CDCP Data Center Operations and Maintenance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which preventive maintenance activity is critical for UPS systems in a data center?
- Replacing batteries on a scheduled cycle based on manufacturer recommendations (Correct answer)
- Cleaning the UPS exterior weekly
- Upgrading UPS firmware only when an outage occurs
- Relocating UPS units annually
Correct answer: Replacing batteries on a scheduled cycle based on manufacturer recommendations
UPS batteries degrade over time; following manufacturer replacement schedules (typically 3–5 years) ensures the UPS can support full load during a power event.
Question 2: What is the primary function of a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) unit in a data center?
- To supply power to servers
- To circulate chilled water through coils and blow cooled air into the data center (Correct answer)
- To filter particulates from outside air
- To regulate humidity using steam injection only
Correct answer: To circulate chilled water through coils and blow cooled air into the data center
CRAH units use chilled water supplied by a central chiller plant to cool a refrigerant coil, and fans blow air across the coil to deliver conditioned air to the data center floor.
Question 3: In incident management, what is the first step after detecting an unplanned outage in a data center?
- Begin root cause analysis
- Notify the change management board
- Declare and escalate the incident per the incident response plan (Correct answer)
- Restore from backup immediately
Correct answer: Declare and escalate the incident per the incident response plan
The first step is to formally declare the incident and escalate it according to the incident response plan, ensuring the right teams are engaged and communication begins promptly.
Question 4: What does MTTR stand for in data center reliability metrics?
- Maximum Time to Recovery
- Mean Time to Repair (Correct answer)
- Minimum Time to Redundancy
- Managed Tier to Resilience
Correct answer: Mean Time to Repair
MTTR (Mean Time to Repair) measures the average time required to restore a failed component or system to full operational status, reflecting operational efficiency.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'two-person integrity' (TPI) rule in data center operations?
- To require two signatures on purchase orders
- To ensure that critical tasks are never performed by a single individual, reducing errors and insider threats (Correct answer)
- To mandate two-factor authentication for all users
- To require two technicians to carry heavy equipment
Correct answer: To ensure that critical tasks are never performed by a single individual, reducing errors and insider threats
The two-person integrity rule requires that sensitive or high-risk tasks be performed or witnessed by two authorized individuals, mitigating human error and insider risk.
Question 6: Which document captures all physical assets in a data center, including location, power draw, and owner?
- Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
- Asset inventory / CMDB (Configuration Management Database) (Correct answer)
- Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
- Network topology diagram
Correct answer: Asset inventory / CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
A CMDB or asset inventory catalogs all hardware assets with details such as rack location, power consumption, IP addresses, ownership, and support contracts for lifecycle management.
CDCP Data Center Operations and Maintenance 2
Which preventive maintenance activity is critical for UPS systems in a data center?