Thermal

A1 Easy

Cooling Setpoint Optimization

CRACs overcooling at 15°C. Optimize for efficiency while staying in ASHRAE range.

A2 Medium

Thermal Event Response

CRAC-3 compressor failure. Diagnose and stabilize all zones.

A4 Hard

CRAC Failure Cascade

CRAC-1 compressor + CRAC-3 fan failure. Manage cascading thermal event.

Power

B1 Medium

UPS Alarm Response

UPS transferred to battery after utility event. Diagnose and acknowledge.

B3 Easy

Generator Test Protocol

Routine monthly generator test. Follow 5-step protocol correctly.

B4 Hard

Power Failure Cascade

Utility loss + extended generator warmup. Manage battery and thermal.

dc-ops-console

DC-Ops Operations Console

Select a scenario from the panel to begin a datacenter operations episode. Issue commands and monitor the facility in real-time.

Pick a scenario to start

Scenario Demos

Nine verified demo walkthroughs across all scenarios and facility sizes. Each demo resolves in 8–10 steps following proper operational procedure: assess → diagnose → compensate → verify → resolve.

#	Scenario	Facility	Steps	Reward	Key Skill
1	`A1` Setpoint Optimization	Default	9	+0.324	PUE optimization
2	`A2` Thermal Event	Default	8	+0.873	Single-failure response
3	`A2` Thermal Event	Large	8	+0.831	Multi-zone + H1 isolation
4	`A4` CRAC Cascade	Default	8	+1.230	Multi-failure triage
5	`A4` CRAC Cascade	Large	8	+1.150	Multi-zone cascade
6	`B1` UPS Alarm	Default	8	+0.512	Power chain audit
7	`B3` Generator Test	Default	10	+0.567	Protocol compliance
8	`B4` Power Failure	Default	8	+0.934	Battery + gen startup
9	`B4` Power Failure	Small	8	+0.948	Aggressive load shedding

Cooling Setpoint Optimization

Default Facility 9 steps EASY

+0.324

All four CRACs are set to 15°C — far below what the servers need. This wastes energy: compressors run hard, fans blow at 100%, and PUE sits at 1.87. ASHRAE A2 class allows inlet temps up to 27°C. The agent must raise setpoints and reduce fan speeds to approach the PUE target of 1.6 without overheating.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	PUE	Inlets	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.131	+0.131	1.87	17.1 / 17.1	Procedure bonus (+0.2): must check before adjusting. Baseline — all CRACs at 15°C.
2	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-1 24`	+0.047	+0.178	1.80	17.7 / 17.1	Raise from 15→24°C. Compressor works less → immediate PUE drop.
3	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-2 24`	+0.039	+0.217	1.76	19.2 / 17.0	PUE continues falling. Zone A inlets rising — still safely below 27°C.
4	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-3 24`	+0.038	+0.255	1.71	20.7 / 17.6	Zone B responding. Thermal mass (11.1 kJ/K per server) causes gradual warming.
5	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-4 24`	+0.025	+0.280	1.69	21.9 / 19.1	All CRACs at 24°C. PUE 1.69 — still above 1.6 target. Fan reduction needed.
6	`set_fan_speed CRAC-1 70`	−0.019	+0.261	1.68	22.8 / 20.6	Fan power follows cubic law: at 70%, power = 34% of rated (66% saving).
7	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 70`	−0.017	+0.244	1.66	23.4 / 21.9	PUE 1.66. Inlets 23.4°C — still 3.6°C below ASHRAE A2 max (27°C).
8	`set_fan_speed CRAC-3 70`	−0.012	+0.232	1.63	23.9 / 22.7	Almost there. System approaching equilibrium.
9	`set_fan_speed CRAC-4 70`	+0.092	+0.324	1.60	24.3 / 23.3	RESOLVED. PUE hits target (≤1.6). Speed bonus: (10−9)/10 = +0.1.

