iTRACS named a Gartner Cool Vendor in DCIM tools

Print This Page
Home > Solutions > iCBS™ > FAQs

FAQs

  1. How does iTRACS Converged Building Systems™ (iCBS™) help improve my Move Adds and Changes (MAC)?
    iCBS provides detailed change orders and for physical infrastructure changes. For many organizations actions of this type are typically informal (e.g. technician will “find” an available circuit and note what they did in the field). By formalizing the tracking of physical changes organizations can being to gain a greater understanding the status of their infrastructure. This improved understanding can help organizations make future changes, even radical ones, with a greater level of comfort.

    The improved documentation can also assist some organizations as they look to measure compliance with change control regulations (e.g. financial, utility, pharmaceutical).

  2. How does iCBS allow me to visualize my facilities?
    iCBS allow users to view their facilities data in multiple ways, including full 3D visualization, full end-to-end connectivity traces, dashboards and reports.

  3. How does iCBS help me visualize connectivity?
    iCBS includes a robust feature known as the Circuit Trace. This circuit trace provides users with three important pieces of information:

    • It provides each hop, or connection, within the full circuit, whether the circuit is a copper, fiber, power, SAN, or LAN circuit.
    • It provides the full hierarchical or parent tree for each hop. This allows users to quickly see where each hop is located within the physical network.
    • It provides users with the type and name of the cable used to create the connection

  4. Does iCBS support intelligent infrastructure management systems?
    Yes, iCBS is fully compatible with iTRACS certified hardware. Hardware is currently available from AMPNetconnect, Nexans, and Siemon.

  5. How can iCBS help forecast future capacity requirements for space, power, cooling, network, etc.?
    iCBS contains a unique feature named Future View. Future view allows users to visualize the future state of the facility. In addition users can run numerous reports, or build their own reports to display and calculate utilization.

  6. How does iCBS track power usage?
    iCBS tracks power usage at 4 different levels:

    • iTRACS will utilize manufacturing nameplate information. This value represents “worse case” power usage, and is typically provided by hardware manufactures.
    • The second level of power iTRACS will track is benchmark, or D-Rating. This is a power value defined by the user.
    • The third level is a manually entered value for the asset’s actual power draw.
    • The final level of power is tracked by querying the device (or the attached power provider) to return the actual amount of power being consumed. This fourth value is the most accurate, but may be difficult for existing data centers to capture reliability.

    iCBS will utilize the most accurate value available when returning a power rating. Power ratings are also summarized “upstream” to help users collect information about the total amount of power being provided by an asset (e.g. PDU or transformer).

  7. What data points can I track against my assets? Can I track warranty info, lease, line of business, owner, etc.?
    iCBS comes predefined with a number of different data points per asset types. In addition, users can add their own data point for any asset type. These data points can be searched and reported on. Users can track warranty, lease, and line of business information.

  8. What reporting capability exists? Can we use Crystal reports?
    iCBS contains three different types of reports:

    • Crystal Reports® and Xcelsius® dashboards are utilized to provide executive dashboards and summary reports within the same database, or across multiple iCBS databases. In addition to the reports provided by iTRACS, users can create their own reports or dashboards. Crystal Reports and Xcelsius dashboards are run from an external reporting tool which can be installed independently from iTRACS. Reports and dashboards can also be run via the customers’ existing reporting applications. While iTRACS utilizes Crystal Reports and Xcelsius, data is compatible with other enterprise reporting tools.
    • An internal excel style report viewer which allows users to return information from the iTRACS database. Reports can be generated from within iTRACS or via the web.
    • iTRACS dashboards can return graphical, visual, and textual data about the status of the facility. iTRACS dashboards are available both within iTRACS and via the web.

  9. Can we set thresholds for space, power, network utilization and generate emails or alerts when they are exceeded?
    Yes, users can define thresholds and be notified when they are exceeded.

  10. Does iCBS support integration with intelligent power strips? How about environmental monitors?
    Yes, iCBS is compatible with networked and SNMP enabled power strips and environmental monitors. iTRACS products can also integrate with centralized monitoring solutions such as Liebert® SiteScan®.

  11. My facilities utilize consolidation points. Can these be documented?
    Yes, iCBS allows users to document any type of connection from copper to fiber, LAN, SAN, WAN, and power too.

  12. We have multiple sites and/or a very large facility. How large of a facility can iCBS support?
    iTRACS CPIM solutions are in use today in large sites across multiple industries. Some of our customers utilize iTRACS to document entire university campuses, large refining sites, large skyscraper office towers, military facilities, major airports, etc. Of course our products are also used by smaller companies and sites as well.

  13. Can I integrate iCBS with my existing facilities applications?
    Yes, iCBS allows users to integrate with external applications through multiple methods. For must users web services will be the preferred method.

  14. What types of user interfaces does iCBS include?
    iCBS includes a web interface, full client application, an external reporting interface which allows users to report across multiple databases, and finally a small client application that allows users to quickly search and report on information.

  15. What level of security access does iCBS have?
    iCBS contains detailed security access at the function level. Administrators can define who can perform specific functions. Dashboards can also be configured to limit access of specific users to certain locations.

  16. What ROI can I expect to receive?
    Returns on investment are typically unique for each organization. Even two businesses within the same vertical market may experience different returns based on their specific needs. Please contact an iTRACS sales representative or iTRACS authorized reseller to learn what iCBS can provide to your business and the potential return you could see.