Source
r/datacenter•
PC509

From experienced sysadmin to AWS datacenter?

I've got almost 30 years as a desktop support, sys admin, security engineer IT professional. Several certifications, including networking (finishing my CCNP now), cloud (Azure, but end user side, not the backend stuff), security, etc. from the 90's until now. I'm looking to transition into a data center role locally (moreso looking to move out of my current position and into something else). However, most of the advertised roles are for entry level data center technician for ~30/hr (+/- a few depending on the recruiter). Is there a role either by a recruiter or direct hire that would take into account experience? I know it's not DC experience, and that's fine, but it's certainly more than entry level experience that pays a bit more than $30/hr. I'm currently making ~$48/hr as a security engineer, but know that I may need to take a cut. Just hope it's not a huge cut...

I live in Oregon, in a town with quite a few Amazon DC's, so it's very local. I worked with them about 15 years ago when there was just the single DC in town (now a couple dozen!) but left for my current employer.

Thanks! Hoping to make this a reality to stay in town and not need to move elsewhere or take another remote position with little growth.

Posted Dec 18, 2023, 4:01 AM UTC

78
noslipcondition•

With that level of experience, I wouldn't recommend looking at datacenter jobs.

AWS data centers are staffed with the absolute bare minimum of entry level technicians to swap out bad components and move servers around. Very basic "follow the checklist" type stuff.

The more senior experienced roles it sounds like you are looking for would be in a corporate office location. Most of those roles would never step foot inside a datacenter, but if you need to visit one you just travel and do site visits.

The corporate offices are much better than the datacenter offices too. I doubt many people would enjoy having a cubicle in a datacenter or standing on their feet in a noisy datahall with no cell phone 8 hours a day.

Try expanding your search location to Seattle or Northern Virginia.

7
arokace•

You'd need to look for senior positions, saying you aren't trying to be a people manager.

5
jrokstar•

Working on the DC is long hours on your feet reading a ticket that tells you what parts to swap unless you are Engineering Ops then you are keeping the electrical and mechanical equipment up and running. Either way as someone else said AWS is bare bones in the DC. With your resume you would be going backwards going to work in a DC unless you want to make a career change to engineering ops. What exactly are you looking to do?

3
looktowindwardCloud Datacenter Engineer•

So, this isn't meant to be unkind, but if you're making $48/hour, you're not really an experienced security engineer or sys admin. You're in the middle - you're either a highly experienced technician or something similar. A network administrator. And that's ok.

What do you want to do? Hardware operations technicians are pretty hands on. That's a good role. Also consider working corporare IT at a data center - those jobs exist and may be a good fit.

Do you know how to code and code well? If so, SRE.

2†
PC509OP•

Small town, small company. 30 years experience with Novell, Linux, NT, W2K-2022, Azure, networking, firewalls, etc.. From real small businesses to SMB's to ISP's. The salary isn't dictating my experience level. One reason I'm looking to move on. Just was looking for something local and was hoping AWS would have a place in a DC for me. Otherwise, it's a remote position or relocate (which I don't really want to do).

1
looktowindwardCloud Datacenter Engineer•

On the ISP side...carrier grade network engineering? Can you code?

If not, for AWS it's probably going to be technician work. The sort of stuff you're doing isn't a great fit for them. The scale is just fundamentally different.

1
PC509OP•

The sort of stuff you're doing isn't a great fit for them. The scale is just fundamentally different.

Yea, that's what I figured. All my work has been more on the end user side of things (end user being the business use side). ISP was routing and switching using Cisco equipment. Some SAN stuff with NetApp, Tintri, Cisco storage switches, Cisco UCS at my current position. I brought several new sites online with site to site VPN's using Cisco ASA's and switches, Aruba AP's, etc. (along with the DHCP, DNS, etc. for those sites). So, not really DC stuff, but still basic networking knowledge.

Like I said, just trying to see if there was a place there that wasn't an entry level technician work. It doesn't sound like there really is. :/ I was just hoping for a good move into a local place rather than moving elsewhere or taking an odd contractor remote position.

1
The-Techno-Toad•

You wanna be in infrastructure delivery my man - more networking based. Join with the goal of moving into a build role. Best of networking without operations requirements like on call and night shift

2