Sunbird DCIM Reviews

Why I chose Sunbird DCIM

Pros:

I like it because of its ease of use, good features, great support and help if needed. Easy to update and are frequently updated.

Cons:

Most of the problems I had is mostly on my side, i.e I am not familiar with terms, technical lingo and mindset. So when for instance filling in information is a bit tedious but it is getting easier.

SunBird - The best feature rich DCIM product in the Market Place

Comments: The overall experience has been a bit overwhelming to start, with all the feature rich software has to offer, but with a good professional services engagement from Sunbird they were quickly able to break it all down into bit size chunks to understand and on free online training was extremely helpful when we got stuck with a curtain function.

Pros:

The software provides a rich end to end functional journey of creating a DC room, adding the power train, then the racks and finally the devices into those racks. In the process of doing this you get a visualization view and an asset list plus how it all logically & physically connects together. Plus great out of the box dashboards.

Cons:

None from a product perspective, but it does require you to understand all the layers within your data Centre and the equipment makes and models plus specifications.

Sunbird and Power IQ #1

Comments: We know where we stand with real time metrics that I have tested to be 100 % accurate. Identifies the problem with detail right down to the cabinet level.

Pros:

Features, data and asset management is easy to use and when you have an issue your calling the leaders of the industry. Support is crucial to resolving any issues right away, not 5 to 10 days like others.

Cons:

Reports could be a little more detailed in my opinion.

PowerIQ is admin's best friend, dcTrack is best to comfort revisors and auditors

Comments: (x) Support is over-average
(x) new releases have a high quality, we always wait a few month until implementing a new release and in the last two years we never had an issue after a release upgrade

Pros:

New hardware devices are ready be monitored in seconds. Management of hundreds of hardware devices such PDUs and sensors lost it's complexity. PowerIQ superseded our Nagios Installation for all hardware-related devices. It becomes more and more our primary trap host.

Cons:

Compared to PowerIQ setup of dcTrack is complex. Integration of PowerIQ an dcTrack could be easier to use. (License) Price for integration of USVs into PowerIQ is definitely to high, as a result we do not monitore our several USVs via PowerIQ

Cleveland Clinic Data Center Tech evaluation of Sunbird DCIM products

Comments: I am able to better manage and produce reports to my management with this product.

Pros:

The product is very easy to use, and also train new employees how to use it.

Cons:

I can't think of any Cons for this product.

Best DCIM solution

Comments: I'd like to note SunBird support team as fatest to reply on request and with quick solution.

Pros:

Having tried to work with top five DCIM products I consider SunBird the best DCIM product on the market. It is easyest to adopt to and covers the most of DataCenter manager's tasks. Great functionality and large user group helps a lot to solve problems, which are impossible to solve in other products, like subfloor or above rack equipment placement.

Cons:

Monitoring functionality needs further work. I'd put a ModBus software gateway in my wishlist.

Standardisation with easy implementation and first class support

Comments: As expected and since engagement has been first class support. Knowledgeable about their product and always able to assist.

Pros:

Easy to setup and intuitive, readily available support and training materials can help you progress your initial stages quickly. Support available and the 1-2-1 sessions have been invaluable. Quickly able to see results and how it integrates in to your environment.

Cons:

At the moment there isn't anything - it is exactly as I expected and researched

Best DCIM available.

Comments: We just started using it be we are loving it.

Pros:

Training, training, support and training. Sunbird has a huge amount of videos, knowledge articles, and excellent support.

Cons:

Importing a floor plan could be easier. With that being said, it is an extremely complicated process. Sunbird has been patient, understanding, and willing to go the extra mile to get the job done.

