What Are the Benefits of Integrating DCIM with Your Existing Tools?

Modern data centers rely on a growing number of specialized tools—CMDBs, ITSM platforms, network and server management systems, virtualization platforms, and more. Each solves a specific operational problem, but when these systems operate in isolation, teams face inconsistent data, manual updates, and slower decision-making.

Integrating Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software with your existing tools solves these challenges by consolidating information into a single pane of glass. The result is more accurate data, faster troubleshooting, improved collaboration across operations, IT, and facilities teams, and the ability to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.

This post explores how DCIM integration works, what systems it can connect to, and real-world examples of organizations automating their operations through system integration.

The Problem of Disparate Tools

Most data centers already rely on multiple specialized tools:

• CMDBs for asset and configuration tracking
• ITSM platforms for change and incident workflows
• BMS for environmental and facility monitoring
• Network and server tools for management and configuration visibility
• Virtualization platforms for workload management
• Procurement systems for asset lifecycle and purchasing

Each system solves a specific problem. The challenge is that they often operate in isolation.

Without integration:

• Data becomes inconsistent across platforms
• Teams rely on manual updates and spreadsheets
• Troubleshooting takes longer
• Capacity planning relies on partial information
• Risk increases during moves, adds, and changes

These challenges are why many organizations are prioritizing integrating their tools with DCIM software.

Why Integrate DCIM With Your Existing Tools?

The key benefits that we hear most from customers who have integrated systems and are automating data center operations include:

• A single source of truth. Integration consolidates data across multiple tools into one reliable repository. Teams no longer have to reconcile conflicting information or rely on incomplete records, which increases accuracy and confidence in every operational decision.
• Improved collaboration across functional teams. When all data is visible in one place, IT, facilities, and operations teams can work together more effectively. Shared visibility into assets, workloads, and dependencies enables data-driven decision-making and faster resolution of issues.
• Reduced human error. Manual data entry is a common source of mistakes in data centers. Integration automates the flow of information between systems, eliminating duplicate entry and reducing the risk of errors that can cascade across operations.
• Improved workflow and productivity. Updates made in one system automatically flow to connected platforms, removing the need to manually synchronize data. This frees teams from repetitive tasks, speeds up routine processes, and ensures everyone works from the same accurate information.
• More focus on strategic projects. With routine data maintenance handled automatically, teams can spend less time on operational chores and more time on high-priority initiatives, such as capacity planning, optimization, and future infrastructure improvements.

What Tools Can You Integrate with DCIM and Why?

DCIM provides delivers further value when it’s connected to the broader ecosystem of data center management and adjacent tools.

Sunbird DCIM, for example, can integrate with virtually any system that contains information about assets, virtual machines, data ports, power ports, or circuits, and exposes data via a RESTful API. In addition, it offers out-of-the-box connectors for popular platforms and has a certified ServiceNow connector.

These integrations consolidate information, reduce manual work, and give teams a single pane of glass, enabling faster, more informed decisions. Common tool types and integration benefits include:

• CMDB. Tools like ServiceNow, BMC, Ivanti/Cherwell, or homegrown systems can be integrated so that assets created in the CMDB automatically appear in DCIM, with updates flowing back to reflect status, rack position, and ownership. Integrated data includes device name, type, serial number, make, model, asset tag, status, location, and owner.
• Ticketing. Platforms such as Jira and ServiceNow can be connected to DCIM to sync tickets automatically. When a ticket is created in the ITSM system, a linked ticket is generated in DCIM for operational teams, and status updates flow back to the ITSM tool. Integrated data includes ticket number, status, description, and comments.
• Private Cloud (Orchestration). VMware, Nutanix, and Red Hat OpenShift integrations with DCIM map virtual machines to their physical hosts. This helps identify which systems or customers may be affected during maintenance. Integrated data includes CPU, RAM, disk, OS, VM cluster, host, power state, tags, MAC address, and more.
• Public Cloud. AWS and Azure integrations allow DCIM to manage the capacity of all compute resources to determine the most cost efficient location for deployments and optimize resource utilization. Integrated data includes location, status, power state, IP address, cost, OS, CPU, RAM, disk, and resource group.
• Network Management. Tools like Cisco ACI and NetBox can feed network items and attributes like port status into DCIM. This provides real-time visibility into infrastructure dependencies and relationships. Integrated data includes MAC addresses, IPs, port status, fabric/tenant/spine/leaf info, and port aliases.
• Server Infrastructure Management. Dell OME, HPE OneView, and Cisco Intersight integrations automatically sync server assets, configurations, and warranty information with DCIM. Integrated data includes server name, service tag, purchase order, purchase price, warranty dates, OS type, RAM, and BIOS data.
• Colocation Infrastructure Monitoring. Platforms like Equinix SmartView can be integrated to compare DCIM data with colo provider information, ensuring accurate tracking of power usage and capacity. Integrated data includes circuit IDs, amps, kVA, peak usage, and power factor.
• Observability. Integrations with tools like Splunk forward DCIM events for analysis, monitoring, and alerting. Integrated data includes event logs.
• DevOps. Chef and Jenkins can sync device deployment and configuration information with DCIM to support orchestration and provisioning. Integrated data includes configuration details.
• Collaboration Platforms. Microsoft Teams integrations automatically send alerts and ticket updates from DCIM to Teams channels, enabling faster issue resolution and cross-team communication.

