EPI Data Centre Foundation study plan

Map the power path from utility entry through MV switchgear, transformer, UPS and PDU to the rack, and label every conversion and redundancy point on a one-page diagram

Distinguish N, N+1, 2N and 2(N+1) topologies and state the failure each tolerates and the capacity cost each imposes

Explain UPS types (static double-conversion, line-interactive, rotary) and match each to a load profile with justification

Calculate runtime for a given load and battery bank using a simple derating method, and state the assumptions behind the result

Describe air-cooled and liquid-cooled heat rejection paths and identify where each becomes the practical choice by rack density

Compute sensible heat load from IT load, lighting, people and envelope gains, and size cooling capacity from that total

Compare containment strategies (hot aisle, cold aisle, full, partial) by their effect on supply air temperature and mixing

Explain psychrometric limits in the ASHRAE recommended and allowable envelopes and the risk of running outside them

Identify fire detection and suppression approaches for white space and the interaction with airflow and egress

Specify redundancy and diversity requirements for dual-corded IT loads, including which single points of failure remain after full A/B distribution

Draft a preventive maintenance calendar for UPS, generators, chillers and switchgear, giving interval, task and owner for each item

Explain generator testing under load, fuel quality management and the failure modes that appear only during a real transfer

Describe battery monitoring and the end-of-life indicators that trigger replacement before capacity falls below design

Write change management steps for a live electrical or cooling intervention, including risk assessment, method statement and rollback

Define permit-to-work and lockout/tagout controls and the point at which they apply in a data centre

Distinguish incident, problem and change processes and assign severity levels with response targets

Explain how to run a failover test without breaching the service level, including pre-checks and abort criteria

Map the scope of the ANSI/TIA-942, ISO/IEC 22237, EN 50600 and Uptime Institute tier frameworks, and state what each certifies and what it does not

Compare the four tier topologies by fault tolerance and concurrent maintainability, and identify which claims require a specific configuration

Interpret the intent of key clauses on redundancy, physical security and documentation without quoting them

Explain the audit evidence types that satisfy an assessor: design documents, commissioning records, test logs and live observations

Assemble a documentation set that would survive a design review: single-line diagrams, floor plans, commissioning scripts and as-built records

Plan a commissioning sequence from factory acceptance through site acceptance to integrated systems test, and state the pass criteria for each stage

Explain how to prepare for a tier or certification audit, including evidence gaps that commonly cause findings

Identify the record-keeping needed for maintenance, training and change history to support an audit trail

Build a risk register for a data centre covering power, cooling, security, people and supplier dependencies, scoring likelihood and impact

Explain business impact analysis and how recovery time and recovery point objectives drive infrastructure design

Describe the governance roles and the separation between the operator, the owner and the auditor, and why independence matters

Outline competence requirements for authorised persons, including training, assessment and re-authorisation cycles

Explain how to report risk to senior management in business terms rather than technical ones

Consolidate weak areas by re-testing the two domains with the lowest practice scores and logging every missed concept

Rehearse calculations under time pressure: runtime, cooling load, redundancy cost and availability

Practise explaining a standard's scope and an audit finding in plain language, as required by scenario questions

Review the risk register and maintenance schedule against each other to confirm controls map to identified risks