Maintaining proper thermal conditions in server rooms isn't just about comfort - it's a critical infrastructure requirement. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends maintaining server rooms between 18°C (64.4°F) and 27°C (80.6°F), with a preferred range of 20-25°C (68-77°F).

Here's a Python script using Raspberry Pi and temperature sensors to monitor server room conditions:

import Adafruit_DHT
import time

DHT_SENSOR = Adafruit_DHT.DHT22
DHT_PIN = 4

def monitor_temperature():
    while True:
        humidity, temperature = Adafruit_DHT.read_retry(DHT_SENSOR, DHT_PIN)
        if humidity is not None and temperature is not None:
            print(f"Temp={temperature:.1f}*C  Humidity={humidity:.1f}%")
            
            # Alert if outside recommended range
            if temperature < 18 or temperature > 27:
                send_alert(temperature)
        
        time.sleep(300)  # Check every 5 minutes

def send_alert(temp):
    # Implementation for email/SMS alerts
    pass

if __name__ == "__main__":
    monitor_temperature()

When implementing temperature control:

• Place sensors at multiple heights (hot air rises)
• Monitor inlet temperatures at server racks, not just ambient air
• Consider humidity control (recommended 40-60% RH)
• Implement gradual temperature changes (no more than 5°C/hour)

Modern servers can operate at higher temperatures than many realize. Google's data centers operate at 26.7°C (80°F) with no reliability impact. Each 1°C increase can save 2-5% in cooling costs. However, maintain strict monitoring at higher temperatures.

For large installations, consider:

// Pseudo-code for advanced cooling control
if (server_load > 80% && inlet_temp > 24°C) {
    increase_cooling_capacity();
    trigger_load_balancing();
} else if (inlet_temp < 20°C && server_load < 50%) {
    reduce_cooling_capacity();
    optimize_airflow();
}

• Overcooling "just to be safe" (wastes energy, can cause condensation)
• Only monitoring one location in the room
• Ignoring rack-level temperature variations
• Neglecting to account for seasonal changes

Maintaining the right temperature in server rooms is crucial for both equipment longevity and energy efficiency. While it's common knowledge that servers generate heat and require cooling, many IT professionals struggle to find the sweet spot between adequate cooling and excessive energy consumption.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends maintaining server room temperatures between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F). However, most data centers operate at the lower end of this range, typically between 20°C (68°F) and 22°C (72°F).

Here's a simple Python script to monitor server room temperature using a Raspberry Pi and temperature sensor:

import Adafruit_DHT

sensor = Adafruit_DHT.DHT22
pin = 4

def monitor_temperature():
    humidity, temperature = Adafruit_DHT.read_retry(sensor, pin)
    if temperature is not None:
        print(f"Current temperature: {temperature:.1f}°C")
        if temperature > 27:
            print("Warning: Temperature exceeds recommended maximum!")
        elif temperature < 18:
            print("Warning: Temperature below recommended minimum!")
    else:
        print("Failed to retrieve temperature data")

while True:
    monitor_temperature()
    time.sleep(300)  # Check every 5 minutes

For every 1°C increase in server room temperature (within the recommended range), you can achieve approximately 4% energy savings on cooling costs. However, this must be balanced against potential hardware reliability issues at higher temperatures.

• Implement hot aisle/cold aisle containment
• Use blanking panels in server racks
• Regularly clean air filters and vents
• Monitor temperature at multiple points in the room
• Consider computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis for large data centers

Here's a more advanced example using Node.js to control HVAC systems based on temperature readings:

const mqtt = require('mqtt');
const client = mqtt.connect('mqtt://localhost');

const optimalTempRange = { min: 20, max: 22 };
let currentTemp = 21;

client.on('connect', () => {
    setInterval(() => {
        // Simulate temperature reading
        currentTemp += (Math.random() - 0.5) * 0.5;
        
        if (currentTemp > optimalTempRange.max) {
            client.publish('hvac/control', 'increase_cooling');
        } else if (currentTemp < optimalTempRange.min) {
            client.publish('hvac/control', 'reduce_cooling');
        }
        
        console.log(Current temp: ${currentTemp.toFixed(1)}°C);
    }, 5000);
});