A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including a sequence of instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to execute a method for managing cooling capacity within a data center, said method comprising the steps of: collecting cabinet information from each of a plurality of cabinets, said cabinet information including a respective inlet temperature, a respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature, and a respective supply air temperature; collecting a total power consumption for said plurality of cabinets; collecting a total cooling capacity for said plurality of cabinets; deriving a remaining cooling capacity for said plurality of cabinets from the total power consumption and the total cooling capacity; for each of said plurality of cabinets, calculating a temperature gradient value θ, each of the calculated θ values being a gradient between the respective inlet temperature and the respective supply air temperature, with respect to the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature; and for each of said calculated θ values determining whether the respective inlet temperature of any one of said plurality of cabinets is below, at, or above the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature; if any one of said respective inlet temperatures is at or above the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature, providing a first alarm, and if all of said respective inlet temperatures are below the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperatures, determining whether each of said calculated θ values is below, at, or above a user-defined θ value, and : if any one of said calculated θ values is at or above said user-defined θ value, providing a second alarm, and if all of said calculated θ values are below said user-defined θ value, distributing said remaining cooling capacity over said plurality of cabinets. collecting cabinet information from each of a plurality of cabinets, said cabinet information including a respective inlet temperature, a respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature, and a respective supply air temperature; collecting a total power consumption for said plurality of cabinets; collecting a total cooling capacity for said plurality of cabinets; deriving a remaining cooling capacity for said plurality of cabinets from the total power consumption and the total cooling capacity; for each of said plurality of cabinets, calculating a temperature gradient value θ, each of the calculated θ values being a gradient between the respective inlet temperature and the respective supply air temperature, with respect to the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature; and for each of said calculated θ values determining whether the respective inlet temperature of any one of said plurality of cabinets is below, at, or above the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature; if any one of said respective inlet temperatures is at or above the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperature, providing a first alarm, and if all of said respective inlet temperatures are below the respective maximum allowable cabinet temperatures, determining whether each of said calculated θ values is below, at, or above a user-defined θ value, and : if any one of said calculated θ values is at or above said user-defined θ value, providing a second alarm, and if all of said calculated θ values are below said user-defined θ value, distributing said remaining cooling capacity over said plurality of cabinets. if any one of said calculated θ values is at or above said user-defined θ value, providing a second alarm, and if all of said calculated θ values are below said user-defined θ value, distributing said remaining cooling capacity over said plurality of cabinets. <EOS>