Everything You Need to Know About ITSM for Data Centres and Operational Technology

Data centres are the nerve of the entire technological industry. When people imagine data centres, the picture they get into their head involves sophisticated software technology, cloud computing data, and computer server racks. Yet none of these computers can work for even one second without the physical infrastructure supporting them.

It takes heavy-duty equipment to keep data centres operational. The enormous chillers ensure that the servers do not melt down. The power distribution network ensures there is electricity even during a blackout. This is referred to as Operational Technology (OT).

For long periods of time, businesses have operated in silos where computer software or Information Technology (IT) was managed separately from physical equipment or Operations Technology (OT). Should something go wrong with a server, you would report it to the tech help desk. Should the chiller break down, you call the building engineer. In the current environment, this division poses too many risks.

What is ITSM for Operational Technology?

In traditional terms, IT service management is a methodology that entails policies and procedures used for the design, delivery, and remediation of IT services. ITSM includes keeping an inventory of all computer hardware, managing software patches, and resolving issues related to user trouble tickets.

When ITSM is expanded into a data centre facility management context, it becomes part of operational technology. ITSM and OT together will entail tracking and management of all tangible items in the data centre facility, including:

• Chillers & HVAC Systems: Large industrial-grade cooling systems that circulate cooled air and water to the data centres’ server rooms.

• Power Distribution Units (PDUs): Hardware that controls the flow of electric current to thousands of computer servers.

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Large banks of batteries used for immediate power backup in the case of electrical grid failure.

• Backup Generators: Diesel engine-based generators that ensure continued power to the data centre even for extended durations.

ITSM in OT means treating malfunctioning chillers just like a crashed software system.

Why ITSM for Data Center Building Assets Matters

In the past, facilities relied on basic spreadsheets or paper logs for maintenance of their buildings. This results in vast visibility deficiencies. In case of any odd behavior from an electric asset, the IT department knows nothing about it until the servers get shut down. 

ITSM can be implemented in the physical facilities by taking care of four main factors:

1. Unified Incident Management

Whenever there is an issue with a physical asset, the asset becomes an "incident". A traditional building management system would set off alarms, but that system cannot identify who should take care of the problem or how long it will take.

An ITSM system will immediately create a ticket when an asset is malfunctioning. The system will send the ticket to the concerned engineer and monitor how much time it takes to fix the problem.

2. A Single Source of Truth for Assets 

A data centre needs information about its assets, their location, and connections. The ITSM approach utilizes a centralized asset database which registers everything starting from procurement until replacement. In the context of a data centre, the process starts when a particular device such as a chiller is procured, followed by every maintenance work done on it.

3. Clear Change Control 

Any unapproved change made in the data centre may lead to disaster. For instance, when a technician changes an important part of a cooling system in a data centre, servers are doomed within a short while due to overheating.

ITSM provides a framework for change control management in the form of a workflow in which no change could be made to the existing system without proper registration, assessment, and finally approval of the activity.

4. Root-Cause Problem Management

Recurring problems require root-cause analysis. In cases of recurring issues, ITSM has a problem management workflow in place. It allows the organisation's engineers to conduct historical analysis and find the real cause of a problem.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern OT Service Management

These traditional ITSM applications tend to be slow and cumbersome since they depend on human intervention in terms of manually triaging issues and sorting out information. This is due to the volume of information produced in the modern data centres. This is why modern ITSM applications include Gen-AI in the equation.

The AI system continuously monitors and learns from live data generated by physical equipment. These are some ways that AI contributes to the improvement of facilities management:

1. Predictive Triage: In case there is a problem with one of the electrical assets, the AI immediately figures out what is wrong with it using its past experience. The system automatically creates a report and sends it to a designated technician specialising in this equipment.

2. Anomaly Detection: Unlike regular ITSM solutions that require something to go wrong in order to notice it, AI-based facilities management applications can detect the tiniest abnormalities in things like chiller power consumption or vibrations.

