4 Ways to Build a Data Center Career

The data center is a central repository for facilities, networking, security, and storage—and as AI usage continues to rise, they aren't going anywhere. 

Running a data center requires a combination of IT knowledge, security expertise, facilities management experience, and storage optimization. Not to mention, you must have a good grasp of the role that vendors like Cisco and VMware play in the data center as a cornerstone.

However, it can also be a highly rewarding career. This guide will help you understand the available roles, what you should expect to learn, and how to start your path towards a data center career. 

What Types of Data Center Careers are Available? 

Data center jobs span a wide range of disciplines, from hands-on technical roles to infrastructure management and security. Top job listings you might see include: 

• Data Center Technician: Handles physical hardware installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting

• Facilities Manager: Oversees power, cooling, and the physical environment

• Storage Engineer: Manages data storage systems and optimization

• Security Engineer: Focuses on both physical and network security within the data center

• Cloud Infrastructure Engineer: Manages virtualized environments and cloud integration

According to PayScale, the national average salary for network engineers in the U.S. is about $86,000, but there is a wide range of roles, and experience matters. To get hired to work in a data center, it helps to have all of the skills, along with certifications specific to data center networking and infrastructure, as well as the cloud. 

Want to launch a career in data centers? Here are four steps to get started. 

1. Be Prepared to Evolve

Data centers continue to change rapidly. As a result, data center professionals are necessary for maintaining an organization's flexibility and success. Certifications in areas like network engineering, data and network security, and facilities management are highly valued by employers. As the domains and skills in those certs change, you'll be expected to keep up.  

Physically, keep in mind that the cold row can be as chilly as the hot row is heated. It also helps to be physically fit, as servers and equipment can be pretty heavy, even with a rack lift device. If you're not already fairly fit, now might be the time to start. 

2. Learn More than Just IT Skills

As we know, rows definitely can get hot and cold. Because of this, data center hires should learn about the correlation between changes in electrical systems and heating with hardware. It is important to know how voltage spikes and varying temperatures affect devices. Companies still have power and cooling issues. A data center manager must be able to juggle these different priorities.

Vendors such as VMware typically offer on-premises product lines that deliver the benefits of the on-premises standard, along with the flexibility of the cloud. To become a successful data center candidate, you must prove you can reach outside of your comfort zone. In the data center, everyone is responsible for uptime.

Then there is the need to comply with energy constraints, limited space, and regulations. You don't necessarily need a college degree to get hired, as long as you have the relevant experience and background. If you enjoy getting close to the metal, this can be a really fun opportunity.

3. Earn Relevant Certifications

Some of the most respected credentials in the industry are Cisco certifications. Because data centers house servers and related components, certifications should cover topics such as architecture, networking, and troubleshooting. 

• Cisco CCNP Data Center: Validates skills to configure, secure, automate, and troubleshoot modern data centers built on Cisco technologies. 

• Cisco CCNA: A great early-career certification for data center technicians that requires substantially more prep than entry-level certs but opens more doors. 

• VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization: A certification for IT pros who work with a vSphere infrastructure. 

• Juniper JNCIP-DC: Data Center: Available at multiple levels, including associate, specialist, and professional, for network engineers working with Juniper infrastructure.

• CompTIA Network+ and Security+: Vendor-neutral foundational certifications that are well-recognized early-career credentials, and can help prepare you for more advanced vendor-specific certs. 

People used to say, "Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM." Well, today, the same can be said of Cisco. The CCNP certification is not only a standard for data center professionals, but it also helps you learn how to save time and money on installation, equipment design, and maintenance.

4. Round Out Your Skills  

The modern data center is dense, highly automated, and virtualized. In addition, reducing energy costs is a priority, and data centers often use the most advanced mechanical and electrical components. So, hiring a data center professional can be difficult, given the need for a background in multiple disciplines. Expertise in virtualization is essential as well. It is required to know how to work with virtual servers and storage.

You must be efficient, flexible, and adaptable. It is not enough to have expertise in only one particular area. You also need to be a good team player, an effective communicator, and a quick learner to keep up with the consistent changes.

Ready to Begin Your Data Center Career? 

There was a time when it was okay to be well-versed in a single subject, such as Windows or Linux, but that is no longer the case. Employers are looking for people with expanded skill sets and the ability to multitask.

As you can see, a job in the data center is complex and constantly evolving. You must have a wide range of skills to keep up. Yet, that is the beauty of it all; there is never a dull moment.

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