Ok, give me some feedback. Where are my numbers off? Yes I know the largest DC in the world is 3 GW. These don’t necessarily grow on trees. If these numbers are accurate, how does a hyper-scaler make these economics work?

This is using natural gas to generate the power.

Estimated Cost Breakdown for a 3 GW Data Center (CCHP-Integrated) Land Acquisition •3,000 acres @ $100,000 per acre → $300M

Site Preparation & Infrastructure •Site grading, roads, drainage → $150M •Water/wastewater systems → $50M •Pipeline improvements → $100M •Fiber & networking infrastructure → $200M

Building Shell & Construction •Powered shell (including structural, fire suppression, security) → $9B – $27B •($3M – $9M per MW for 3,000 MW, adjusted for CCHP cooling savings)

Electrical Infrastructure •Substations, switchgear, UPS, battery storage → $1.5B – $3B •Electrical distribution (HV lines, transformers) → $750M – $1.5B •Cooling & HVAC (CCHP-Integrated) •Absorption chillers & heat recovery systems → $500M – $1B •Supplementary cooling (air/water-cooled backup systems) → $250M – $750M

Security & Operations Infrastructure •Physical security (fencing, guards, biometric access) → $250M •Fire suppression & safety systems → $150M •Data & IT Infrastructure •Networking gear, fiber, telecom → $2B – $5B •Racks, cabling, and internal IT support → $1B – $3B

Total Estimated Cost (CCHP-Integrated): • Low-end: $15.95B • High-end: $39.05B

*Edit number 1: messed with the formatting as it didn’t paste well. Hopefully it’s easier to read.

They just got 12 Billion in financing and are expanding rapidly

I see them posting on Facebook LinkedIn indeed zip recruiter etc

Does anyone here work there currently and can give a vibe and pay check?

Is drug testing not a thing for most data center companies?

I received a very tempting offer for a L4 DCEO position with AWS. I currently live in kentucky but I'm not opposed to moving. What areas within an hour of the sterling, Manassas etc area should I look into for housing? Any areas to avoid? I've never been to the area but plan to visit before accepting the offer. Any just general advice for someone potentially entering the data center world, I am coming from an industrial process setting? Thanks everyone!

Looking to pivot my career into data center energy procurement and asset management. Let me know if your company is hiring or if you know someone who is hiring. Cheers

Oracle is expanding like crazy. If you see a posting in your area I would recommend applying.

Does anyone know of a keypad access system for colo cages? IE a temp code can be created and given out for 8, 10, 24 hr access windows for technicians. This would be managed and controlled by the colo customer.

We are getting caught in the middle of access requests between colo customer construction managers and the colo customer security access request supervisors.

I'm curious from other DTs, especially in the Columbus Ohio area, what the equivalent levels are for each company. For instance, I'm told on good authority that level 2 at AWS is a level 1 at Google, level 4 is a level 3 at Google, etc.

I'm most interested in Meta as I know so little about it. Can any meta DT's chime in and help me understand this? I got an offer letter for a 'tier' 2 as they call it, data Center Technician role. I just was at Google as a level 2. I'm thinking it's a lateral move but just want some input and figured why not compare in general all the differences in each company as it pertains to levels and tiers of experience.

Thanks in advance for any input anyone can give!

Alex

Good afternoon, I was curious if anyone had any insight on this role. Currently my experience is in UPS/Power distribution. Was reached out by a company for a commissioning engineer role. Scheduled for a more in depth conversation about the opportunity, but was curious if anyone had any info in advance. It may be able to help ask the right questions when the time comes. thanks!

JUST the labor...

I've been in the telecom/DC space for 20+ years but just recently started dealing with 3rd party labor for facilities equipment installs. Each site has local contracts and it's a PITA to deal with, but...whatever, as long as it's cost-effective, right? I got a quote today to rack, power (with 40A DC fused lines) and cable 2 1RU servers (two fiber NICs and two copper in each). What in the world makes this a 28 man-hour job?

Feeling a bit discouraged at the moment. I went from working HelpDesk to a DC technician role at a big five company through a contractor (almost a year now). Been really enjoying how dynamic the role is and how much I have been able to learn / grow comparatively to my last job.

