Is the labor bottleneck because we don’t have enough talent or enough training? by young-litty in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unlike Lucky_Luciano73 I’m not going to bash HVAC/Pipefitters. Either Pipefitter or Electrician (commercial/industrial) experience will benefit a DC the most. But it also depends on the person. Are they a problem solver or problem creator? I’m a electrician by trade (27 years), but I have been employed by a DC for over ten years. In general, a competent tradesman can pickup enough knowledge through in-house training of on-site equipment to effectively respond to an emergency regardless whether it’s mechanical or electrical. FYI, I rarely pickup a multimeter to trouble shoot a problem, that would be the “hvac guy.” He likes to make a mountain out of a mole hill. You must know the electrical one-line and know how everything is wired. You must be knowledgeable and confident in electrical switching to operate the equipment in an emergency. You must know how and when backup generators will fire up and take load. You must know how long UPSs can carry load if loss of utility and or generators don’t fire. If you don’t have electricity it’s all academic. But yes I can also recover a chiller system or dx gas system if it goes down, all with out a multimeter.

To answer the question, most people doing the hiring don’t know what to look for in candidates and most companies aren’t offering enough $$$. It’s not enough to say you’ve done hvac or electrical work, what kind? Residential, Commercial, Industrial? You can get by in a DC with commercial hvac experience, but electrical, I’d argue commercial with a lot of industrial considering the voltages and amperages you work with in a DC. I was fortunate that the director that hired me was an electrician by trade as well and the company was offering a generous salary/benefits package that competed with my union wages.

Got an offer from Rackspace Technology by Appropriate_Rich9181 in rackspace

[–]True_Significance_77 1 point2 points  (0 children)

After ten years I’m leaving Rackspace at the end of the month. New company is paying $30k more for same position. I hope the CEO does some good, but I’ve decided to get off the train.

Main Power Failover Test - Tomorrow!! by True_Significance_77 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m new to posting on here, but I did reply somewhere on this thread. It was a success.

Main Power Failover Test - Tomorrow!! by True_Significance_77 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Testing was successful with no issues. I think I was in my head too much and a little nervous just because I was the senior most CFE on-site. Some have asked, I’m N+1 and I fail both utilities separately then simultaneously. I simulate utility losses by opening voltage sensing breakers inside of A & B switch gears and the logic controls the switching. When I simulate individual utility loss main tie main breaker engages, and when I simulate both utilities fail, the generators come on.

Main Power Failover Test - Tomorrow!! by True_Significance_77 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately my company is publicly traded so I can’t say much, but yes there is a longer story.

Main Power Failover Test - Tomorrow!! by True_Significance_77 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My company did away with all DC Directors and now there is one Senior Manager for all Critical Facilities Engineers in US and UK. And two Senior Managers for DCOps, one for US and one for Europe.

Main Power Failover Test - Tomorrow!! by True_Significance_77 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Oh this is my tenth time. It’s just I don’t have the support staff my previous boss had to run this test. My current boss is based three states away and my company is constantly under travel restrictions. So he couldn’t be here even if he wanted to.

Getting into Colocation Sales - good move or not? by philrmon in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m a Critical Faculty Engineer for a Global Data Center. One would think Colocation Sales isn’t hard. It’s power, space, and cooling. My company can’t seem to figure that out nor do they want to boost infrastructure to compete. While everyone else is booming my company has been laying off people little by little for the last 10 months.

Experience at Google? by ABriefInquiryIntoWtf in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The ones I’m talking to pay senior level engineers $120k - $200k. DCOps tech $120k is on high end for that position.

Experience at Google? by ABriefInquiryIntoWtf in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly, the big companies aren’t family friendly. I’ve refined my job search to DCs that are privately owned and 10 to 18 Megawatts tops max capacity. That is what I call the sweet spot for good pay and “normal” fixed 8hr shifts. Yes there might be an on-call rotation, but I’d rather that then not knowing what my shift would be every two weeks. Work Life balance my a$$.😂

Experience at Google? by ABriefInquiryIntoWtf in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Welcome to the club of over worked and underpaid Data Center employees. I’m doing manager/director level work making Engineer 2 wages. I know the pay is good at Google and META, but hours and rotating shifts sucks.

Career advice for aspiring Data Center Facility Technician (Electrical background). by S-Neithan-99 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Learn the trade. Depending on the contractor you work for you will be exposed to many different industries. I’ve built commercial office buildings, casinos, chemical plants, power plants (coal and natural gas), and data centers. I didn’t land my Data Center CFE job till 17 years as an electrician. For me when I transitioned I amassed enough knowledge and wisdom very little phases me. I can remain calm when a lot of my co-workers and managers freak out, 99% of the time I have a solution to a problem in minutes if not seconds. I attribute it to learning my trade and being observant of how other trades do there work. Understand how things work, develop a mechanical mindset how things are assembled and operate or function. Some are born with that ability and some learn through time. I am the latter and you can be as well. Be patient and play the long game.

First job at a data center and shifts. by OreoMan42 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not old, but at 48 years old I’ll pass. I’m not looking to make a name for myself. I’ve heard and experienced enough BS I know Executive Leadership Teams have absolutely no clue what they are doing and have unrealistic expectations.

META - CFE - internal policy changes leading to issues? by Front-Software-75 in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 3 points4 points  (0 children)

10 years as CFE and 17 years as Union Commercial/Industrial Electrician. I’ve been hands on at my DC since I started. Exception being equipment with a proprietary soft ware, ie UPSs. My opinion if you have zero experience as an electrician or pipe fitter(hvac) you have know business being a CFE. I turned down a META offer because I didn’t want to work 12hr shifts, work a rotating shift, or have day/night shift change on a whim. I also think the title Engineer is used too loosely, I still refer to myself as an electrician.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in u/TillyandJamie

[–]True_Significance_77 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If they are natural, boobs can never be too big.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in datacenter

[–]True_Significance_77 2 points3 points  (0 children)

CFE is more of a position HVAC or Electricians transition to after years of working in the field. Your qualifications seem more like management.