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Sr. Systems Engineer\/Data Center Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n In the previous article series, I discussed policies, processes, and procedures and how they reduce human error in data centers by setting expectations and showing how to meet those expectations. \u00a0Training is also key in minimizing risk by ensuring staff read and understand policies, know all critical steps of processes, and can perform tasks per procedures.\u00a0 Training also provides supervisors a fair and objective way to assess employee performance. \u00a0Furthermore, organizations can justify disciplinary actions if an employee was trained yet willfully neglected to perform per expectations. \u00a0The following is an overview of how to create effective training material for your data center staff.<\/p>\n Training Content:\u00a0 <\/strong>The following content is typically included in data center-related training material starting with safety as top priority.\u00a0 Safety content may include evacuation procedures, how to use a fire extinguisher, ladder safety, lock-out-tag-out (LOTO) procedures, and how to respond if police, fire, or emergency medical services arrive onsite.\u00a0 Additional safety topics may describe various alarms that could be triggered, what those alarms mean, and appropriate actions to take.<\/p>\n The second most important training topics relate to data center uptime.\u00a0 Supporting uptime applies to anyone entering the data center including guests, vendors or IT personnel.\u00a0 Uptime content would cover data center rules such as no cardboard, food or liquids allowed in the data center, or \u201cno piggy backing\u201d<\/em> where someone with access to the data center holds the door open for someone who does not have access. \u00a0Uptime topics should also discuss control panels and buttons located in the data center.\u00a0 For instance, anyone entering the data center should know where the EPO button is and understand that pressing it shuts down the entire room!<\/p>\n Along with safety and uptime-related topics, an effective training program includes sections tailored to each data center role.\u00a0 Here are a few training topic examples based on various roles supporting the data center:<\/p>\n Format<\/strong>:\u00a0 Three important items to include in training are a curriculum, syllabus and instructor\u2019s content.\u00a0 The curriculum describes what the course is about, the course\u2019s goals and objectives, and requirements to pass.\u00a0 A syllabus describes the course in greater detail. These two items allow students to know exactly what they are getting into before starting a course.\u00a0 Instructor\u2019s content contains the trainer\u2019s lesson plans, test answers and anything else that helps the instructor teach the course.<\/p>\n Training material can be delivered in many formats depending on what is being taught.\u00a0 The following are some formats and when they work best:<\/p>\n Testing and Record Keeping:\u00a0 <\/strong>Testing ensures students read, understand, and retain training.\u00a0 Just like there are multiple training formats, there are multiple testing formats.\u00a0 You may have students perform a demonstration to test competency, go through drills, take a formal written test, or answer questions in an informal manner.\u00a0 Keeping records of course completion and passing scores is important.\u00a0 Test records provide proof of course completion and may also be needed for future audits.<\/p>\n Training minimizes risk by making sure staff read, understand and retain mission-critical policies, processes, procedures.\u00a0 Data center training should be required for everyone entering the data center and tailored for each role from physical security staff, data center technicians, facilities management, to IT personnel.\u00a0 Effective training starts with safety as top priority followed by data center uptime as the next highest priority.\u00a0 Choose the training format that seems most effective per training content and be sure to include the curriculum, syllabus and the instructor\u2019s content.\u00a0 Test students using an appropriate format per subject matter and keep records of course completion and passing test scores.\u00a0\u00a0 Creating a data center training program that includes these components will reduce human error and maximize your data center\u2019s uptime.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Be sure to check back here soon for the next installment on Tips From A Data Center Manager.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Written by Nate Josephs Sr. Systems Engineer\/Data Center Manager In the previous article series, I discussed policies, processes, and procedures and how they reduce human error in data centers by setting expectations and showing how to meet those expectations. \u00a0Training is also key in minimizing risk by ensuring staff read and understand policies, know all critical steps of processes, and can perform tasks per procedures.\u00a0 Training also provides supervisors a fair and objective way to assess employee performance. \u00a0Furthermore, organizations can justify disciplinary actions if an employee was trained yet willfully neglected to perform per expectations. \u00a0The following is an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":5974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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