– Ron Bednar, Manager of Marketing and Customer Insight for Emerson Network Power (www.emerson.com), says:

Data center managers have spent the last two years finding ways to do more with less. What we’ve all learned is that efficiency matters, and that isn’t changing even as IT budgets slowly loosen and organizations begin to invest in their data centers again. Today’s data center infrastructure products are designed to meet specific needs and maximize efficiency without compromising availability. Whether it’s variable capacity cooling, scalable UPS protection or advanced monitoring tying it all together, data center managers have access to more information—and far greater control—than ever before. But are they using it wisely? I’m not so sure.

Before they make any drastic changes or new investments, I’d suggest data center managers take some time to familiarize themselves with the features and capabilities of their existing equipment. They may be surprised by what they find—and what that may mean for the bottom line. And if they are committed to new equipment purchases, by all means look into these features before making a decision. Even if the initial investment is slightly higher, the ROI could be significant if the product is implemented properly.