An Information Handling System (IHS) and method provide for a thermal controller receiving from a temperature sensor a current operating temperature of the at least one functional device. The thermal controller determines a first rate of an air mover based at least in part on the current operating temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and the instantaneous component maximum temperature. The first rate prevents the at least one functional component from exceeding the instantaneous component maximum temperature. The thermal controller determines a second rate of the air mover based at least in part on lifetime average temperature and the long-term average temperature target that is selected for the reliability level. The thermal controller controls the air mover to operate at a higher one of the first and second rates.