Why This Works

Phase 1 (steps 2–5): Setpoint adjustment. Raising 15→24°C reduces compressor load. PUE drops 1.87→1.69 (10% improvement).
Phase 2 (steps 6–9): Fan speed reduction. Cubic fan law means 100→70% cuts fan power by 66%. Pushes PUE from 1.69→1.60.

Thermal Event Response — Default

Default Facility (160 kW) 8 steps MEDIUM

+0.873

CRAC-3 compressor has failed. With only 3 of 4 CRACs operational, cooling capacity is reduced. The default facility has N+1 redundancy, so temperatures won't spike catastrophically, but the agent must diagnose the fault and compensate to ensure long-term stability.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Inlets (A/B)	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.204	+0.204	19.8 / 20.0	CRAC-3 shows "!! COMPRESSOR" — no supply temp, no airflow, 0 kW.
2	`diagnose CRAC-3`	+0.054	+0.258	19.8 / 20.2	Unlocks resolution gate. Confirms "FAULT: compressor." +0.3 bonus on subsequent setpoint changes.
3	`diagnose CRAC-1`	−0.021	+0.237	19.8 / 20.4	Verify remaining CRACs healthy. "No faults detected."
4	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-1 16`	+0.034	+0.270	19.6 / 20.5	Lower setpoint 18→16°C. Increases cooling output. Earns procedure bonus.
5	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-2 16`	+0.034	+0.304	19.3 / 20.6	Both zone A CRACs overcooling to compensate.
6	`set_fan_speed CRAC-1 100`	+0.034	+0.338	19.0 / 20.8	Max airflow on surviving CRACs.
7	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 100`	+0.034	+0.372	18.7 / 20.8	Zone B stabilizing at ~20.8°C — within ASHRAE recommended range.
8	`set_fan_speed CRAC-4 100`	+0.501	+0.873	18.5 / 20.9	RESOLVED. All zones stable for 2+ steps. Speed bonus: (15−8)/15 = +0.467.

Thermal Event Response — Large

Large Facility (600 kW, H1 zone) 8 steps MEDIUM

+0.831

Same CRAC-3 failure, but in a larger facility with 4 zones including an H1 (high-density GPU) zone. H1 has a tighter thermal envelope (recommended max 22°C vs 27°C for A2).

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Inlets (A/B/C/D)	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.207	+0.207	20.0 / 20.8 / 19.2 / 19.7	4-zone dashboard. Zone B 0.8°C warmer. Zone C (H1) at 19.2°C — 2.8°C below its 22°C max.
2	`diagnose CRAC-3`	+0.057	+0.263	20.0 / 21.6 / 19.2 / 19.7	FAULT: compressor. Zone B rising +0.8°C/step. Zone C stable.
3	`diagnose CRAC-1`	−0.019	+0.245	20.0 / 22.3 / 19.2 / 19.6	Confirm CRAC-1 healthy.
4	`diagnose CRAC-2`	−0.019	+0.225	20.0 / 23.0 / 19.2 / 19.6	Confirm CRAC-2 healthy. Thorough zone B CRAC audit.
5	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-2 16`	+0.035	+0.261	19.9 / 23.6 / 19.2 / 19.6	Lower surviving zone B CRAC. Procedure bonus earned.
6	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-4 16`	+0.035	+0.296	19.7 / 24.0 / 19.2 / 19.6	Rate of rise slowing. H1 zone unaffected.
7	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 100`	+0.035	+0.330	19.6 / 24.3 / 19.2 / 19.6	Max airflow. Zone B 2.7°C below ASHRAE A2 max.
8	`set_fan_speed CRAC-4 100`	+0.501	+0.831	19.5 / 24.6 / 19.2 / 19.6	RESOLVED. Zone B stabilized. H1 completely unaffected.

