Competencies: Infrastructure > Hardware & Data Center
Hardware & Data Center
Body of Knowledge
| Topic | Description | Relevance | Career Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
Server Hardware |
Server form factors, CPU (Intel/AMD), memory (ECC, channels), NVMe/SAS/SATA, expansion cards, RAID controllers. |
High |
Systems Administrator, Data Center Engineer |
IPMI/BMC/iLO/iDRAC |
Out-of-band management, remote console, power control, sensor monitoring, firmware updates. |
High |
Systems Administrator, Data Center Engineer |
Rack Design |
Rack units, cable management, PDUs, hot/cold aisle, rack diagrams, weight distribution. |
Medium |
Data Center Engineer, Infrastructure |
Power and Cooling |
UPS, generator, N+1 redundancy, BTU calculations, CRAC units, PUE metrics. |
Medium |
Data Center Engineer, Facilities |
Network Cabling |
Ethernet (Cat6/6a/7), fiber (single-mode, multi-mode), patch panels, cable testing, labeling. |
High |
Network Engineer, Data Center Engineer |
Data Center Tiers |
Uptime Institute tiers (I-IV), availability requirements, redundancy levels, certification. |
Medium |
Data Center Engineer, Architect |
Hardware Troubleshooting |
POST codes, hardware diagnostics, memory testing, drive health (SMART), thermal issues. |
High |
Systems Administrator, Support |
Homelab Design |
Quiet hardware, power efficiency, mini PCs, used enterprise gear, network segmentation. |
Medium |
Homelab Enthusiast, Learning |
Desktop/Workstation |
Component selection, assembly, driver installation, BIOS/UEFI, dual-boot, workstation optimization. |
Medium |
Systems Administrator, Power User |
Embedded Systems |
Raspberry Pi, ARM SBCs, GPIO, IoT devices, edge computing, industrial PCs. |
Low |
IoT Engineer, Hobbyist |
Personal Status
| Topic | Level | Evidence | Active Projects | Gaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hardware Deployment |
Advanced |
CHLA switch rack-and-stack, cable management, console access; home lab server builds, NAS deployment, workstation assembly |
No data center operations at scale (100+ rack units) |