"Finding lost IT with RFID"

Today there is constantly information being lost because equipment is being lost. There are ghost servers have experienced problems with using a lot of power but do not do any work and are difficult to locate. In order to help prevent this, vendors are pushing the sale of RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to data centers. The RFID tags store information so that you can keep track of your assets easily. In a quick study article on RFIDs’ it described the process of collecting data as this:“Data from these tags is captured by a reader unit, which consists of an antenna and radio transmitter, attached to a stationary or handheld device. The reader emits radio waves, and when a tag comes within the range of the reader, the tag wakes up and starts sending data. The reader captures this bit stream, decodes it and sends it back over a network to a host processor.”

There are many people that are willing to buy the tags in order to help keep track of their data centers, but then there are many people that are hesitant of the tags. Some people that are hesitant of it believe that there is too much of a security issue with it, because the information can be seen from outside of the data collection center. Another problem is that people feel that it is too expensive, and they cannot fit it into their budgets. If you consider the future impact of the devices, than there is a good possibility that the RFID tags could help you save money. With the RFID devices, you would be saving money on the equipment that you can’t keep track of and lose, and you will be saving money on the electricity, lease and maintenance fees that you would acquire for lost items. You would also save money, by not having to pay for as many man hours that you would need to have to locate the lost equipment.

I think that data centers should all adapt to using the RFID tags, because they will make finding equipment so much easier. Also, it would make keeping track of the data a lot easier, and you won’t have to worry about something happening to the information without your knowledge. Also it is a way of keeping your data and information protected. As of right now, people say they do not need RFIDs but over time people will find that they need them in order to maintain their business, because keeping track of your data the old fashioned way is going to become too slow and an out- dated process.

I know that many people are worried about the risk that come along with the RFID tags, but when you consider any piece of technology, there are always going to be risks, but you can overcome them, and protect yourself. While you can access the data from outside the data collection center, the information that you can access is not that important. The important information can only be accessed through the direct system itself, and people outside the data collection center cannot get passed the firewall that is protecting their information. RFIDs tags are a way of keeping track of our data in an easier and cost saving way.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189638/Finding_lost_IT_with_RFID_

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/76682/Radio_Frequency_Identification

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/111206/Ghost_Server