Default vs Large Comparison

Metric	Default	Large
Max inlet temp	20.9°C	24.6°C
H1 zone impact	N/A	None (19.2°C)
Cumulative reward	+0.873	+0.831

CRAC Failure Cascade — Default

Default Facility (160 kW) 8 steps HARD

+1.230

Two CRACs fail simultaneously: CRAC-1 (compressor) and CRAC-3 (fan). Only CRAC-2 and CRAC-4 remain — 50% cooling capacity lost. The agent must diagnose both failures, aggressively compensate, and consider load shedding.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Inlets (A/B)	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.212	+0.212	19.9 / 19.9	Two red-flagged CRACs. 50% cooling capacity lost.
2	`diagnose CRAC-1`	+0.062	+0.274	20.0 / 20.0	"FAULT: compressor." First of two required diagnoses.
3	`diagnose CRAC-3`	+0.027	+0.301	20.1 / 20.1	"FAULT: fan." Both diagnosed → resolution gate unlocked. +0.2 procedure bonus.
4	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-2 16`	+0.062	+0.363	20.2 / 20.2	Lower surviving CRAC setpoint. Procedure bonus (diagnosis first).
5	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-4 16`	+0.062	+0.425	20.2 / 20.3	Both survivors at 16°C. Temps stabilizing.
6	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 100`	+0.062	+0.487	20.1 / 20.2	Max airflow confirmed.
7	`set_fan_speed CRAC-4 100`	+0.062	+0.549	20.1 / 20.2	Temps flat at ~20.1°C. Stable consecutive steps.
8	`set_rack_load B-05 4`	+0.681	+1.230	20.0 / 20.1	RESOLVED. Load shed for thermal margin. Speed bonus: (20−8)/20 = +0.600.

Why Load Shedding Matters

Reducing rack B-05 from 8 kW to 4 kW provides additional thermal margin
Demonstrates workload migration capability
Earns action quality bonus (+0.2 for interventions)

CRAC Failure Cascade — Large

Large Facility (600 kW, H1 zone) 8 steps HARD

+1.150

CRAC-1 and CRAC-3 down out of 8 CRACs. Zones C/D (including H1) have dedicated CRACs and remain unaffected. Zones A/B share the affected CRACs.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Inlets (A/B/C/D)	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.210	+0.210	20.4 / 20.4 / 19.2 / 19.7	CRAC-1 and CRAC-3 down. Zones C/D have own CRACs.
2	`diagnose CRAC-1`	+0.059	+0.269	20.8 / 20.8 / 19.2 / 19.7	FAULT: compressor. Zone A/B rising ~0.4°C/step.
3	`diagnose CRAC-3`	+0.024	+0.293	21.2 / 21.2 / 19.2 / 19.7	FAULT: fan. Both diagnosed → gate unlocked.
4	`diagnose CRAC-2`	+0.024	+0.317	21.6 / 21.6 / 19.2 / 19.7	Verify CRAC-2 healthy. Critical with 2 failures.
5	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-2 16`	+0.059	+0.376	21.9 / 22.0 / 19.2 / 19.6	Compensate. Zone B at 22.0°C — 13°C below ASHRAE allowable max (35°C).
6	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-4 16`	+0.058	+0.434	22.2 / 22.3 / 19.2 / 19.6	Rate of rise slowing. H1 zone unaffected.
7	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 100`	+0.058	+0.492	22.5 / 22.5 / 19.2 / 19.6	Max airflow. Zone B stabilizing.
8	`set_fan_speed CRAC-4 100`	+0.658	+1.150	22.7 / 22.8 / 19.2 / 19.6	RESOLVED. All zones within allowable. Speed bonus: +0.600.

Default vs Large Comparison

Metric	Default	Large
Final zone B inlet	20.1°C	22.8°C
H1 zone impact	N/A	None (19.2°C)
Cumulative reward	+1.230	+1.150

