Data Center Operator
Data Center Operators ensure that mainframes and large computers are functioning efficiently in a data center organization. Their job is to ensure that network servers are running well, and need to escalate issues centers face to data center managers.
A data center is a dedicated facility with networked computers where organizations arrange, process, store, and distribute data. Organizations make use of data centers to access services, applications, and to use the data it provides. By outsourcing their data assets to data centers, they save time and resources. Data centers help organizations secure valuable data to improve their businesses output.
Data centers need to keep their running costs steady by cooling them. This activity also helps them to cut down their downtime risks.
Its operators, also known as network technicians or data center technicians, have to check functionalities of huge computer network equipment. They must be ready to work in shifts because data centers work round-the-clock.
Operators should be prepared to work manually in the data center to fix equipment. They should have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Technicians should be good at customer service. They need to work flexible hours and should be available at the beck and call to fix technical problems.
As operators are responsible for tier-1 level technical support, they need to be able to multitask. They must have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and solid written and verbal communication skills.
Finally, operators need to remain calm in high-pressure environments to work efficiently. They need to be physically up to it because they will need to do some manual work like lifting weights of up to 25 pounds, walking short distances, and using hands and wrists for lengthy periods, among others.
Job Description
The job of a data center operator entails overseeing environments of a data center where they supervise systems and also identify, log, and report issues to their seniors. They write instructions for the data centers and are responsible for the maintenance of configurations of all systems within them.
Operators perform precautionary system maintenance to ensure that the center’s systems and network are functioning well. They develop and put in place policies so that work processes are executed efficiently and as per schedule.
Technicians coordinate with other support personnel to guarantee that uptime is maximized so that the data center can provide quality services. They conduct evaluations to identify and tackle ineffective power and cooling systems.
To mitigate risks of downtime, operators deploy data and system security measures. They coordinate with clients to offer support services for data and systems. Operators research in order to identify trends in data centers.
Operators job involves carrying out procedures needed to maintain data, transactions, and reports from systems, supporting administrators and end users, maintaining work registers, and documentation of processes, performing user administration tasks, such as adding, modifying, and removing disk space management, performing backups and file restores, and monitoring activity and access of the data center and its operations section to ensure that there is compliance of security policies.
Freelance Data Center Operators also study and assess hardware systems and information software depending on industry trends, fix issues related to customer service support, and supervise the performance of local area networks (LANs) and data communications.
Included in their tasks are installing and configuring software systems and computer hardware, interacting with clients through phone or in person to help them set up systems or troubleshot issues, and creating and establishing accounts of new users in addition to their passwords.
Moreover, they undertake tests to validate the performance of new technologies, present management reports of support services of IT systems, and look after the records of data center supplies, including scanners and printers.
Future of a Data Center Operator
After gathering experience of around three years, operators will maintain and enable the operation of application servers and several databases. With three years’ experience, they would be monitoring equipment of mainframe computers. Since they are vital cogs in computer support departments, operators should not find it difficult to advance their careers to become data center managers to oversee that all tasks are being taken care of. Later on, after ten years, they will assume the responsibility of a managerial position where they will promptly respond to alerts and resolve issues by collaborating with programmers and hardware personnel.
Job opportunities for managers of computers and information systems are expected to increase 12 percent during the period 2016-2026, exceeding the average for most occupations. The requirement for them will swell, as businesses will transition from conventional to digital platforms, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Educational Qualifications and Requirements
An operator needs a minimum of an associate degree in information technology, computer science or systems analysis. They should be familiar with TCP/IP and Active Directory.
It would help if they are conversant with engineering systems technology and calculations and know how to use computers to resolve engineering issues.
Salary
The average annual salary of a Data Center Operator is $40,629 in the United States. If they freelance, they will earn around $21.69 per hour, according to Payscale.
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