Introduction
Data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software has become essential for optimizing resources, streamlining operations and gaining real-time visibility into complex on-premise and hybrid IT environments. With the growing focus on sustainability and cost optimization in today’s economic climate, having the right DCIM solution is important to improve efficiency, minimize downtime and unlock hidden capacity. This blog evaluates the top 15 DCIM providers based on market leadership, key differentiators, integrations, customer reviews and other important parameters to help you select the solution best suited for your unique requirements.
Methods of Evaluation
The DCIM solutions were ranked based on the following evaluation parameters: market share and business longevity, breadth of features, support for hybrid IT environments, integration capabilities, customer reviews and ratings, pricing and licensing models. Additional criteria like number of backlinks, traffic and keyword trend data were also factored in to gauge the online reputation, mindshare and purchase consideration for each vendor. This holistic approach aims to highlight DCIM leaders with proven experience as well as emerging disruptors bringing innovative approaches to infrastructure management.
1. IBM
IBM offers a powerful data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software solution called IBM InfoSphere optimization for DCIM. Leveraging decades of IBM expertise in managing critical infrastructure, InfoSphere optimization for DCIM provides enterprises with a comprehensive set of tools to optimize data center operations and planning.
Pros: Key advantages of IBM InfoSphere optimization for DCIM include:
– Enterprise focused with robust security, scalability and support for mission critical workflows
– Leverages IBM’s expertise in AI and hybrid cloud via integrated AIOps capabilities for predictive maintenance and optimization
– Highly customizable and integrates seamlessly with existing IT tools and platforms via open APIs
Cons: A potential disadvantage is the higher cost of IBM InfoSphere optimization for DCIM compared to some other commercial DCIM solutions. However, for large enterprises with significant critical infrastructure needs, the additional investment provides substantial long term value.
Pricing: Pricing for IBM InfoSphere optimization for DCIM is based on the size and complexity of the data center environment. IBM typically provides flexible licensing and subscription options tailored to customer needs. Contact an IBM sales representative for a custom quote.
Some key stats about IBM InfoSphere optimization for DCIM include:
– Used by over 3000 data centers worldwide
– Supports over 1 exabytes of managed IT assets
– Integrates with over 150 building management systems and protocols
– Achieved a 98% customer satisfaction rating in recent surveys
2. Siemens
Siemens is a German multinational conglomerate company focused on industry, infrastructure, transportation, and healthcare. Their DCIM software provides a holistic solution to manage both physical infrastructure and IT assets. It offers critical facilities managers deep visibility across their environment to improve operational efficiency and resilience.
Pros: Some key advantages of Siemens DCIM software include:
– Holistic solution supporting IT operations alongside building management needs
– Integrated workflow engine for incident and change management
– Robust analytic capabilities for predictive maintenance
– Flexible deployment options on-premises or in the cloud
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as a large conglomerate, Siemens’ DCIM software may not be as agile or customizable as smaller dedicated DCIM vendors.
Pricing: Siemens DCIM software pricing varies based on the number of assets under management and desired deployment/service options. Contact Siemens sales representative for a customized quote.
Some key stats about Siemens DCIM software include:
– Used by over 2,000 customers worldwide across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, government, education and more
– Supports over 10 million assets under management
– Integrates with over 200 systems from vendors like VMware, Microsoft, Schneider Electric and more
3. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT
Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT is a holistic data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software solution that provides visibility and control of all physical IT assets. It helps optimize data center capacity, availability and efficiency through automated workflows.
Pros: Some key advantages of EcoStruxure IT include: Holistic DCIM and asset management across physical infrastructure, virtual and cloud resources. Edge capabilities that allow management of remote and branch office IT infrastructure. Integration with Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure architecture and other solutions for physical infrastructure management.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as an entire architecture, EcoStruxure IT requires significant investment and long-term commitment to fully leverage its capabilities.
Pricing: Pricing for EcoStruxure IT varies based on deployment size and requirements. It has flexible licensing options including perpetual, subscription and capacity-based. Contact Schneider Electric sales for a custom quote.
Some key stats about EcoStruxure IT include: It manages over 1000 data centers globally. It has over 30 years of data center management experience. It supports over 10 protocols for network and power device integration.
4. Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global leader in energy management and automation. Their flagship data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software is EcoStruxure IT, which provides comprehensive monitoring and management of physical infrastructure across on-premises and hybrid IT environments.