UPS Alarm Response

Default Facility (160 kW) 8 steps MEDIUM

+0.512

A brief utility dip caused UPS-1 to transfer to battery. Utility has been restored and UPS switched back to double-conversion mode, but the alarm persists. The agent must investigate the entire power chain and acknowledge the alarm.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	−0.007	−0.007	Baseline. Utility NORMAL, generator OFF, ATS on UTILITY.
2	`diagnose UPS-1`	+0.143	+0.137	Key step. mode=double_conversion, SOC=86%. Resolution gate requires this.
3	`diagnose UPS-2`	−0.007	+0.130	Verify redundant UPS. mode=double_conversion, SOC=87%.
4	`diagnose GEN-1`	−0.007	+0.123	Generator in standby — confirming readiness.
5	`diagnose PDU-A-01`	−0.007	+0.117	Verify power distribution intact.
6	`check_status`	−0.007	+0.110	Re-verify before closing incident.
7	`diagnose PDU-B-01`	−0.007	+0.103	Complete the power chain audit.
8	`acknowledge_alarm`	+0.408	+0.512	RESOLVED. Alarm acknowledged after thorough investigation. Speed bonus: (10−8)/10 = +0.200.

Reward Structure Note

Steps 3–7 return −0.007 each because the delta-based progress metric doesn't change during investigation — only the final acknowledgment triggers progress completion. The cumulative reward is still positive (+0.512) thanks to the large resolution step reward.

Generator Test Protocol

Default Facility (160 kW) 10 steps EASY

+0.567

Routine monthly generator test. No fault, no emergency — the agent must follow the 5-step protocol: check → start → verify → stop → acknowledge.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Gen State	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	−0.007	−0.007	OFF	Baseline. All systems normal.
2	`diagnose GEN-1`	−0.007	−0.013	off	Pre-test inspection — verify before starting.
3	`start_generator`	+0.113	+0.100	CRANKING	Generator start sequence initiated.
4	`wait`	−0.022	+0.078	LOADED	Let generator complete warmup.
5	`diagnose GEN-1`	+0.043	+0.122	ready	Critical verification. Confirms generator running properly.
6	`check_status`	−0.007	+0.115	LOADED	Full dashboard confirms generator loaded.
7	`stop_generator`	+0.113	+0.228	COOLDOWN	Initiate cooldown (300s for turbocharger).
8	`wait`	−0.022	+0.207	COOLDOWN	Allow cooldown to proceed.
9	`diagnose GEN-1`	−0.032	+0.175	cooldown	Post-shutdown inspection.
10	`acknowledge_alarm`	+0.392	+0.567	COOLDOWN	RESOLVED. Protocol complete. Speed bonus: (15−10)/15 = +0.333.

Protocol Enforcement

B3 tracks four internal flags that must be set in order:

_started — start_generator issued
_verified — diagnose GEN-1 while generator is running
_stopped — stop_generator (only if started + verified)
_completed — acknowledge_alarm (only if stopped)

The agent cannot skip steps — issuing stop_generator before diagnose GEN-1 won't set _stopped.

Power Failure Cascade — Default

Default Facility (160 kW) 8 steps HARD

+0.934

Total utility power loss. UPS batteries bridging while generator starts. Generator warmup extended (15s vs default 8s). Agent must manage battery life, consider load shedding, and verify generator operation.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Key Metrics	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.108	+0.108	UPS battery, SOC ~97%	Utility LOST. ATS transferring. Generator auto-starting.
2	`diagnose UPS-1`	+0.131	+0.239	on_battery, SOC=95%	Resolution gate unlocked. Battery draining ~2%/step at 160 kW.
3	`diagnose UPS-2`	+0.078	+0.317	on_battery, SOC=90%	Redundant UPS also on battery.
4	`start_generator`	−0.007	+0.310	Gen: CRANKING	Gen already auto-starting — slight negative for redundant command.
5	`set_rack_load A-05 4`	+0.062	+0.371	IT: 156 kW	Shed 4 kW to extend battery life.
6	`set_rack_load B-05 4`	+0.054	+0.425	IT: 152 kW	Total shed: 8 kW (5% of IT load).
7	`wait`	−0.052	+0.373	Gen LOADED, ATS: GEN	Generator online. Battery recharging.
8	`diagnose GEN-1`	+0.561	+0.934	state=loaded	RESOLVED. Gen loaded, temps OK, SOC >10%. Speed bonus: (20−8)/20 = +0.600.

