RF Code Deployment Guide:

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

RF Code Asset Manager
RF Code M250 Readers
RF Code RFID Sensor Tags

Publication
Publication
P/N REV01
02270 REV00

Table of Contents
Trademarks ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Copyright Statement ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
The Rack Cooling Index (RCI) ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
The Return Temperature Index (RTI) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Measuring RTI ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Overview ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Deployment Planning ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Discovery .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Physical Operations and Requirements in Data Centers ................................................................................................................................. 7
Configuring the M250 Reader ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Asset Manager: Hardware, Software, and Database Requirements ........................................................................................................ 10
Asset Manager: Installation ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Asset Manager: Initial Configuration ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Consoles ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Data Schema ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Locations ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Add Reader(s) ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Tag Groups ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Tag Management ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Adding Sensors as Assets ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
CRAC Assets for RTI ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Summary Assets ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
Viewing Assets ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Installation and Deployment of Readers and Tags ......................................................................................................................................... 31
Reader Installation ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Reader Positioning ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Tag Positioning .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Asset Manager: Final Configuration and General Use.................................................................................................................................... 35
Table View ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Map View ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
Thresholds and Alerts ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Dashboards .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
Reports .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Advanced Reporting ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 50

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Trademarks
RF Code and the RF Code logo are trademarks of RF Code, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, SQL
Server, and Internet Explorer are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other
countries. PostgreSQL is a registered trademark of the PostgreSQL Global Development Group. DB2 is a
trademark of the IBM Corporation. All other product names are copyright and registered trademarks or trade
names of their respective owners.

Copyright Statement
Copyright 2008-2013 RF Code, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This document, as well as the hardware and firmware described therein, are furnished under license and may
only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of such license. The information in these pages are
furnished for informational use only, are subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a
commitment by RF Code, Inc. RF Code assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that
may appear in these pages.
RF Code reserves the right to make changes without further notice to any products herein. RF Code makes no
warranty, representation or guarantee regarding the suitability of its products for any particular purpose, nor
does RF Code assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any product, and specifically disclaims
any and all liability, including without limitation consequential or incidental damages.
The user of this system is cautioned that any changes or modifications to this system, not expressly approved by
RF Code, Inc., could void the warranty. Every effort has been made to supply complete and accurate
information. However, RF Code assumes no responsibility for its use, or for any infringements of patents or
other rights of third parties, which would result.

RF Code, Inc.
9229 Waterford Centre Blvd.
Suite 500
Austin, TX 78758
www.rfcode.com

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Introduction
The following guidelines and instructions should be observed when deploying an RF Code environmental
monitoring solution in your data center with the goal of maintaining proper rack temperatures. This guide
covers the physical installation of environmental monitoring tags and readers and the installation and
configuration of software to let you monitor such factors as temperature, humidity, and air flow in your data
center. This guide outlines the most common deployment options for environmental monitoring. Please refer
to RF Code user guides, technical documents, and online knowledge base articles for more information about
deployment methods and considerations that are not covered; these are available online at:
http://Support.RFCode.com

The Rack Cooling Index (RCI)

Two key metrics to consider when monitoring the temperature of your data center are the Rack Cooling Index
(RCI) and the Return Temperature Index (RTI). RCI is a best practice performance metric for quantifying the
conformance with thermal data center guidelines and standards such as ASHRAE and NEBS.
For more information on RCI, ASHRAE/NEBS thermal guidelines, data center efficiency, refer to the following
PDF deck:
http://www.ancis.us/images/Herrlin_LABS21_Slides_09-18-2008_for_WEB_Compatibility_Mode_.pdf
Performance metrics are important because they show conformance, allow real-time performance evaluation,
enable benchmarking, and provide a means for measuring improvement. The RCI and RTI metrics were
developed by ANCIS Incorporated in an effort to reduce the costs associated with cooling data centers. Large
collections of highly utilized enterprise computing equipment generate a lot of heat. The most effective and
easiest metric of the two is the RCI. This document is focused on deploying an RF Code environmental
monitoring solution that enables the measurement, computation, monitoring, and reporting of RCI values.

The Rack Cooling Index (RCI) is a measure of compliance. Ideal compliance is 100%, but ANCIS suggests
that a Good rating is 96%, an Acceptable rating is 91-95%, and a Poor rating is 90%.

RCI can be computed for individual racks, rows of racks, any subsection of the data center (e.g., pods), or
for the entire data center.

RCI is divided into RCI-HI and RCI-LO. The former is a measure of how many measure points are over
temperature and the latter is a measure of how many points are under temperature. Enterprise
computing equipment generates a lot of heat and there are substantial costs involved with keeping it
operating at an optimal temperature. Therefore, the RCI-HI metric is really the key measurement. If data
center resources become dangerously hot, then they are subject to malfunction and damage, but RCI is
intended as a means to save money by reducing cooling costs so RCI-LO values are rarely violated. If
they are, then data center management is paying too much for cooling.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends
maintaining rack intake temperatures in the range of 68F - 77F (20C-25C).

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

The Return Temperature Index (RTI)

The Return Temperature Index quantifies the energy performance of the air-management system. It is a
measure of net by-pass air or net recirculation air in the equipment room. This metric and the formula for
calculating it are included in Asset Manager in the default schema. You need only to select it for use when you
configure Asset Manager and real-time values will be available for you to monitor after you deploy the physical
infrastructure.

It is the ratio of total equipment airflow to total air-handler airflow expressed as a percentage.

100% indicates balanced airflow

< 100% indicates net airflow by-pass
> 100% indicates net airflow re-circulation

If the cold supply air returns directly to CRACs without cooling the IT equipment, then power
consumption by the fan increases and the efficiency of the chiller decreases.

