Where to get Data Center Fundamental Knowledge?

DoubleNNs

Approaching the end of my 1st week working in a data center. There's a lot of technology, and a good majority of it is new to me.

What are some good resources to get some basal data center knowledge? Possibly some Server+/Storage+ level knowledge, and anything else I might need to know later on. (I don't know of any good Server+ or Storage+ resources. This is also my first exposure to a data center.)

Additional advice from anyone more experienced would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

--chris--

What OS are running in their? What virtualization? What kind of data is stored (HIPPA? PCI?)

Zomboidicus

I been wondering the same thing myself, as my new job will be in a data center environment. I been looking at Data Center Virtualization fundamentals, Data Center Fundamentals and CCNA: Data Center as my next book purchases. Besides that, I got the CBT nuggets series for CCNA: DC. I wonder if that would be enough.

FloOz

This book right here has helped me a TON with data center tech. It's a must for an Cisco Data Center engineer.

Amazon.com: Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals: Understanding Techniques and Designs for Highly Efficient Data Centers with Cisco Nexus, UCS, MDS, and Beyond (9781587143243): Gustavo A. A. Santana: Books

Zomboidicus

Yup, that is one of the books I mentioned. I also added NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching: Next-Generation Data Center Architectures (2nd Edition) as one of the books as well. Add all that and the CCNP books I'll be purchasing, my shopping cart is going to be expensive lol.

FloOz

Yes but very well worth it

DoubleNNs

They have everything lol. Like everything. But it seems like Unix/Cisco/Juniper is most valued there. But even simple things like SAN, NAS, cabling, FEXs, server hardware, RAID vs JBOD, Link Bonding vs Link Aggregation vs Trunking vs Port Channel go over my head.

DoubleNNs

On top of that, there's a mountain of proprietary stuff I have to get quickly acquainted with.

DoubleNNs

Amazon.com: Data Center Fundamentals (9781587050237): Mauricio Arregoces, Maurizio Portolani: Books

Thinking about ordering this - tho it does seem a little out-dated. More than a decade old.

lsud00d

I just listed out a bunch of things that come to mind when thinking of a datacenter, and then the whole stack altogether. I would suggest to use it as a checklist of sorts so you can familiarize yourself with the pieces to the puzzle and how they all come to fit in the bigger picture. The list is by no means complete or exhaustive but it is a good start.

But, as a checklist you can ask those around you what kind of technologies fit the list. Also ask for network/application/server/rack/infrastructure diagrams so you can start to understand how Visio docs look and flow. This will help you immensely if you get a jump on not only understanding this, but start to do documentation yourself. This is how you move beyond admin'ing and into engineer, design, and architect roles.

I currently work in my customer's datacenter and they are on the smaller end of a medium-sized business, as far as budget, users, and equipment goes so the attached doc is from that perspective. I have worked in environments with very large enterprise type datacenters but in my previous roles it wasn't in my job duty to even go near them. This quick doc is applicable/scalable to datacenters of all sizes and should let you talk&walk with the network or server team.

DoubleNNs

Wow, awesome. Thank you so much lsud00d!

sasnimrod

Great list lsud00d. I also found it useful. Thanks

I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to add fire detection & suppression as part of the list.

Recently whilst browsing the net, I came across the DCCA certification by Schneider Electric. Haven't heard of it before but seems to cover all of the basic concepts of a modern day datacenter.

Iristheangel

Right now I'm reading Data Center Fundamentals and I have Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals. Glancing through both of them, I'd say that there is a TON that's relevant in both. They were both recommended for me by a CCIE Data Center

DoubleNNs

I was hesitant to order Data Center Fundamentals because of it's age. However, I just ordered the kindle version based on your recommendation Iris. I'll check it out on my work commute.

@sasnimron - The DCCA might be cool to get in the future. But as of now, I'm more interested in study materials that will help me quickly aclimate to my work environment rathen than any certifications that may follow. Do you know of any good study materials for the DCCA exam?

Iristheangel

It's a good book. Plus it's on the CCIE DC recommended reading list:
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-13986

sasnimrod

DoubleNNs wrote: »

@sasnimron - The DCCA might be cool to get in the future. But as of now, I'm more interested in study materials that will help me quickly aclimate to my work environment rathen than any certifications that may follow. Do you know of any good study materials for the DCCA exam?

I haven't had much time to look into material that might be useful to get the DCCA cert, but I think that Schneider Electric itself does provide some content related to the cert once you have registered on their site.