Battery SOC Timeline

Step	SOC (UPS-1)	Event
0	97%	Utility lost
2	95%	Diagnosed
4	~90%	Gen starting
6	~87%	Load shed
7	~88%	Gen loaded, recharging begins
8	~89%	Resolved

Power Failure Cascade — Small

Small Facility (80 kW) 8 steps HARD

+0.948

Same power loss scenario in a smaller facility: 80 kW IT load, 1 zone, 2 CRACs. Less redundancy means more aggressive load shedding is needed.

#	Command	Reward	Cumul	Key Metrics	Reasoning
1	`check_status`	+0.111	+0.111	1 zone, UPS battery	80 kW IT, 1 zone, 2 CRACs. Less redundancy.
2	`diagnose UPS-1`	+0.133	+0.244	SOC=91%	Battery draining faster relative to capacity. Gate unlocked.
3	`start_generator`	+0.073	+0.317	Gen starting	Explicit start command.
4	`set_rack_load A-05 4`	+0.066	+0.383	IT: 76 kW	5% load reduction.
5	`set_rack_load A-04 4`	+0.056	+0.438	IT: 72 kW	10% load reduction.
6	`set_rack_load A-03 4`	+0.042	+0.481	IT: 68 kW	15% total load shed — more aggressive for smaller facility.
7	`wait`	−0.069	+0.412	Gen LOADED	Generator online. Battery recharging.
8	`diagnose GEN-1`	+0.537	+0.948	state=loaded	RESOLVED. Speed bonus: +0.600.

Small vs Default Comparison

Metric	Default (160 kW)	Small (80 kW)
Racks shed	2 (8 kW, 5%)	3 (12 kW, 15%)
Cumulative reward	+0.934	+0.948

The small facility earns slightly higher reward due to more aggressive proportional load shedding, producing a stronger positive signal from the power safety component.

⚠ Resolution Gate Design

Each affected scenario requires the agent to actually do something before resolution. Without these gates, scenarios A2, A4, and B4 would auto-resolve within 2–3 steps of passive wait commands.

Scenario	Diagnosis Gate	Min Steps
A2	Must `diagnose CRAC-3`	≥ 8 steps
A4	Must `diagnose CRAC-1` AND `diagnose CRAC-3`	≥ 8 steps
B4	Must `diagnose UPS-*`	≥ 8 steps

Reward ordering validates the design: fast diagnosis > late diagnosis > no diagnosis (never resolves).

DC-Ops Operations Guide

A comprehensive reference for operating the physics-based datacenter simulation. Master thermal management, power systems, and incident response.

▶

Getting Started

Select a scenario from the sidebar — each presents a unique datacenter challenge.
Choose a facility config (Default 160 kW, Small 80 kW, or Large 600 kW).
Click Start to begin the episode. You'll see the NOC dashboard.
Issue commands in the command bar — diagnose equipment, adjust setpoints, manage power.
Each command advances simulation time. You have a limited step budget.
Maximize your cumulative reward by resolving the scenario efficiently.

Pro tip: Always diagnose before making changes — the reward system gives a bonus for proper diagnostic procedures and penalizes blind interventions.

⚡

Scenarios

Six operational scenarios across two categories and three difficulty levels:

Thermal (Category A)

A1 Easy

Cooling Setpoint Optimization

CRACs are overcooling at 15°C — wasting energy. Optimize setpoints for efficiency while keeping all zones within ASHRAE recommended range (18–27°C).

StrategyRaise setpoints to ~22°C. Monitor temps. Target PUE < 1.6. Check that all zones stay in recommended range for 2+ steps.

A2 Medium

Thermal Event Response

CRAC-3 compressor failure. Zone B temps are rising. Diagnose the fault and redistribute cooling to stabilize all zones.

StrategyDiagnose CRAC-3 first. Lower setpoints on remaining CRACs. Boost fan speeds. Keep all zones in recommended range for 2+ steps.

A4 Hard

CRAC Failure Cascade

CRAC-1 compressor failure and CRAC-3 fan failure simultaneously. A cascading thermal event threatens multiple zones.