If hot exhaust from IT equipment is drawn back into intakes, then thermal hotspots are created and
concern for equipment reliability is raised. This also results often in low RCI-HI values.

Typically, when more air is delivered by the CRACs than is drawn into the electronic equipment, then
this is due to net by-pass air.

Poor air management drives over-provisioning the airflow, while hotspots often dictate the need for
extra air.

Poor
Net Airflow
By-Pass

Target
Airflow

Poor
Net Airflow
Re-circulation

<80%

80% to 120%

>120%

Measuring RTI
The following requirements are necessary to calculate and monitor RTI:
Rack level instrumentation (sensors)
Optimal: 3 temperature sensors (top, mid, bottom) front & rear of every rack
Minimum: 3 temperature sensors (top, mid, bottom) front & rear of every 3rd rack

CRAC level instrumentation (sensors)

One temperature sensor on the CRAC supply
One (or more) temperature sensors on the CRAC return

The typical CRAC volumetric air flow rate (static value)

A software monitoring system (RF Codes Asset Manager) to collect and store sensor temperature
readings and then to use them to compute RTI value.

NOTE: RTI is a metric for the entire data center.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Overview
This document provides a turn-key solution to deploying an environmental monitoring solution geared toward
helping you achieve RCI compliance in your data center. In general, the process consists of the following steps:
A. Assess your environment.
B. Configure tags and a reader and configure them for a pilot deployment.
C. Install and configure Asset Manager for a pilot deployment.
D. Deploy tags and a reader for a pilot deployment.
E. Configure Asset Manager to provide views, thresholds, alerts, and reports on raw sensor data and on RCI
calculated metrics.
F. Add additional tags and readers as necessary to your physical environment and ensure that they are
properly sending sensor data to Asset Manager.

Deployment Planning
Planning is a key element of any IT deployment. The main steps to take for deploying an RF Code solution are
below and can also be summarized as Assessment, Testing, and Deployment:

Discovery (Assessment) information gathering phase to prepare for the pilot and the subsequent full
roll-out

Pilot Implementation (Testing) phase where a representative sample of equipment is used to

demonstrate that a proof-of-concept solution is viable

Rollout Implementation (Deployment) phase where equipment is staged and deployed to implement
the solution

Discovery
It is recommended that a checklist be completed before the pilot or roll-out. This checklist should include the
following:
Contact Information and Access
Contact information for key decision-makers and on-site personnel who are critical to the successful completion
of the site survey and pilot implementation. This list includes, but is not limited to personnel in the following
roles: facility managers, IT managers, project managers, security, and business process owners. Also, access to a
given area may be restricted or require security escorts, so make such necessary arrangements in advance of
both the pilot and full-roll out deployments.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Network, Power, and General Environmental Considerations

You should have floor plans or descriptions of the area(s) where you will be deploying readers and sensors. If
possible, scaled floor drawings with dimensions should show existing network and power drops. You should also
have or produce a visual layout of the rows, racks, and CRACs in the deployment area. Having this layout as a
graphic file will allow you, when you get to the point of configuring Asset Manager, a way to map the sensors
you install and see visually temperature readings across your data center as well as areas that either meet or do
not meet AHSRAE compliance guidelines for RCI and RTI. The pilot area should be representative of the rollout
area in your data center. It should be noted if an area is subject to extreme environmental conditions such as
temperature, humidity, dust, or moisture.
Network Topology
Since RF Code readers will be transmitting tag data over your IP network to Asset Manager, network topology is
a key consideration. IT staff should be consulted about policies and procedures for putting a reader on an IP
network, as well as for providing installation services.

Physical Operations and Requirements in Data Centers

The following information is to be taken under consideration when planning your pilot and deployment. Each
site is somewhat unique, but a general rule of thumb for data centers is to have every reader cover a zone of
tags with 25-foot radius, with overlapping zones of coverage to ensure there are no dead zones. To accomplish
this most effectively, we recommend that CAD drawings and/or site maps are used to properly locate where the
readers should be placed. Note that as opposed to data centers, range reads in the 75-foot range are normal in
typical office spaces and 300-foot ranges are possible outside; the limiting factor in a data center is the density
of metal in the environment that impairs RF signals. These guidelines were developed by RF Code deployment
specialists and are found to work in most environments.
Three major considerations of reader and tag placement are as follows:
Measurement of RF Noise
Generally, you want noise levels to be no greater than -90dB.
Most environments have some level of RF noise from other electronic devices but usually not enough to have
any effect on tag read range. In rare cases, RF noise sources that affect read range may include on-site plant
equipment or equipment from nearby facilities such as airports or military installations. In these cases, it is
important to understand that additional readers may be necessary to get the necessary coverage.
Tag Read Range
Building materials, obstructions, racks, stacked equipment, and the material of the tagged equipment itself can
all affect tag read range and will give an indication of the number of readers needed to cover a given area.
IT Considerations
Power and network drops should be noted in relation to desired reader placement. Also, network topology
needs to be considered especially in cases of multi-site deployments. Most RF Code deployments in the data
center utilize Power over Ethernet (PoE) for readers so that power drops are not needed. For guidelines about
hardware, software, and database requirements, refer to the following section:
Asset Manager: Hardware, Software, and Database Requirements
Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Configuring the M250 Reader