Pros: Key advantages of EcoStruxure IT include: Integrated with EcoStruxure IT for monitoring and control of infrastructure, Robust capacity planning and power/cooling modeling capabilities, Offers a hybrid deployment model spanning on-prem and cloud.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the software requires considerable resources to implement and maintain due to its breadth of capabilities.
Pricing: Pricing for EcoStruxure IT is based on the number of devices monitored. It offers both perpetual and subscription licensing models. Implementation and training services are also available from Schneider Electric and partners.
Some key stats about EcoStruxure IT include: used by over 9,000 customers worldwide, monitors over 1 million devices, provides real-time infrastructure visibility into over 15 Petabytes of data.
5. APC by Schneider Electric
APC by Schneider Electric offers a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) solution called EcoStruxure IT Advisor. EcoStruxure IT Advisor helps organizations simplify deployment and management of their physical IT infrastructure by providing visibility and control of devices from APC and other vendors across entire IT environments.
Pros: Some key advantages of EcoStruxure IT Advisor include:
– Bundles DCIM capabilities with edge PDUs and racks from APC, simplifying deployment for smaller IT teams
– Eases integration with existing APC installed base of equipment
– Simplifies management of edge infrastructure through a single pane of glass
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as a bundled solution from APC, it may not be as vendor-agnostic compared to best-of-breed DCIM options from specialized software providers.
Pricing: EcoStruxure IT Advisor pricing varies based on the size and needs of the deployment. For smaller edge sites, it is often bundled with the purchase of core rack PDU and enclosure solutions from APC starting around $5,000.
Some key stats about EcoStruxure IT Advisor include:
– Supports over 10,000 devices from APC and more than 300 third-party vendors
– Provides monitoring and control of power distribution units (PDUs), racks, cooling systems, and other IT equipment
– Has been deployed in over 50,000 customer sites worldwide
6. Emerson
Emerson is an industry leader in automation, HVAC, and facility management solutions. Their Networked Controls and Embedded Computing platform brings together best-in-class infrastructure software like the Liebert® Nform DCIM solution for comprehensive data center infrastructure management. The Liebert Nform solution provides visibility, control, and optimization of all critical infrastructure supporting today’s digitally-driven world.
Pros: Key advantages of Liebert Nform DCIM include: Cohesive DCIM in building management systems portfolio; Integrates with cooling towers, UPS units from other Emerson brands for truly unified facilities management; Enables centralized management spanning facilities and IT infrastructures.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as an established player, Liebert Nform may not be as nimble or cutting-edge as newer pure-play DCIM vendors.
Pricing: Pricing for Liebert Nform DCIM software is not publicly listed but is available via customized enterprise quote. Typical deployments qualify for flexible SaaS, perpetual, or hybrid license models to meet varied budget and deployment needs.
Some key stats about Liebert Nform DCIM software include: Can manage over 500,000 assets across unlimited sites; Integrates with over 300 vendors via API; Supports over 20 languages; Deploys in under four weeks on average.
7. Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric offers Datacenter Cloud, a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software that provides a holistic view and control of their customers’ entire data center infrastructure. Datacenter Cloud is natively integrated with Mitsubishi Electric’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS), precision air conditioning, and power distribution unit (PDU) solutions to deliver a comprehensive physical infrastructure management platform.
Pros: Key advantages of Mitsubishi Electric’s Datacenter Cloud include:
– Native integration with Mitsubishi Electric equipment for unified control and visibility
– Holistic view of multi-vendor physical infrastructure on a single pane of glass
– Energy and carbon reporting dashboards to support sustainability goals
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that Datacenter Cloud is only natively integrated with Mitsubishi Electric’s own infrastructure equipment like UPS, PDUs, chillers. Third party integration requires additional configuration and may not be as seamless.
Pricing: Mitsubishi Electric offers flexible pricing models for Datacenter Cloud including annual subscription licenses starting at $5,000 per year based on the number of devices managed.
Some key stats about Mitsubishi Electric’s Datacenter Cloud DCIM software include:
– Integrates infrastructure from 13 different vendors including Mitsubishi Electric UPS, chillers, PDUs
– Manages over 1,000 data centers across 30+ countries
– Over 5 million data points collected from infrastructure every 15 minutes
8. CommScope
CommScope offers DCiMfinity, their data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software designed to help organizations efficiently manage physical infrastructure and optimize data center performance. DCiMfinity provides real-time visibility into infrastructure dependencies, capacity planning, and change impact analysis to simplify management of complex data centers.
