Unfortunately, lots of entry lvl gigs ask for CCNA but when u work there, its just answer phones, emails and a bit of network monitoring. Actual config changes on FWs, routers and switches might be 0-10% of your daily tasks. Every NOC is different.
Yup, my NOC doesn't even allow you to touch configs until you're there for 3-6 months and meet or exceed every standard they have, at which point you have to decide if you want to specialize in Windows, Unix, Networking, Virtualization, or Backups.
Networking Joe Yep same here. 10 years in a DC and I think I had to run commands on a switch once (Although I add IP's to IPDU's regularly). They out source even the basic networking stuff. I even had an interview with Amazon where they insisted on a lot of big certifications. Sat down in the interview and they said "Nah you never log into anything". WTF I crammed all that CCNA and Linux shit for nothing!
I've been a Data Center Technician for a year with Quality Technology Services (QTS) in Atlanta, GA. The certifications and required experience dependents on the what the company you are applying for requires for the positions. Personally my company was looking for more Fiber Optic termination and splicing experience than hardward/networking experience. Lucky I had both fiber and networking experience. I worked for AT&t as a project fiber lead and network technician in the US military. My past work experience got me the job, but CompTIA Sec+ and Net+ got me at Technician II and a pay raise. Best experience to have is Fiber experience, and minimum of CompTIA Net+ just to add to your resume to land a job.
The trick to work in a DC (or any IT job), apply for it. Impressing the right person in the interview with your attitude, willingness to learn, and having the right mindset will get you a job a lot faster than any certificate.
@@trustthe_process4371 You mean an IT support position that requires hundreds of thousands of dollars in degrees and certifications isnt worth $12 an hour?
Can you do the following? Configure OSPF at least and understand what routing does? Configure switchports as trunks and access ports. Understand VLANs Understand Spanning Tree Understand the different between layer2 and Layer3 Understand subnetting.. Done.
@@GrahamSmart well these are some basic networking concepts but what do you want to say by writing these concepts? Like are they helpful to get an entry level IT job?
@@azee6532 entry level IT job should be... can you use a computer... do you turn up to work often? Some of the morons ive hired over the years... if you breath and can spell windows... your fine .. The stuff I highlighted is more entry network engineering.
Entry level rack and stack engineers need to be able to lift a server, BE ON TIME, be clean, and have a work ethic. That is about it. All you are going to be doing is putting servers in racks and cabling them up. It is entry level. Anything on your resume that makes you look better will help you get the job over someone else. But nothing is better than a prompt hard worker. You will see what you need to do to work your way up when you get there.
I already work in DC environment and I don't think CCNA is required at all. Network admins/architects look after all that stuff. As a DC manager or tech you will spend more of your time focussing on environmental monitoring, Power, Air Con, access control, UPS systems, patching, config management, asset management, capacity management and installations. I'm doing all of this and still cannot configure a cisco switch. Gradual experience has got me to where I am now rather than courses and certifications.
It depends on the DC. Due to customer requirements, similar to VARs or Consultants, some require certs for their engineers. A DCM's primary focus is the Data Center environment but a Network engineer's is not. They do need to work with the DCM about those things when ordering and deploying eqiupment.
I am a CIO ... and he is ABSOLUTELY right! Certs are NOT a replacement for experience and a great attitude. Start at entry level and you WILL be promoted quickly w a great attitude and an ability to learn
Good to know, question: I’m not good mathematically I never really got a grasp of it but I have a great passion for computers and how they work what career paths would you recommend for me any ideas ?
@@nikobellic840 I do not believe that good attitude will get you promoted, maybe a few, haha, it's always political. boss hire his\her friends who does not even fit the job etc etc and etc...
It’s horses for courses, and a good workplace has a rich mix of introverts and extroverts. I don’t need a flamboyant engineer to bring his fix to life. I just need it fixed. Whereas, character and charisma grows my business so I’d look for that in a business development manager.
it goes against many peoples beliefs and principles to be always customer service friendly, thats why many people dont take those jobs. Since this doesnt require it you shouldnt support the idea of needing it, because that supports people not allowing themselves to be who they want at a job that doesnt need them to be customer friendly or talkative. It's really a laugh in the face to introverts, not that I am one, though I will speak up.
Ive hired many individuals without good people skills, and they get the job done just like anyone else. There is no need to recommend people skills to those who don't need it. If you worked at Mcdonalds, or maybe picking up the phone then sure
I grabbed a Data Center Technician role with no data center experience. With being primarily a Mac technical support guy. I really should have gotten a cert though. The interview would have gone much better. Though I have studied a bit of CCNA,AWS,A+ and a bunch of random other stuff. These people were absolutely willing to train the right person. Be the right person!
@@raing8942 I had 15yrs of technical support experience with a large company. Then willingness to learn was a huge component here. They stated a few times they’re willing to train the right candidate.
@@JamesBond-ut5ivGood advice. Just got hired for a data center role as well. I have A+, Network+, and Security+ and 4 years of IT experience. Next step for me is CCNA. Not a single year of data center experience.
@@Conviction454 Nice! You should be fine! I'm nearly a year in and it's clear I need to go somewhere else. However I've learned that Network+ or CCNA will go a long way since most of the issues we deal with are involving the network and questions about it. We're a Fortigate partner so I've worked on some of that but they don't seem to have a ton of content for basic networking fundamentals.
a+, network+, and then dive into what you want. I'm working directly on my MCSE next instead of any routing and switching because then you'll become a network engineer and not into a 'DC'. However, your employer might require or not require these things. I've got a handful of the comptia's and my experience got me promoted to become an IT Sys Admin. Sadly, experience > certs in this field.