The first step in the actual pilot deployment is to configure your M250 Reader with a static IP address using its
USB-B serial port.
NOTE: You can also configure your reader to use DHCP with Up Connect. If you wish to use DHCP, the Reader
Configuration Utility will also report the IP address that has been assigned to the reader. However, this
address may change. Therefore, if you choose this manner of configuration instead, use the Up Connect
feature to connect the M250 Reader to Asset Manager. For more information, refer to the M250
Reader User Manual available at http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/722910-userguides-manuals-docs.
To configure the reader, perform the following steps:
1. Install the Reader Configuration Utility (RCU) on the PC being used to configure the reader.
NOTE: If you are using the RCU CD, leave it in the CD or DVD drive during the install. If you need to
download the RCU, you can find it on the RF Code Support website here:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/716055-reader-utilities-downloads
NOTE: For more information about the RCU, refer to the RCU User Guide here:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/722910-user-guides-manuals-docs
2. Connect the reader to the USB port on the PC using a USB-A to USB-B cable.
NOTE: This cable is not included in the standard RF Code reader package, but you can purchase one at
an electronics store (e.g., Frys, Radio Shack, etc.) or at a big box general retailer (e.g., Best Buy,
Circuit City, Office Depot, etc.). However, this USB-A to USB-B cable is included in RF Code pilot
packs.
3. When you are prompted, install the RFCUSB.inf driver that is located in the configuration utility folder of
the CD or in the RCU installation directory created after installing RCU from a download.
NOTE: If you run into any issues installing the driver, refer to the following RF Code KB Article:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/721801

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

4. Run the configuration utility and select Local as the connection method.
The M250 Reader should be seen on one of the COM ports listed in the Windows Device Manager.

5. Select the COM port and click Next.

NOTE: If necessary, change any of the settings in the configuration tabs such as the IP address.
6. Click Save Changes so that the configuration is saved to the reader.
Once a static IP is entered you should be able to connect to the M250 Reader with a web browser.
7. Attach the two helical antennas packaged with the reader(s) and align the antennas at a right angle from
one another.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Asset Manager: Hardware, Software, and Database Requirements

Part of the RF Code solution includes server software (Asset Manager) that must be installed on a physical or
virtual server that can be accessed over the network by users/administrators using a web-interface and also by
the readers that will be deployed in subsequent steps.
Hardware, Operating System, and Networking Requirements
The following are hardware, OS, and networking requirements for installing Asset Manager:
o

Minimum Hardware
Dual Core or better processor
2-4 GB RAM
3.4 GB Local Storage

Supported Operating Systems

Windows: Microsoft Windows 64-bit Versions
Linux: RedHat or CentOS 64-bit Versions

Network IP Address/Connectivity
Every reader you deploy needs its own IP address.
Asset Manager needs to be able to reach readers on the appropriate port (default port
6500) and readers need to be able to reach the Asset Manager server.

NOTE: While the Asset Manger server application does not need a dedicated server, it is a common
practice to dedicate a separate server for the Asset Manager database.
Database Requirements
In addition to the Asset Manager server, a database is required for storing store sensor tag data and
configuration data that is gathered and managed by Asset Manager. If you have an existing database
environment, then you will need to create a new database and then connect it to Asset Manager. If you dont
have a database environment prepared or available or you want the quickest way to dive into your pilot
installation, then you can use Microsoft SQL Express 2008, which is bundled with Asset Manager. However, this
lite database is not recommended for long-term or production use; therefore, if you do install Asset Manager
with SQL Express, then you will need to migrate to a production-quality database during the full roll-out by
following standard database backup and restore procedures or by using the Asset Manager export and import
functions. For more information about exporting Asset Manager configuration settings, refer to the
Administrators Guide online.
The following are the database requirements for installing Asset Manager:
o

Supported Databases:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012
PostgreSQL v8.3 and above
IBM DB2 version 9.7 ESE

Database Details Needed for Installation (used later)

Database host name/IP address
Port Number (e.g. 1433 for SQL)
Database name
Credentials to authenticate with the database (read/write/create access)

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Asset Manager: Installation

To install Asset Manager, perform the following steps:
1. Insert the Asset Manager CD or run the installer image provided by RF Code.
2. Follow the prompts of the Installation Wizard.
3. Choose the Local Zone Manager option.
If you are using an external database, do not check the Install and Configure Microsoft SQL Server
Express box. You will later be able to specify the database to which Asset Manager will connect.
If you are using the default SQL Server Express Database that is integrated into the Asset Manager
installer, check the Install and Configure Microsoft SQL Server Express checkbox.
NOTE: If you are using the SQL Server Express option, do not change the default SQL password
assigned to the sa administrator account.
NOTE: Per database requirements, choose the SQL Server Express option only for pilot installations
and not for full roll-outs when you deploy into a production environment.
The Admin Console should launch automatically upon completion of installation.
NOTE: At any time, you can launch the Asset Manager web console by navigating to Start >
Programs > RF Code > Asset Manager or by navigating in a browser to http://{server host
name}:6580
NOTE: After installation, the service may take a few minutes to restart.
4. Log in with the default Administrator user name and password (case sensitive):

Username: admin
Password: admin

5. After logging in, proceed to the Software Configuration section(s).

NOTE: Refer to the Asset Manager Administration and Usage Guide for further details about installing and
configuring Asset Manager. This is available from the navigation links at the bottom of the web console.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Asset Manager: Initial Configuration

Consoles
There are two primary views (consoles) in Asset Manager:
o

Admin Console: Access this console by clicking the Admin Console link in the lower right corner of
the web interface of Asset Manager. This console is typically used for administrative functions of
the server and where a large portion of this document focuses. It could be considered the Control
Panel of your Asset Manager. This is where most of the initial configuration is done.

User Console: Access this console by clicking the User Console link in the lower right corner of the
web interface of Asset Manager. This console is for managing and viewing sensors, alerts,
dashboards, reports, graphs, etc. This is where the final configuration and daily use of Asset
Manager is done.

