Rack-Level Thermal Assessment
Cooling issues are invisible until they aren't. We fix that.
Purkay Labs gives operators the rack-level data
they need to see exactly what's happening — and a clear plan to fix it.
Unexplained hot spots
Layout changes, new servers, modified containment. Every change shifts airflow dynamics — and the original design no longer holds.
The Problem
Cooling issues are invisible until they aren't.
Whether you're troubleshooting a hot spot, managing tenant density, or validating a new build — the challenge is the same. You don't have enough visibility at the rack level to know what's actually happening with your airflow. Room-level monitoring averages out the problem. Existing tools tell you temperatures — not where the air is going, which racks are at risk, or whether your cooling is actually doing its job.
By the time you know something's wrong, the damage is already done.
Sound familiar?
Tenant density you can't control
Your tenants change their loads. Your SLAs don't change. Without rack-level data, you're managing risk blind.
New builds that need validation
Design assumptions don't survive first contact with live equipment. You need data — before something fails.
Sensors are too sparse
Room-level averages hide rack-level reality. A sensor 10 feet away doesn't tell you what's happening at the intake.
Why It’s Hard To Fix
Your monitoring tools weren't built for this.
Most facilities rely on building management systems and room-level sensors. These tools are useful for facility-wide oversight — but they weren't designed to diagnose airflow problems at the rack level.
They tell you a room is within range. They don't tell you which racks are starved for cold air, where bypass is happening, or whether your cooling changes are actually working.
The gap between what your tools report and what's actually happening in your facility — that's where thermal risk lives.
Alerts without answers
A BMS alert tells you something is wrong. It doesn't tell you where to look or what to fix.
No baseline to compare against
Without a thermal baseline, every change you make is a guess. You don't know if it helped — or made things worse.
The Solution
Rack-level data. A clear action plan. No guesswork.
We measure temperature and humidity at multiple heights across every rack using our AUDIT-BUDDY System— and our software turns that data into a precise picture of what's happening with your airflow. You find out exactly what to fix, where to focus, and what can wait.
How it Works
Three steps from invisible problem
to clear action plan.
We use our AUDIT-BUDDY System to measure temperature and humidity at multiple heights across every rack — and our software turns that data into a precise picture of what's happening with your airflow. You find out exactly what to fix, where to focus, and what can wait.
Step 1 — Pre-Assessment Call Free. 30 minutes. No commitment.
We talk through your facility, your issues, and your objectives. You walk away with a clear picture of whether an assessment makes sense — and what it would cover. No sales pressure. Just clarity.
Step 2 — Assessment Your team or ours.
Using AUDIT-BUDDY™, we capture rack-level temperature, humidity, airflow, and delta-T across your facility. Live validation included. Whether you run it yourself with our hardware or bring our team on-site, you get the same granular, actionable data.
Step 3 — Analysis & Report Know what to fix. Know what can wait.
Our software turns raw measurements into clarity — heat maps, trend analysis, uniformity metrics. Every finding is prioritized. Your team knows exactly where to act and why.
“I presented the data to our Senior Leadership team and they were very impressed with what we were able to present within a day. Immediate and accurate data within that short window makes this one of the most impressive products I have ever worked with.”
What You Get
From raw data to a clear action plan
— in days, not months.
Every assessment produces a complete picture of your facility's thermal performance. Not averages. Not estimates. Rack-level data that shows exactly where your airflow is working, where it isn't, and what to do about it.
Heat Maps
See exactly where cold air is going — and where it isn't. Bypass zones, hot aisles, and underperforming racks are immediately visible.
Trend Analysis
Track how temperatures behave over time. Spot patterns that point-in-time snapshots miss entirely.
See all data here.
Uniformity Metrics
Measure how consistently cold air is distributed across your facility. Know where you have margin — and where you don't.
Prioritized Recommendations
Every finding is ranked. Your team knows what's critical, what can be scheduled, and what to monitor.
Who We Work With
If you're responsible for what happens inside that facility, this is for you.
Purkay Labs works with operators and executives across enterprise, colocation, and hyperscale environments. The facilities look different. The underlying problem is the same — not enough visibility at the rack level to make confident decisions.