I am surprised this video didnt cover storage. Dell / EMC side, all training is provided to engineers from Dell (merged into TechDirect late 2019). Its incredibly dry and not fun work at all for DC side stuff. NetAPP and HP also have their own training. I dont think CCNA or higher is necessary for DC engineers. Those people who need actual network understanding are going to be network admins, who are typically not going to be onsite. Engineers who work inside the DC are typically going to be Smart Hands, so they perform the tasks they are given with config being delegated only if remote config is not possible by the system admins or network admins. For aspiring engineers, I recommend starting with CompTIA A+, do 2-3 years helpdesk to get exposure to IT, then look into Virtualization (VMWare is probably a good bet), while also attempting to get a few years of server admin (RedHat and Win Server). After about 4 years, you should be well suited to start trying to get into Data Centers. Just keep in mind that DC jobs are quite often very bad for work life balance (shifts, sev1 tickets at 3 am oncall, etc). You will find after a few years in a DC that the work becomes highly repetitive. At this point, I recommend moving into management, or branching off into one of the support roles (Server, storage, architect, projects). DC Engineers are only 1 step up above Helpdesk in terms of raw experience required, so career potential is not great. If you are autistic, dont like people, or generally enjoy working alone, DC work can be quite rewarding.
I've done installation and relocations of hundreds of rack servers, blade servers (HP, Dell, IBM, Huawei, Cisco, etc) SAN storage under HP 3PAR, Dell EMC, Cisco UCS for many data centers in Malaysia for Telco companies, Banks, Government agencies, etc.. no CCNA, no Comptia, no A+. Installed Esx on the blades before joining them to the hypervisors vSphere vCenter. Only VCP and Citrix CCA certifications that I have. You're right, the experience is very important.
Simple video but full of knowledge and I happy to listen to him all day. This is so precious thing I have watched today. By he said in the video, not only benefit to who interested in working in DC environment but also who wants to work in the IT industry. These tips are so valuable and thank you very much for sharing this.
@Johnathan Williams Man the new CCNA will be just one exam so is pointless to take the CCENT by itself right now. Unless you take both 100-105 and 200-105 before February is better to just prepare for the new CCNA.
Recent graduated with my Associates in Cybersecurity: Networking Administration. I got 5 certs out of it, A+, Net+, Security+, Network Pro, and CCENT. Now it's just finding a job in an area that has very few IT jobs. Probably will have to start out small and relocate down the road.
CCNA Route switch and comptia network+ are fairly different I'd say. Currently have a CCNA route switch, it's far more in depth and really what's makes it Cisco proprietary is you learn Cisco CLI. Everything thing else is transferable. I was studying for the Net+ but stopped since I got the CCNA. One thing that the Net+ has over the CCNA is the broad range of topics it covers. Stuff like cabling, wifi, security, cloud, satellite and subnetting. It doesnt go in depth, the Net+ is a great overview of networking, nothing more. CCNA you cabling, enterprise level subnet design, layer 2 connectivity, access switches vs distribution switchs vs core switches. Spanning tree, troubleshooting layer 2, mac address, ipv4 and ipv6 addressing. Routing protocols like EIGRP, OSPF, RIPv2, eBGP, QS, network monitoring, snmp, switch stacking, little bit on cloud and satellite. I'll give you this tip ICND1 is switching intensive and ICND2 is routing intensive. Now that doesn't mean there isn't any routing on ICND1 exam, there's plenty and there's plenty of switching on the ICND2 exam. It's just routing is weighted more on the 2and exam and switching is more on the first exam.
Very good suggestion. Being working for Microsoft for 3 yrs now I can truly say those words are correct. Microsoft never looks at any candidate who has too many certificate and doesn't know anything.
Great video. Totally agree experience over certifications for a datacenter technician. Everyone thinking of working in a datacenter just apply. This market is growing insanely fast and could provide a good career path.
The bigger question is how much of that is actually being used or how much of that could you recite now, because the vast majority of these certs are just money makers and the knowledge covered in them so broad someone may end up using just ten pages out of the thousands they read for them. I studied for a lot of the comptia stuff because I got it for free and honestly stopped reading most of them half way through because there was so much in there that is so specific you may never need it. I find it really troubling that IT companies jump onto these certs as if they are a guarantee someone isn't going to stuff a usb port into a 480V socket, but in reality when you don't do that stuff every day you forget 90% of it. The experience and what you have worked with does count more toward your actual capability, unfortunately the middle management assigned to hire you on often hasn't a clue on what is needed or are so high up in their clouds of having done these certs themselves that they want to justify it to themselves to not hire someone up on "their level". I have talked to so many of this category that I am now no longer surprised when these companies screw up royally. I even have personal experiences with companies making demands of entry level applicants only to then not even deliver to their customers aka me. I have a hatred for networking because of the often forced complication introduced because someone somewhere decided that that was the ultimate way of doing things because it enabled a feature or design that only they would use. There is so much bullshit being pushed around that it is hard to find a company that isn't filled with middle management morons or dreaming upper management that completely botch something up. I went self-employed because of all that and really think the future isn't in ever larger tech-giants, if GitLab is anything to go by anyways. The landscape is changing faster and faster the larger you are the worse prepared you are to adapt.
Hi there, you said you went self-employed....what do you do for a living? Am curious...also, I agree about the money makers comment you made...they take advantage because they have the monopoly on a specific certification...however, I don't think it's fair at all to charge astronomical fees...considering that it might change VERY quickly...as all things do in the IT world. I want to look into a "Certified Data Center Professional (CDCP) certification" but now I am thinking experience is better than that...unless of course a company requires it from you or they won't hire you....what do you think?
I’ve studied Information Technology at Bologna’s University and after one week from the degree i have started a job in a Wisp with a Mikrotik Environment. After 2 years i have learn a lot of about networks and routing and a little experience about php development. But my dream is working in a DC so i’ve decided to move into another Job and now i work in Bologna in Laboratori Guglielmo Marconi as a System Administrator for a various types of customers in their DC. I really love Linux and Virtualisation like vmware and recently proxmox and his world. I hope that one day i become a Senior Administrator, maybe in virtualisation environment, maybe in Custodian :-)
Excellent video, one of the few TH-camrs who knows what he's talking about; however I do disagree with his Certification take. I would recommend anyone starting on the IT field to get the CompTIA's A+ and Network+ first so the new technician can have a solid understanding of the subject. Then follow it with Security+, all these certifications alone count as 1 year experience; then continue your education with CCNA to learn about routers, switches and protocols. As a bonus try to get Linux+, a lot of Data Centers require technician to know about Linux. Good luck to you and godspeed.
