RFID Systems for
Data Centers and IT Assets
Data Centers leverage RFID systems to automate the quality of service, security, and compliance critical to their operations.
RFID automation for IT Assets means less overhead and more margin for enterprises and cloud companies alike. On the other hand, IT vendors employ RFID source-tagging to move toward a Hardware-As-A-Service model, where they manage their own gear on behalf of their customers.
THE CHALLENGES OF IT ASSET
RFID SYSTEMS
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Interoperability - With IT Asset Management (ITAM) systems such as Nlyte, ServiceNow, Remedy...
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Automation - IT Assets come in high-density configurations, in small and large sizes, which call for tracking and identification methods that can be automated, ie work in bulk, without having to pull the equipment out of the racks.
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Metal-Rich Environments - RFID Systems require to be tuned to minimize cross reads and interferences.
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Unique Identification - Traceability is a key feature, preferably enabled with serialized ID (TID) or custom encoding of User and EPC memories.
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Machine and Human-Readable - A best practice that requires printing and encoding on-site or at point-of-manufacture.
USING THE RIGHT RFID SYSTEM
IT Asset RFID systems are designed to manage a large variety of IT assets, devices, and equipment, throughout their life cycle.
The combination of handhelds and fixed RFID readers will determine the system’s performance and capabilities. Handheld RFID readers allow for flexible, on-the-spot, mobile checks: With their small size, power autonomy, and data connection, they are well suited for scanning a facility without having to remove any equipment. They also prove their usefulness when it comes to quickly identifying misplaced equipment. Fixed RFID Readers on the other hand will require more infrastructure. Adapted onto server cabinets, they deliver real-time visibility for equipment, at the rack level.
Whether you need to track laptops, mobile devices, PCs, removable storage devices, servers, routers, network cards, or other IT assets, Xerafy has tags that meet industry standards and are engineered for the job. Available for both equipment retrofit and source-tagging, the award-winning Xerafy RFID Tags and Labels are designed to deliver optimal performance for IT Assets, be they used On-Metal, Off-Metal, or In-Metal. Compact form factors are available to fit blade servers, rack locations, and mobile devices. More options are available regarding memory, materials, and mounting options.
DATA CENTER AUTOMATION
RFID systems support data center automation for critical operational functions such as IT Asset audits, physical inspections, security, and compliance.
Data centers account for thousands of servers, routers, critical equipment, each required to be identified, tracked, maintained, audited, and eventually disposed of. RFID systems enable the automation of physical audits for more accurate and frequent IT Asset inventories, standardized across multiple locations to offer real-time operational visibility.
RFID and IoT solutions for data centers are designed to take advantage of the RFID capabilities embedded by vendors who source-tag their equipment. Wider market adoption is now paving the way for new performance and security standards, in accordance with regulations and standards including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), the HITECH Act, PCI, HIPAA.
IT ASSET INVENTORY
Data Centers and Enterprises alike need to drive the operational performance of their IT Assets and control the efficiency and costs of their infrastructure.
A strong IT Asset Management (ITAM) system is built on a comprehensive inventory of all IT assets, including laptops and other mobile devices, inside the base network and outside.
RFID systems provide advanced tracking features deployed and automated across multiple locations. They help organizations remain compliant, prepare for audits, and reduce the likelihood of security risks by simplifying and accelerating asset reconciliation procedures.
And with hardware details tracked throughout their life cycle, actionable data is created that can be leveraged to manage vendor contracts, purchase orders, forecast demand for new assets, and maintenance services can leverage the same data.
IT VENDORS
IT Vendors have been leading the way with RFID source-tagging to streamline IT Asset life cycle management.
IT vendors offer equipment that is source-tagged with RFID
applied directly in or onto the product during the manufacturing or the packaging process.
The native RFID features help automate several internal processes such as reconciling incoming equipment, provisioning, and deployment.
Help desk support teams use data from RFID Systems to rapidly track down and identify equipment that requires maintenance services, upgrades, decommissioning, allowing for an active approach to power and heat management in the data center.
At the end of the equipment life cycle, RFID systems will simplify accounting for hardware and the data they contain, ensuring seamless compliance for asset reporting and data protection.
