Data Center Course

Lesson 1 • Physical Layout and Space Planning

Covers floor plan design, white space vs. gray space, and aisle configurations. Establishes spatial awareness needed for all subsequent infrastructure topics.

Lesson 2 • Data Center Tiers and Standards

Explains industry tier classifications and their availability requirements. Enables students to match facility design to business uptime needs.

Lesson 3 • Core Infrastructure Components

Identifies servers, storage, networking gear, and support systems. Provides component-level vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Power Distribution Units and Circuits

Details PDU types, branch circuit design, and outlet-level monitoring. Bridges high-level power delivery to rack-level power management.

Lesson 2 • Generators and Backup Power

Covers diesel and natural gas generators, automatic transfer switches, and fuel management. Ensures students can plan for extended outages.

Lesson 3 • Utility Power and Service Entry

Covers how utility power enters a facility and is metered. Sets the foundation for understanding downstream power distribution.

Lesson 4 • Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Explains UPS topologies, battery technologies, and runtime calculations. Connects UPS selection to availability tier requirements.

Lesson 1 • Advanced and Liquid Cooling Methods

Covers rear-door heat exchangers, in-row cooling, and direct liquid cooling. Prepares students for high-density and AI workload environments.

Lesson 2 • Computer Room Air Conditioning

Covers CRAC and CRAH unit operation, placement, and airflow delivery. Connects traditional cooling equipment to floor-level thermal management.

Lesson 3 • Economizers and Free Cooling

Introduces air-side and water-side economizers and their operational conditions. Enables students to reduce mechanical cooling energy costs.

Lesson 4 • Airflow Management Techniques

Teaches containment strategies, blanking panels, and airflow modeling. Directly reduces hot spots and improves cooling efficiency.

Lesson 1 • Switching and Routing Fundamentals

Explains VLANs, spanning tree, and layer-3 routing within the data center. Connects network segmentation to security and performance goals.

Lesson 2 • Internet and WAN Connectivity

Covers border routing, transit providers, and peering arrangements. Enables students to plan external connectivity for availability and cost.

Lesson 3 • Network Topology and Design Models

Covers three-tier and spine-leaf architectures and their traffic patterns. Establishes design vocabulary for all subsequent networking topics.

Lesson 4 • Out-of-Band Management Networks

Introduces dedicated management networks, console servers, and IPMI/BMC access. Ensures operational access during production network failures.

Lesson 1 • Security Perimeter and Zones

Defines concentric security zones from property boundary to server cage. Establishes the layered defense model used throughout the chapter.

Lesson 2 • Video Surveillance and Monitoring

Explains camera placement, recording systems, and real-time monitoring workflows. Supports incident detection and forensic investigation capabilities.

Lesson 3 • Access Control Systems

Covers badge readers, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication for physical entry. Connects access technology to audit trail requirements.

Lesson 1 • Key Performance Indicators and Reporting

Defines operational KPIs including uptime, PUE, and mean time to repair. Enables data-driven reporting to leadership and auditors.

Lesson 2 • Asset and Capacity Management

Teaches rack unit tracking, power capacity modeling, and space forecasting. Connects real-time asset data to capacity planning decisions.

Lesson 3 • Incident and Change Management

Covers ticketing workflows, change advisory processes, and post-incident reviews. Ensures operational discipline that protects uptime and auditability.

Lesson 4 • DCIM Platform Architecture

Explains DCIM software components, data collection methods, and integration points. Enables students to evaluate and deploy DCIM solutions.

Lesson 1 • Disaster Recovery Site Design

Covers hot, warm, and cold site configurations and replication technologies. Enables students to select and design appropriate DR site strategies.

Lesson 2 • High Availability Architecture

Covers active-active and active-passive clustering, load balancing, and failover. Connects redundancy patterns to specific RTO targets.

Lesson 3 • Backup Strategies and Data Protection

Explains full, incremental, and differential backup methods and media options. Ensures students can design backup schedules meeting RPO requirements.

Lesson 4 • Recovery Objectives and Risk Assessment

Defines RTO, RPO, and MTPD and links them to business impact analysis. Establishes the risk framework that drives all recovery design decisions.

Lesson 1 • Vendor and Contract Management

Explains SLA negotiation, vendor evaluation frameworks, and contract risk terms. Protects operational continuity through sound procurement practices.

Lesson 2 • Capacity Planning and Growth Modeling

Teaches demand forecasting, phased build-out strategies, and scalability design. Ensures facilities can grow without costly redesign.

Lesson 3 • Regulatory Compliance and Auditing

Covers data protection regulations, audit frameworks, and evidence collection. Enables students to prepare facilities for third-party compliance audits.

Lesson 4 • Sustainability and Energy Efficiency

Covers renewable energy sourcing, water usage effectiveness, and carbon reporting. Aligns facility design with corporate sustainability commitments.