NISHANTH THOTA
Plano,TX
Summary
Data Center Technician with 4+ years of experience supporting hyperspace and enterprise data center environments across compute, networking, and optical infrastructure. Experienced in server deployments, fiber infrastructure installation, hardware lifecycle management, and L1/L2 network troubleshooting within high-availability production environments. Hands-on experience supporting Meta hyperspace data center operations, performing rack deployments, optical connectivity validation, hardware break-fix remediation, and network troubleshooting. Skilled in Linux-based server environments, fiber optic technologies, infrastructure monitoring, and structured cabling systems in SLA-driven operations.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Data Center Technician
Startech Networks
Plano, TX
04.2025 - Current
- Contributed to the deployment, expansion, and lifecycle management of hyperspace production data center infrastructure supporting high-density compute clusters and backbone networking environments.
- Responsibilities included server deployments, fiber infrastructure installation, optical transport integration, server hardware troubleshooting, and network connectivity validation.
- Worked closely with infrastructure deployment and network engineering teams to ensure reliable system availability and support capacity expansion initiatives within production data center environments.
- Performed rack and stack deployment of servers, switches, and networking equipment, including rail installation, rack alignment, device mounting, structured cable routing, and labeling to ensure infrastructure readiness for compute cluster expansion.
- Installed and routed single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic infrastructure, performing long-distance fiber runs, patch panel terminations, and cable management while ensuring compliance with hyperspace cabling standards.
- Conducted optical connectivity validation using OTDR testing and optical power measurements, identifying signal loss, fiber attenuation, and connectivity issues to maintain stable optical network communication.
- Executed server break-fix activities by diagnosing hardware faults and replacing failed components such as SSD/NVMe drives, DIMMs, RAID controllers, NICs, and power supply units to restore production system availability.
- Performed hardware diagnostics and troubleshooting on server platforms, analyzing system indicators, BIOS logs, and hardware alerts to determine root cause of failures and perform corrective actions.
- Supported Linux server provisioning and configuration, including OS imaging, BIOS configuration, firmware upgrades, network configuration validation, and post-deployment system checks.
- Troubleshot Layer 1 and Layer 2 network connectivity issues, identifying problems related to optical mismatches, fiber patching errors, port configuration issues, and physical connectivity failures.
- Assisted with device configuration validation and network readiness checks, ensuring correct port mappings, interface activation, and connectivity between servers and network switches.
- Supported optical transport deployments, including installation of optical transponders and validation of fiber connectivity during backbone network expansion initiatives.
- Participated in network infrastructure expansion and migration activities, assisting with line card installation, fiber rerouting, device validation, and troubleshooting during infrastructure upgrades.
- Performed device and fiber decommissioning during infrastructure lifecycle projects, including removal of legacy hardware, cable cleanup, asset tracking, and coordination of reverse logistics processes.
- Installed and validated out-of-band management infrastructure devices, performing connectivity testing and QA/QC checks to ensure reliable management network access.
- Maintained accurate rack elevation diagrams, port mappings, asset inventory records, and infrastructure documentation to support operational visibility and lifecycle management.
- Collaborated with network engineering, deployment teams, and operations staff to troubleshoot infrastructure incidents, perform upgrades, and maintain reliable data center operations.
Data Center Network Engineer
Vision Technologies
MARRYLAND
05.2024 - 03.2025
- Supported deployment and expansion of hyperspace data center network infrastructure for Meta production environments.
- The work involved backbone network deployments, optical transport system installations, fiber infrastructure implementation, and network capacity expansion initiatives.
- Responsibilities included installing optical transport equipment, configuring network devices, validating connectivity, performing troubleshooting activities, and supporting infrastructure migrations.
- Supported deployment and validation of hyperspace backbone network infrastructure, assisting with large-scale network deployments across compute clusters and transport network environments.
- Installed and configured optical networking platforms and transponder systems, including Ciena WaveServer optical transport equipment used for high-capacity backbone connectivity.
- Executed fiber infrastructure deployments, including long-route fiber runs, patch panel terminations, cable routing, and structured cable management to support backbone network connectivity.
- Performed server and network hardware troubleshooting, diagnosing connectivity problems, hardware failures, and device configuration issues impacting production network operations.
- Conducted optical signal validation and troubleshooting, verifying signal transmission levels, identifying link degradation, and ensuring reliable optical communication across transport networks.
- Assisted with network device configuration validation, ensuring correct interface settings, port activation, and connectivity between network infrastructure components.
- Performed line card installations and device upgrades, including firmware updates, system re-bootstrap procedures, and validation of device functionality after upgrades.
- Supported network capacity expansion projects, performing port auditing, connectivity validation, and device integration to support backbone network growth.
- Assisted with network infrastructure migration activities, performing device preparation, fiber routing adjustments, connectivity validation, and troubleshooting during migration phases.
- Worked with network provisioning teams to turn up circuits, validate port configurations, and troubleshoot degraded or faulty network links affecting backbone connectivity.
