ASSET
Asset
Automatic capture of the identity and occupied U position of installed equipment forms a continuously auditable asset register and a real-time record of each asset's physical location.
01 FOUR RESOURCES · ASSET · U-SPACE · RATED POWER · COOLING CAPACITY
Data centre management is fundamentally about the headroom and allocation of four resources
The data centre operations framework groups infrastructure resources into asset, U-space, rated power and cooling capacity. Of the four, U-space and cooling capacity depend most on on-site data — and are most often missing.
U-SPACE
U-Space
U occupancy visible in real time: free U positions, available mounting positions and fragmented space; installation approval no longer depends on a site survey.
RATED POWER
Rated Power
Combining rated power with real-time consumption to determine rack power density (kW/rack) and distribution headroom, and to identify high-density racks.
COOLING CAPACITY
Cooling Capacity
In-rack temperature distribution and ΔT (intake-to-exhaust) to judge cooling delivery effectiveness and locate hot and cold spots.
02 ASSET VISIBILITY · REGISTER MATCHES REALITY
A register that matches reality is the precondition for every O&M decision
The value of an asset register depends on how well it matches reality. Manual inventory gives a point-in-time snapshot; rack-level sensing gives continuous, auditable real-time state.
- U-level identity and location: automatic capture of the identity and occupied U position of installed equipment, with automatic detection and position update on relocation.
- Unauthorised-change alarms: real-time alarms for unauthorised installation or removal and position changes (covering 100% of change events).
- Second-level inventory: full inventory time reduced by 99% against manual methods, with 10× the inventory efficiency.
- Auditable: change events are recorded, meeting internal control and compliance review needs.
03 CAPACITY · U-SPACE / RATED POWER / COOLING CAPACITY HEADROOM
Three prerequisites for an installation decision: whether U-space, rated power and cooling capacity remain sufficient.
Capacity planning is often conservative for lack of on-site data — sizing installed capacity from nameplate power leaves cooling over-provisioned overall yet locally too hot. Rack-level sensing makes all three kinds of headroom measurable and predictable.
U-SPACE
U-space headroom
U headroom and deployable equipment density counted by rack and by room.
RATED POWER
Rated power headroom
Rack power density (kW/rack) and distribution headroom, identifying the high-density racks that need attention (e.g. >5 kW).
COOLING CAPACITY
Cooling capacity headroom
Intake temperature and ΔT headroom, used to assess how much additional load can still be supported without breaching thermal limits.
04 THERMAL MANAGEMENT · HOT SPOT / COLD SPOT / ΔT
Hot spots are usually about airflow, not cooling capacity
Industry research indicates that around 10% of racks run above recommended temperatures; the root cause is often bypass airflow and recirculation, with unblanked unused U positions among the most common triggers. Locating the problem requires in-rack, U-level temperature data.
- U-position temperature sensing (in-rack, U-level) — outputs the temperature distribution along the height of the rack, judging whether the intake air at each U position is within the recommended range and identifying cold/hot spots and temperature stratification inside the rack.
- ΔT (intake-to-exhaust) — outputs intake temperature, exhaust temperature and the ΔT between them; an elevated ΔT is direct evidence of an airflow problem, with 99% alarm accuracy.
Field experience shows that targeted airflow adjustment based on rack-level temperature data improves cooling delivery effectiveness by 20%.
05 CORRELATED TELEMETRY
Correlate “the U position where the temperature shift occurs” with “the rated power of the device at that U position”
A single temperature reading is just a number; correlation is what turns it into a judgement. The system aligns multi-dimensional data on one timeline.
- Resolution reaches the rack, U position, device and power levels, rather than the vague “this rack runs 2 °C high”.
- Capacity decisions return headroom for U-space, rated power and cooling capacity at the same time.
- Efficiency work shifts from “cool everything” to “allocate cooling on demand”, delivering around 10% measured energy saving while meeting reliability constraints.
| Data dimension | Source | Judgement after correlation |
|---|---|---|
| Where the temperature changed | U-position temperature sensing in the bar | Which U position the difference appears at |
| Asset state at that U position | Rack U Asset Monitor Bar | Whether a device is present, and whether it is an unblanked empty position |
| Rated power / real-time consumption | Asset register + current transformers | How much heat it should produce, and whether measured draw matches |
| ΔT | Paired intake-exhaust temperature measurement | Whether cooling is effective, and whether it is bypassed or recirculated |
06 FROM READING TO ACTION
From reading to action
| Observed | Likely root cause | Suggested action |
|---|---|---|
| Intake temperature at a U position is high | Insufficient cooling allocation / the position sits in a dead zone | Review floor delivery and containment; rebalance cooling |
| ΔT rises abnormally | Recirculation / bypass airflow | Check blanking panels, rack cut-outs and cable-tray openings |
| Temperature difference concentrated in upper U positions | Hot air accumulating at the top | Improve blanking and top sealing; review the installation layout |
| High power density rack runs persistently hot | Load density exceeds the cooling design for that zone | Evaluate capacity expansion or cold-plate / liquid cooling retrofit |
07 INTEGRATION · COEXISTING WITH EXISTING PLATFORMS
We do not replace DCIM — we supply DCIM with rack-level data
The rack-level sensing layer outputs data upwards through standard interfaces, integrating with existing DCIM, environmental monitoring, ITSM and automation platforms to avoid duplicated build-out.
- Events and alarms: position change, unauthorised operation, temperature threshold breach, ΔT anomaly
- Optional add-ons: 3D digital twin (HorizonView) and VR guided inspection
- Deployment: on-premises / edge / hybrid
08 OUTCOMES · DELIVERED
Serving large and hyperscale data centres worldwide since 2010
Across finance, carriers, internet and cloud, energy and transport, and government; deployed in data centres in the United States, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia, Germany and Hong Kong; average return on investment 9 months.
10×Inventory efficiency
−99%Inventory time
30%Up to, more rack capacity
−90%Installation time
100%Unauthorised change alarms
09 WEIGH2X TECH · GX-6
Visit www.weigh2xtech.com
On-Board Weighing & Structural Load Sensing
Our on-board weighing and structural load sensing product line is served by our US brand Weigh2X TECH, on its own dedicated site.
The current generation product is the GX-6 Axle Load Sensing Unit.