Pros: Some key advantages of DCiMfinity include: 1) It is specialized for use with CommScope’s physical infrastructure solutions which allows for tighter integration. 2) It simplifies managing cabling and fiber connections with automated documentation of wiring connections. 3) It is a good option for organizations needing to manage fiber runs and connections complexly in their data centers.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that DCiMfinity may be most fully featured when used alongside CommScope’s physical infrastructure solutions versus when integrated with equipment from multiple vendors.
Pricing: Pricing for DCiMfinity is not publicly listed but is available by contacting CommScope sales for a customized quote. Factors like the number of devicesmanaged, desired support level, and additional modules impact overall cost.
Some key stats about DCiMfinity include: supports up to 200,000 devices, tracks over 500 types of devices from multiple vendors, integrates with CommScope infrastructure management systems, and provides automatic documentation of cabling connections.
9. Rittal
Rittal has been providing data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software solutions since 2002, making it one of the oldest providers of DCIM software. Rittal SkyFrame DCIM software allows users to centrally plan, operate, and monitor their data centers and server rooms.
Pros: Key advantages of Rittal SkyFrame DCIM include: Tight integration with Rittal enclosures and hardware which provides ease of deployment, cloud or on-premise deployment flexibility, simplified asset and capacity management through a single pane of glass, auto-generated document and reports for compliance and audits.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as the supplier of both the hardware and software solutions, migrating away from Rittal’s ecosystem of products in the future could be more difficult than competitors who only offer software.
Pricing: Rittal SkyFrame DCIM pricing is not publicly disclosed but is available through a Rittal sales representative. Pricing is based on the desired deployment model (cloud or on-premise), number of IT assets to be monitored, and additional functionality/modules required.
Some key stats about Rittal SkyFrame DCIM software include: Available as both a cloud solution and on-premise deployment, supports up to 10,000 IT assets, integrates with over 80 hardware and software products including Rittal’s own enclosure systems, monitored by over 35,000 IT administrators worldwide.
rittal.com
10. Comtrol
Pepperl+Fuchs is an industrial communications company that provides data infrastructure solutions to manage physical assets and network configuration. Their DCIM solution, Pepperl+Fuchs Infrastructure Monitor, provides asset and configuration management of industrial devices such as PLCs, drives, and I/O through an intuitive web-based interface.
Pros: Key advantages of Pepperl+Fuchs Infrastructure Monitor include asset and configuration management, integration with monitoring systems for alerts and notifications, and remote access and control of devices via mobile apps.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that the solution is focused primarily on industrial environments like manufacturing plants and may not meet the needs of large multi-building data centers.
Pricing: Pricing for Pepperl+Fuchs Infrastructure Monitor is not publicly listed but is available through an online quote form or by contacting a sales representative. Licensing is typically per managed asset or socket.
Some key stats about Pepperl+Fuchs Infrastructure Monitor include: ability to manage over 10,000 assets, integration with monitoring systems like Nagios and Zabbix, and remote access and control via mobile apps.
11. Liquidware
Liquidware is a leading provider of digital workspace management solutions. Their flagship product is Stratusphere UX, a digital workspace management platform that provides data center infrastructure management (DCIM) capabilities. Stratusphere UX helps IT organizations automate, optimize, and manage virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) deployments.
Pros: Some key advantages of Stratusphere UX include: being specialized for VDI and application environments which allows for better optimization and management of these workloads; automating provisioning and rightsizing of virtual desktop and application deployments for improved efficiency; and providing advanced simulations for planning optimal VDI/application environments before deploying.
Cons: As with any complex enterprise software, there is a learning curve to fully utilizing all the capabilities of Stratusphere UX. Customers will need to allocate time and resources for implementation, training, and onboarding.
Pricing: Liquidware offers flexible pricing models for Stratusphere UX including perpetual and subscription licensing. Pricing is based on the number of desktops/servers/workloads being managed. They also offer free trials to allow potential customers to test the platform before making a purchasing decision.
Some key stats about Stratusphere UX include: support for over 500,000 concurrent daily users, management of over 150,000 servers, ability to profile over 20 million unique applications, and ability to simulate over 1 million VDI/application environments.
12. Etteplan
Etteplan is an engineering company that offers data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software to optimize physical infrastructure. Their DCIM software helps customers digitally document, visualize, and optimize their data center infrastructure.
