Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2018.  Read them in this 10th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.

Contributed by Jeff Klaus, GM of Intel Data Center Management Solutions

The DCIM Scales Will Continue to Tip While DCMs Will Be the Real MVPs

In 2017, data centers have once again proven to be the backbone of every company as they maintain, organize, and secure the critical and valuable assets needed to keep business operations running smoothly. As the influx of data and varied cloud environments emerge in the New Year, the role of data center managers will become more critical than ever as more enterprises look to implement cloud solutions.

While the reason for implementing a DCIM solution may vary, like 57 percent of managers who reported the need to solve time-intensive problems or 43 percent of companies needing to overhaul legacy technologies (DCIM Solution Deployment Survey), 2018 will present new opportunities like the promise of flexible hybrid environments. We can expect to see these approaches set a new standard and advance the data center to improve business outcomes, ensure proper processes are in place, and take a proactive stance on unforeseen events.

To shed light on what we can expect to see in 2018 and beyond, Jeff Klaus, General Manager of Data Center Management Solutions at Intel, shares his thoughts on the state of the data center in 2018:

"In 2017, a staggering 80 percent of US and UK based organizations cited having some level of a DCIM solution in place, according to Intel and Schneider Electric Research, showing immense promise on its value and market resonance. In 2018, the numbers will only continue to climb, and for good reason. As more data center managers across the globe understand DCIM's organization-wide impact, both from a monetary and business continuity perspective, DCIM will no longer be a luxury afforded by the largest companies with healthy IT budgets. Enterprises large and small will reap the benefits moving market share from 80 to 90 percent."

"When you think about the roles within an organization that typically get the most notoriety, you think of the CEO as the face of the company, a data scientist for making data actionable, or a CISO for keeping the org secure, but all too often overlooked is the man behind the curtain keeping the entire operation afloat: the data center manager. Enjoy your new product launch without a glitch? Appreciate cost savings at the power and thermal level? Experience an unexpected storm and maintain business continuity? The answer to all of these questions from anyone within the enterprise is undoubtedly, yes. In 2018, the role of the data center manager will become more important than ever as infrastructure becomes increasingly dynamic, enterprises opt for a hybrid approach and adopt colo-strategies. As your business maintains seamless continuity heading into the new year, you have your data center manager to thank, and you will this year more than ever."

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About the Author

As General Manager of Intel® Data Center Management Solutions, Jeff Klaus leads a global team that designs, builds, sells and supports Data Center software products through an extensive distribution network. Since joining Intel in 2000, Klaus built and maintains the largest global distribution ecosystem of middleware solutions through Server Hardware OEMs, Software Infrastructure Management Providers and Cloud Service Providers.

As a leader in the Data Center infrastructure industry, his group currently sells Intel® Virtual Gateway access management and Intel® Data Center Manager (DCM), the only software that provides real-time, server-level telemetry data and power management across a wide range of data center servers and IT devices.

An active member within the Software Defined Solutions space, Klaus serves on the Board of Directors for the Green IT Council and has presented multiple keynotes at leading industry conferences, including Gartner Data Center, AFCOM's Data Center World, the Green IT Symposium, and the Green Gov Conference. As a thought leader within the DCIM community Klaus regularly contributes articles on key data center topics and trends in Forbes, DataCenter Dynamics, Mission Critical, Data Center Post, IT Business Edge, Data Center Knowledge, Information Management and Data Centre Management. 

Klaus earned his BS in Finance at Boston College and his MBA in Marketing at Boston University.