A computer-implemented method for evaluating cooling provided to a server in a data center, the method comprising: receiving data center parameters corresponding to a double-mass server model including a specific heat of air (c p), an effective specific heat of a server contained in the data center (c peff), an area disposed prior to a heat source (A 1), an area disposed after the heat source (A 2), and a heat transfer coefficient between the air and the server (h); receiving, from a user and/or the data center, measured steady state parameters of the data center including internal power dissipation, air mass flow rate (m), and/or temperatures in the data center; receiving, from the user and/or the data center, server parameters, the server parameters including a mass of the server, a length of the server, and a factor characterizing a position of an effective heat source relative to the mass of the server (λ); determining, via the double-mass server model, an effective temperature of the server (T eff) and an exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server (T out) at a first time period of a plurality of time periods based on the measured steady state parameters, the server parameters, and the data center parameters; determining, via the double-mass server model, an effective temperature of the server and an exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server for each subsequent time period of the plurality of time periods based on the measured steady state parameters, the server parameters, the data center parameters, and a temperature derivative derived from the effective temperature of the server and the exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server at a previous time period of the plurality of time periods; and providing an optimized design for the data center by changing a layout of the server in the data center based on at least one of the subsequent effective temperatures of the server and the exhaust temperatures of exhaust leaving the server, the optimized design being configured to improve at least one of the cooling provided to the server and energy usage associated with providing the cooling to the server. receiving data center parameters corresponding to a double-mass server model including a specific heat of air (c p), an effective specific heat of a server contained in the data center (c peff), an area disposed prior to a heat source (A 1), an area disposed after the heat source (A 2), and a heat transfer coefficient between the air and the server (h); receiving, from a user and/or the data center, measured steady state parameters of the data center including internal power dissipation, air mass flow rate (m), and/or temperatures in the data center; receiving, from the user and/or the data center, server parameters, the server parameters including a mass of the server, a length of the server, and a factor characterizing a position of an effective heat source relative to the mass of the server (λ); determining, via the double-mass server model, an effective temperature of the server (T eff) and an exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server (T out) at a first time period of a plurality of time periods based on the measured steady state parameters, the server parameters, and the data center parameters; determining, via the double-mass server model, an effective temperature of the server and an exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server for each subsequent time period of the plurality of time periods based on the measured steady state parameters, the server parameters, the data center parameters, and a temperature derivative derived from the effective temperature of the server and the exhaust temperature of exhaust leaving the server at a previous time period of the plurality of time periods; and providing an optimized design for the data center by changing a layout of the server in the data center based on at least one of the subsequent effective temperatures of the server and the exhaust temperatures of exhaust leaving the server, the optimized design being configured to improve at least one of the cooling provided to the server and energy usage associated with providing the cooling to the server.