Hot spots in the data center can be attributed to two main factors: A lack of cooling capacity and/or a lack of cooling delivery. When evaluating an existing facility with reported hot spots, these two factors should be examined carefully. Either the facility cannot generate enough cooling to compensate for the heat loads or the cooling cannot be effectively delivered to the target area of control. This problem is amplified with the growing power densities of computer equipment that generate large amounts of concentrated heat in the data center.

This whitepaper addresses a process for analyzing the cause of “hot spots” and strategies to eliminate them. This process includes load analysis, air distribution system performance evaluation, and assessing critical system operational condition to verify that the infrastructure can perform to rated design capacity.