3D Data Center Visualization with Workflow Impact Overlays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data center personnel face challenges in understanding the impact of infrastructure changes, such as power downs or removals, on software programs and workflows, as existing methods lack real-time visualization capabilities for IT administrators standing at the data center location.
Innovation Solution
Generating metadata overlays on a three-dimensional representation of a data center, allowing IT administrators to visualize the projected impact of actions on workflows and infrastructure using smart devices, augmented reality, and virtual reality, enabling real-time decision-making during infrastructure management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional infrastructure management methods are used, then infrastructure changes can be performed, but the impact on software programs and workflows cannot be visualized in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional flat displays to three-dimensional immersive visualizations using VR headsets and AR smart devices. This dimensional change allows administrators to stand at physical locations and see workflow impacts spatially overlaid on the actual infrastructure, making the invisible dependency relationships visible and actionable in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces metadata overlays as an intermediary layer between the physical infrastructure and the software workflows. These overlays, displayed through VR/AR technologies, mediate the connection by visually representing workflow impacts on physical assets, allowing administrators to understand complex relationships without needing to manually trace every dependency.
2Measurement precision
If detailed workflow impact analysis is performed, then accurate impact assessment is achieved, but real-time decision-making capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary impact analysis automatically before infrastructure changes are executed. By pre-calculating and visualizing the projected impacts using metadata overlays, administrators can review and make informed decisions in real-time without needing to perform complex manual analysis during the decision-making moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements real-time feedback loops where the system continuously monitors infrastructure state and workflow dependencies, then immediately updates the visualizations when changes occur. This allows administrators to see the current impact state at any moment and make timely decisions based on up-to-date information rather than outdated static reports.
3Productivity
If infrastructure changes are made without impact visualization, then operational speed is maintained, but the risk of negative effects on business-critical applications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides immediate visual feedback to administrators about potential reliability risks before changes are executed. The metadata overlays show real-time information about which workflows and applications would be affected, allowing administrators to proceed quickly with confidence when changes are safe, or pause and adjust when risks are identified.
Solution Approach 2:
The metadata overlay acts as an intermediary warning system that sits between the rapid infrastructure change process and the business-critical applications. It translates complex dependency relationships into intuitive visual representations, enabling administrators to maintain operational speed while protecting application reliability by spotting potential conflicts before they occur.
Data Source
AI summary
In a computing environment comprising a plurality of equipment racks wherein each equipment rack comprises one or more of compute, storage and network assets, a method identifies a workflow attributed to at least a portion of the assets in at least one equipment rack of the computing environment, generates one or more overlays that visualize a projected impact to one or more components of the identified workflow, obtains a three-dimensional representation of the at least one equipment rack, and superimposes the one or more overlays on the three-dimensional representation of the at least one equipment rack.