I recently saw a job listing for a server technician in my area, but I'm very unsure of myself because I've never done that kind of work before and I only have a few years of computer science education from university. Can I ask how you've done it?
@@m1a2tt4 that's pretty much how I started. Data centers nowadays are expanding and the demand for people is becoming more than people who are qualified. It seems very overwhelming at first but as long as you don't get a job that throws you in trial by fire then you'll be fine. My first job in a data center was trial by fire but lucky for me I'm good at bsing but more importantly I'm a fast learner/self teacher
As a senior consultant i say you got it very right. And if all else fails. Always bring an old-style Thinkpad with you for bonus points with any employer worth working for. ;) (Was it maybe an X200s you had there?)
I finished my MCSE in NT4 a long time ago now (feel free to laugh) and I'm not working in a data centre but it sure did set me on the path to a great life. Study and work hard when you are young and you will likely do very well. This is a great career choice.
Invaluable advice. My take away is 'Willingness to learn'. I am interning at a government smart city project with Huawei Fusion module 1000 - 2000 data centers. I have experience with Cisco routers and switches but excited to learn about Huawei.
Passed my new ccna 200-301 exam. Old ccna 200-125 is mentioned in this video. Those who want to pursue ccna it could take 6-8 months covering these books (volume1 &volume2 new editions as of writing this comment) with hands on labs. Took me 7 months, lots of new topics were added as compared to old blueprint, exam was a serious brain teaser. Though only constant studies will help to pass the exam. Good Luck everyone
This is what I'm a little confused on do we want the 200-125 set or the 200-301 correct me if I'm wrong but the 301 is the newest as where the 125 is the older stuff?
Thank you this was a very good video and gave me some very good information. I am working on getting my A+ certification and I have my Bachelors degree in Cybersecurity.
Right now I'm working as a service engineer of cnc machine. Been thinking of changing career into any dc related environment. My target would be cloud engineer/developer but I'll take dc technician as a start. 28 y/o hoping it's not too late to change career path
Your biggest challenge will be finding your first job in the filed as you have no relevant experience. I'm assuming you are doing some sort of technical education so you can at least that on your resume. The CCNA is a thing to have in your case. At minimum go through the material and labs.
I had CCNA self study and I did the exam and passed It was so easy, for those who want to start, routing is very fun and logical. U can use simulators on computer to build and practice for the exam. I was going to study CCNT but I switched to Stock trading :D
En verdad me encantó este vídeo. Soy un joven solo con enseñanza media y trabajo en una empresa pionera en licenciamiento Microsoft, Symantec, Dropbox, Adobe, etc. Y trabajé con ellos en un proyecto de migración de correo. Y me contrataron para que aprendiera todo sobre Azure. Actualmente tengo un mes con ellos y ya tengo la AZ-900, 101, 102, 103 y vamos estudiando para las MS-500. Ver algo así. Donde la experiencia más que la certificación es importante, es muy motivacional!
I'm in school for networking right now. I'm super happy with it, i know right now I'm going to get my CCNA cwna and the security+ certs. I hope I get into the field right out of school. Love the videos!
Great video. I'm on the infrastructure network team for my org and I've been playing a HUGE part in our on-prem data center migration to a colo facility. It's been a wonderful experience and I've learned a lot about data centers and even refined my routing and switching skills on Nexus gear. I hadn't ever been in a position where I could configure, lab, and work with Nexus gear! Was a pleasure.
This is awesome, as someone starting out new in the field (NOC) watching your videos has given me good insight as to what I can expect in the future as my role as a NOC Engineer progresses.
I wouldn't use this video to set expectations because a "NOC" engineer can work in many types of environments. If you are in a colo then maybe it has some value-add. I have worked for 2 Fortune 100 companies and our NOC engineers never set foot in a Data Center and in the case of one company they never even saw the equipment they were working on in person. Personally, I recommend a role in which you get to both install and configure the devices.
There are other companies offering certification programmes, like Juniper Networks (they have the JNCIA-Junos [good for enterprise and service provider routing and switching]), and Ubiquiti Networks (the certifications are as follows: UEWA [Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Admin], UBWS [Ubiquiti Broadband Wireless Specialist], UBWA [Ubiquiti Broadband Wireless Admin], UBRSS [Ubiquiti Broadband Routing & Switching Specialist], and UBRSA [Ubiquiti Broadband Routing & Switching Admin]), to name a few. Ubiquiti's certification programmes are mainly targeted for network admins who want to work in ISPs.
I don't have any certs or a college diploma and I'm a Senior Networking Engineer with 18 years experience. Certs get you in the door when you first start but when you get to my level they are no longer needed.
@@bririe5296 I can't choose between network or system administration. I don't really like memorisation and i see there is a lot to read in networking..like hundreds of pages from books.In systems it seems there are not as many definitions , it's just knowing how to administrate linux/windows and so on.. I have about the same level of enthusiams about either of them. Is there much memorisation in networking ?? How is it ?? What do you suggest to me ?
LOL. Dude that is so overkill for DC work. It is mostly physical labor. In fact, you will probably be sending the wrong message walking in the door with a CCIE and zero experience. You know what I mean?
i remember getting my CCNA back in 2006. Back then there was also a 2 book box set by Wendall Odom. I read those things from start to finish 20 times. I grabbed a CCNA cert book off a book store shelf a few years back and most of the content was still the same. I would be curious to see how much more has changed since then.
I feel like Linux+ (CompTIA), and RedHat 8 should be in this video. Many DCs jobs are more than just racking and stacking, and often times you are required to get baseline configurations onto the equipment in order for the customer to be able to remote in and configure. Having the basic knowledge to work with multiple OS is always beneficial when applying for a DataCenter Technician/Datacenter Custodian, etc as different customers have different needs.
Comptia is not vendor neutral actually, they lobby against various government bills, including right to repair. Comptia is suppose to be non-profit as they are tax exempt, but their CEO gets lots of money. They also old, not always updated.
None they are mostly run overseas now remotely they just need people onsite to let techs in for warranty services on equipment. Most large companies use this to save money.
Does your company offer any free learning like say through CBT Nuggets or ItProtv so you can learn other skills on the job or touch up on current skills?