NOTE: Switching between the two consoles is done by clicking either the Admin Console or the User
Console link at the bottom right of the Asset Manager user interface. The two links toggle
depending on which console you are using.

The following sections describe how to configure the Asset Manager settings necessary for a pilot deployment.
Additional sections later in this document will describe how to use Asset Manager for a full roll-out and for
general use. For further reference, the Asset Manager Administration and Usage Manual, and many other
technical documents are available online at http://Support.RFCode.com.

Data Schema
A data schema is the combination of asset types and attributes that allow you to determine what types of
assets/sensors you are monitoring and specific attributes related to those. By default, Asset Manager contains a
schema that can be used in a general environmental monitoring deployment. Custom schemas can also be
imported. For both the pilot and roll-out, you will use the default schema. If you have specific needs in the
future that are not addressed by the default schema, please consult with RF Code Support to customize the
default schema or design a schema from scratch. Depending on the nature of the customization, it may also be
necessary to work with RF Code Professional Services.
NOTE: For more information about Asset Types, refer to the following KB article:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/977425-how-to-create-new-asset-types-in-assetmanager-and-sensor-manager

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Assets Types that represent various RF Code sensor tags and Attributes that represent various environmental
conditions that sensor tags monitor can be found in the Admin Console under Data Schema.

Locations
Define your Location hierarchy in Admin Console > Locations/Rules/Maps using naming conventions that
provide distinct nomenclature.
NOTE: If your data center already has naming conventions for the assets within it, you can model the Location
hierarchy based on that convention. If not, it might be necessary to document externally some mapping
of the two for reference. Also, for the pilot, you only need to configure locations for a handful of racks.
For the roll-out, you can use the Export/Import process covered later in this document.
NOTE: The location tree is difficult to change after it has been configured and you have associated your assets
with the locations in the hierarchy, take care to name your locations and define your hierarchy at the
beginning of your deployment.
NOTE: The Name field must be unique throughout the system, so it is important to use very specific names for
each location/object.
For example, Austin > Data Center > Row 1 > Rack 1 and Austin > Data Center > Row 2 > Rack 1 leaves
ambiguity as to which "Rack 1" is of mention in reports, dashboards, etc., since there is generally a Rack 1 in
both Row 1 and Row 2. Instead, use a naming convention more like World > USA > Texas > Austin > ADC > ADCR1 > ADC-R1-Rack1 and World > USA > Texas > Austin > ADC > ADC-R2 > ADC-R2-Rack1 where the following is
true:

Austin = City
ADC = Austin Data Center
ADC-R1 = Austin Data Center Row 1
ADC-R1-Rack1 = Austin Data Center Row 1 Rack #1
ADC-R2-Rack1 = Austin Data Center Row 2 Rack #1
Etc.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

When you have finished configuring your Location tree, it will look similar to the following:

Add Reader(s)
To add readers to Asset Manager, go to Admin Console > Configuration > Readers, click New, and then select
the M250 reader type.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Populate the following reader configuration fields seen and described below.

Basic Information
Name: This is the identifier that will be seen in Asset Manager, it is a text field, and is not the
hostname or IP of the Reader
Zone Manager: By default it will use the embedded Zone Manager that is installed with Asset
Manager. Most likely, this will not need to be changed unless you have multiple data center sites
where it is recommended that you setup a Zone Manager instance for each site.

Network Settings
Hostname: This is the Hostname/IP Address of the Asset Manager Server
Port: By default this is set to 6500, and will most likely not need to change. This is the TCP port on the
Asset Manager/Zone Manager Server that will accept connections from the Reader(s)
SSL Mode: This defines the encryption level, SSL that is used between the Reader and Asset
Manager/Zone Manager, again the default should suffice.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Authentication: If a username/password were set on the reader in the Reader Configuration earlier,
these fields MUST match the Readers credentials.

Up Connect Settings: If you choose an alternate configuration for your reader(s), such as using DHCP and
Up Connect, then enter the same information in these fields as well as they must match precisely in order
to allow the reader to connect to the Asset Manager and Zone Manager.
NOTE: For more information about Up Connect, refer to the following KB article:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/744747

Tag Groups
Tag Groups are groups of RF Code Tag models that look and behave similarly in terms of form factor and the
technology embedded within the tag. Adding Tag Groups to Asset Manager also adds them to Zone Manager
and allows Zone Manager to see individual RF Code Tags within the set Tag Group, which then lets Asset
Manager display and record data that those tags transmit to readers in range, e.g., temperature and humidity
readings sent from HUMRCK tags. RF Code tags have uniform labels with the following anatomy.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Group Code: The Group Code is a 6-letter code. Examples of Group Codes are HUMRCK, IRCODE, LOCATE,
RFCRCK, and THSRCK.
Tag ID: The Tag ID is a unique 8-digit numeric identifier. You might have 50 HUMRCK tags in your
environment, but you can only have one with the Tag ID of 00005111.
Treatment Code: The Treatment Code is used together with the Group Code to tell RF Code software how
to interpret the data that each tag sends in beacons to RF Code readers. A Treatment Code can be
associated with multiple Group Codes, so it is important to match them exactly when adding them to a
specific environment of RF Code readers and tags. Note that all tags sold by RF Code since November 2012
are assigned to and use Treatment Code 04.
All RF Code tags are defined as being members of a specific group, and have a unique tag ID number within that
group. When an RF Code reader is configured, it can be supplied with up to eight (8) group code IDs and a
corresponding treatment code for each group code. The treatment code instructs the reader how to interpret
the payload data for each tag event within that group code. RF Code tags are smart and have the ability to
transmit various types of data within its radio frequency beacon such as indicators for motion, panic, tamper,
infrared location, and low battery.
NOTE: For more information about Tags and Groups, refer to the following RF Code KB article:
http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/843080
To add Tag Groups, perform the following steps:
1. Go to Admin Console > Configuration > Tag Groups.