Dcim Tool

Pros:

Has really good features for monitoring and asset management and a very good portfolio for report generation

Cons:

Not much i dont like about the software.They always try to make to the software more customer centric which is what most organizations are looking for

Great. And fast response when creating a ticket nice tool

Comments: Fast support they follow the case to the end, and ask newbie about stuff and help out if you’re in doubt

Pros:

The overview of item power connections assets It a huge tool. Find new corner’s every day So I think I could learn something new every day But I don’t have the time

Cons:

There was already a patch to install when I was finished, so I had to wait before I could start to get a feeling with the software But it could mean we work fast and will not let our customers down

Great 1st Echelon Support

Pros:

dcTrack, along with powerIQ provides in-depth health-concern data for your data centers, at a glance. I dont' have enough characters here to list everything I like about this software. I'll sum it up like this, all of the questions/requirements you may have for your system, that start with, "can I do ______ with this system?", the answer is yes. Some features are harder than others to get setup. Power connectivity, for instance, takes into account your building's entire power chain. From the building UPS, up to your rack PDU's, utilizing any available management information those devices will offer up. Unless you know a lot about industrial power (I do not) then it could be a difficult feature to get working. That being said I was able to get things up and running with a Sunbird support staff who are not just extremely knowledgeable of their applications, but have expertise in every facet of every infrastructure area that the system supports. The applications are also visually stunning that they are easy sells to management and are "no-brianers" to justify for purchase.

Cons:

My biggest complaint about the software is a development paradigm of dictating what can be done or not in the system, even if you may feel like you should be able to proceed with an operation. An example of this is that the system, when implemented as deigned will not allow you to make a network connection between a SFP port of a switch and a copper NIC. This, even though these connections are possible using copper GBIC's. There is a workaround for this, of making all of your different port-types to "twisted-pair" which constitutes a minor inconvenience. The important thing is that the Sunbird Support staff have always come up with a work around for the particular incompatibilities in our environment, of which there have not been many.

The future might be blinding bright for Sunbird if they play their cards right.

Comments: We have not achieved production functionality yet but overall great!

Pros:

Features, ease of deployment with some reservations to importing assets and setting up a db, overall look and feel, automation, precision and wide scope of functionality.

Cons:

The process of getting your existing assets in is quite gruelling if you are not using Service Now as your asset management system. Collating and matching data to dcTracks standards is very challenging for the project team. We are going to use your turn key service to ease the process.

Caretech Solutions Inc.

Comments: As a remote datacenter manager, it is invaluable to have a visual readout of our assets, and easily be able to determine and display capacity. As a Shared Services provider, we can easily demonstrate to existing customers where their racks are located, how populated they are, etc. This is also useful in sales initiatives; having a 3-D graph of racks with available capacity (one of the vendor-provided reports) makes the salesman's job easier.

Pros:

I like the fact that it can be as high-level, or granulated as you like. I initially started with "where are my racks and what's in them" usage, easily generating 3-d visuals, and exporting .csv and .pdf reports. Using the built-in import and export tools, I've been able to add entries for power whips (and associate them with racks), and populate chassis with individual blades. Next steps will be to update network information for devices, again, with the easy import tools.

Cons:

The models library sometimes lacks the specific Make, Model, etc. of a device I'm adding, so I'll have to use a similar one, or define a generic one. Sunbird has a mechanism to submit model addition requests.

Fantastic DCIM Application

Comments: From the purchase to implementation to use, the entire ride has been easy and fun to learn.

Pros:

Ease of deployment and use; visuals are very useful

Cons:

Limited customizable reporting, although the support team will help create additional reports if needed.

3D View/Bulk Uploads/Odbc DB Connection/Easy to use

Comments: If you haven't used a DCIM previously and want to quickly install and use a DCIM and learn how to use it quickly, I recommend this product.

Pros:

First of all it has an impressive easy-to-use 3D user interface. If your knowledge of Datacenter components and operations is good, you can learn its usage in a very short time and define the new hardware models in 15 minutes without waiting for support. With the CSV upload feature, you can save a serious time by organizing updates in Excel that will last longer. End-to-end cable tracking is really successful. With access to the database via ODBC, you can prepare advanced reports and integrate with other applications. Payment is more flexible than other companies. Monthly usage is also possible. Unit prices are public on the web-site.

