Networks Europe Jan-Feb 2018 | Page 24

24 DATA CENTRE DESIGN Building success By Keith Sawyer, Vice Chair, BICSI UK & Ireland www.bicsi.org Three BICSI DCDC courses that serve as a career path for those seeking advanced knowledge and exam preparation Due to the push for greater capacity, increased efficiency and higher levels of utilisation, data centres have become more complex to design and bring online. Today’s data centre designers are often required to possess knowledge in mechanical, electrical and telecommunications systems, as well as being familiar with the other needs of a data centre such as reliability, security and building requirements. The BICSI DCDC credential recognises those individuals who have demonstrated both the knowledge and ability to apply it to the multiple facets of data centre design. Candidates for the designation are individuals involved in the planning, implementing and making of critical decisions regarding data centres. Data centre, IT, facility or project managers, architects, engineers, designers, consultants and those planning to enter careers in the data centre design, construction or maintenance fields would benefit from earning the credential. DCDC is your key to success BICSI’s Data Center Design Consultant (DCDC) program contains all the essential information to prepare anyone for success in the fast-paced world of data centre design. Based on the renowned ANSI/BICSI 002-2014, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices standard, BICSI offers a full program of data centre design education. Take a look at BICSI’s course offerings and find the starting point to best suit your needs. Learning the Basics: DC101 BICSI CONNECT: DD101: Foundations of Telecommunications Distribution Design. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to voice/data cabling systems as well as to provide them with a clear understanding of the foundational knowledge required to pursue a career as a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD). To earn continuing education credits (CECs) for this course, you must pass a 50 question online end of course assessment, which is included in the course fee. Once you’ve registered, you have 90 days to access the course and pass the online assessment. You can retake the end of course assessment as many times as required. The course assessment will be timed at one hour and you won’t be allotted extra time. DC102: Applied Data Center Design and Best Practices BICSI’s DC102: Applied Data Center Design and Best Practices course is a five-day course that provides an in- depth review of best practices for designing data centres. In this course you’ll be introduced to various data centre infrastructure systems. In addition, you will have an opportunity to apply what you have learned by engaging in case studies, discussions and real-world scenarios, as well as gain practical application in ICT data centre design best practices. After completing this course, you should be able to design a data centre based on a set of given requirements; this will include both new and retrofit designs. In addition to data centre design, the course will also include life safety practices such as grounding and bonding to ensure that you can account for these issues when designing a data centre. DCDC Test Preparation Course Studies suggest that test preparation courses can help raise a test score by up to 25%. The official BICSI DCDC Online Test Preparation Course is more than just you, a computer, and a series of questions. BICSI has designed this comprehensive package to give you access to the highest quality training materials available – from flash cards to videos and more. The DCDC Online Test Preparation Course provides everything you need to help you be successful on the DCDC exam. n www.networkseuropemagazine.com