Lead Image © ffzhang, 123RF.com

Lead Image © ffzhang, 123RF.com

Data center management with Ralph

Taking Control

Article from ADMIN 79/2024
By
The Ralph open source asset management system and configuration database keep things simple when it comes to managing data centers, but without compromising flexibility.

Often the excellent products in the open source community for operating and maintaining IT infrastructures are specialist tools that can do one thing well, but nothing else. Therefore, an admin's toolbox usually comprises a large number of tools with partly overlapping functionality. Bucking this trend is Ralph [1], a well-designed and powerful asset management, data center infrastructure management (DCIM), and configuration management database (CMDB) system for data centers and back offices.

Whereas the IT asset management department is responsible for the efficient management of IT devices throughout their entire life cycles, the CMDB component, as the central database, takes care of IT service management (ITSM). These two functional areas are supplemented by the DCIM component, which provides functions for managing, monitoring, and planning the data center infrastructure and the IT systems installed there. DCIM in particular makes a significant contribution to the optimization and efficient operation of data centers because it also includes functions for planning the power supply, air conditioning, cabling, and space utilization.

Thanks to Ralph, you can track your IT investments and their life cycles, giving you a complete picture of the cash flows for these assets. Data center and back-office functions optimize your environment. Moreover, Ralph comes with a data center visualization tool that lets you map arbitrary objects. The interplay of these various functions holds a promise of efficient data center operation and a proactive approach to countering any disruptions caused by infrastructure problems.

Quick Start

At first glance, it seems that Ralph can be used to solve various problems in data center administration and optimization with a single tool, but it's not quite that simple, because the Ralph developers have

...
Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy ADMIN Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Ralph, the open asset management tool
    As IT infrastructure grows more complex, IT asset management tools become essential. They track an IT asset's life cycle from the purchase order, through practical usage, to disposal or reuse. One promising newcomer is Ralph, the open source specialist tool.
comments powered by Disqus