Network engineer : Job description

Network engineers are responsible for installing, maintaining and supporting computer
communication networks within an organisation or between organisations. Their goal is to
ensure the smooth operation of communication networks in order to provide maximum
performance and availability for their users, such as staff, clients, customers and suppliers.
Network engineers may work internally as part of an organisations IT support team or externally
as part of an IT networking consultancy firm working with a number of clients.
Other ob titles used to refer to this kind of work include network support, support engineer, IT
support engineer, helpdesk support, network administrator, first!line support, second!line
support, security engineer and network architect.
Typical work activities
The work is influenced by the si"e and type of the employing organisation. In a large investment
bank for example, a network engineer may have specific responsibility for one area of the
system. In a small company, the engineer may be troubleshooter for almost any IT!related
problem that arises.
There are different types of network, such as#
$%Ns ! local area networks, linking a limited area such as a home, office or small group
of buildings&
'%Ns ! metropolitan area networks, linking a large area such as a campus or city&
(%Ns ! wide area networks, which link nationally or internationally&
)%Ns ! global area networks, combining all of the above with satellite mobile!
communication technologies.
The type of network will affect the engineer*s responsibilities.
Typical tasks usually include#
installing, supporting and maintaining new server hardware and software infrastructure&
managing email, anti!spam and virus protection&
setting up user accounts, permissions and passwords&
monitoring network usage&
ensuring the most cost!effective and efficient use of servers&
suggesting and providing IT solutions to business and management problems&
ensuring that all IT e+uipment complies with industry standards&
analysing and resolving faults, ranging from a maor system crash to a forgotten
password&
undertaking routine preventative measures and implementing, maintaining and
monitoring network security, particularly if the network connects to the internet&
providing training and technical support for users with varying levels of IT knowledge
and competence&
supervising other staff, such as help!desk technicians&
working closely with other departments,organisations and collaborating with other IT
staff&
planning and implementing future IT developments and undertaking proect work&
managing the website and keeping internal networks running&
monitoring the use of the web by employees.
You will use your network engineering expertise to specify, design, implement, document, test,
troubleshoot and deploy network and cyber security solutions; drive cyber security compliance
to government and commercial requirements; diagnose and resolve complex live network
problems, provide critical network architecture support, and maintain a variety of network
communication protocols. Because networking is your passion, networking system commands
in several platforms like Cisco, uniper, and !inux are second nature, which allows you to easily
help others in resolving operating system and networking issues. You will be directly involved in
a diverse number of "#$C%& communications programs and pro'ects for (" )o) customers
as well as commercial applications. $his fast*paced multi*tasking environment requires you to
interact with a broad spectrum of program managers, hardware+software+pro'ect engineers and
various internal support organi,ations on a regular basis. You may occasionally travel to
participate in field work at customer sites internationally and domestically.
Job Titles
Several types of positions exist in networking, each with different average salaries and long-
term potential, and one should possess a clear understanding of these. Unfortunately, job
titles in networking, and in Information echnology !I" generally, often lead to confusion
among beginners and experienced folks alike. #land, vague or overly bombastic titles often
fail to describe the actual work assignments of a person in this field.
he basic job titles one sees for computer networking and networking-related positions
include
$etwork %dministrator
$etwork !Systems" &ngineer
$etwork !Service" echnician
$etwork 'rogrammer(%nalyst
$etwork(Information Systems )anager
The Network Administrator
In general, network administrators configure and manage *%$s and sometimes +%$s. he
job descriptions for administrators can be detailed and sometimes downright intimidating,
-onsider the following description that, although fictitious, represents a fairly typical
posting.
NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR - HOBO COMPUTING
/-andidate will be responsible for analysis, installation and configuration of company
networks. 0aily activities include monitoring network performance, troubleshooting
problems and maintaining network security. 1ther activities include assisting customers with
operating systems and network adapters, configuring routers, switches, and firewalls, and
evaluating third-party tools./
$eedless to say, a person early in their career often lacks experience in a majority of these
categories. )ost employers do not expect candidates to possess in-depth knowledge of all
areas listed in the job posting, though, so a person should remain undeterred by the long,
sweeping job descriptions they will inevitably encounter.
Comparing Roles and Responsibilities
he job function of a Network E!ieer differs little from that of a $etwork %dministrator.
-ompany % may use one title while -ompany # uses the other to refer to essentially the
same position. Some companies even use the two titles interchangeably. 2irms making a
distinction between the two often stipulate that administrators focus on the day-to-day
management of networks, whereas network engineers focus primarily on system upgrades,
evaluating vendor products, security testing, and so on.
% Network Te"#i"i$ tends to focus more on the setup, troubleshooting, and repair of
specific hardware and software products. Service echnicians in particular often must travel
to remote customer sites to perform /field/ upgrades and support. %gain, though, some
firms blur the line between technicians and engineers or administrators.
Network Pro!r$%%er&A$l'sts generally write software programs or scripts that aid in
network analysis, such as diagnostics or monitoring utilities. hey also speciali3e in
evaluating third-party products and integrating new software technologies into an existing
network environment or to build a new environment.
M$$!ers supervise the work of adminstrators, engineers, technicians, and(or
programmers. $etwork ( Information Systems )anagers also focus on longer-range
planning and strategy considerations.
Salaries for networking positions depend on many factors such as the hiring organi3ation,
local market conditions, a person4s experience and skill level, and so on. !*inks to more in-
depth information on networking salaries appear in the box at the top of each page."
$etwork adminstrators and managers in particular have grown fond of networking-based
certifications like )icrosoft )-S& and -isco --$%. In general, to gain and keep a
certification one must pass a lengthy !usually multiple-choice 5uestion" paper exam, then
pass recertification exams at periodic intervals !usually every two or three years". % person
has the choice of preparing for the exam through self-study or by enrolling in a certification
course or /program/ run by a training organi3ation !sometimes within high-tech companies
themselves". aking any certification exam involves paying a test /sitting/ fee !usually in
the range of 6788 to 6988 US0", and employers sometimes reimburse their employees for
this cost.
-ertifications are designed to accredit someone for a certain amount of industry experience
that they4ve already gained. Some of the programs will even make recommendations to this
effect, typically one to two years of prior background for the entry-level certifications.
:owever, experience is not strictly re5uired. Some have critici3ed the entry-level exams for
being too /bookish/ in this respect, too easy to pass without prior hands-on experience.
+hich certification is best; )-S&; --$%; Something else; %gain, the answer depends on
the individual4s interests and also the preferences of hiring companies. Some ambitious
students of networking avoid this problem by ac5uiring multiple certifications... sometimes
as many as five or more, #e aware, though, that certifications are an incomplete substitute
for formal education and industry experience. Ideally, one will ac5uire a few certifications as
part of a balanced overall mix of education and career experience.
)any companies, particularly larger ones, offer their employees ongoing training
opportunities. he employer will either build their own courses or will bring in an outside
company to hold the training. hese courses are typically focused on a specific product
technology or tool, or on the specific technical information needed to pass a certification
exam. 1ne could argue it is preferable for the beginning networker to focus on general
technologies at first rather than certifications, as companies in these case likely prefer to
train employees /their own way/ anyhow.