As data centers seek increased levels of availability and efficiency, they are turning to manufacturers and consultants to provide reliability and efficiency assessments. Reliability may require a review of the HVAC, power supply, and protection infrastructure. Assessment providers should be aware that giving a data center a passing grade in connection with a reliability assessment may be an open door to provider liability if the assessment misses a vulnerability that results in a downtime event.
The history of reliability assessments in one mission-critical industry—utility electrical power plants—underlines the importance of contracting parties agreeing upon the specific scope of reliability review, the extent to which the data center can rely upon the assessment, and the limits of provider liability.