3. Multilingual Field Support: Big firms operating in the data centre industry frequently hire field engineers from several different nations. The use of gen AI assistants allows immediate translation of technical documents, error messages, and maintenance requests into various languages, thus allowing quick identification of mechanical faults.

Purpose-Built ITSM for Operational Technology

With the increase in complexity of data centres, many companies discover that most available ITSM solutions fail to support operational technology assets within their data centres. The result has been an increased need for solutions that integrate facility operations management with ITSM.

There are several ITSM solutions that one can find in the market, but most have been created for the purpose of managing laptop settings and bugs in the software only. Most of them are oblivious to the challenges that may arise from dealing with electrical and mechanical building assets.

PleoData bridges this gap through PleoService, a unique platform that offers AI-powered operations and an ITSM platform. PleoService acts as the nervous system of the data centres by integrating facilities management with ITSM.

Seamless Integration with Legacy Assets

The integration of outdated buildings is a challenging task for any data centre management. Most of the existing facilities utilise legacy resources that do not support any interaction with cloud technologies. However, PleoData's unique Gen-AI ITSM is specifically designed to address this issue.

It enables seamless integration with legacy systems and tickets from older databases gradually. Therefore, managers will be able to integrate advanced artificial intelligence solutions into their work without jeopardising operations or going through an expensive redesigning process.

A 360-Degree View of Facility Operations 

The PleoService allows facility administrators to analyze all assets using a convenient dashboard. No more speculations regarding the state of equipment. All incidents, expenses on repairs, and lifecycle information of the equipment will be monitored in real-time.

This will provide full team accountability and assist in making informed decisions on replacing or repairing expensive assets.

Connecting PleoService with PleoMaintenance 

For optimum benefit to be derived from facilities, PleoService and PleoMaintenance, which is part of PleoData Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), work together. Although PleoService will handle the real-time responses, workflows, and tickets,

PleoMaintenance deals with detailed machine histories and preventive maintenance planning for the future. This combination turns data centre management from being reactive to being predictable and intelligent.

Bridging the Gap Between IT and OT

With increasing complexity within data centres, the distinction between IT and operations technology is constantly being blurred. From servers and cooling units to power supplies and other vital equipment, all of these components are essential for keeping things running smoothly.

With the management of these components done within an integrated ITSM model, companies will be able to get greater visibility into their operations along with improved incident and maintenance processes.

Closing

As data centres keep growing in size, the traditional approach to manual management of the physical layer is becoming impractical. Today, modern ITSM solutions that are tailored for data centres help companies achieve higher visibility in managing their assets and improve efficiency.

Tools such as PleoService and PleoMaintenance contribute to this trend by facilitating the convergence of the IT and OT layers and helping move toward preventive infrastructure management rather than reactive troubleshooting.

Ready for Data Centre Modernisation? Learn about the benefits of utilising ITSM solutions that will help you achieve visibility across your infrastructure assets, improve their performance, and create a more resilient and efficient environment.

At the intersection of intelligence and automation, PleoData transforms how enterprises operate. Our data integration platform and ServiceNow ITSM solutions enable seamless cross-system collaboration, while our Gen-AI facility management software elevates efficiency at every touchpoint. We build insight pipelines through Power BI services and architect scalable systems using Microsoft Fabric consulting. Partner with our Power Pages developers to digitize workflows and design dynamic apps that integrate directly into incident management systems — creating a connected, intelligent enterprise that’s always learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ITSM for data centre operations?

ITSM for data centre operations means applying service management techniques to both the IT infrastructure and the physical assets used in their operation.

Why is ITSM important for operational technology?

ITSM offers greater insight into the critical components of equipment used and makes maintenance easier, while also minimising the possibility of downtime due to errors.

How does AI support ITSM in data centres?

With the use of artificial intelligence, anomalies in performance can be detected as well as tickets for maintenance generated.

What types of assets are covered under OT?

Typical examples of assets used in OT are chillers, HVACs, UPS units, power distribution, and backup generators.

How can ITSM reduce data centre downtime?

Through enhanced incident management, change management, asset management, and preventive maintenance.