2. Click the New button at the top of the second pane.

3. Select the appropriate Treatment Code for the tag being added.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

NOTE: The Treatment Code is found in the very lower right-hand corner of the tag and general begins
with the prefix 04, such as 04F, 04V, etc.
4. Choose the appropriate Group Code, which is a six (6) digit alpha-numeric code, found in the lower left
corner of the tag, e.g. HUMRCK as seen in the photo diagram of the R155 Temperature-Humidity tag
above.
NOTE: After selecting a Treatment Code, the Group Code field will be pre-populated, but if the code
does not match the code on your tag, change it so that it reflects the Group Code on the tag
label.
5. Enter a Name for the Tag Group.
NOTE: A common practice is to use the Group Code as the name so that it is easy to identify when you
later add assets and associate them with tags. However, the Name field is not restricted, so you
can give the Tag Group any name you want if there is ever a reason to use alternative
nomenclature.

Tag Management
After adding tags, you need to manage them, which involves moving them from merely a detected state to
an unassigned state and later associate them to assets.
To do so, perform the following steps:
1. Switch to the User Console > Tag Management > Manage Tags.
2. To move tags to the Unassigned Tags list, select a Tag Group from the drop-down menu.

NOTE: The drop-down menu defaults to All, which if left unchanged allows you to import all of the tags
in all of your Tag Groups at once.
3. Click Add All Tags.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

4. All of the detected tags that were in the list in the middle pane will now appear in the right pane in the
list of Unassigned Tags.

NOTE: After the pilot, at the time of your full roll-out, you will have the option to use the export and
import functions to associate tags with your Assets in bulk outside of the system for speed and
ease; this process is covered later in this document.

Adding Sensors as Assets

Adding Assets during the Pilot Phase
During the Pilot Phase of your implementation, you should use the Asset Manager user console interface in
order to perform your initial configuration of associating sensor tags to assets. This entails physically installing
and configuring enough tags and a single reader in order to start seeing base temperature readings and
computer RCI compliance metrics on a couple of racks.
Later, during full roll-out, you will use the Export and Import features of Asset Manager in addition to a
spreadsheet program (e.g., Microsoft Excel) in order to import many tags and their attributes simultaneously.
During the Pilot Phase, follow the instructions in this section and then skip the next (Adding Assets during a Full
Roll-out) until you are ready to complete the full-roll out of your environmental monitoring solution.
In order to view data from a sensor in Asset Manager, a tag must be assigned to an Asset (in this case, an asset is
a location such as a rack).

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

To add a new asset (sensor), perform the following steps:

1. In User Console > Tag Management > Manage Tags, right-click on the tag to be assigned in the far right
column (labeled Unassigned Tags) and then select New Asset.

2. Select the appropriate Asset Type to assign to the tag.

NOTE: In this example, you are adding a Temperature-Humidity sensor and are therefore choosing
Temperature Humidity as the Asset Type.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

3. Configure the settings for the sensor tag asset.

Name: Common descriptor that must be unique for the Asset. Typically pre-pending a type
designator (TempHum), then a location descriptor will suffice. In the example, this temperature
sensor/asset is going to be located at the Top of Rack 1 in the Austin Data Centers Row 1.

Asset Tag: Depending on the method used to get to this screen, this field may be pre-populated. If
not, simply start typing the Tag ID of the tag and select the appropriate Tag ID from the dynamic list
presented.

Description: This can be any information about the sensor tag asset that is helpful to you when
monitoring the environment. For example, you could note that a temperature tag in the
designated location is in a hot aisle or cold aisle, near a CRAC, in a particular kind of rack, installed
on a rack door or on the cabinet itself, etc.

Asset Location: This field is used to tell Asset Manager where the tag will reside, physically, and is
designated using the Location hierarchy configured earlier. In this example, the Rack in which
this temperature sensor/asset is physically installed is selected.

Expected Location (s): This is where an asset should be and is also designated using the Location
Hierarchy that you have already configured. However, this fieldExpected Locationis intended
to be used with mobile assets (hospital equipment, shipping trucks, etc.), that should be one place
but that are detected in another; it is very rarely used with sensor tag assets.

Lock Location: For non-mobile assets, such as environmental sensors, selecting this check box is
important, as sensor tags should not be physically moved after deployment.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Temperature Sensor Application: This pull-down menu designates an intended use for the sensor
tag asset, e.g., on an IT Rack, and enables other fields, depending on the application selected, e.g.,
the Airflow Position and the Rack Position menu fields will appear when the application selected
is an IT Rack Sensor.

Airflow Position: This field designates if the sensor is in the front or the back of the cabinet or rack.
Rack Intake Temperature corresponds to the front and Rack Exhaust Temperature corresponds to
the back of the rack.

Rack Position: This field designates whether the sensor tag is at the Top, the Middle, or the
Bottom of the rack door.