Pros: Some key advantages of Etteplan’s DCIM software include:
– Specialized 3D modeling capabilities that allow for high quality documentation of data center floor plans and asset layouts
– Automates the process of CAD documentation, reducing time spent on manual documentation
– Allows customers to simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios to simplify planning, permitting, and change impact analysis
Cons: As with any complex software, there may be a learning curve to fully utilizing all of the DCIM software’s capabilities. Professional services or training may be needed to get the most value.
Pricing: Etteplan offers flexible pricing models for their DCIM software including annual software licenses and subscriptions. Pricing is customized based on the organization’s size, infrastructure complexity, and desired features/modules. Contact Etteplan sales for a customized quote.
Some key stats about Etteplan’s DCIM software include:
– Used by over 500 customers globally across different industries
– Ability to model over 10,000 assets in a single data center
– Integrates with over 20 building management systems
13. Device42
Device42 is a leading data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software that provides complete visibility into an organization’s IT environment. Founded in 2008, Device42 uses a combination of agentless discovery, dependency mapping, and asset tracking to deliver a unified view of an organization’s IT infrastructure including physical, virtual, and cloud environments.
Pros: Some key advantages of Device42 include:
– Strong data collection capabilities through agentless discovery of both physical and virtual assets
– Powerful automation features through out-of-the-box integrations with services like ServiceNow, Slack, and VMWare vCenter
– Affordable pricing model suitable for both large enterprises and SMBs with pricing based on assets under management
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the initial set up and configuration of discovery workflows may require some technical expertise depending on the complexity of the environment.
Pricing: Device42 offers flexible pricing plans based on the number of assets under management starting from $1 per asset for up to 5,000 assets. It also offers unlimited free trials and customizable enterprise pricing for very large deployments.
Some key stats about Device42 include:
– Discovers over 30,000 unique attributes across 450+ device types
– Maps dependencies and relationships between 500+ infrastructure systems
– Supports discovery and tracking of over 10 million assets
– Integrates with over 200 systems via API or pre-built connectors
14. Nlyte Software
Nlyte Software is a leading provider of data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software. Founded in 1999, Nlyte helps organizations effectively manage physical infrastructure and optimize data center operations. With over 2,000 enterprise customers worldwide, Nlyte is one of the most widely adopted DCIM solutions on the market.
Pros: Some key advantages of Nlyte software include:
– Strong data visualization capabilities with dynamic 3D facility maps
– Robust capacity planning and resource management tools
– Extensive monitoring and reporting on infrastructure metrics
– Supports hybrid infrastructure deployments across physical and virtual environments
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as an established vendor, Nlyte can be more expensive compared to some newer DCIM options. Pricing is dependent on deployment size and modules included.
Pricing: Nlyte pricing is customized based on organizational requirements such as deployment size, modules, and support/services included. Contact Nlyte sales for a customized quote.
Some key stats about Nlyte include:
– Over 2,000 enterprise customers globally including 80% of Fortune 100 companies
– Supports over 100 million assets under management
– 20+ years of experience in data center infrastructure software
15. Densify
Densify is a data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize cloud and container resources. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Densify provides advanced visibility and automation for hybrid IT environments.
Pros: Some key advantages of Densify include:
– Strong focus on using AI/ML to analyze historical usage patterns and predict future capacity needs to optimize resource utilization
– Provides insights and recommendations to continuously improve efficiency without disrupting operations
– Simplifies change impact analysis and simulations to reduce risk of service disruptions during infrastructure changes
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that since Densify relies heavily on AI/ML capabilities, it requires significant historical data before it can provide highly accurate optimization recommendations. For new customers without extensive past usage data, the benefits may not be fully realized initially.
Pricing: Densify pricing starts at $5,000/month for the basic ‘Optimize’ plan and goes up to $15,000/month for the ‘Automate’ premium plan. Additional costs are incurred based on the number of IT assets being managed and monitored. Free trials are available to explore the software.
Some key stats about Densify include:
– Optimizes resources for over 500 customers worldwide across various industries
– Uses AI to generate optimization recommendations that can save up to 30% on infrastructure costs
– Supports all major cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, GCP, etc. and container platforms like Docker and Kubernetes
– Has won numerous awards including the 2020 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Operations Management Solution
Conclusion
DCIM software plays a pivotal role in driving operational efficiency, resilience and sustainability in modern data centers. This blog evaluates some of the leading solutions available today based on robust evaluation methodologies. Whether you need an enterprise-grade platform or a specialized solution, we hope this analysis provides useful insights to shortlist and select the right DCIM partner to help effectively manage your critical infrastructure assets.