Cons:

Each circuit has to be terminated with an endpoint. This is necessary for you to do the job right, sometimes short-term temporary operations can annoy you.

A true partner in Sunbird

Comments: We have found a true partner with the team at Sunbird. They are there to listen, investigate, and offer advice and solutions to any questions we have. The product is flexible enough to adapt to what you need it to do while offering a solid structure to build on.

Pros:

Sunbird listens to all of there customers and then plans and implements the feature requests that provide the most improvement in a timely manner. The support team is attentive and works to both understand the underlining issue and providing work around and long term solution.

Cons:

The team is still working to eliminate the thick client. It isn't hard to use the thick client, but a little inconvenient to have to switch between thin and think. However you don't have to use it too often.

Sunbird PowerIQ - DCIM I couldn't work with out.

Pros:

Everything in PIQ is just so easy to use. From adding new racks, to adding new devices for monitoring purposes. Currently monitoring over 1k devices/sensors across the United Kingdom with ease. If you ever need support, Sunbird has your back with quick, easy to understand answers. They know their product inside out!

Cons:

We had a few teething issues when we first started with PowerIQ and the compatibility with some specific devices we were trying to add. Sunbird provided plenty of support and got to the bottom of the problem quickly. Fast forward a number of years and I don't have any cons with this DCIM solution, it just works as intended.

Easy to use

Comments: I'm based in France, and if i need hard support, i need to contact USA support. Because of the time difference, i hava to wait to the afternon to have some answers end the same for them but, finally, all the issues has been solved.

Pros:

The best of this software is the dashboard, that you can see all the informations about your business in real time. and you can personalize it !

Cons:

If you don't receive any official learning about the software it's long to know all the things about the software.

Easy to get reports and see overall health of the data center in one page.

Comments: Get the ease of knowing how our data center is running at a glance. Can keep track of assets through out the organization without having to physically going to each asset.

Pros:

Can set up and change settings easily without a lot of going back and forth through screens, which I had to do with other DCIM tools. Easy to navigate for the end user without needing a lot of training.

Cons:

Depending on the manufacturer of an add on device I needed to purchase another interface to allow this to read the power.

Sunbird allows me to keep an eye on the status of my systems.

Comments: I am able to easily view the power and climate status of all my PDU's.

Pros:

Power IQ is very easy to use and quickly shows all desired data. The web page is very easy to setup and manage. Once the hardware is in place configuring the data on the network is easy to view and report on.

Cons:

The look is very basic. I would like to see more new age view. The graphics are very early internet. This does not diminish the functionality of the software, it just looks clunky.

Getting Better and Better

Comments: I have been using this product last two years and it has been improving and getting better since than. I love the 3D feature they just added with latest update. Keep up the good work and keep improving Sunbird.

Pros:

Easy to use 3D view is great Good customer support Good integration with Raritan PDUs

Cons:

Sometimes have problems with IE is not updating the info Classic view should go away!

World class support and easy to use

Comments: We have been in full control of all our datacenters word wide

Pros:

The easy way to build our datacenters into dcTrack and the huge difference from spreadsheets to dcTrack. Provides a quick overview as well as being able to produce reports to several departments

Cons:

Models library could be more correct and updated more often not only once a month. More pic to the 3D view.

Emerson GDC Review

Pros:

Product is easy to use and view when it is setup. Useful as we have multiple "teams" using Sunbird to look at assets on the floor and for future projects.

Cons:

Most missing features are easy to request to get added and have a quick turn around response time.

FD_Review

Comments: optimal powerdistribution management

Pros:

The Dashboard, the Tree-Struktured Datacenter strukture, ability to add 3rd party products, floorplan integration

Cons:

Setting up PUE, better sharper graphics would be desireable,

Test

Comments: Overall good

Pros:

Ease of use of the software. GUI looks good

Cons:

Licensing could be better on the website