CRAC Assets for RTI

In order to monitor RTI in your data center, you need to add your CRACs as assets. When you do, know that you
will need to know the CRAC Cooling Capacity and the Volumetric Air Flow Rate for each CRAC unit.
To add a CRAC Unit as an asset, perform the following steps.
1. In the User Console, go to Assets > Manage Assets.
2. For Asset Type, you will choose SummaryLocation > IT Area > CRAC Unit.
The form fields for a CRAC Unit are shown below:

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Summary Assets
After defining the Location hierarchy with distinct entries, you will then associate your locations with Summary
Assets. Summary assets are collections of more granular assets used to provide aggregate data, such as the
highest rack input temperature for a row or pod. This is done so that you can define and/or populate additional
attributes for your assets, as well as view summary data/monitoring information later. When making the
associations, start with the lowest level in your hierarchy, e.g., a rack (enclosure).
NOTE: You should only make your location to asset associations as broad as necessary, i.e., most customers do
not associate the entire data center with an asset. Do not fail to make any necessary associations
required for monitoring and reporting, but associating unnecessarily can add overhead to computations
when you ask for reports on aggregations of assets or calculations of values derived from sensor
readings.
NOTE: Summary Assets consume licenses, so create all those you need for specific metrics, but do not create
any unnecessary Summary Assets. After deployment, if you need to free up licenses to use for general
Assets, then check your Summary Assets.
To create a Summary Asset, perform the following steps:
1. Browse to Admin Console > Locations/Rules/Maps > Location to Asset Association.
2. Select the location to be associated (e.g., ADC-R1-Rack1), click Associate Location to Asset, click to
dot the button next to Associate ADC-R1-Rack1 To New Asset, and then click OK.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

3. Next, under the Summary Location hierarchy, click Rack.

4. On the Edit: Rack screen, select the proper Asset Location: to be the containing location. For a rack
(such as this example), choose the row in which it resides. For a row, select the pod or datacenter in
which it is.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

5. Select Rack Environmental Monitoring for this configuration and select Intake Only, which simply
means youll be monitoring temperature from the sensors on the front of the racks.

Below is an example of associating a row. Note that the Asset Location: value is now the name of
the data center in which the row resides.
6. Set Row Environmental Monitoring to Yes.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Adding Sensor Tag Assets during Full Deployment

After successfully installing and configuring a base collection of tags and a single reader and configuring Asset
Manager to display and report on RCI metrics for a couple of racks in a row, follow the instructions in this
section to export a template based on the sensors with attributes that you have already configured.
NOTE: If you are still doing installations and configurations for the pilot, skip this section of the document.
You will use the exported template, a CSV file, and augment it with the rest of your tags. To export a template,
follow these instructions.
1. Go to User Console > Assets > Manage Assets.
NOTE: Refer to Step #5 below for a list of the 12 fields that should be populated prior to an export.
2. Click the Export button.

3. Dot the radio button next to Export all asset attributes and then click the Export CSV button.

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4. Save the File or open it with a spreadsheet program that reads CSV files, e.g., Microsoft Office (as seen
below).

The spreadsheet will look similar to the following:

5. Highlight all of the cells and then double-click the line between the first two columns to expand all the
columns wide enough to read all of the cell values.
NOTE: A vast majority of the columns will not be required for our purposes, so after deleting those
columns, the remaining spreadsheet columns A through M will result.
Below are screenshots and descriptions of the columns youll use.
NOTE: The screenshot has been cut in half and enlarged

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

A (class): This will be entity in almost all cases.

B (type): This is the type of sensor/asset, in this case a TEMPERATURE_HUMIDITY sensor.
C (guid): This is the unique identifier for this object in the system. If you are editing an existing asset,
leave this field intact with the exact data from the export. If a new instance of the sensor is being
created for import, then delete the contents of the cell.
D (retired): This is almost always false as the asset will not be retired.
E (deletable): This is almost always true, in the event the asset needs to be removed in the future.
F (RACK_POSITION): This is the place in the cabinet, vertically, where the asset will be physically
deployed. Options are Top, Middle, or Bottom.

Column G = TEMP_PROFILE is the designation of the type of application for the sensor. A sensor in a
rack/cabinet would be IT_RACK_SENSOR, conversely, a ROOM_SENSOR can also be specified for an
application outside of a cabinet, or for more general temperature/humidity deployments
Column H = $aLocation is the physical Location where the sensor is to be deployed. In rack
environments it will be the Rack itself, for rooms, it would be the room.
NOTE: To find the exact location id, consult the Admin Console -> Locations/Rules/Maps ->
Locations & Rules and navigate to the respective, desired location. The ID: of that location
(highlighted in yellow below) is the exact string that will be used in this column
Column I = AIRFLOW_POSITION is the designation of whether the sensor is in the front
(RACK_INTAKE_TEMPERATURE) or rear (RACK_EXHAUST_TEMPERATURE) of the cabinet/rack
Column J = $aLockLocation In environmental monitoring solutions, this is almost always set to TRUE
as environmental sensors are stationary
Column K = $aName is the field that designates how the asset/sensor will be seen in the software. In
the graphic above it corresponds to the Name: field
Column L = $aDescription is a generic string used to provide descriptive commentary about the
sensor, it is not required
Column M = $aAssetTag is the 6 digit Group Code and 8 digit ID of the Tag, also known as the Asset
Tag or Tag ID

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

6. Add the rest of your tags and their attributes to the spreadsheet and then click Save.
NOTE: If you are warned by Excel about CSV incompatibilities, click Yes and continue.
7. Import the populated spreadsheet by going in the User Console to Assets > Import Assets.

8. Browse to the CSV file you created.

9.

Click the Upload button.

Viewing Assets
After an Asset is added successfully, you can view its status, readings, and other data.
To do this, perform the following steps:
1. Go to User Console > Assets > Manage Assets.
2. In this view, select Environmental View from the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the
window (under the RF Code logo).

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Attributes specific to Temperature Humidity (or other environmental) sensors are then displayed as
separate columns with rows displaying sensor readings by each sensor tag.

