Data center operations are entering an era of unified intelligence at every layer of infrastructure. Rack densities are exceeding 140 kilowatts (kW), and workloads are pushing past the thermal and power limits of legacy designs. As infrastructures become more complex and interconnected, the stakes for operational failures are higher than ever.
According to the Uptime Institute’s 2025 Global Data Center Survey, one in five significant outages now costs operators more than $1 million, with even moderate incidents becoming increasingly expensive (see Figure 1). A persistent shortage of skilled talent adds pressure to managing advanced cooling, high-density racks, and complex power systems.
Figure 1. A chart illustrating the estimated total cost of downtime incidents, from disruption to full recovery, including direct, opportunity, and reputational costs, based on a survey conducted by the Uptime Institute. Source: Uptime Institute
To keep pace, operators are incorporating more intelligence and coordination into data center infrastructure management, linking power, cooling, and computing through integrated systems that adapt in real time. They are moving from siloed monitoring and control to IT/OT convergence to meet demands while advancing data center energy efficiency.
IT and OT Comparison
: Information Technology (IT): Systems that process, store, and transmit digital data, such as servers, networks, and enterprise software.
Operational Technology (OT): Systems that monitor and control physical infrastructure, such as electrical distribution units, refrigeration equipment, and building automation systems.
What is IT/OT Convergence?
IT/OT convergence refers to the integration of digital and physical systems into a unified operating model (see Figure 2). According to the International Society of Automation (ISA), this technology enables organizations to unify data models and control systems across all environments. IT/OT convergence aims to improve visibility, automation, and decision-making by fostering collaboration among previously siloed functions.
Figure 2. An example of IT/OT convergence in data center operations, highlighting the connection between a data center control room and advanced IT infrastructure. Source: Vertiv
IT/OT Convergence Use Cases:
Based on its basic definition, integrated operations are already reshaping real-world data center operations. Operators gain more than just visibility by connecting cooling, power, and IT systems through unified platforms. This enables real-time responsiveness and more energy-efficient infrastructure management. 1. AI-Controlled Data Center Cooling:
Google has developed an AI-powered control system that connects IT workload data with operational cooling infrastructure. Data from thousands of sensors is sent every five minutes to a cloud-based AI, which calculates ideal cooling settings.
These actions are checked against safety limits, including temperature thresholds, humidity limits, and equipment operating ranges, before being implemented by local control systems. If an AI-generated action conflicts with these safety protocols, the control system rejects it, applies conservative cooling benchmarks, and alerts operators. This closed-loop configuration with built-in redundancy enables real-time cooling adjustments based on active IT loads, reducing cooling energy usage by an average of 30% across multiple sites. Since cooling typically accounts for 30-40% of total data center energy consumption, this represents substantial operational savings. 2. Integrated Management for Power and Thermal Systems
Telemetry from uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), power distribution units (PDUs), and cooling systems is aggregated and standardized using open communication protocols such as Modbus and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Operators can monitor and control these systems through a single interface, gaining real-time insights into energy usage, equipment status, and environmental conditions (see Video 1).
Video 1. For example, Vertiv™ Unify, a decentralized automation platform, standardizes processes across all sites, helping data center operators scale operations while maintaining consistent performance and reliability.
3. Unified Observability for IT and Facilities Systems:
Equinix combined network, application, power, and environmental data into a unified observability layer. APIs and integrations with asset management and DCIM platforms consolidate telemetry from both digital and physical systems.
Operators can view this data through centralized dashboards or third-party tools, accelerating the identification of cross-domain issues, such as a cooling failure impacting network performance.
4. Condition-Based Maintenance for Critical Infrastructure:
Vertiv leverages IT/OT convergence to support condition-based maintenance and advanced monitoring. Cloud-based platforms analyze continuous telemetry from facility systems and IT workloads to generate health scores and identify performance deviations.
The center's staff uses this health data to assess asset condition and focus scheduled maintenance on components with detected anomalies, maximizing the value of each service visit (see Figure 3). Operators also use historical performance benchmarks to evaluate lifecycle trends and inform future capacity planning.
Figure 3. The evolution of maintenance shows that changes and the subsequent combination of lagging and leading traditional practices enable companies to create a maintenance model that optimizes uptime, efficiency, and the continued lifecycles of their assets.
Why IT/OT Convergence Is Now a Core Infrastructure
As infrastructure scales and operational pressures intensify, separating IT and operational technology silos creates blind spots and inefficiencies that no longer meet the speed and accuracy requirements of today's environments. Bringing them together enables:
• Unified Visibility: By viewing power, cooling, and IT data together, problems are revealed faster and root causes are clarified.
• Faster Decisions: Real-time insights from both the physical and digital layers accelerate troubleshooting and planning.
• Predictive Reliability: Early detection of irregularities reduces downtime and extends equipment lifespan.
• Scalable Operations: Standardized processes improve the likelihood of consistent results across multiple locations.
• Energy Efficiency: Coordinated load and cooling management reduces energy usage while maintaining operational performance within design limits.
Article provided by Vertiv – http://www.vertiv.com