My team is working on the same tickets that Full Time Employees are (we are in the same queue). Despite the knowledge we have collected and our contracting team’s great metrics (matching and often times exceeding full time employee metrics), very few of us are being hired for full time roles. Of my team of well over 50 contractors, I only know two people throughout my year here that have been hired on. And this is despite said big five company building multiple new Data Centers in our metro.

I really want to continue being a DC technician because I love the work and learning from it, but I feel kind of jaded thinking that the best I or my peers can get at the moment another contracting gig. And it makes me feel less confident in having career stability if this is the way the industry is going. How is it like at your company? Do you feel the same way?

Hi all,

We've got vertiv DSE crac units and i noticed in the condenser section of the web page that the condenser fan motors (ECM) can tell you the wattage being pulled by them. I was curious as the web interface for the air handler also shows power information just like on the condenser but there are no values. Does anyone know of a CT kit that Vertiv might have for these units? Just looking to put CTs on the high side (to monitor mechanical load) then a set on the low side to monitor condensers, fans, and controls We can go third party and build it ourselves. But would like to buy something already designed to work with the units from factory.

Called Vertiv support and the guy hadn't heard of one and haven't found anything in the documentation.

Hello,

I am currently invited to a second call after interviewing for engineering technician position, what's the job like? do you guys recommend it?

I am currently making 27$/h with an awesome boss .company car and gas card also provided, if i accept the job it means i will have to start driving my own vehicle.

I am trying to asses if the pay bump is worth it (possibly 35$/h).

Please advice

thanks

edit : I am located in northern va, and it's an AWS job offer.

In our data center I have need for a higher security area. We will have a cage built but my question is about the security of the floor inside the cage.

If the cage has only the walls and ceiling made of cage metal but uses normal raised floor panels (in other words, the cage has no floor of its own), anyone can simply lift a nearby floor tile outside the cage, crawl under the floor, go under the cage, lift a tile from beneath and wind up in the cage. I have experience with a cage at another installation that had cage metal on the floor to prevent this. The texture of the cage metal floor made it difficult to roll racks around, and of course there was no way to use the raised floor for its intended purpose.

What I'd really like are floor panels with screws or locks that would only allow them to be removed if you were already inside the cage. Try as I might, I cannot find such a product. How can I solve this problem?

Does anyone know the starting pay as a Tech at Microsoft, range says 18-35 per hour? Could you also speak on turnover in Atlanta?

How would a union effectively reach out to data center workers to see if they would like to organize? The workers in data centers are largely “invisible” so I’d like to hear from you guys your thoughts and the issues that affect you, whether you would be interested in organizing, and how best to get in contact with workers who are interesting in organizing.

Any AWS Datacenter operations managers out there?

Curious what’s the position entails, how many direct reports you have if any? Seems the pay range for the site I am interested is lower than what I currently make. What level is this position?

Not currently in a management position though, would it make sense to take the pay cut and relocate states to take the position for the management opportunity and experience?

Also my contract for my current job ends in a couple of months so will need to find something anyways.

Hi all,

I'm a 33 year old looking to get into the IT field (I know I know, this is the worst time), and I saw a job posting that interested me. The thing is, I don’t know if it would actually lead to better opportunities or if I would just languish there. The name of the job is "data center technician development program". I haven't been able to find anyone on LinkedIn or Glassdoor who did specifically this job. This is the posting in question:

The Opportunity

You will learn hands on skills required for different career paths within data centers. This includes electrical, mechanical, fiber optics, and HVAC systems, fire systems, building automation systems /building mechanical systems as well as customer focused sales opportunities. Learn systems and tools that will increase your technical knowledge Support customer happiness through timely and detailed order execution Grow a natural curiosity for facilities Develop strong problem-solving skills Maintain detailed written records of all work activity Contribute to the success of your team and the greater success of the company by completing hands-on work Paid hourly, 40 hours per week Your Background Includes

The ability to lift and carry 50 lbs. and are agile in manual dexterity (climb, stoop, et.) with or without an accommodation The flexibility to work any assigned shift, off-schedule, fill in for workmate, respond to emergencies, holidays, nights etc. Skills such as experience with HVAC, plumbing, fiber optics, ethernet, switches and servers, and electrical, diesel generator, fire systems and building automation systems/ building mechanical systems are welcomed but not required A natural curiosity and strong troubleshooting skills Strong customer service mindset – whether the customer is your co-worker, a supplier or client Dedication and commitment to doing things with precision and accuracy High School Diploma

Obviously, I'm not in a position to be picky. I just wonder if anyone else has taken a job like this and where it lead. Thanks for reading.