NOTE: If you double-click the name of any rack, then you can drill into the details of the sensors
associated with that rack. You can see, for example, the temperature readings of each of the
three sensor tags on that rack as well as the computed RCI-HO and RCI-LO metrics for that rack.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Installation and Deployment of Readers and Tags

Reader Installation
To prepare the reader for installation, follow these guidelines:
1. Attach a power source to the M250 Reader (AC power brick, DC power, or Power over Ethernet
(PoE) cable).
2. Attach an Ethernet cable to the Ethernet port of the M250 Reader and to an available network port
on the switch.
NOTE: For initial configuration, the M250 Reader must be attached to a network port that is on the
same subnet as the PC that you are using to connect to the M250 Reader with.

Reader Positioning
When mounting your RF Code reader(s), follow these guidelines:

Ideally, readers should be hung from the ceiling (mounted with screws, holding clips, etc.) above a row
of server racks with the antennas directed parallel to the row. In general, the higher the ceiling, the
better the read range. Considering a reader range, the reader should be placed as near as possible to
the center of a circle with a 25-foot radius within which your sensor tags will be deployed.

Most data center deployments use Power over Ethernet (PoE) and therefore require available and
accessible Ethernet connections.

Before mounting readers, be sure that they are configured properly.

NOTE: For more information, refer to the section titled Configuring the M250 Reader.

Figure: Diagram of RF Code M250 Reader mounting plate.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Figure: RF Code M250 Readers positioned above a row of server racks with antennas aligned at a right-angle from each
other. Note that the tags are attached to the top, middle, and bottom of the rack fronts.

Tag Positioning
When placing tags, follow these guidelines:

Attach your tags to the outside of rack doors using either the attached adhesive or optionally the
lanyard bezel and a zip tie that is included with the tags. The former method (using adhesive) allows
easier replacement of the sensor battery when necessary and requires a smaller footprint. The latter
method (using the lanyard bezel) is often just a personal preference of data center managers. With both
methods, attaching the sensor tags to the outside of the rack doors provides the best read range.
o To mount a tag on the door of the rack, clean the area of the door where you will be placing the
sensor and then remove the release liner of the adhesive backing
on the sensor tag and press the tag firmly into place centered on the outside of the rack door.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Figure: A sensor tag attached to the front of a standard datacenter rack/cabinet door with adhesive.

To mount this tag using a zip-tie, you will need to have a lanyard bezel (optional). Slide the zip-tie
through the lanyard bezel and find and appropriateplace on the outside of the rack to secure the
end of the zip tie.
Figure: A sensor tag in a lanyard bezel attached a zip tie.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

To achieve RCI, RF Codes minimum recommendation is that you place at least three temperature tags
on the front (top, middle, and bottom) of every third (3rd) rack door. However, for the most accurate
and granular data, you should place three temperature tags on the front (top, middle, and bottom) of
each and every rack. If the racks have no doors, attach the sensors to the inside wall of the rack.
Figure: Three sensors (depicted as red rectangles) mounted on the inside of every third rack.

An RF Code best practice is to place temperature sensors at the top and bottom and a temperaturehumidity sensor in the middle of the rack door. While not specifically necessary for RCI metrics, using
temperature-humidity tags gains you visibility to moisture levels as well as heat in the server racks and
rows, which further enhances your ability to monitor and manage your data center environment.

Do not mount tags on hot surfaces, such as directly on a reader or on a server chassis; doing so can
cause them to report inaccurate data.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Asset Manager: Final Configuration and General Use

Table View
The table view is the standard view for seeing sensor data in rows and columns in a conventional spreadsheet
appearance. In the User Console, this view is visible under Assets.
Figure: A table view of temperature readings by sensor.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Figure: A table view of RCI compliance by rack.

Map View
Asset Manager allows you to upload maps (graphics) of your data center in order to give you a visual display of
your racks and rows and to view sensor temperature readings for each rack. To create this kind of map, perform
the following steps:

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Create a New Map

1. To create a new map, navigate to Admin Console > Location/Rules/Maps > Map Configuration, and
from the list of locations select a location that you would like to be represented by a map, such as your
data center as a whole.

2. Click the New button above the Location hierarchy.

3. Enter a Map Family name (e.g., Data Center Visual Layout).
NOTE: The Name field will auto-populate.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

4. Click the [+] button to the right of the Map Image field [Select file] and use the file browser to select a
graphic.

NOTE: This can be any bitmap format (png, jpg, bmp, gif, etc.) or SVG vector image that you would like
to use, such as a visual representation of all of the rows and racks in your data center.
5. Click OK.
You will see a new entry in the location hierarchy for the map (Data Center Visual Layout below) and the
map image will appear in the map configuration pane to the right with the Hot Spot Tools toolbar above
it.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Create Hotspots
After importing your graphic and creating your map, you can now create Hot Spots on it for each rack. To do
this, perform the following steps:
NOTE: For more information Asset Manager, refer to the documents and manuals on the RF Code Support
website: http://support.rfcode.com/customer/portal/articles/715804
1. Select the map image from the Locations tree on the left-hand side of the screen.
2. Click on the Draw Rectangle tool from the Hot Spot Tools toolbar.

The pointer will change to a cross hair.

3. Place the cross-hair pointer over the area of the image where you would like to create the hotspot.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

A rounded rectangle appears to mark the location of the hot spot.

4. Click and drag the rectangle to the desired size.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

5. After you have placed your Hot Spot, the Hot Spot Settings menu will appear to the left of the map
beneath the Location hierarchy.

