Building a high-performance data center starts with quality control at every phase of data center commissioning.
A recent whitepaper, “The Seven Stages of Data Center Commissioning Explained” by JLL, highlights how critical it is to embed commissioning teams early and maintain rigorous oversight throughout design, installation, testing, and handover.
But commissioning doesn’t end with ribbon cutting. For long-term operational success, facilities need a way to digitize and operationalize the knowledge, tests, and documentation developed during commissioning. That’s where MCIM makes a critical difference.
Connecting Data Center Commissioning to Ongoing Operations with MCIM
MCIM strengthens and streamlines every level of commissioning, ensuring that investments made during pre-occupancy commissioning translate directly into better asset management, operational reliability, and risk mitigation over the life of the facility.
Here’s how MCIM supports each stage outlined in the whitepaper:
| Commissioning Stage | Key Activities | MCIM Enhancement |
| Level 0: Programming and Design | Document owner requirements, review designs | Asset Management captures specs and creates system of record |
| Level 1: Factory Acceptance | QA/QC inspections and witness testing | Documentation stored and linked to equipment profiles |
| Level 2: Site Acceptance Testing | Inspect, verify, and test delivered equipment | Rounds and Incident Management track findings and static test results |
| Level 3: Start-Up and Pre-Functional | Confirm basic equipment functionality | Work Management with intelligent CMMS digitizes checklists and start-up forms |
| Level 4: Functional Performance Testing | Validate equipment performance to sequence of operations | Testing procedures, results, and issue resolutions logged |
| Level 5: Integrated Systems Testing | Test system integration and redundancy under load | Full testing data captured; load bank and “pull-the-plug” scenarios tracked |
| Level 6: Transition to Operations | Handoff of documentation and training to operations team | Seamless transition into live operational modules: Asset Management, Monitoring, Capital Planning |
Why It Matters
Too often, the knowledge gained during data center commissioning is trapped in binders, disconnected spreadsheets, or lost during team transitions.
MCIM ensures:
- Commissioning data lives on as operational intelligence.
- Facility teams have immediate access to asset histories, warranty information, and critical testing documentation.
- Issues identified during commissioning are fully resolved, documented, and referenced for ongoing reliability benchmarking.
- Capital planning is informed by real-world asset performance from day one.
Commissioning is not just a project milestone — it’s the foundation of operational excellence.
By pairing a strong commissioning process like the one outlined in the “Seven Stages of Data Center Commissioning” with a robust digital platform like MCIM, owners can protect their investment, reduce operational risk, and ensure resilient performance for years to come.
Click here to learn more about how MCIM can transform your commissioning process and ongoing operations or reach out to speak with an expert.
