Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant (CTDC®) - Online Classroom (exam included)

Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant (CTDC®) - Online Classroom (exam included)

Design resilient, standards-compliant data centres with confidence through the Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant (CTDC®) course. This advanced certification equips data centre professionals with the knowledge and practical skills to design facilities that comply with the internationally recognised ANSI/TIA-942 Standard, helping organisations achieve high availability, scalability, and operational resilience.

Throughout the course, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of ANSI/TIA-942 requirements across architecture, telecommunications, electrical and mechanical infrastructure, security, energy efficiency, and redundancy. You'll also learn how to interpret the intent behind the standard, evaluate design options, and make informed decisions that balance business requirements, availability, and cost.

Whether you're designing a new enterprise data centre, expanding an existing facility, or supporting colocation and cloud infrastructure projects, CTDC® provides the expertise needed to deliver reliable, future-ready, and standards-compliant data centre designs. The course also prepares you for the globally recognised CTDC® certification, accredited by EXIN.

Key Features

• 3 Days (8 hours/ day) Instructor-led Virtual Online Classroom
• Classroom available in English / Spanish (Contact us for confirmation)
• Intermediate level for professionals
• Presentation & E-book included
• 50+ hours recommended study time 
• 1 Year access to the learning platform & exam voucher (included together)
• Program completion certification included

Learning Outcomes

• Understand and correctly interpret the ANSI/TIA-942 Standard
• Design data centres that comply with ANSI/TIA-942 requirements
• Select appropriate redundancy levels based on business needs
• Apply best practices for architectural, electrical, mechanical, and telecommunications infrastructure
• Design secure, resilient, and highly available data centre facilities
• Evaluate different implementation approaches while avoiding over- or under-design
• Improve energy efficiency and sustainability within data centre designs
• Understand how ANSI/TIA-942 aligns with other international standards and best practices

Target Audience

• Data centre designers, consultants, and architects
• Data centre project managers and construction professionals
• Electrical, mechanical, and telecommunications engineers
• Facilities and infrastructure managers
• IT managers responsible for mission-critical environments
• Consultants involved in data centre planning and compliance
• Professionals preparing for the CTIA® (Certified TIA-942 Internal Auditor) certification

Prerequisites

Participants should hold a valid Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP®) certification or another approved equivalent data centre qualification. Proof of certification is required during registration 

Course Content

About the ANSI/TIA-942

• Life of the ANSI/TIA-942 Standard
• Relation to other standards
• Architectural
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Telecommunication
• Areas under scope
• High level redundancy definitions
• Redundancy options (N, N+1 etc.)
• Fault tolerant
• Concurrent maintainability
• Compartmentalisation
• Examples of redundancy levels

Data Centre Space Planning

• Data Centre Topologies
• Recommendations for Energy Efficiency

Architectural

• Site selection
• Parking
• Multi-tenant building
• Building construction
• Vapor barrier
• Roofing
• Floor loading
• Raised flooring
• Suspended/drop ceiling
• Hanging load
• Seismic

Building Security & Safety

• Security
• CCTV
• Staffing
• Bullet/ballistic proofing
• Lighting
• Safety
• Signage

Building and Room Access

• Security checkpoints
• Entry lobby
• Doors and windows
• Exit corridors
• Shipping and receiving areas

Room/Area Design Requirements

• Administrative offices
• Security offce
• Operations centre
• Restroom and break room
• UPS/Battery rooms
• Generator and fuel storage area
• Computer room

Electrical

• Utility power
  - Substation
  - Feed requirements
  - Self-generation
• HT/HV switch gear
• Generator and fuel supply
• LT/LV switch gear
  - ATS
  - Alternatives to ATS
• UPS and batteries
• PDU
• STS
• Grounding
• Surge protection
• EPO
• Central power monitoring
• Load banks
• Testing
• Equipment maintenance
  - Preventive maintenance
  - Facility training programs

Mechanical

• Environmental design
  - Temperature and humidity requirements
  - Contamination
    - Sources
    - Clean air
    - Pressurisation
    - Radio sources
    - Vibration
    - Water ingress
• Water cooled systems
  - Heat rejection
  - Chilled water system
  - Condenser water
  - Make up water
• Air cooled systems
• HVAC control systems
• Plumbing
  - Pipe routing
• Fire suppression
• Water leak detection

Telecommunications

• Network topology
• Redundancy level design
• Media and connectors
• Cabling pathways
• Detailed cabling design considerations
• Administration and labeling
• Cable testing
• Data centre fabrics

Micro Edge Data Center

• Type definitions
• Rating requirements
• Testing and maintenance

Immersion Cooling

• Cabling considerations
• Rating requirements

Exam Format

• Closed-book certification exam
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Questions: 60 multiple-choice questions
• Pass mark: Minimum 50 correct answers (83.3%)
• Prerequisite: Attendance at an accredited CTDC® training course and fulfillment of the required entry prerequisites

Certification

Upon successfully passing the exam, candidates receive the official Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant (CTDC®) certificate, globally accredited by EXIN. The certification is issued for the specific version of the ANSI/TIA-942 Standard covered during the exam. Unlike many other certifications, the CTDC® certificate does not expire; however, it remains applicable to the version of the standard on which you were certified. Professionals are encouraged to upgrade their certification when a new version of the ANSI/TIA-942 Standard is released to stay aligned with current industry best practices.

FAQ

Who should take the CTDC® course?

CTDC® is designed for professionals involved in designing, building, managing, or operating mission-critical data centres, as well as those planning to pursue the CTIA® certification. 

Do I need prior data centre experience?

Yes. Participants must hold a valid CDCP® certification or an approved equivalent before attending the course. 

What standard does this course cover?

The course is based on the internationally recognised ANSI/TIA-942 Standard for data centre design and infrastructure. 

Will I receive the ANSI/TIA-942 Standard?

Yes. Participants receive a licensed digital copy of the latest ANSI/TIA-942 Standard, which is used extensively throughout the training 

Is the CTDC® certification internationally recognised?

Yes. CTDC® is globally accredited by EXIN and recognised by organisations seeking expertise in ANSI/TIA-942 compliant data centre design. 

What can I do after completing CTDC®?

After earning CTDC®, you can apply ANSI/TIA-942 design principles to enterprise, colocation, managed services, and cloud data centre projects. The certification also serves as the prerequisite for the Certified TIA-942 Internal Auditor (CTIA®) course.