Most companies have an annual training budget for their staff. It's highly likely that employees are encouraged to give feedback on what training would help them and then that is arranged through the company. These are usually done through professional training providers rather than CBT Nuggets, Udemy etc.
Hello Custodian, I'm Anton from Indonesia. Thank u so much, i like ur videos. And now i have a certified MTCNA & MTCRE. Next years i would a take the CCNA RS - CCNA Sec. Wish me luck and good luck for u.
What certifications do you need to work in a DC? Well I’d probably turn that around and say what EXPERIENCE should you have before working in a datacenter and what exactly in the datacenter environment do you want to do? Networking? Server builds, racking and stacking? Certifications are a great way to get past CV filters in recruitment and open some doors, however you don’t get a CCNA with no professional networking experience and expect to walk into a network architects role. I’ve interviewed numerous people and worked with many more that have certifications coming out of their ears.... but when it gets down to it with real problems, real situations, they had no experience and were useless. Experience over certs. 12 years working my way up through the ranks of IT from the helpdesk to CTO have taught me that.
Your first job will of course have to be obtained with zero experience. But getting certifications and doing homelab projects will improve your chances enormously. Just demonstrate that you're keen and have good people skills :)
No, I stronger recommend practical experience exams, like RHCE. CCIE, PMP, or OSCP, is not about certification, it is about job experience + certification. CCNA is a waste of time unfortunately, I worked part in network engineering, and most employers look at CCNP with recent work experience, not NA.
CCNA helps the random employer to trust that you have a grip on the basics of networks. In my case I worked for 2 years configuring routers/switches doing harder things than CCNA, but when I got the certification 2 months later got called to start in another job.
@@rocchirodrigo why you don’t spend time doing electronics engineering, they are all about power and voltage, end of the day you need to know set physical servers
Hey man since you worked in the field you can really guide me or advice me to the right path based on your experience. Do you think data center technician is a good career .? How can I advance myself in that career if I choose to go in it.? Will it be available in the future .? Would appreciate if you can answer me. Thank you in advance.
@@ThatGuy33121 Don’t work at the data centre or network communication, unless you have electrical engineering knowledge and experience. Which is about power, voltage, and electrical compliments. I don't know, what you want to become be But I strongly ask him, he is one to give you advice in the IT field: youtube.com/@UnixGuy?si=D-5G2YFQzl3KeuNg
och dang, I did not know you are from UK xD, I thought you are from USA. never mind, I just started my first job in January in Leicester. In a year after I get some work experiences I might give you a call :P
Unfortunately, lots of entry lvl gigs ask for CCNA but when u work there, its just answer phones, emails and a bit of network monitoring. Actual config changes on FWs, routers and switches might be 0-10% of your daily tasks. Every NOC is different.
Yup, my NOC doesn't even allow you to touch configs until you're there for 3-6 months and meet or exceed every standard they have, at which point you have to decide if you want to specialize in Windows, Unix, Networking, Virtualization, or Backups.
Yeah, if you can figure out what the alarms mean, documents tickets, and stay awake...
Networking Joe
Yep same here. 10 years in a DC and I think I had to run commands on a switch once (Although I add IP's to IPDU's regularly). They out source even the basic networking stuff. I even had an interview with Amazon where they insisted on a lot of big certifications. Sat down in the interview and they said "Nah you never log into anything". WTF I crammed all that CCNA and Linux shit for nothing!
I'm famous now.
If you call someone mentioning your first name in a video with a few thousand views for a tiny niche market, famous then ok.
Kaes ... it's obviously a light hearted comment. :)
@@KaesOner Jeeze, ass much?
@@KaesOner You probably don't have a lot of friends.
@@madezra64 i got plenty, but unlike you, they actually have a sense of humour. Learn to take a joke and lighten up sweetheart.
I've been a Data Center Technician for a year with Quality Technology Services (QTS) in Atlanta, GA. The certifications and required experience dependents on the what the company you are applying for requires for the positions. Personally my company was looking for more Fiber Optic termination and splicing experience than hardward/networking experience. Lucky I had both fiber and networking experience. I worked for AT&t as a project fiber lead and network technician in the US military. My past work experience got me the job, but CompTIA Sec+ and Net+ got me at Technician II and a pay raise. Best experience to have is Fiber experience, and minimum of CompTIA Net+ just to add to your resume to land a job.
The trick to work in a DC (or any IT job), apply for it. Impressing the right person in the interview with your attitude, willingness to learn, and having the right mindset will get you a job a lot faster than any certificate.
@@trustthe_process4371 great comment. I agree with you
@@trustthe_process4371 You mean an IT support position that requires hundreds of thousands of dollars in degrees and certifications isnt worth $12 an hour?
Can you do the following?
Configure OSPF at least and understand what routing does?
Configure switchports as trunks and access ports.
Understand VLANs
Understand Spanning Tree
Understand the different between layer2 and Layer3
Understand subnetting..
Done.
@@GrahamSmart well these are some basic networking concepts but what do you want to say by writing these concepts? Like are they helpful to get an entry level IT job?
@@azee6532 entry level IT job should be... can you use a computer... do you turn up to work often?
Some of the morons ive hired over the years... if you breath and can spell windows... your fine ..
The stuff I highlighted is more entry network engineering.
Entry level rack and stack engineers need to be able to lift a server, BE ON TIME, be clean, and have a work ethic. That is about it. All you are going to be doing is putting servers in racks and cabling them up. It is entry level. Anything on your resume that makes you look better will help you get the job over someone else. But nothing is better than a prompt hard worker. You will see what you need to do to work your way up when you get there.
I already work in DC environment and I don't think CCNA is required at all. Network admins/architects look after all that stuff. As a DC manager or tech you will spend more of your time focussing on environmental monitoring, Power, Air Con, access control, UPS systems, patching, config management, asset management, capacity management and installations. I'm doing all of this and still cannot configure a cisco switch. Gradual experience has got me to where I am now rather than courses and certifications.
It depends on the DC. Due to customer requirements, similar to VARs or Consultants, some require certs for their engineers. A DCM's primary focus is the Data Center environment but a Network engineer's is not. They do need to work with the DCM about those things when ordering and deploying eqiupment.
