How to become a Data Centre Technician, Network
Network
The data hall’s network technician: installs, configures and fixes network devices and circuits on site.
There’s a page for this role in , with its licences and local details.
What the role does
The white-space ladder’s network strand: deploys, configures and fixes network devices and circuits on site. Open to direct entry with a year of networking.
What a shift looks like
Shifts on a roster. Cross-connects and circuits, device installs and swaps, fibre testing, and working remotely with network engineers.
What employers call it
- Network Deploy Technician (hyperscale)
- Network Deployment Technician (hyperscale)
- NW Deployment Tech IV (hyperscale)
- Data Center Technician III, Hardware, Networking (hyperscale)
- Infrastructure Decommission Technician, Network and Cable Decomm (hyperscale)
- Network Operator (cloud and AI compute)
- Datacenter Networking Technician, AI Compute Deployment (cloud and AI compute)
- Senior Data Center Networking Technician (cloud and AI compute)
- Fiber Technician (hyperscale)
- Fiber Technician III (hyperscale)
- Data Center Fiber Technician (hyperscale)
- Field Network Technician (cloud and AI compute)
- ID-Network Technician (hyperscale)
- Connectivity Engineer (colocation and wholesale)
Skills
The level the role needs in each, on FacilityVR’s five levels from Aware to Authority.
Site safety
- Select and use protective equipment Independent
White space and IT hardware
- Certify a fibre circuit Independent
- Install and test a cross-connect Independent
- Patch and trace cabling Independent
- Terminate and splice fibre Independent
- Keep hot and cold aisles right Assisted
LV distribution
- Connect rack power and busway Assisted
Network deployment and operations
- Apply a base configuration and verify links Independent
- Cable and validate a back-end fabric to its map Independent
- Handle, clean, test and replace high-speed optics Independent
- Install and test outside-plant and campus fibre Independent
- Keep network as-built records Independent
- Rack, cable and console network devices Independent
- Troubleshoot network faults Independent
- IP addressing and subnetting Assisted
- Monitor, triage and escalate network alarms Assisted
- Network layers and routing Assisted
- Use a network operating system’s command line Assisted
Procedures and documents
- Work within change management Independent
Emergency response
- Recognise and report a suspected cyber incident Assisted
Licences and credentials
Licences depend on the country you work in, and sometimes the state. The role’s page for Australia lists them there.
Ways in and ways on
From outside the industry
From another data centre role
- From Data Centre Technician, typically 2 years
- From Senior Data Centre Technician
Where it leads
- Lead Data Centre Technician, typically 2 years
- Data Centre Network Engineer, typically 3 years
- Cluster Commissioning Engineer, typically 2 years
Jobs open now
None right now. See every open job.
Questions about data centre careers? Ask about data centre careers
Sources and licences
- Critical Facilities reference framework © Facility Labs. (CC BY 4.0)