Find Without Searching Datacentre Smart ID

Introduction

Back in the day, analogue labels made it significantly easier to identify individual cables or servers among hundreds. But in today’s data centers, the sheer volume of cables and components has grown exponentially, making it a challenge just to locate the correct label. That’s where smart labels come in, providing professionals with the ability to pinpoint any physical asset with precision.

Thousands of Cables and Components

Digital transformation continues to accelerate across numerous industries, and data center capacities are keeping pace. Rising demands for security, speed, and capacity drive expansions, modernizations, and relocations of data center computing power. Additionally, higher server and router port densities result in an increased number of cables necessary to keep all wired and wireless applications running smoothly.

The current evolution in data centers makes rapid and accurate network maintenance increasingly difficult. Simultaneously, most applications have become mission-critical for businesses globally, leaving little room for errors or inefficiencies. Finding the right cable to initiate repairs can consume valuable time that is often unavailable. Therefore, data center professionals require more flexible identification solutions to quickly locate and service any asset.

Efficient Interventions

Fortunately, evolving label technologies offer data center operators increasingly powerful tools to manage the growing tide of cables and components effectively. For instance, RFID labels enable professionals to zero in on any item using either audio or visual cues provided by an app on an RFID reader or smartphone (with a UHF RFID reading extension). Both portable and fixed RFID readers can activate all battery-free RFID labels within range and allow users to select a single labeled asset on-screen.

With RFID technology, identifying the right server or cable for servicing becomes much faster since it eliminates most, if not all, manual searching. Moreover, the number or density of cables and components in a server room doesn’t affect the time it takes to locate the correct asset.

Follow the Lights

The quickest method to find a cable or component might be combining RFID and LED technology. Most RFID readers can supply enough power to illuminate a battery-free RFID label’s LED light. Any labeled server or component will then appear on an RFID reader or smartphone screen, making it easy to select. Consequently, the chosen component’s RFID LED label begins to function like a blinking beacon, drawing attention and guiding busy data center professionals.

Secure Data on the Spot

To enhance the accuracy and speed of interventions, smart labels allow professionals to verify relevant asset information precisely when and where it matters. RFID, NFC, and combined dual-frequency labels offer ample space to store both identifying asset data and links to documentation about the labeled item.

To ensure data security, smart labels can be programmed to provide multiple layers of information accessible only to specific user profiles. Unlike printed labels, RFID labels enable in-house specialists or management to securely access potentially sensitive information directly from the asset itself. By setting up user profiles for tiered data access, sensitive information can also be withheld and protected.

Furthermore, all information stored in RFID and NFC labels can be encrypted to restrict access to identifying server data solely to the data center’s own RFID readers.

Automated Inventories

RFID readers come in both portable and fixed versions. While portable readers are highly practical for quickly homing in on a single asset, fixed readers excel at offering comprehensive overviews in mere seconds.

Fixed RFID reader gates at server room entrances can detect any RFID-labeled physical server passing through. They can keep server room inventories updated in real-time by sharing data with centralized systems. In essence, RFID technology has the potential to transform labor-intensive data center inventories into simple clicks.

Additionally, RFID reader gates can easily be programmed to trigger an alert when a physical server, or any other labeled asset, enters the wrong server room. The same applies when the wrong asset leaves a server room.

Too Hot?

Although battery-free RFID labeling technology doesn’t enable continuous monitoring, the labels can be pinged by RFID readers at any time and frequency. This allows them to deliver a series of data snapshots in quick succession. Thus, RFID labels equipped with temperature sensors can detect sudden temperature spikes.

This technology offers a cost-effective alternative to detect single-server overheating. By extension, they can provide temperature readings for any mission-critical asset, as RFID labels can be applied to almost any material.

Danger: Leaks

LED lights and temperature sensors aren’t the only technologies that can be integrated with battery-free RFID labels. Moisture sensors can also be embedded to detect coolant leaks, condensation, or any fluid the label encounters.

Moisture-sensing battery-free RFID labels can provide wet/dry or safe/unsafe status data for any asset they’re attached to. Each time the label is powered by RFID readers, the labeled asset’s status can be shared with centralized data center monitoring systems. The wet/dry threshold and the frequency at which the sensor labels are read can be customized. Data from the labels can be processed into intervention prompts, complete with precise leak sources, depending on where the labels were applied.

Faraday

A functional RFID, NFC, or combined dual-frequency solution that effectively meets business needs involves more than just applying smart labels. A well-thought-out RFID concept goes a long way in optimizing outcomes and minimizing the cost of ownership.

Determining the optimal placement of fixed readers and ideal label locations can be challenging, and using the right technology prevents unexpected issues. Since RFID technology relies on radio signals, it’s crucial to use the appropriate ETSI bandwidth and determine early on the maximum read range in specific environments.

Faraday's laws apply, and metal-rich environments will influence the range at which RFID signals can be read. Through careful label and reader placement, read ranges can be maximized in any environment to support interesting business advantages.

RFID label technology also plays a role. On-metal RFID labels exist and typically use a thin layer of insulating foam to improve the label’s radio signal transmission and reception capabilities.

To achieve an optimal setup, including the right choice of labels, readers, and their placement, it’s best to consult a specialized supplier. They can help determine the best label location for each asset type and set up any fixed RFID readers needed in an optimal manner.

Full Control

Once the optimal placement of readers is completed and the best label locations per asset are determined, any data center can gain full control over its own RFID setup.

RFID print & program systems enable fast and accurate creation of additional RFID labels on-site. New hardware can easily be labeled with RFID labels printed and programmed on-site. In most cases, the label’s unique digital identity can be sourced directly from asset lists in a database or even from a spreadsheet.

The unique digital identity of any RFID label can also be updated with RFID readers. Most portable RFID readers enable RFID label chip writing to add or modify information. Just like enabling tiered reading access, writing access can also be granted to specific user profiles.

Reliable For Years

Specialized identification solution suppliers can offer RFID-embedded labels that remain attached and legible for years to come. Regardless of how advanced RFID labels are, their functionality depends on how well they stay attached to your assets and equipment.

UTP, fiber optic, and electrical cable labels must remain attached to extremely curved surfaces, ideally without sticking to neighboring cables. Just like asset labels, they can be blank, color-coded, and partially or fully pre-printed and pre-programmed. Asset labels can also feature a raised profile to maximize the neat and organized appearance and efficiency of any data center server room. All this ensures faster interventions and asset identification without the need for searching.

If you’d like to explore our range of printing and labeling solutions, click here.