Reichle & De-Massari R&M and FNT Software unveiled their joint solution for datacentre cable management. Built on the integration of two infrastructure management products, the R&MinteliPhy and FNT’s Command software package, the solution delivers the functionality needed to mitigate typical datacentre challenges including data transmission errors, performance issues and downtime.
Through API integration of their products, the technology vendors have designed a solution that can monitor all changes to a physical network, including switches, servers and patch panels, while also offering functions for mapping, managing, analysing and planning cabling and network cabinets, including asset management, planned and unplanned changes and alarms.
“Today, the average datacentre surface area measures 250 to 1,000 square metres and has thousands of network ports. With ever growing complexity, IT teams need the right tools for administration and to make critical capacity and compliance decisions to increase data centre efficiency,” said Syed Akhtar, Vice President MEA and Emerging Markets at FNT Software.
In the Middle East and Africa, R&M and FNT have been working closely and have co-hosted a number of Data Centre Network Day events.
Akhtar said, “The alliance between our companies has developed around driving the most value and benefit to our joint customers. Besides collaborating on the technology front, we are also working closely in the MEA to educate customers, raise awareness and nurture joint revenue opportunities.”
Information gathered from R&MinteliPhy’s RFID sensors flows into FNT Command software, providing a consolidated view of all cabling and port data. This data includes real-time physical connectivity monitoring and documentation, which R&M’s sensor collects from RFID-tags on the cabling connectors. The solution increases security and mitigates the downtime by raising alerts on unsolicited changes, and aids planning by automatically generating trending information and alarms on port capacity. At the same time, all work orders from FNT Command’s work order management can be sent to R&MinteliPhy for visual guidance, task tracking, and permission configuration.
Nabil Khalil, Executive Vice President of R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa said, “The impact poor connectivity visibility can have on data availability or uptime brings the topic of automation of connectivity documentation onto the task list, whether from an availability, operations, risk or compliance perspective. This is especially true for the software-defined data centre as customers today need appropriate agile methods on the physical level in order to continuously support changes and adapt with their evolving requirements.”
The integrated solution will be available to customers in the Middle East and Africa through the network of channel partners for R&M and FNT.
R&M develops passive cabling solutions for communication networks and is a producer of copper and fiber-optic solutions. The company has set up its own sales organisations in 30 countries and these are streamlined into eight sales regions. Around two thirds of R&M’s sales revenue is generated abroad. In 2014 sales reached around CHF 211 million. More than 5% of sales revenue is invested in research and development every year. The company is wholly owned by the Reichle family and is managed as an independent family business.