6. Enter Asset for the Hot Spot Target type.

7. Choose the Row 1 - Rack 1 asset from hierarchy that appears in the pop-up window.
8. Leave Data Box set to Visible.
9. Ignore the Display Settings.
10. Click the Save Changes button.
11. Repeat this process for the rest of the racks in the row and then for all of the racks in the other rows.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Placing a Reference Point

A reference point has the same functionality as a hot spot that you draw, but it does not require that you draw a
shape on the map. You can use these reference points to create hot spots for each of the 3 temperature
sensors installed on each rack. These reference points will then display the temperature for each of these
sensors when you view the map in the User Console.
1. From the Hot Spot Tools toolbar, click the Place Reference Point toolbar button.

2. Place your pointer where you would like to place the reference point on the map and click once.
A reference point box will appear.
NOTE: You should create reference points for each of the 3 sensors on every rack. Note also that you
will need to configure Hot Spot Settings for each reference point.
3. Select Asset as the type of Hot Spot Target.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

4. Select the specific asset (e.g., the top temp sensor on Rack 1) from the hierarchy of your assets and then
click the Save Changes button.

Thresholds and Alerts

Thresholds are limits for specific attribute values. Alerts are notifications you will receive if the value of a
particular attribute goes beyond the threshold set for it. For example, you can set a threshold for a sensor tags
temperature reading to be 77 F and have an alert sent when the temperature exceeds this threshold.
To configure a basic threshold and alert, perform the following steps:
1. In the User Console, go to Alert Management.
2. Click Actions, click the New button, and choose Email Alert Action from the drop-down menu.
3. Give the alert a name, enter the email address of the alert recipient, and then click Save Changes.
4. Select Temperature Alert Threshold from the dropdown list and fill in a Name for the alert, e.g. Rack
too hot (see screenshot below).

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

5. In the Alert Condition section, set the Threshold Attribute Value Operator to be Greater Than (>) and
the Threshold Attribute Value to 80.
6. Set the Alert Filter so that all temperature sensors in the RFC Data Center are monitored.
This is a convenient way of setting a threshold on multiple sensors at one time for a given location,
which will result in you receiving an alert anytime a sensor reads a temperature that is greater than the
threshold you set.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

7. If you choose the Email Alert Action, then an email like the one below will be sent when any
temperature sensor in a particular data center location (e.g., RFC Data Center) reads greater than 80
degrees.
NOTE: Alert thresholds and email notifications can be set up for other sensors such as humidity, fluid
detection, and/or open door states.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

Dashboards
Dashboards give you an easy way to monitor the data center by providing a visual representation of important
information at a glance through the use of dials, meters, and or other Dashboard widget types that you
configure.
Creating a Dashboard
To create a Dashboard, perform the following steps:
1. Navigate to the User Console > Dashboards Task and select the New button.
The Create: User Dashboard settings box will appear prompting a required Name field and optional
sizing specifications.

2. Enter the required information and configure the general Dashboard settings (Name: is the only
required information)

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

3. Click the OK button to save.

You will now see the new Dashboard on the left, a Widgets/Layout pane to the right of that, and the
main Dashboard Preview pane to the right of the Widgets/Layout pane.

4. From the Widget/Layout pane, select the Widget you want to use, e.g., a Dial.
5. Drag the widget to the Dashboard Preview Pane
A Widgets Settings pane appears.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

6. Configure the widget to show the Total Rack Cooling Index (HI) value for the entire data center (e.g.,
Austin Data Center)

7. Chose the color, borders, title, fonts, etc. for the appearance of your widget.
8. Click the Save Changes button to save the settings.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

9. Go to the dashboard preview pane to view the widget(s).

NOTE: To adjust the spacing around the widgets, blank widgets can be added below and to the right
of the widget to allow for re-sizing of the widget.

Reports
Creating a New Report
To create a report, perform the following steps:
NOTE: This can be done in either the User or Admin Console.
1. Navigate to Reports/Graphs -> Manage Reports and the Manage Reports task pane will appear on the
right.
2. Click the New button to create a report.
3. In the Report Editor area, select a report template from the drop-down list of available report
templates. In this example, Custom Report
4. Name the report RCI Report ADC.
5. Select a Report Time Range that starts when you finished the installation of the sensor tags on the racks
and ends with the present time.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

6. Choose the following columns to be displayed in the report.

7. Save the changes.

Running a Report
After creating the report, you will want to run it to ensure that it works. To do this, perform the following steps:
1. Select the appropriate report from the list of reports.
2. Click the Run and View Report button.
A window will appear prompting you to name the report.
3. Name the report and then click OK to run the report.
4. Click the Export CSV button.

Advanced Reporting
In addition to the reporting functionality that is available out of the box with Asset Manager, RF Code also
offers an add-on module called the Advanced Reporting Module. This module requires a separate license to
unlock it, but it provides all of the following capabilities and more:

Advanced lists, grids, simple tables and cross tab tables

Conditional formatting for any data in table or list utilizing such items as summaries, totals, averages as
well as fonts and color coding
A wide variety of chart styles such as line, bar, pie, area, meter, scatter, stock, bubble, difference, Gantt,
and tube
Display data in two dimensions
Customized headers and footers
Include data from external data sources (other database sources)
Produce compound reports that combine multiple reports and charts into a single output

For more information about the Advanced Reporting Module, please refer to the Product page on the RF Code
website (http://www.rfcode.com/Software/advanced-reporting-module.html) and then contact your RF Code
Sales Representative.

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center

http://www.RFCode.com
http://Support.RFCode.com
866.830.4578
512.439.2244
9229 Waterford Centre Blvd, Suite 500
Austin, TX 78758

Environmental Monitoring in the Data Center