I am a CIO ... and he is ABSOLUTELY right! Certs are NOT a replacement for experience and a great attitude. Start at entry level and you WILL be promoted quickly w a great attitude and an ability to learn
Good to know, question: I’m not good mathematically I never really got a grasp of it but I have a great passion for computers and how they work what career paths would you recommend for me any ideas ?
@@nikobellic840 I do not believe that good attitude will get you promoted, maybe a few, haha, it's always political. boss hire his\her friends who does not even fit the job etc etc and etc...
@@theruggedboy7958 you learn better with a good attitude. Nepotism is a fact of life so do what you can with what you have available to you.
This is a great recommendation. The only thing I would add on to job experience is interpersonal skills. Knowing how to talk to people is huge
Yes, these so-called "soft skills" is a must.
It’s horses for courses, and a good workplace has a rich mix of introverts and extroverts. I don’t need a flamboyant engineer to bring his fix to life. I just need it fixed. Whereas, character and charisma grows my business so I’d look for that in a business development manager.
it goes against many peoples beliefs and principles to be always customer service friendly, thats why many people dont take those jobs. Since this doesnt require it you shouldnt support the idea of needing it, because that supports people not allowing themselves to be who they want at a job that doesnt need them to be customer friendly or talkative. It's really a laugh in the face to introverts, not that I am one, though I will speak up.
Ive hired many individuals without good people skills, and they get the job done just like anyone else. There is no need to recommend people skills to those who don't need it. If you worked at Mcdonalds, or maybe picking up the phone then sure
@@sojusays Exactly, that's the only reason i'd consider DC, not dealing with end-users
I grabbed a Data Center Technician role with no data center experience. With being primarily a Mac technical support guy. I really should have gotten a cert though. The interview would have gone much better. Though I have studied a bit of CCNA,AWS,A+ and a bunch of random other stuff. These people were absolutely willing to train the right person. Be the right person!
What made you the right person?
@@raing8942 I had 15yrs of technical support experience with a large company. Then willingness to learn was a huge component here. They stated a few times they’re willing to train the right candidate.
@@JamesBond-ut5ivGood advice. Just got hired for a data center role as well. I have A+, Network+, and Security+ and 4 years of IT experience. Next step for me is CCNA. Not a single year of data center experience.
@@Conviction454 Nice! You should be fine! I'm nearly a year in and it's clear I need to go somewhere else. However I've learned that Network+ or CCNA will go a long way since most of the issues we deal with are involving the network and questions about it. We're a Fortigate partner so I've worked on some of that but they don't seem to have a ton of content for basic networking fundamentals.
a+, network+, and then dive into what you want. I'm working directly on my MCSE next instead of any routing and switching because then you'll become a network engineer and not into a 'DC'. However, your employer might require or not require these things. I've got a handful of the comptia's and my experience got me promoted to become an IT Sys Admin. Sadly, experience > certs in this field.
I am surprised this video didnt cover storage. Dell / EMC side, all training is provided to engineers from Dell (merged into TechDirect late 2019). Its incredibly dry and not fun work at all for DC side stuff. NetAPP and HP also have their own training. I dont think CCNA or higher is necessary for DC engineers. Those people who need actual network understanding are going to be network admins, who are typically not going to be onsite. Engineers who work inside the DC are typically going to be Smart Hands, so they perform the tasks they are given with config being delegated only if remote config is not possible by the system admins or network admins. For aspiring engineers, I recommend starting with CompTIA A+, do 2-3 years helpdesk to get exposure to IT, then look into Virtualization (VMWare is probably a good bet), while also attempting to get a few years of server admin (RedHat and Win Server). After about 4 years, you should be well suited to start trying to get into Data Centers. Just keep in mind that DC jobs are quite often very bad for work life balance (shifts, sev1 tickets at 3 am oncall, etc). You will find after a few years in a DC that the work becomes highly repetitive. At this point, I recommend moving into management, or branching off into one of the support roles (Server, storage, architect, projects). DC Engineers are only 1 step up above Helpdesk in terms of raw experience required, so career potential is not great. If you are autistic, dont like people, or generally enjoy working alone, DC work can be quite rewarding.
I've done installation and relocations of hundreds of rack servers, blade servers (HP, Dell, IBM, Huawei, Cisco, etc) SAN storage under HP 3PAR, Dell EMC, Cisco UCS for many data centers in Malaysia for Telco companies, Banks, Government agencies, etc.. no CCNA, no Comptia, no A+. Installed Esx on the blades before joining them to the hypervisors vSphere vCenter. Only VCP and Citrix CCA certifications that I have. You're right, the experience is very important.
How did you get those jobs though? Did you know someone in the company, it's who you know as well that gets your foot in the door.
Simple video but full of knowledge and I happy to listen to him all day. This is so precious thing I have watched today. By he said in the video, not only benefit to who interested in working in DC environment but also who wants to work in the IT industry. These tips are so valuable and thank you very much for sharing this.
Just passed my CCENT and this make me happy
SandPox CONGRATTTSSS 🥳🥳🥳
How tough was that? I just started studying
@@johnathanwilliams7805 everything about it is in that Odom guidebook, that's all you need, plus some video lesson will be handy too
@Johnathan Williams Man the new CCNA will be just one exam so is pointless to take the CCENT by itself right now. Unless you take both 100-105 and 200-105 before February is better to just prepare for the new CCNA.
You can take the old exam in one sit down as well. I would recommend the two when starting out
another good video, thanks Custodian DC
next, "do and do not" cable management at DC
Use cable ties.. do it.. and cut them on a nice sharp angle.
You have just fuel my energy to keep pushing even tho is sometimes frustrating to be a network engineer. Thanks for the advice.
sees the size of the books*
bro imma sell burgers, peace.
😂😂😂
hahahahahahhahhaha
Obviously you are a man with a big heart, may God bless you each and every day
Recent graduated with my Associates in Cybersecurity: Networking Administration. I got 5 certs out of it, A+, Net+, Security+, Network Pro, and CCENT. Now it's just finding a job in an area that has very few IT jobs. Probably will have to start out small and relocate down the road.
