Success Story

Fix problems and simplify new projects with digital twins

Nadja Müller

Freelance copywriter and journalist

Security-relevant infrastructures are not only subject to high legal requirements, but also great pressure to change. A state data center therefore uses software to map, plan, monitor and document the cabling and operational infrastructure of the properties. This enables long-term tasks to be handled more efficiently and immediate problems such as malfunctions to be solved more easily.

The state-owned company IT.NRW is the state statistical office and the central IT service provider for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. IT.NRW develops and operates the IT infrastructure for the state administration, advises and supports authorities and institutions in the use of information technology and offers IT training for public administration. As the state statistical office in Germany's most populous federal state, IT.NRW also collects and publishes comprehensive data on social and economic conditions.

One of the two central areas of responsibility is data processing for customers in the state administration. For this purpose, security measures are implemented according to the respective protection requirements - in accordance with the IT basic protection manual of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). In addition to the proper implementation of IT procedures and a graduated disaster recovery concept for the production servers and data, the provision of a fail-safe infrastructure is inseparably linked to the high level of availability that must be ensured. For these tasks, IT.NRW has implemented the VM.7 connection manager tool from AT+C. This is used to plan, monitor and document the cabling infrastructure, including connection ports and cable routes, in all properties used by IT.NRW, both in their existing state and in development: The special thing about VM.7 is the connection of the database with graphic information. For example, information from architects can be seamlessly imported from CAD programs and made available. This consistency of graphic representation and attributes allows objects to be visualized and changes to be automatically adopted.

Specifically, IT.NRW uses the VM.7 tool to manage the devices in the data center with several computer rooms, the server cabinets and the cable connections. The connection manager not only maps IT components, but the entire infrastructure, for example with fire dampers, door sensors, extinguisher detectors or cooling systems. The SNMP protocol allows data from the devices in the data center and the building management system to be imported and evaluated via sensors, for example power curves or consumption. This creates a map of all operationally relevant facilities in the data center with a high level of detail: For example, all eight wires of the copper connection of an RJ45 plug can be documented and provided with notes - or the 144 fibers of a fiber optic cable.

The digital twin offers maximum transparency

The infrastructure in security areas such as the data center area is not only complex, special requirements also arise from constant pressure for change in the computer rooms. As a digital twin, the VM.7 makes day-to-day business easier, for example when troubleshooting faults, but also when planning new computer rooms, conversions or adjustments, as it always provides the infrastructure with all relevant information up to date. Ceilings no longer have to be opened to trace the route of cables - the connection manager keeps the information available.

The extension of a computer room, for example, was planned entirely using the connection manager, including the cables to be laid: The tool generated a complete list of all the materials required and provided the floor plans and cable pull lists. Most recently, the digital twin of the seven-story office building that moved into in 2021 enabled IT.NRW to determine a complete occupancy plan and the resulting space requirements, as well as to generate a relocation plan. The tool also enables evaluations and provides data to third-party systems via interfaces: IT.NRW has developed a program that makes it possible to print the required door signs with information on room number, name and department in the required dimensions from the data stored in VM.7 at the touch of a button. Furthermore, the data provided by VM.7 is used to fill the intranet phone book and generate first responder and firefighter lists. Changes such as moves within the building, name changes or new telephone numbers are maintained in VM.7 and the aforementioned lists and third-party systems are automatically updated. When setting up a WLAN access point, the digital twin was used to provide remote assistance to the on-site technicians and explain how and where the access point can be connected most quickly.

The technical equipment of the office building is also documented - the building plan includes, among other things, the positions of the WLAN access points, the network connection sockets, patch panels and routers: With 32,190 patch cables in use, almost 6,000 connection sockets, and several thousand servers distributed across different locations, documentation such as that implemented by IT.NRW with VM.7 is almost indispensable.

Increasing demands on data centers

The demands on modern data centers are increasing - and with them the legal obligations to be able to track which device is installed with which components. For this purpose, AT+C expanded the connection manager to include the function of managing parts lists. A digital twin of devices and their components can be created and inventoried as a conglomerate. Recurring configurations are therefore much easier to manage.

The requirement to transfer commercial data such as the date of purchase, delivery note number or end of support to supplied and installed components could also be implemented with AT+C. In particular, installed hard drives and storage devices that contain confidential data can now be assigned to the devices more easily. Based on this, IT.NRW has developed a lifecycle management system that automatically informs administrators when which device is no longer under warranty or when manufacturer support expires. When replacing or installing new parts or modules, the components and their history can be called up: This makes it easier to determine which parts, for example, go into storage or are recycled. The connection manager supports the overview of availability and possible reuse options.

It also makes troubleshooting easier. During the Corona crisis, access to important systems was essential for the state: In addition to always up-to-date statistics on new cases or free capacity of intensive care beds, it became apparent that home office applications were becoming more important in the state administration. Thanks to the complete documentation of the systems and their interconnection, IT.NRW is able to quickly eliminate faults. The correct connections can be viewed with just a few clicks and can therefore be quickly restored. In addition, urgently needed extensions in the area of ​​teleworking were planned and implemented. 

The cooperation between AT+C and IT.NRW has now extended over several years. AT+C has always been able to cover the requirements of the system and implement adjustments promptly. The connection manager offers great flexibility so that the user can model it individually.

Conclusion

The connection manager ensures transparency: With the precise documentation of the technical and operational infrastructure of the properties through the digital twin, the state-owned company can not only find and resolve the causes of faults more quickly, repairs are easier and the needs for new buildings and extensions can also be determined more quickly and accurately.

Author: Nadja Müller
Image source: State Office IT.NRW