Find Without Searching Datacentre Smart ID

Introduction

With the advent of classic, analogue labels, identifying individual cables or servers among hundreds became significantly simpler. However, in today’s data centers, the sheer volume of cables and components has grown exponentially, making it increasingly difficult to pinpoint the correct label. This is where smart labels come in, providing professionals with the ability to precisely locate any physical asset.

Thousands of Cables and Components

Digitization continues to accelerate across numerous industries, and data center capacities are keeping pace. The growing demands for security, speed, and capacity drive expansions, modernizations, and relocations of data center computing power. Additionally, the higher server and router port densities lead to a multiplication of cables necessary to keep all wired and wireless applications running smoothly.

These current trends in data center evolution make network maintenance both faster and more accurate, yet increasingly daunting. At the same time, most applications have become crucially important for businesses worldwide, leaving little room for error or inefficiency. Locating the correct cable to initiate a maintenance task often takes time that isn't always available. Consequently, data center professionals require more flexible identification solutions to quickly find and service any asset.

Efficient Interventions

Luckily, evolving label technologies offer data center operators increasingly powerful tools to manage the rising tide of cables and components. For instance, RFID labels allow professionals to zero in on any item, thanks to sound and/or visual cues provided by an app on an RFID reader or smartphone (with a UHF RFID reading extension). Portable or fixed RFID readers can activate all battery-free RFID labels within range, focusing specifically on the selected labeled asset on-screen.

Using RFID technology, finding the appropriate server or cable for servicing becomes much faster, eliminating most, if not all, of the search process. Moreover, the number or density of cables and components in a server room doesn’t affect the time it takes to locate the right asset.

Follow the Lights

The quickest way to locate a cable or component might just be combining RFID and LED technology. Most RFID readers can supply enough power to battery-free RFID labels to light up an LED. Any labeled server or component will instantly appear on an RFID reader or smartphone screen, allowing for easy selection. As a result, the chosen component’s RFID LED label acts 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 check relevant asset information when and where it matters. RFID, NFC, and combined dual-frequency labels provide 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 offer multiple layers of information accessible only by 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 be withheld and protected.

In addition, all data 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 are available in both portable and fixed configurations. While portable readers are excellent for quickly homing in on a single asset, fixed readers excel at providing comprehensive overviews in mere seconds.

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

Furthermore, RFID reader gates can be easily configured to signal when a physical server—or any other labeled asset—enters the wrong server room. The same applies when the incorrect asset leaves a server room.

Too Hot?

Battery-free RFID labeling technology doesn’t permit constant monitoring. However, labels can be pinged by RFID readers at any time and frequency, offering a series of data snapshots in quick succession. In this way, RFID labels equipped with temperature sensors can detect temperature spikes.

This technology offers a cost-effective alternative for detecting overheating in individual servers. By extension, it can help provide temperature readings for any mission-critical asset, as RFID labels can be easily applied to almost any material.

Danger: Leaks

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

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 an RFID reader, the labeled asset’s status can be shared with centralized data center monitoring systems. The wet/dry threshold can be customized, as can the frequency at which the sensor labels are read. Data from the labels can be processed into intervention prompts, complete with accurate 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 toward optimizing results and minimizing the cost of ownership.

Proper placement of fixed readers and optimal label locations can be challenging, and using the right technology prevents unexpected issues. Since RFID technology relies on radio signals, it’s essential to use the correct ETSI bandwidth and determine early on what the maximum read range can be 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 significant business advantages.

RFID label technology also plays a role. On-metal RFID labels exist and typically use a thin layer of insulating foam to boost the label’s radio signal sending and receiving 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 of 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 change information. Just like enabling layered 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 stay attached and remain legible for years to come. No matter how advanced RFID labels are, their functionality depends on how well they stay attached to assets and equipment.

UTP, fiber optic, and electrical cable labels must stay attached to extremely curved surfaces, preferably 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 additionally feature a raised profile to maximize the neat, organized appearance and efficiency of any data center server room. All to maximize intervention speed and to find assets without searching.

If you’d like to take a closer look at our range of printing and labeling solutions, click here.