The world of building automation is becoming more reliant on the latest technologies, which is changing the perspective on what skill sets are most important for a technician to have. Twenty years ago, technicians were reliant on their strong abilities to understand HVAC fundamentals and troubleshoot wiring. Today, a control technician's fundamentals start at, “How do I connect to the system?” A bag of tools has turned into a computer bag filled with networking cables and a laptop loaded with different virtual private network (VPN) applications and software packages. The simple question of how I connect can sometimes become a complicated journey. This column will examine the skill sets a modern controls candidate must possess that go beyond the basics of HVAC.
Fundamentals of computer networking are an absolute requirement. Three initial questions come to mind: What is a router? What is a switch? What is subnetting?