Enterprise & Legacy Data Centers
You've made changes since the original build. You're not sure the airflow kept up.
Hot spots you can't explain. BMS alerts with no clear cause. Equipment running warmer than it should. If your facility has evolved since it was designed, chances are your airflow has too — just not in the direction you'd want.
Colocation
Providers
Your tenants change their loads. Your SLAs don't.
You can't control what your tenants deploy. But you're still accountable for the environment. Rack-level data gives you proof of performance, early warning on density issues, and the documentation to back up every SLA conversation.
Hyperscale &
New Builds
Design assumptions don't survive first contact with live equipment.
Before you go live — or before you scale — you need to know your cooling is actually working as designed. Validation data catches airflow problems early, when they're cheap to fix.
Whatever your facility type — if cooling performance matters, you need data you can act on.
Case Studies
What operators find when they actually look.
60 tons of excess cooling freed up. $10K saved in month one. A major CRAC design flaw caught before a Fortune 25 bank went live.
Here's what rack-level visibility actually uncovers.
See all case studies here.
Getting Started
It starts with a 30-minute conversation.
No equipment needed. No commitment required. Just a straight conversation about your facility, your issues, and whether an assessment makes sense for you.
Before the call
Fill out a short intake form. Tell us your facility type, your biggest concern, and what you've already tried.
On the call
One of our cooling experts talks through your situation with you. Honest feedback — including if an assessment isn't the right next step.
After the call
If it makes sense, we scope the assessment together. You choose the path — self-serve with our hardware, or a full on-site engagement with our team.
What happens after the assessment:
Some teams act on the findings independently. Others want help validating fixes or digging deeper into specific problem areas. Either way, we meet you where you are.
What Changes for Your Team
Finally, cooling clarity as reliable as your infrastructure.
No more guessing where the hot spot really is.
No more debates based on partial data or outdated layouts.
No more reacting after alarms instead of planning ahead.
One Clear Picture
Temperature, airflow, and humidity data—measured where it matters and presented in a way your team can actually use. No stitching together reports. No second-guessing.
Answers in Days,
Not Months
Instead of waiting on long studies or chasing intermittent issues, teams get fast, targeted insight they can act on immediately.
Built for Real Facilities
Legacy layouts. Mixed equipment. Incremental growth. Our assessments work in the environments you actually operate—not idealized ones.
FAQs
What is a thermal assessment?
1
A thermal assessment is a short, targeted study of temperature, airflow, and humidity inside your data center. We measure conditions at the rack level to understand how your cooling system is actually performing—beyond what design documents or high-level sensors suggest.
How long does a thermal assessment take?
2
Most projects run 1 to 7 days on site, depending on facility size, scope, and objectives. We focus on getting useful insight quickly, without disrupting operations.
What kinds of facilities do you work in?
3
We work across enterprise and corporate data centers, colocation facilities, legacy sites with evolving layouts, and hyperscale and high-density environments. New builds and decades-old facilities both benefit — often for different reasons.
Do we need to shut anything down or disrupt operations?
4
No. Our assessments are designed for live, operational environments. We work around production systems and coordinate closely with your team to minimize disruption.
What do we actually receive at the end of the project?
5
You’ll receive:
Clear heat maps and trend data
Identification of thermal constraints and risk areas
Practical, prioritized recommendations
The goal is clarity—your team should know what to fix, what to monitor, and what’s working well.
What if we already suspect where the problem is?
6
That’s common—and useful.
We can target known pain points to confirm root causes, rule out false assumptions, or uncover contributing issues nearby.
How much does a thermal assessment cost?
7
Pricing depends on facility size, scope, and duration.
After a short scoping call, we provide a clear proposal—no surprise add-ons, no open-ended engagements.
How do we know if we’re a good fit?
You’re likely a fit if:
Uptime and reliability matter deeply
You want decisions based on measured data
You’re open to learning what’s actually happening—not just confirming assumptions
If not, we’ll tell you upfront.
A colo provider suspected a tenant was drawing too much cooling. Assessment proved the opposite — the tenant was significantly overcooling. SLA dispute resolved with data, not assumptions.