← All glossary terms

Data Center Design and Operations

Ready for Service

Ready for Service is a commercial milestone when contracted space, power, cooling, connectivity, and supporting infrastructure are available under agreed conditions. It should be defined precisely because rent commencement, service credits, and damages may depend on it.

Explore more terms

Mechanical load

Mechanical load is the power used by cooling and air or liquid-handling systems. It is a major contributor to the gap between IT load and total facility load, especially in hot climates or air-cooled high-density facilities.

Read definition →

Containment

Containment separates hot and cold airflow streams to reduce mixing and improve cooling performance. It is a practical design feature that can materially affect PUE, usable rack density, and thermal reliability.

Read definition →

Take-or-pay

Take-or-pay means the customer pays for committed capacity or service whether or not it fully uses it. This can help providers finance infrastructure but creates risk for customers whose load ramp is delayed.

Read definition →