Real-World Examples of Integrating DCIM with Other Tools

Workday: Automated Data Center Operations with DCIM, VMware, Jenkins, and Chef

Workday leverages Sunbird DCIM to automate its global data center operations, supporting 900+ users and tens of thousands of bare-metal assets. By integrating dcTrack with custom APIs, Jenkins, Chef, and VMware, Workday has eliminated much of the manual effort traditionally required to manage provisioning, virtual machines, device states, and parts inventory.

Their DCIM architecture is designed to be automatic, secure, and fast. Engineers and developers use a CLI or API for programmatic access, while business users interact with the GUI. The system tracks the “state of being” for assets, allowing near real-time provisioning and orchestration via Workday’s in-house SNAP platform. Device data is continuously updated through automated scripts and logs, while virtual machines are automatically detected and recorded in dcTrack. Parts usage is tracked, reported, and alerted on daily, providing insights into vendor performance and reliability.

Workday also exposes its DCIM API to internal teams, with granular access control, rate limiting, and audit monitoring, turning DCIM into a central hub of accurate asset data. This integration enables zero-touch workflows, faster decision-making, and scalable operations across global data centers while maintaining data integrity, security, and operational efficiency.

World Bank: Asset Lifecycle Management Integrated DCIM, ServiceNow, and SAP

The World Bank integrates DCIM, ServiceNow, and SAP to manage assets across their full lifecycle. Their workflow is as follows:

1. A purchase order is submitted and approved in SAP.
2. Once the asset is received at the main receiving facility, an asset management record is created in SAP.
3. That record creates the asset in ServiceNow’s CMDB, which assigns the make, model, property number, serial number, and CI name.
4. The asset is then created in Sunbird’s dcTrack with the same fields populated.
5. When provisioning the asset, staff use the ServiceNow ticket to select the asset and work through the workflow.
6. Physical installation is completed in dcTrack, including the asset’s exact cabinet and rack unit location.
7. Updates from dcTrack flow back to ServiceNow when the asset is physically installed.
8. The ServiceNow ticket is closed which updates SAP.

The World Bank’s ServiceNow tickets include direct links to the asset and its cabinet in dcTrack, allowing teams to view, move, add cables, or dispose of devices with full context. This integration provides visibility into every asset in the data center, ensuring accurate tracking and operational control.

Brussels University Hospital: Single Pane of Glass with DCIM and Dell OME Integration

Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B) transformed how it manages its data centers by integrating Sunbird’s dcTrack with Dell OpenManage Enterprise (OME). This integration automatically pulls server configuration and management data from Dell OME into dcTrack, eliminating manual updates and the need to search across multiple systems.

With dcTrack, H.U.B now has a single, easy-to-use interface to track, manage, and visualize all their assets. One-click access to server consoles makes day-to-day operations faster, while Sunbird DCIM’s remote monitoring tools give real-time visibility into power and environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity, and outlet-level power control.

Now, H.U.B can plan deployments more accurately with a complete digital twin of their data center, reduce physical visits by 75%, and make informed decisions faster. By centralizing all their infrastructure data in one place, the hospital has simplified operations, improved efficiency, and gained full visibility over multiple sites.

eBay: Automation of 600 Daily Activities By Integrating DCIM with ServiceNow

eBay simplified how it manages its global data centers by integrating dcTrack with ServiceNow. With 415 cabinets, 800 intelligent PDUs, and over 6,600 devices spread across 28 unmanned cages in 22 cities, manual tracking was no longer feasible. By using ServiceNow as the source of truth for asset updates and syncing that data automatically with dcTrack via APIs, eBay eliminated the need for duplicate data entry and reduced manual reconciliation for 600 daily activities.

The integration allows daily activities—adds, moves, changes, and retirements—to flow seamlessly from ServiceNow into dcTrack, giving eBay a real-time, accurate view of its assets. The project was carefully planned, tested site by site, and included close coordination between DCIM, ServiceNow, asset management, operations, and Sunbird teams.

Now, eBay can manage its unmanned, globally distributed PoPs remotely, ensuring assets are tracked accurately and operations run smoothly. Daily error notifications and proactive remediation keep the integration reliable, enabling eBay to focus on improving the experience for buyers and sellers rather than spending time on repetitive database tasks.

Bringing It All Together

By connecting DCIM with existing tools, data center teams gain a unified view of operations, reduce manual work, and make faster, more informed decisions. Integration turns fragmented systems into a single source of truth, freeing teams to focus on strategic initiatives and long-term optimization.

Want to see how Sunbird can reduce manual effort, improve data accuracy, and support data-driven collaboration through DCIM integration? Get your free test drive today.