System and method for monitoring and managing data center resources in real time

1. A system for monitoring, controlling and optimizing power usage and cooling utilization within a data center, the system comprising:

a common collection engine for collecting real time data directly from facility devices and information technology (IT) devices, and wherein the facility devices include cooling supply devices;

a subsystem adapted to:

obtain real time operating information on both the facility devices and the information technology (IT) devices;

evaluate the real time operating information to provide utilization information with respect to at least one of the facility devices and at least one of the IT devices; and

take action concerning at least one of the facility devices and at least one of the IT devices based on the real time operating information, and with the action being taken to optimize both cooling utilization and power usage of the at least one facility device in view of a performance of at least one of the IT devices.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem is configured to provide an alert and diagnostic information for both of the facility devices and the IT devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the facility devices also include at least one power supplying device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem includes a manageability subsystem services module for interfacing with, and monitoring operation of, at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the manageability subsystem services module is configured to control and command at least one of the facilities devices or at least one of the IT devices.

6. The system of claim 1 , further including a module for considering space requirements for the IT devices and the facility devices, and for optimizing placement of at least one of the IT devices or at least one of the facility devices.

7. A system for real time monitoring and controlling of facility devices operating within a data center, in relation to electrical power being used by the information technology (IT) devices, in a manner that optimizes power usage by the IT devices, the system comprising:

a subsystem configured:

to obtain real time operating information on both of the facility devices and the IT devices, and wherein the facility devices include cooling supply devices;

to evaluate the real time operating information to determine when an action should be taken relative to one or more of the facility devices, based on real time power and cooling requirements of the IT devices; and

to enable modification of operation of the one or more facility devices to optimize both power usage and cooling utilization within the data center to enable a reduction in a buffer of cooling and power.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system further includes a module for considering space requirements for the facility devices and for the IT devices, and making recommendations regarding placement of the IT devices and the facility devices within the data center, to optimize space utilization within the data center.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the subsystem is configured to use the real time operating information to maximize efficiency of the one or more of the facility devices.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the subsystem is configured to provide real time alerts to a data center individual that signify that:

one or more predetermined facility operating conditions have occurred; or that one or more predetermined IT device operating conditions have occurred.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsystem is configured to provide real time diagnostic information to the data center individual concerning the one or more facility devices.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsystem is configured to provide real time diagnostic information to the data center individual concerning the one or more IT devices.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the subsystem further is configured to consider space requirements for facility devices in a manner that optimizes placement of the facility devices within the data center.

14. A system for real time monitoring and controlling of facility devices operating within a data center, in relation to available electrical power and available cooling capacity in the data center, in a manner that enables optimization performance of the facility devices in relation to the available electrical power and the available cooling capacity of the facility devices, the system comprising:

a subsystem configured:

to obtain real time operating information on both facility devices and information technology (IT) devices, the facility devices including both power generating devices and cooling devices;

to evaluate the real time operating information to determine when an action should be taken relative to one or more of the IT devices;

to modify at least one of a location or operation of the one or more IT devices to help optimize both power and cooling utilization from the power generating devices and the cooling devices, and in consideration of performance of the one or more IT devices within the data center; and

to enable modification of an operation of at least one of the facility devices as needed to optimize performance of the one or more IT devices.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the subsystem is further adapted to consider space requirements of the facilities devices and the IT devices and to assist a data center individual in placement of the facilities devices and the IT devices within the data center to optimize utilization of at least one of power resources or cooling resources within the data center.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the subsystem is further configured to perform real time diagnostics on at least one of the IT devices.

17. A method for monitoring, controlling and optimizing, power usage and cooling utilization within a data center infrastructure, the method comprising:

obtaining real time information concerning both facility devices and information technology (IT) devices being used within the data center infrastructure, wherein the facility devices include cooling supply devices;

using a processing system to evaluate the real time information to provide at least one of an alert and diagnostic information with respect to at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices; and

taking action concerning the at least one of the facility devices or the at least one of the IT devices, based on the real time information, and with the action being to optimize both cooling utilization and power usage of the facility devices, while taking into account operation of the at least one of the IT devices, to validate performance guidelines.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising considering space requirements for at least one of the facility devices and at least one of the IT devices, and providing information regarding the space requirements to a data center individual to assist in selecting placement of the at least one facility device and the at least one IT device within the data center infrastructure.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising performing real time diagnostic operations on at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices in the event of an operating anomaly affecting the at least one of the facility devices or the at least one of the IT devices.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising modifying operation of at least a different one of the IT devices or a different one of the facility devices, to optimize performance of at least one of power utilization, cooling utilization, or performance of other ones of the IT devices within the data center infrastructure.