CDFOM study plan

Map the full set of operational processes a data centre runs on (incident, change, problem, capacity, asset, access) and write a one-line purpose and owner for each

Distinguish SLAs, SLRs, OLAs and underpinning contracts, and explain in your own notes how each is used to manage a service provider

Define at least 12 operational KPIs with formula, data source, target and escalation trigger for each

Draft a one-page monthly service review agenda that a facility manager would actually run with a client

Build a 12-month planned maintenance calendar covering electrical, mechanical, fire, security and building fabric systems, noting typical frequencies for each

Explain the difference between planned, corrective, predictive and reactive maintenance and justify which work types can be deferred and which cannot

Draft the key clauses you would insist on in a maintenance contract: scope, response and fix times, spares, reporting, escalation, penalties, exit

Describe how a maintenance activity is risk-assessed and approved before it starts, including permit-to-work and change linkage

Walk through the standard maintenance routines for UPS, generators, switchgear, chillers, CRAC/CRAH units and fire suppression, listing what is checked and why it matters

Explain how to manage a maintenance contractor on site: induction, supervision, sign-off, defect logging and closure

Design a defect and asset register structure that links every asset to its maintenance plan, criticality rating and spares holding

Set up a simple MTTR and PM compliance tracking method you could run in a spreadsheet

Layer a physical security model: perimeter, building, data hall, rack, and describe controls at each layer including access control, CCTV and visitor management

List the health and safety hazards specific to a live data centre and the control for each: arc flash, battery acid, refrigerant, noise, confined space, manual handling, working at height

Explain environmental monitoring parameters (temperature, humidity, particulate, differential pressure) and how alarms are escalated and acted on

Describe fire detection and suppression approaches and the operational rules that apply during and after a discharge

Design a staffing model for a 24x7 facility: shift pattern, headcount maths including relief factor, and which roles must be on site versus on call

Write role profiles for facility technician, shift lead, security officer and facility manager with clear decision authority

Build a competence and authorisation framework: what training, assessment and re-certification each role needs before working unsupervised

Draft a shift handover procedure and an escalation matrix with named decision rights

Map the standards and frameworks relevant to data centre operations and explain what each actually requires in practice

Design a documentation and records control scheme: which documents are controlled, retention periods, review cycle and access rules

Build a risk register with likelihood, impact, owner, mitigation and residual rating for at least 10 realistic operational risks

Plan an internal audit cycle with scope, sampling approach, findings grading and corrective action tracking

Explain capacity planning across power, cooling, space, network and weight, and describe how headroom is measured and reported

Distinguish availability tiers and redundancy topologies (N, N+1, 2N) and state what each protects against and what it does not

Draft an emergency response plan structure covering power loss, cooling failure, fire, flood, security breach and loss of key staff

Design a test and exercise schedule for continuity plans, including what evidence a test should produce

Consolidate your notes into a single cross-domain summary that links each domain to the others through the operations processes

Complete timed practice questions across all six domains and record your accuracy per domain

Re-study only the two weakest domains using your own notes and correct any factual gaps you find

Rehearse explaining three scenario-based answers aloud in the time you would have in the exam