A New Lifecycle Management Paradigm for Data Center Network Equipment

Lifecycle management in networking has been familiar territory for many years. The world went online and almost every organization on the planet followed suit, making effective management of investments imperative. The cost of capital, the state of the economy and the state of individual enterprises have influenced the speed at which the cycle has operated. But beyond that, there was always a fairly steady and predictable process by which vendors matched and bettered each other in support of strong and consistent improvement in capabilities and capacities. 

But the profound disruptions of the last few years have created a new paradigm. COVID-related factors, including restrictions, lockdowns, stalled or terminated international travel and trade, created a new environment for network operations. And, more recently, rampant and rising inflation, war, sanctions and above all, uncertainty, are changing the shape of lifecycle management for networks. All this begs the question of whether “the same old, same old” is the best approach for managing and maintaining networks today.

One traditional definition of lifecycle management proposes three phases: plan, build and manage (also sometimes termed design, implement and operate - DIO). A more complex model has been proposed by Cisco, with six elements rather than three: prepare, plan, design, implement, operate and optimize - PPDIOO.

In the current climate, with the supply of new technology essentials less certain, and with economic uncertainty rising, the PPDIOO model, especially the operate and optimize part of the formula, deserves a closer look.

It is safe to say that the cost-benefit analysis surrounding rip and replace upgrade is shifting. 

The Uptime Institute’s 2021 11th Annual Global Data Center Survey released in September, cited the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and political factors that have caused supply chain interruptions over the past year,and this was even before the war in Ukraine. Most suppliers to data centers anticipate that problems with the supply of critical data center products and services in the coming two years will affect capital expenditure projects or IT equipment availability, or both. Just 25 percent of suppliers believe there will not be any delays or impacts.

A recent Wall Street Journal article noted vendor organizations impacted by a shortage of semiconductor chips are often implementing innovative workarounds, redesigning products to use different chips or shipping incomplete products, with the expectation the missing components can be sent later. And in some cases they are simply refocusing on older, lower-tech devices where the supply problem is not so acute. In instances where they are staying the course and pursuing business as usual, customers are discovering rising prices and unpredictable and unreliable delivery commitments.

All of these data points present strong arguments for thinking outside the box when it comes to networking equipment renewal cycles. This may mean considering means and methods of getting more from current investments -- and doing so over a longer period of time. Customer organizations may need to embrace new thinking regarding replacement cycles if they are going to get optimal performance from their investments.

For one thing, given the global investment in enhancing chip supplies, it is entirely plausible that in 24 to 48 months, the supply situation will be reversed, creating a buyer’s market, with ample options at highly competitive prices. This is an argument for rethinking existing vendor-driven practices.

But there are also practical, long-term means for getting more from networking investments now and extending that approach into the future. Few tech observers would dispute the assertion that vendors tend to promote planned obsolescence. Driven primarily by continual improvements in microelectronic chips and associated software, replacement cycles are enforced by both a mantra of “new and improved” and by service and support contracts that make hanging onto older products an economic liability.

However, a recent TechTarget article targeted at networking pros, 7 tips for surviving the global chip shortage, proposed several strategies. One of which is simply being more patient with vendors, as well as two more proactive ideas. One involved recommissioning older equipment and optimizing existing equipment. The other suggested implementing software workarounds using other available or underutilized industry-standard equipment, such as x86 servers, to handle some tasks.

But whether implementing the novel ideas suggested in the article or simply working to get more life from existing gear, it can be difficult if you are depending only on branded services affiliated with OEMs.

Fortunately, there is an alternative.

The IT industry has mature players that focus on maximizing the value of your investments and on ensuring the best long-term return from that investment through delivering multi-vendor services (MVS) that span a wide range of OEMs and product types.

MVS has already become attractive for many organizations because of the diverse array of networking and IT vendors they depend upon. Service and support needs can compound the challenges of operating a multi-vendor environment because the respective support services are not coordinated and can end up getting in each other’s way or, in the worst case, end up trying to shift blame or responsibility for a problem to another organization. 

Especially in the current IT purchasing environment, MVS makes sense even more because of its ability to reduce cost and complexity and provide objective and cost-effective support of equipment, regardless of end-of-service declarations from an OEM. 

The CDS approach to MVS can reduce cost and increase operational efficiency, while reducing business risks. CDS Raytrix MVS provides a full stack of capabilities delivered across a wide range of OEM platforms, each of which can help enhance long-term value of investments and, right now, can strengthen your resilience while minimizing costs.

In a world where nothing is certain, except that you need to keep your network up and running, it’s an option worth learning about.