StrategyDiagnose both CRACs. Aggressively lower setpoints on CRAC-2/4. Max fan speeds. Consider load shedding on hot racks. Keep zones in allowable range.

Power (Category B)

B1 Medium

UPS Alarm Response

UPS transferred to battery after a utility event (now restored). Diagnose the situation and acknowledge the alarm to resolve.

StrategyDiagnose UPS-1 first. Verify utility is restored. Acknowledge the alarm. The UPS should return to normal operation.

B3 Easy

Generator Test Protocol

Routine monthly generator test. Follow the proper 5-step protocol: diagnose → start → verify → stop → confirm shutdown.

Strategy1. diagnose GEN-1 → 2. start_generator → 3. wait (let it warm) → 4. diagnose GEN-1 (verify running) → 5. stop_generator

B4 Hard

Power Failure Cascade

Utility power lost with extended generator warmup. UPS running on battery. Manage battery life and thermal conditions until generator loads.

StrategyStart generator immediately. Shed non-critical rack loads to preserve battery. Monitor SOC. Once generator loads, restore loads. Keep temps stable.

⌨

Available Commands

Command	Description	Example
`diagnose <unit>`	Inspect a CRAC, UPS, Generator, or PDU for faults and status	`diagnose CRAC-3`
`adjust_setpoint <crac> <°C>`	Change CRAC supply air setpoint (10–35°C). Supply temp converges over ~30s.	`adjust_setpoint CRAC-1 22`
`set_fan_speed <crac> <%>`	Set CRAC fan speed (0–100%). Fan power follows cubic law.	`set_fan_speed CRAC-2 100`
`set_rack_load <rack> <kW>`	Adjust rack IT load (0–30 kW) — simulates workload migration.	`set_rack_load B-05 4`
`start_crac <crac>`	Start a standby CRAC unit.	`start_crac CRAC-3`
`stop_crac <crac>`	Put a CRAC into standby mode.	`stop_crac CRAC-4`
`start_generator`	Initiate diesel generator start sequence (OFF → CRANKING → WARMING → READY → LOADED).	`start_generator`
`stop_generator`	Initiate generator cooldown sequence (300s).	`stop_generator`
`set_ups_mode <ups> <mode>`	Set UPS mode: `eco`, `double_conversion`, `line_interactive`, or `bypass`.	`set_ups_mode UPS-1 eco`
`refuel_generator [liters]`	Refuel the generator. Omit liters to fill tank.	`refuel_generator 500`
`acknowledge_alarm`	Acknowledge the current alert — clears the alert banner.	`acknowledge_alarm`
`check_status`	Request full status report. Refreshes the dashboard.	`check_status`
`escalate`	Escalate to senior engineer. Ends the episode.	`escalate`
`wait`	Take no action — advances simulation time by one step.	`wait`

★

Reward System

The environment uses a 6-component, research-informed reward function. Each component is bounded to [−1, 1]. The total reward is a weighted sum, clamped to [−1, 1]. Weights auto-adjust based on scenario type.

🌡️ Thermal Safety [−1, +0.1]

Dual softplus barriers at ASHRAE recommended and allowable limits. Violations are penalized smoothly — the closer to the limit, the stronger the gradient. Returns +0.1 baseline when all zones are ≥3°C below recommended max (DCRL-Green).

penalty = softplus((T − T_rec) / 2.0) + 3.0 · softplus((T − T_allow) / 1.5)

⚡ Power Safety [−1, 0]

Penalizes low UPS battery state-of-charge (SOC) via softplus barrier at 50% threshold. UPS fault adds a fixed penalty of 5.0. Compounds across multiple UPS units.

penalty = softplus((0.5 − SOC) / 0.15) + 5.0 · [fault]

📊 Efficiency [−1, 0]

PUE-based energy efficiency. PUE 1.0 (ideal) → 0, PUE 2.0 → −0.46, PUE 3.0 → −0.76. Suppressed to 0 during power emergencies (UPS on battery or fault) so the agent isn't penalized for correct load shedding.