Did CEH matter?
CCNA Route switch and comptia network+ are fairly different I'd say. Currently have a CCNA route switch, it's far more in depth and really what's makes it Cisco proprietary is you learn Cisco CLI. Everything thing else is transferable. I was studying for the Net+ but stopped since I got the CCNA. One thing that the Net+ has over the CCNA is the broad range of topics it covers. Stuff like cabling, wifi, security, cloud, satellite and subnetting. It doesnt go in depth, the Net+ is a great overview of networking, nothing more. CCNA you cabling, enterprise level subnet design, layer 2 connectivity, access switches vs distribution switchs vs core switches. Spanning tree, troubleshooting layer 2, mac address, ipv4 and ipv6 addressing. Routing protocols like EIGRP, OSPF, RIPv2, eBGP, QS, network monitoring, snmp, switch stacking, little bit on cloud and satellite. I'll give you this tip ICND1 is switching intensive and ICND2 is routing intensive. Now that doesn't mean there isn't any routing on ICND1 exam, there's plenty and there's plenty of switching on the ICND2 exam. It's just routing is weighted more on the 2and exam and switching is more on the first exam.
Very good suggestion. Being working for Microsoft for 3 yrs now I can truly say those words are correct. Microsoft never looks at any candidate who has too many certificate and doesn't know anything.
You probably earned dropping the v- designation.
Great video. Totally agree experience over certifications for a datacenter technician. Everyone thinking of working in a datacenter just apply. This market is growing insanely fast and could provide a good career path.
The bigger question is how much of that is actually being used or how much of that could you recite now, because the vast majority of these certs are just money makers and the knowledge covered in them so broad someone may end up using just ten pages out of the thousands they read for them. I studied for a lot of the comptia stuff because I got it for free and honestly stopped reading most of them half way through because there was so much in there that is so specific you may never need it. I find it really troubling that IT companies jump onto these certs as if they are a guarantee someone isn't going to stuff a usb port into a 480V socket, but in reality when you don't do that stuff every day you forget 90% of it. The experience and what you have worked with does count more toward your actual capability, unfortunately the middle management assigned to hire you on often hasn't a clue on what is needed or are so high up in their clouds of having done these certs themselves that they want to justify it to themselves to not hire someone up on "their level". I have talked to so many of this category that I am now no longer surprised when these companies screw up royally. I even have personal experiences with companies making demands of entry level applicants only to then not even deliver to their customers aka me. I have a hatred for networking because of the often forced complication introduced because someone somewhere decided that that was the ultimate way of doing things because it enabled a feature or design that only they would use. There is so much bullshit being pushed around that it is hard to find a company that isn't filled with middle management morons or dreaming upper management that completely botch something up. I went self-employed because of all that and really think the future isn't in ever larger tech-giants, if GitLab is anything to go by anyways. The landscape is changing faster and faster the larger you are the worse prepared you are to adapt.
Hi there, you said you went self-employed....what do you do for a living? Am curious...also, I agree about the money makers comment you made...they take advantage because they have the monopoly on a specific certification...however, I don't think it's fair at all to charge astronomical fees...considering that it might change VERY quickly...as all things do in the IT world. I want to look into a "Certified Data Center Professional (CDCP) certification" but now I am thinking experience is better than that...unless of course a company requires it from you or they won't hire you....what do you think?
I’ve studied Information Technology at Bologna’s University and after one week from the degree i have started a job in a Wisp with a Mikrotik Environment. After 2 years i have learn a lot of about networks and routing and a little experience about php development. But my dream is working in a DC so i’ve decided to move into another Job and now i work in Bologna in Laboratori Guglielmo Marconi as a System Administrator for a various types of customers in their DC. I really love Linux and Virtualisation like vmware and recently proxmox and his world. I hope that one day i become a Senior Administrator, maybe in virtualisation environment, maybe in Custodian :-)
Hi Stefano.
What is "the way" ?
1.Cisco CCNA
2.Linux -Red Hat, Ubuntu, SuSE
3 Vmware ESXi/Proxmox
4. Shell/ a little program lenguage
Excellent video, one of the few TH-camrs who knows what he's talking about; however I do disagree with his Certification take. I would recommend anyone starting on the IT field to get the CompTIA's A+ and Network+ first so the new technician can have a solid understanding of the subject. Then follow it with Security+, all these certifications alone count as 1 year experience; then continue your education with CCNA to learn about routers, switches and protocols. As a bonus try to get Linux+, a lot of Data Centers require technician to know about Linux. Good luck to you and godspeed.
I'm a data center operations engineer and I've also been a infrastructure technician and I have 0 certs and 0 degrees/0 education
Respect
I recently saw a job listing for a server technician in my area, but I'm very unsure of myself because I've never done that kind of work before and I only have a few years of computer science education from university. Can I ask how you've done it?
@@m1a2tt4 that's pretty much how I started. Data centers nowadays are expanding and the demand for people is becoming more than people who are qualified. It seems very overwhelming at first but as long as you don't get a job that throws you in trial by fire then you'll be fine. My first job in a data center was trial by fire but lucky for me I'm good at bsing but more importantly I'm a fast learner/self teacher
That's amazing man, but most DC jobs i came across require degrees and at least 3 years experience which is a bummer
As a senior consultant i say you got it very right. And if all else fails. Always bring an old-style Thinkpad with you for bonus points with any employer worth working for. ;)
(Was it maybe an X200s you had there?)
I like how he gave advice to the viewers even that he's working in DC environment already.
I finished my MCSE in NT4 a long time ago now (feel free to laugh) and I'm not working in a data centre but it sure did set me on the path to a great life. Study and work hard when you are young and you will likely do very well. This is a great career choice.
That moment when you realize you've watched so many of their videos that you thought you were subscribed, but noticed that you weren't....doh!!
Invaluable advice. My take away is 'Willingness to learn'. I am interning at a government smart city project with Huawei Fusion module 1000 - 2000 data centers. I have experience with Cisco routers and switches but excited to learn about Huawei.
What would someone need to read to work with huawei equipment??