- Conducted network diagnostics and troubleshooting, identifying issues related to optical transmission, interface configuration, and physical connectivity.
- Maintained network infrastructure documentation, including topology diagrams, deployment procedures, port mapping records, and troubleshooting workflows.
- Collaborated with network engineers, deployment teams, and infrastructure operations staff to resolve incidents and ensure reliable network performance across production environments.
Network Support Engineer
Powercon V Ltd
09.2019 - 11.2021
- Contributed to the operational support and maintenance of an enterprise data center environment hosting multiple business-critical applications and internal services.
- The project focused on ensuring high availability of server and network infrastructure through proactive monitoring, incident response, and infrastructure maintenance.
- Responsibilities included supporting server deployments, performing hardware diagnostics and break-fix activities, troubleshooting network connectivity issues at Layer 1 and Layer 2, and assisting with infrastructure upgrades and maintenance tasks.
- Worked closely with system administrators and network engineering teams to resolve operational incidents, maintain infrastructure documentation, and ensure stable and reliable data center operations.
- Delivered Tier 1 / Tier 2 technical support for servers, storage systems, and network infrastructure by monitoring system alerts, diagnosing infrastructure issues, and restoring services within defined SLA timelines.
- Performed hardware diagnostics and break-fix remediation for server components including storage drives, memory modules, RAID controllers, network interface cards, and power supply units to maintain operational reliability.
- Conducted Layer 1 and Layer 2 network troubleshooting, including switch port validation, VLAN verification, MAC address tracing, and cable connectivity checks to identify and resolve network issues.
- Assisted with server deployment and provisioning activities, including rack installation, hardware setup, operating system validation, and connectivity verification during infrastructure expansion initiatives.
- Supported Linux server environments by reviewing system logs, validating services, monitoring system health, and assisting with troubleshooting performance or configuration issues.
- Participated in scheduled infrastructure maintenance and change management activities, performing system updates, validating infrastructure functionality after changes, and documenting maintenance results.
- Maintained accurate infrastructure documentation and asset tracking records, including rack layouts, device inventories, and network connectivity documentation to support operational visibility.
- Collaborated with network engineers, system administrators, and operations teams to investigate recurring incidents and implement corrective actions to improve infrastructure stability.
Education
Master of Science - Computer Science
William Jessup University
California01-2024
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
SR UNIVERSITY
WARANGAL TELANGANA, INDIA04-2020
Skills
- Rack & Stack
- Cluster Expansion
- Capacity Adds
- Patch Panels
- Structured Cabling (Fiber & Copper)
- Cable Routing
- Device Commissioning
- Hardware Decommissioning
- Asset Lifecycle Tracking
- Server Installation
- Hardware Lifecycle Management
- Break-Fix (SSD/NVMe, HDD, RAID, DIMMs, NICs, PSU)
- BIOS & Firmware Upgrades
- Server Imaging & Provisioning
- Cisco
- Arista
- Juniper Switches
- Nokia / Infinera Optical Platforms
- Fiber Optics (SMF/MMF)
- MPO/MTP
- LC Connectors
- QSFP/SFP Transceivers (1G–800G)
- OTDR Testing
- Optical Power Testing
- Link Validation
- L1/L2 Network Troubleshooting
- VLAN Verification
- Interface Bring-Up
- Linux (RHEL)
- SSH
Certification
- OSHA 10-Hour Safety Certification
- Fiber Optics for Data Centers – Light Brigade
- FISP – Fiber Optics Technician (Inside Plant)
Technical Skills
Rack & Stack, Cluster Expansion, Capacity Adds, Patch Panels, Structured Cabling (Fiber & Copper), Cable Routing, Device Commissioning, Hardware Decommissioning, Asset Lifecycle Tracking, Server Installation, Hardware Lifecycle Management, Break-Fix (SSD/NVMe, HDD, RAID, DIMMs, NICs, PSU), BIOS & Firmware Upgrades, Server Imaging & Provisioning, Cisco, Arista, Juniper Switches, Nokia / Infinera Optical Platforms, Fiber Optics (SMF/MMF), MPO/MTP, LC Connectors, QSFP/SFP Transceivers (1G–800G), OTDR Testing, Optical Power Testing, Link Validation, L1/L2 Network Troubleshooting, VLAN Verification, Interface Bring-Up, Linux (RHEL), SSH, PuTTY, ServiceNow, Jira, Infrastructure Monitoring & Ticketing Systems, ESD Handling, Restricted Zone Access, Hyperscale Data Center Standards, Change Management, Data Center Safety, Python Basics, Bash Scripting, OSPF, MPLS-TE, ISIS, Network Automation Fundamentals
Timeline
Data Center Technician
Startech Networks
04.2025 - Current
Data Center Network Engineer
Vision Technologies
05.2024 - 03.2025
Network Support Engineer
Powercon V Ltd
09.2019 - 11.2021
Master of Science - Computer Science
William Jessup University
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
SR UNIVERSITY