Rising to the Heat: How DCIM Keeps Data Centers Cool and Operational Under Pressure

When temperatures surge outside, the pressure doesn’t just build outdoors – it intensifies inside your data center. Heatwaves aren’t just uncomfortable; they threaten uptime. For data centers operating near capacity, even small deviations in environmental conditions can trigger serious consequences – from degraded performance to unplanned outages.

The solution? A proactive, data-driven DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) strategy.

Power = Heat: Why Real Usage Data Matters

Every watt of energy consumed by IT equipment is converted into heat. That’s why understanding actual power usage – not just theoretical capacity – is essential to identifying thermal risks. During high-temperature periods, even standard workloads can strain cooling systems unless thermal dynamics are accurately monitored and managed.

FNT Command DCIM delivers the insight needed to stay ahead by visualizing:

• Circuit-level power draw
• Rack- and server-specific consumption
• Historical patterns to model and anticipate thermal peaks

This empowers operators to detect hotspots early, optimize cooling efficiency, and reduce thermal incidents before they escalate.

Smart Cooling Requires Smart Monitoring

Precision cooling systems are only as effective as the context they operate in. When external temperatures spike, cooling efficiency drops and simple setpoint monitoring isn’t enough.

With DCIM, you can:

• Track inlet temperatures, not just ambient conditions
• Monitor cooling unit performance and receive alerts on inefficiencies
• Gain visibility into airflow and containment dynamics
• Analyze chiller and CRAH utilization in real time

This granular level of control helps ensure your cooling infrastructure isn’t just working – it’s working intelligently and efficiently.

Don’t Rely on Redundancy Alone – Validate Your Cooling Resilience

It’s easy to assume that an N+1 cooling setup offers adequate protection. But during peak heat events, every margin counts and real-world conditions don’t always match theoretical redundancy.

DCIM can help you:

• Quantify cooling headroom and stress-test reserves
• Identify load-balancing opportunities across zones
• Highlight risk areas by correlating power and thermal data

By turning passive infrastructure into actionable insight, you gain a clearer picture of your true cooling resilience.

From Monitoring to Decision-Making: DCIM as a Control Tower

In heat-driven crises, time is limited and decisions are critical. DCIM doesn’t just monitor; it equips teams to respond with precision and speed.

With FNT Command DCIM, you can:

• Define and automate thermal alert thresholds
• Run scenario simulations for high-temperature events
• Align IT and facility teams via a unified operations dashboard

This transforms DCIM from a passive monitoring tool into an operational command center.

Ready for the Next Heatwave? It Starts with Visibility.

You can’t control the weather, but you can control your response. With comprehensive visibility into power, cooling, and environmental conditions, DCIM helps you stay agile and avoid surprises.

A data-informed strategy isn’t just proactive. It’s resilient.

Ready to Assess Your Thermal Readiness?

Let’s talk about how FNT Command DCIM can help you monitor, manage, and prepare your infrastructure to handle heat-related challenges – before the next wave hits.

Contact us now for a tailored consultation.

Or dive deeper: Download our Expert Paper – Optimizing Space, Power and Cooling in Modern Data Centers