@@tinhhanh5583 Check Huawei academy. They have networking, cloud and data center certification to familiarise yourself with their technologies.
Thanks
Passed my new ccna 200-301 exam. Old ccna 200-125 is mentioned in this video. Those who want to pursue ccna it could take 6-8 months covering these books (volume1 &volume2 new editions as of writing this comment) with hands on labs. Took me 7 months, lots of new topics were added as compared to old blueprint, exam was a serious brain teaser. Though only constant studies will help to pass the exam. Good Luck everyone
This is what I'm a little confused on do we want the 200-125 set or the 200-301 correct me if I'm wrong but the 301 is the newest as where the 125 is the older stuff?
Thank you this was a very good video and gave me some very good information. I am working on getting my A+ certification and I have my Bachelors degree in Cybersecurity.
Right now I'm working as a service engineer of cnc machine. Been thinking of changing career into any dc related environment. My target would be cloud engineer/developer but I'll take dc technician as a start. 28 y/o hoping it's not too late to change career path
no problem
Sky is the limit bro. Hopefully things work out for you :) seems like these kinds of jobs are Corona proof as well which is good for the future.
Asher Woodman damn straight bro exactly what I thought. Thanks man, you too
Your biggest challenge will be finding your first job in the filed as you have no relevant experience. I'm assuming you are doing some sort of technical education so you can at least that on your resume. The CCNA is a thing to have in your case. At minimum go through the material and labs.
Also having rhel cert could help. And not forget about SAN and clusters :)
I had CCNA self study and I did the exam and passed It was so easy, for those who want to start, routing is very fun and logical. U can use simulators on computer to build and practice for the exam.
I was going to study CCNT but I switched to Stock trading :D
if you are making more in stock trading then it is best choice
En verdad me encantó este vídeo. Soy un joven solo con enseñanza media y trabajo en una empresa pionera en licenciamiento Microsoft, Symantec, Dropbox, Adobe, etc. Y trabajé con ellos en un proyecto de migración de correo. Y me contrataron para que aprendiera todo sobre Azure. Actualmente tengo un mes con ellos y ya tengo la AZ-900, 101, 102, 103 y vamos estudiando para las MS-500. Ver algo así. Donde la experiencia más que la certificación es importante, es muy motivacional!
Heads up, if you're thinking about taking CCNA, look at the 200-301 cert guide as this is the most current one, R&S was retired feb 24th 2020
So we do want the 301 instead of the 125. Wasn't sure because the 301 books seemed thinner than the set of 2 200-125. Not sure what the deal is
Thank you Zack, for that. I am currently doing a course with both CompTIA A+ and Network+ and find you'r videos very informative. Thank you.
Thanks for your education, I will take your advice seriously.
Nice X220 you've got there Raf, it's really cool to see in 2019 companies using almost "classic" thinkpad
Nice video. You didn't mention that CCENT and Routing&Switching are going away since February 2020.
CCNA allows you to do the VMware VCP for NSX without the $3,000 training course!! FYI everyone
I'm in school for networking right now. I'm super happy with it, i know right now I'm going to get my CCNA cwna and the security+ certs. I hope I get into the field right out of school. Love the videos!
Education will get your first job. From then on, experience is the way forward.
I have those and I love them.
May be this video can change my life in covid-19 quarantine 🤣🤣
Great video. I'm on the infrastructure network team for my org and I've been playing a HUGE part in our on-prem data center migration to a colo facility. It's been a wonderful experience and I've learned a lot about data centers and even refined my routing and switching skills on Nexus gear. I hadn't ever been in a position where I could configure, lab, and work with Nexus gear! Was a pleasure.
The best of us use thinkpads👍😁loving the channel by the way. I have servers cooled with your damp air systems without the drying bit😬
Microsoft trained me out of High School and I I'm hooked at 34 still.
This is awesome, as someone starting out new in the field (NOC) watching your videos has given me good insight as to what I can expect in the future as my role as a NOC Engineer progresses.
I wouldn't use this video to set expectations because a "NOC" engineer can work in many types of environments. If you are in a colo then maybe it has some value-add. I have worked for 2 Fortune 100 companies and our NOC engineers never set foot in a Data Center and in the case of one company they never even saw the equipment they were working on in person. Personally, I recommend a role in which you get to both install and configure the devices.
Very helpful thank you so much, now I am working on HND in NETWORKING studying about cloud computing.
Thank you for the excellent subject. I use this as a guide to study my certificates and I hope ano day be employed in a DC.
There are other companies offering certification programmes, like Juniper Networks (they have the JNCIA-Junos [good for enterprise and service provider routing and switching]), and Ubiquiti Networks (the certifications are as follows: UEWA [Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Admin], UBWS [Ubiquiti Broadband Wireless Specialist], UBWA [Ubiquiti Broadband Wireless Admin], UBRSS [Ubiquiti Broadband Routing & Switching Specialist], and UBRSA [Ubiquiti Broadband Routing & Switching Admin]), to name a few. Ubiquiti's certification programmes are mainly targeted for network admins who want to work in ISPs.
Wow this is informative!!!! He was the same guy on the other video I watched. He works nigh shift.
I don't have any certs or a college diploma and I'm a Senior Networking Engineer with 18 years experience. Certs get you in the door when you first start but when you get to my level they are no longer needed.
Lucky this is aimed at people that are wanting to join the industry from scratch than.
you nailed it when you said job experience,
Thank you for the positive and clear information. Stay positive. Thanks
Been working for Helpdesk for quite some time now.. On my 30's. Now I am trying to shift to Networking fingers crossed!
Good luck dude !!
@@ciprianghenghea7779 thanks Dude! :)
@@bririe5296 I can't choose between network or system administration. I don't really like memorisation and i see there is a lot to read in networking..like hundreds of pages from books.In systems it seems there are not as many definitions , it's just knowing how to administrate linux/windows and so on.. I have about the same level of enthusiams about either of them.
Is there much memorisation in networking ?? How is it ?? What do you suggest to me ?