Long story short is that Microsoft is building a number of data centers around my area. It looks like a really good work opportunity for me. Only problem is that I don't have any IT work history.
The centers are projected to be up and going by 2026, so I want to use my time now to improve my chances.
Would it be realistic to get an entry level job while only having an online cert to try to make myself stand out? I'm working on my CompTIA Server+ certification right now and have also heard that the Cisco CCNA cert is important as well.

If anyone has advice on how to prepare to try for an entry level DC position, I'd love to hear it. Thank you~

Seems like this runs directly contrary to the trend of investing heavily in raw compute. Tech companies can do more for less, and I would expect the rapid growth in new builds to come to a halt or be significantly reduced. Thoughts?

Hi all,

I run an electrical distribution board manufacturing company based in Ireland, and I’m looking to break into the data centre supply chain, particularly in Europe and the UK.

I’ve been researching potential products to offer and have considered producing 4000A PDUs and 4000A quick connection points, but I’d love some advice on what other products are in demand in this space. Are there specific products or features that data centre clients prioritize?

Additionally, I’d appreciate any insights into how to approach this market—who to engage with, key players to connect with, and how to best market our capabilities and availability.

If you have experience in this area or tips to share, I’d be very grateful. Thanks in advance!

I somehow managed to receive an offer for a full-time DCT role with Microsoft a few months ago and will officially be starting next week. Really nervous because I have zero work experience in IT; I have CompTIA A+, but my work experience is customer service and education.

I'll be starting off on probation, and I'm wondering what I can do to ensure that I pass and am kept on. I can't help but feel that I only got the job because I "performed" well in the interview and that I won't be able to do the actual job.

Anyone else has had experience from these two DCs ? Hows that like ?

To all my fellow Amazon DCT’s out there. I just accepted the offer to join AWS as a data center technician! I am so excited for the role and want to succeed at this role! 5 years of It experience here

What does my first day look like?

I didn’t get to interview with my manager in the loop interview, is that normal?

Does training take the whole first month?

What are the KPI’s that measure your success and are they achievable?

I haven’t been told my schedule yet besides 12 hour shifts 3 days 1 weeks 4 day the other week, and plan on asking what shift I’ll be assigned too. Is there a rotating schedule? are you stuck on a schedule? Or is there only a day shift(not likely) ??

Finally, if you were starting today for data center technician at Amazon, what would you do differently?

Hi everyone,

I have an upcoming interview for Operation and Maintainance Engineer position, and I was wondering if anyone here currently working in a similar role could share some tips or insights?

I’m particularly curious about:

• What to expect during the interview process.
• Key skills or qualities they look for in candidates.
• Any advice to stand out and succeed in this role.

I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share. Thanks in advance!

Those who work in EU, what do you make and what level are you at? Glassdoor says average is around 52,000-57000 EUR a year, accurate? What do new DCT’s make at Amazon, Microsoft, Google usually?

Hello,

I received an offer at a non-govcloud data center for Amazon.

I know Amazon says it doesn’t test for marijuana anymore. Does this also apply to data center employees?

If they do test how do they test their employees?

Hello all!

I just received an opportunity to work for Black Box . They are very vague about the position since I haven’t started yet so I have no idea what the potential is in there. I will be working as an IT/Data center technician . They did say I am able to certifications and such but were not clear on which ones.

Have any of you worked for black box? Do you guys have any advice on what certifications to focus on first? Which ones are the easiest vs more difficult? I’m a very quick learner and a great sturdier so the process isn’t the issue I just don’t know where to start . I’d like to have an idea of what direction to go before the start date. Thank you all in advance for your comments and have a blessed day !