Power for Network Engineers

Course content

Learning roadmap

34 lessons · 12 modules

Thirty-four lessons use direct engineering worksheets. Spreadsheet lessons accept formulas and compare their results under stated input changes. Successful worksheet checks record lesson completion.

Recorded narration accompanies every written lesson page. Use the reader toolbar to pause, seek, and change playback speed, then complete each exercise from its written instructions.

1. 1. Device power and allocation2 lessons

   Distinguish device draw, declared class, and port reservation. Compare the documented class and negotiation policies before calculating the switch load.

   • Device draw and PoE reservation
   • PoE classification and negotiation
2. 2. Switch and closet capacity3 lessons

   Calculate the supply-limited PoE budget, evaluate redundancy modes, and trace power through the switch and UPS to the branch input and local room heat.

   • Port ratings and system PoE capacity
   • Power budgets in redundant mode
   • Equipment load and closet heat
3. 3. Building routes and supply paths2 lessons

   Assess cable routes and their room requirements, then trace rack circuits through panel schedules to identify shared sources.

   • Cable routes and telecommunications rooms
   • Trace rack feeds to their sources
4. 4. Rack loading and resilience2 lessons

   Calculate rack capacity under stated electrical assumptions. Check phase loading, connections, and the required load after either feed is lost.

   • Rack capacity and phase loading
   • Capacity after a rack feed failure
5. 5. Access-point design review1 lesson

   Reconcile a 48-access-point proposal with the device modes assumed by its survey, the switch budget, and the software caveat. Compare remedies against the same requirements.

   • Case study: review an access-point power design
6. 6. Cable conditions and reach3 lessons

   Review bundle conditions, resistance measurements, and overlength routes. Distinguish a failed requirement from missing evidence that needs specialist review.

   • PoE current and bundle heating
   • DC resistance unbalance and four-pair PoE
   • Power and data beyond the horizontal link limit
7. 7. Allocation policies and reload behavior2 lessons

   Compare the fictional platform allocation modes and their dependencies. Calculate which device services remain powered through the specified reload sequence.

   • PoE allocation methods and reserved power
   • PoE continuity during reload and power restoration
8. 8. Equipment selection and operating conditions3 lessons

   Include optics in a populated equipment load. Check airflow and temperature limits, then compare supply efficiency, inrush assumptions, and shared power budgets.

   • Optics and configured rack power
   • Airflow direction and altitude limits
   • Supply efficiency, redundancy, and startup current
9. 9. Facilities requirements3 lessons

   Compare UPS power and runtime limits, connection requirements, and the fictional room checklist. Prepare the evidence needed for qualified facilities and electrical review.

   • UPS ratings, runtime, and input compatibility
   • Rack power inputs and outlet compatibility
   • Closet electrical scope and thermal conditions
10. 10. Energy, colocation, and cooling3 lessons

    Model annual energy cost from a stated IT-load boundary and PUE assumption. Apply a fictional colocation contract and review the air and liquid constraints of a rack proposal.

    • Energy costs and the PUE boundary
    • Interpreting colocation circuit capacity
    • Assessing fabric placement around liquid-cooled racks
11. 11. Project load sheets and proposal review2 lessons

    Prepare a power, heat, and weight schedule, then assess an RFP against the supplied project evidence and assumptions.

    • Preparing a power, heat, and weight schedule
    • Reviewing an RFP power response
12. 12. Calculation workbooks8 lessons

    Write and test formulas for load lookup, closet and rack calculations, validation, scenarios, and handover. Browser checks use a documented evaluator subset; target spreadsheet compatibility needs separate validation.

    • Building a reusable power worksheet
    • Looking up PoE class reservations
    • Calculating a complete closet worksheet
    • Validating worksheet inputs and results
    • Calculating rack line currents
    • Comparing worksheet scenarios
    • Testing spreadsheet formula rewrites
    • Preparing a workbook for handover