@@bririe5296 Thanks
@@bririe5296 Plsss
I am preparing for CCIE enterprise then I'll go for data center. Wish me luck guys
Nice same here good luck on the Infrastructure Automation and Programmability stuff i`m still quaking at it lol
LOL. Dude that is so overkill for DC work. It is mostly physical labor. In fact, you will probably be sending the wrong message walking in the door with a CCIE and zero experience. You know what I mean?
@@OakInch I think you are right.
Wow I expected and you made it thanks brother
LOL I have a passport and I'm motivated!
i remember getting my CCNA back in 2006. Back then there was also a 2 book box set by Wendall Odom. I read those things from start to finish 20 times. I grabbed a CCNA cert book off a book store shelf a few years back and most of the content was still the same. I would be curious to see how much more has changed since then.
I feel like Linux+ (CompTIA), and RedHat 8 should be in this video. Many DCs jobs are more than just racking and stacking, and often times you are required to get baseline configurations onto the equipment in order for the customer to be able to remote in and configure. Having the basic knowledge to work with multiple OS is always beneficial when applying for a DataCenter Technician/Datacenter Custodian, etc as different customers have different needs.
Hi there, do you know the difference between a "DataCenter Technician" and a "Datacenter Custodian"?? In terms of job tasks, etc.
great video love the channel keep it up
Keep doing this videos. Amazing videos
Thank you guys for these videos! It helped me gain more understanding in dc field.
In OCG 200-301 there are lot of bloats, like for instance describing in details some very old legacy technologies/protocols etc.....
It’s bloat until you get a job maintaining legacy systems
Legacy protocols lol? Like what? Were still using the same protocols from the 1980s
Thank you for the valuable input.
Thanks this helped me out on what possibilitys I could go in to after college.
The Data Center field includes, but does not equal to Networking!
Comptia is not vendor neutral actually, they lobby against various government bills, including right to repair. Comptia is suppose to be non-profit as they are tax exempt, but their CEO gets lots of money.
They also old, not always updated.
Just say you don't know what vendor neutral means lol
@@Conviction454 I know what Vendor Neutral means, it's far from Vendor Neutral, Fool.
Take a hike, you are one of them.
Thank you. That was very helpful.
Amazing work guys! (as usual)
Yes i want to read these books
None they are mostly run overseas now remotely they just need people onsite to let techs in for warranty services on equipment. Most large companies use this to save money.
thank you for your advice and motivation ! This helps a lot.
i have done ccna routing and switching some time back, certified. looking to revise my certification
Does your company offer any free learning like say through CBT Nuggets or ItProtv so you can learn other skills on the job or touch up on current skills?
Most companies have an annual training budget for their staff. It's highly likely that employees are encouraged to give feedback on what training would help them and then that is arranged through the company. These are usually done through professional training providers rather than CBT Nuggets, Udemy etc.
Hello Custodian, I'm Anton from Indonesia.
Thank u so much, i like ur videos. And now i have a certified MTCNA & MTCRE. Next years i would a take the CCNA RS - CCNA Sec.
Wish me luck and good luck for u.
@@trustthe_process4371 Just take 200-301 after Feb 2020 is enough
What certifications do you need to work in a DC? Well I’d probably turn that around and say what EXPERIENCE should you have before working in a datacenter and what exactly in the datacenter environment do you want to do? Networking? Server builds, racking and stacking?
Certifications are a great way to get past CV filters in recruitment and open some doors, however you don’t get a CCNA with no professional networking experience and expect to walk into a network architects role.
I’ve interviewed numerous people and worked with many more that have certifications coming out of their ears.... but when it gets down to it with real problems, real situations, they had no experience and were useless.
Experience over certs. 12 years working my way up through the ranks of IT from the helpdesk to CTO have taught me that.
Do your CCNA soon. Its about to change
thank you bro! i really want to make that career change to ccna now
A very helpful video , this may change my life ! , thank-you very much sir !
easy for understanding... Thank you very much..
thanks for this video bro it will helps me a lot specially for me i have CCNA and MCSA and MCSE Security
Where get the job experience , if any company doesn't give you job offer without job experience?
Closed circle.
Your first job will of course have to be obtained with zero experience. But getting certifications and doing homelab projects will improve your chances enormously. Just demonstrate that you're keen and have good people skills :)
No, I stronger recommend practical experience exams, like RHCE. CCIE, PMP, or OSCP, is not about certification, it is about job experience + certification. CCNA is a waste of time unfortunately, I worked part in network engineering, and most employers look at CCNP with recent work experience, not NA.
CCNA helps the random employer to trust that you have a grip on the basics of networks. In my case I worked for 2 years configuring routers/switches doing harder things than CCNA, but when I got the certification 2 months later got called to start in another job.
@@rocchirodrigo why you don’t spend time doing electronics engineering, they are all about power and voltage, end of the day you need to know set physical servers
Hey man since you worked in the field you can really guide me or advice me to the right path based on your experience. Do you think data center technician is a good career .? How can I advance myself in that career if I choose to go in it.? Will it be available in the future .? Would appreciate if you can answer me. Thank you in advance.
@@ThatGuy33121 Don’t work at the data centre or network communication, unless you have electrical engineering knowledge and experience. Which is about power, voltage, and electrical compliments.
I don't know, what you want to become be
But I strongly ask him, he is one to give you advice in the IT field:
youtube.com/@UnixGuy?si=D-5G2YFQzl3KeuNg
@@ThatGuy33121 One more thing, every country has a different, please check the status of the job market before you start.
I have trouble renaming folders in windows do I still qualify ?
yes
It sound to me your bureau needs to do a security audit. No wonder Hillary didn't go to prison, missed filed everything.
Thanks a lot for this video.Its light but Very heavy.
Great advice! Keep posting videos like this mate.
Thanks very much for the advice and video.
och dang, I did not know you are from UK xD, I thought you are from USA. never mind, I just started my first job in January in Leicester. In a year after I get some work experiences I might give you a call :P
Great video. Great information, thank you
Thanks bro! your advice 👍 well done
Great video, I really love this channel! Thank you
6:45 what about us old people? 👴
I would love to work in that environment! I'd internship for free just to learn and get experience!
Ughhhhh. Never work for free.
Thanks guys
What do you think about the certifications specific to data centres such as certs from DCPRO etc?