reward = −tanh((PUE − 1.0) / 2.0)

🎯 Scenario Progress [−1, +1]

Delta-based: rewards the change in progress. This provides credit assignment — only the action that actually caused forward progress gets rewarded. Each scenario defines a normalized [0, 1] progress metric.

reward = progress_now − progress_prev

📋 Procedure [−1, +1]

Scenario-defined procedural correctness rules. For example, diagnosing before adjusting setpoints earns a bonus (+0.2), while skipping diagnosis incurs a penalty (−0.1). Encourages proper operational procedures.

reward = scenario.procedure_reward (clamped)

🎮 Action Quality [−1, +1]

Context-aware assessment: −0.5 invalid command, −0.2 repeat (except wait/check_status), +0.3 diagnose/check_status, +0.2 interventions, +0.1 acknowledge, −0.1 escalate. Waiting during generator startup: +0.1.

Heuristic scoring per action type + context

Weight Profiles

Weights auto-select based on scenario type. Components sum to 1.0.

🏛

ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines

All safety thresholds follow ASHRAE TC 9.9, 5th Edition (2021). The recommended range is optimal for equipment longevity. The allowable range permits short-term operation during incidents.

Class	Recommended	Allowable	Application
A1	18–27°C	15–32°C	Enterprise servers
A2	18–27°C	10–35°C	Volume servers (most common)
A3	18–27°C	5–40°C	Extended temperature range
A4	18–27°C	5–45°C	Maximum flexibility
H1	18–22°C	5–25°C	High-density / AI / HPC (GPU servers)

Key insight: The reward system uses softplus barriers at both recommended and allowable limits. Staying ≥3°C below recommended max yields a +0.1 thermal safety bonus. Exceeding allowable limits incurs 3× the per-degree penalty of recommended violations.

⚙

Physics Engine

Thermal Model — RC Network

The simulation uses a lumped-capacitance RC thermal network — the standard approach for datacenter transient thermal analysis. Each zone's temperature evolves according to:

C_total · dT/dt = Q_IT − Q_cooling + Q_envelope + Q_internal Where: C_total = C_air + C_equipment (dominated by server thermal mass) Q_IT = Σ rack IT loads [W] — all electrical power converts to heat Q_cooling = Σ CRAC outputs [W] — capacity varies with return air temp Q_envelope = (T_outside − T_zone) / R_envelope [W]

Important CRAC characteristics:

Capacity vs. return temp: Q_actual = Q_rated × [1 + 0.03 × (T_return − T_rated)], so capacity increases when a zone heats up
Fan power: Cubic law (affinity laws) — P_fan = P_rated × (speed%)³
Supply temp lag: 30-second time constant between setpoint change and actual supply temp
Recirculation: Hot air mixing caused by dominant airflow imbalance

Power Model

UPS quadratic loss model (APC White Paper 108):

η(x) = x / (x + 0.013 + 0.006x + 0.011x²) 90.5% efficient at 25% load 93.6% efficient at 50% load 94.0% efficient at 75% load

Battery discharge: SOC depletes based on load, UPS efficiency, and temperature derating.

Generator State Machine

OFF ─→ START_DELAY (4s) ─→ CRANKING (5s) ─→ WARMING (8s) ─→ READY ─→ LOADED ↓ COOLDOWN (300s) ─→ OFF

ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) performs mechanical transfer in 100ms. Retransfer delay is 300 seconds to prevent rapid switching.

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Research Foundation

Google/DeepMind (2017): Demonstrated 40% cooling energy reduction using RL with softplus barrier functions for safety constraints.
DCRL-Green (ICLR 2025): Multi-objective reward with softplus barriers and positive safe-state baseline for safe RL in datacenters.
ASHRAE TC 9.9, 5th Edition (2021): Industry-standard thermal guidelines used for all safety thresholds.
APC White Paper 108: UPS quadratic loss model with experimentally calibrated coefficients.
Process Reward Models: Delta-based progress rewards for improved credit assignment in multi-step reasoning.