ate up or is devoted to IT equipment which includes servers, garage gadget and communications switches and routers. Power for lighting or cooling the facts middle is excluded from "essential" strength. It's critical for an quit consumer to apprehend their essential load because the information center - whether or not controlled internally or outsourced - might be sized based totally on the contemporary or predicted quantity of important electricity.
Q14. What Are The Primary Types Of Dcim Software, And What Do They Do?
There are two important categories of statistics center management software program equipment: monitoring/automation software program and making plans/implementation software program.
The first deals with monitoring and automation of the IT room and facility electricity, environmental control, and security. It acts upon user-set thresholds by way of alarming, logging, or maybe controlling physical devices, and does things like verifying the records center is functioning as designed, and automating sports that optimize availability and performance.
The second class of software program specializes in planning and implementation, in which IT managers can generally have the finest effect on overall value of possession (TCO). It ensures efficient deployment of recent equipment, organizes planning with the intention to facilitate modifications inside the information center, tracks property, and simulates the impact of all varieties of what-if” scenarios.
Q15. Explain Multi-tier Model?
The multi-tier statistics center model is dominated by means of HTTP-based applications in a multi-tier approach. The multi-tier technique consists of web, utility, and database ranges of servers. Today, most internet-primarily based applications are built as multi-tier applications. The multi-tier version makes use of software that runs as separate approaches at the identical gadget using interprocess communication (IPC), or on distinctive machines with communications over the community. Typically, the subsequent 3 levels are used:
Web-server
Application
Database
Multi-tier server farms constructed with tactics strolling on separate machines can offer improved resiliency and safety. Resiliency is progressed because a server may be taken out of provider at the same time as the same function remains furnished by means of any other server belonging to the equal utility tier. Security is improved because an attacker can compromise a web server without having access to the utility or database servers. Web and application servers can coexist on a not unusual bodily server; the database usually remains separate.
Q16. Explain Types Of Dcim Software, And What Do They Do?
User interfaces — different packages offer unique views, so pick out the ones that might be maximum useful to you. Among those normally to be had:
Floor layout: gives an correct illustration of your statistics center in a ground plan and/or elevation diagram
Recommended actions: Provides decriptions of issues and encouraged movements
Virtual save room: Keeps song of latest devices from arrival on site thru installation
Rack the front view: Provides accurate graphical representation of gadget and its location in the rack
Equipment browser: Locates gadget based totally on seller name, model and/or kind, and might often export device records to Excel layout
User rights management: Allows project of character consumer rights and controls across rooms, places, reviews, alarms, and work orders
Mobile gadgets: Communicates vital statistics to exact PDAS
Q17. How Does A High-density Or Highly Vitalized Environment Affect The Need For Management?
With a couple of virtual machines and programs going for walks on any single host, the health and availability of each bodily device becomes that much more critical, and that’s in which DCIM tools play a important function in making sure adequate electricity and cooling. The other consideration is the intensive and constantly changing energy and cooling necessities of a virtual environment — dynamics hundreds truely can’t be spoke back to manually.
Q18. What Are Data Center Cages And Cabinets?
Cages and cabinets delineate the type of space that a colocation issuer will carry to a customer in a retail colocation version. Cages are transportable walls on top of raised flooring to separate one purchaser's space from that of every other. Cabinets, alternatively, are commonly lockable man or woman racks to house server, garage or communications device. Cages are usually for larger retail colocation clients, even as cabinets can are available in 1/three, 1/2 or full sizes. Both are utilized in shared room environments (other customers).
Q19. What Is Data Center Containment?
For years, IT managers have deployed their servers and IT gadget in hot and cold aisles. In any such scenario, the front side of two rows of system racks face each different and draw cool air into every rack's system intake. As such, the lower back side of two rows each expel hot air into the hot aisle. While this is an efficient idea, it can no longer move far sufficient for higher electricity hundreds. A approach to make the records middle even greater efficient is to installation both warm or cold aisle containment. In bloodless aisle containment, the bloodless aisles are augmented to effectively "entice" cold air into the cold aisle. This permits the information center operator to growth air managing set points and greater efficaciously cool the intakes of the servers. On the opposite hand, hot aisle containment is a strategy to isolate the recent air exhaust observed in the hot aisle. In both cases, the intent is to limit mixing of notably one-of-a-kind air temperatures. Both answers can be powerful to lower PUE.

