Course version

This course outline applies to version 1.0 of AWS Academy Engineering Operations Technician in English.

Description

AWS Academy Engineering Operations Technician is designed to help students develop technical expertise in engineering operations. This course is for learners enrolled in a data center operations, engineering, or information technology track in a STEM course at a higher education academic institution. This course also helps to re-skill professional learners.

Curriculum objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

• Identify the basic design requirements for a data center
• Identify key elements of a Network-Critical Physical Infrastructure (NCPI) for a data center
• Recognize strategies to protect the physical security of a data center
• Explain concepts related to a data center’s electrical system
• Describe the power systems that are used in a data center, including transformers, generators, and power distribution units (PDUs)
• Identify the battery systems that are used in a data center
• Describe how generators are used in a data center
• Describe how cooling systems are used in a data center
• Recognize the fire detection, communication, and suppression systems in a data center
• Identify how racks are used in a data center
• Describe how maintenance is performed in a data center
• Describe reliability and how to ensure reliability in a data center
• Describe availability and how to ensure availability in a data center
• Describe efficiency, how to measure it, and strategies for improving it in a data center
• Identify the roles, tools, and processes that are used to manage a data center
• Identify data center monitoring and management tasks
• Identify safety considerations for a data center
• Identify regulations that apply to a data center

Duration

The course duration is approximately 21 hours when delivered synchronously by an educator. Detailed timings are provided in this document. Actual delivery times will vary from class to class and depending on the delivery format.

Intended audience

This introductory (level 100) course is intended for students of AWS Academy member institutions who are interested in engineering operations technician (EOT) roles within a data center.

Student prerequisites

This is an entry-level course, but students should possess general knowledge of mechanical or electrical engineering.

Delivery methods

Learning materials are provided to support synchronous or asynchronous learning. PowerPoint slides and educator guides are provided for delivery by an educator through an in-person, online, or hybrid approach. Digital modules are provided for independent learning. The educator can determine the preferred delivery method for each module.

Educator prerequisites

Prior to teaching the course, it is highly recommended that educators complete the course and assessment, and receive the certificate of completion.

Learning resources

• Lecture slides
• Instructor guides
• Digital training modules
• Job aids
• End-of-module online knowledge checks
• End-of-course online assessment

Course timing

This table provides the suggested durations for all course activities.

Module Number and Title	Lecture Duration (Minutes)	Knowledge Check Duration (Minutes)	Total Module Duration (Minutes)
Module 1: Data Center Basics	60	10	70
Module 2: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Overview	60	10	70
Module 3: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Space	30	10	40
Module 4: Electrical Fundamentals	105	10	115
Module 5: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Power	105	10	115
Module 6: Data Center Battery Overview	30	10	40
Module 7: Data Center Generators	45	10	55
Module 8: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Cooling	150	10	160
Module 9: Fire Protection in the Data Center	60	10	70
Module 10: Data Center Racks	45	10	55
Module 11: Data Center Maintenance	45	10	55
Module 12: Data Center Reliability	45	10	55
Module 13: Data Center Availability	45	10	55
Module 14: Data Center Efficiency	60	10	70
Module 15: Managing Data Centers	45	10	55
Module 16: Data Center Operations	45	10	55
Module 17: Safety Considerations in the Data Center	60	10	70
Module 18: Data Center Regulations	30	10	40
TOTAL DURATION	1,065	180	1,245

Course contents

This list provides the sections within each module.

Module 1: Data Center Basics

• Recognize what a data center is
• Identify the types of data centers
• Identify the basic design requirements
• Recognize availability and resilience measures and practices
• Knowledge check

Module 2: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Overview

• Describe the seven elements of NCPI
• Describe the four key environments: power, cooling, IT connectivity, and space
• Discuss the best practices associated with the seven NCPI elements
• Identify the challenges associated with the seven NCPI elements
• Knowledge check

Module 3: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Space

• Describe physical security and access control
• Recognize the relationship between white and gray space environments
• Knowledge check

Module 4: Electrical Fundamentals

• Describe the basic concepts of electricity
• Describe alternating current (AC) circuit fundamentals
• Describe direct current (DC) circuit fundamentals
• Identify types of conductors and conduit
• Describe data center electrical distribution
• Differentiate between voltage types
• Describe voltage, protection relay, alarms, and metering
• Knowledge check

Module 5: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Power

• Describe data center electrical distribution system components
• Recognize the relationship between power infrastructure components
• Describe what a transformer is
• Describe backup power infrastructure
• Describe the PDU to rack PDU (rPDU)
• Describe measuring, monitoring, and routine checks for power
• Describe electrical safety in the data center
• Knowledge check

Module 6: Data Center Battery Overview

• Describe how batteries support data centers
• Identify uninterruptible power supply (UPS) battery systems standards and codes
• Knowledge check

Module 7: Data Center Generators

• Identify the main components of a standby generator
• Recognize fuel types and resources utilized by standby generators
• Recognize fuel systems for generators
• Knowledge check

Module 8: Data Center Physical Infrastructure: Cooling

• Recognize the need for cooling
• Identify data center cooling architectures and systems
• Describe the different cooling system technologies
• Differentiate between types of cooling
• Describe a data center water treatment system
• Describe cooling infrastructure and airflow management
• Determine improvements for rack cooling
• Describe measuring, monitoring, and routine checks for cooling
• Identify the primary factors that affect transient temperature rise in data centers
• Identify practical strategies to manage cooling during power outages
• Knowledge check

Module 9: Fire Protection in the Data Center

• Identify the main goals of a data center fire protection system
• Describe the basic theory of fire suppression
• Describe sprinkler systems for data centers
• Differentiate between fire detection, fire communication, and fire suppression
• Knowledge check

Module 10: Data Center Racks

• Identify the IT cabinets and frames
• Describe physical considerations for rack layout
• Identify system challenges for racks
• Knowledge check

Module 11: Data Center Maintenance

• Identify data center maintenance needs
• Identify maintenance strategies
• Identify preventative and predictive maintenance
• Knowledge check

Module 12: Data Center Reliability

• Describe data center reliability
• Analyze reliability risks
• Identify common causes of failures in the data center
• Knowledge check

Module 13: Data Center Availability

• Identify key terms associated with data center availability
• Differentiate between availability and reliability
• Recognize threats to availability
• Knowledge check

Module 14: Data Center Efficiency

• Explain how data center efficiency is measured
• Describe power usage effectiveness in the data center
• Describe heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) efficiency and power usage effectiveness
• Identify portable and permanently installed efficiency measurement equipment
• Knowledge check

Module 15: Managing Data Centers

• Identify data center management tools
• Describe change management in a data center
• Describe decommissioning in a data center
• Knowledge check

Module 16: Data Center Operations

• Describe data center operation structure
• Identify operational processes and procedures
• Identify operational measuring and monitoring
• Knowledge check

Module 17: Safety Considerations in the Data Center

• Identify safety considerations for environmental health and safety
• Identify safety considerations for life safety systems
• Identify safety considerations for personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Identify safety considerations for risk assessment and method statements
• Knowledge check

Module 18: Data Center Regulations

• Identify data center codes and regulations
• Identify industry guidelines and best practices
• Knowledge check