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Network Administrator

sofia1930

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Hello guys.. I want to know what exactly Network Administrator is and what is his job.
Also, is it a hand-based job? Beacause i am girl and i wanted to know if it is something like "electrician" :p
Maybe i could turn to Networks Security? Is it more soft? :p

Im sorry for asking you so many questions but maybe you can help me to decide what i will do with my studies. The Master i will do is about networks and i have a doubt..,
 
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a network administrator is a more hands on job than a security expert, but regardless of whether you're a girl or not it's not that physically demanding. It is like an electrician, with a much less likelihood of deadly shock ;)

essentially you would implement new technologies when necessary, and keep the network running smoothly otherwise. this mostly means allowing/blocking users/applications and generally monitoring for hiccups. there will be regular maintenance and troubleshooting, and the specifics of those you will recognize after taking your course.

different companies will add different responsibilities, and in many cases you are responsible for the individual computers as well as the network.
 

95Viper

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General info --> Network administrator

You may be better off looking at the job descriptions for some of the businesses you wish to do the job for; as, some companies have varying duties and requirements.

This is a sample at Monster.com:
Network Administrator Sample Job Description

This network administrator sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements.
Description: Network Administrator

Network Administrator Job Purpose: Maintains computing environment by identifying network requirements; installing upgrades; monitoring network performance.
Network Administrator Job Duties:
  • Establishes network specifications by conferring with users; analyzing workflow, access, information, and security requirements; designing router administration, including interface configuration and routing protocols.
  • Establishes network by evaluating network performance issues including availability, utilization, throughput, goodput, and latency; planning and executing the selection, installation, configuration, and testing of equipment; defining network policies and procedures; establishing connections and firewalls.
  • Maintains network performance by performing network monitoring and analysis, and performance tuning; troubleshooting network problems; escalating problems to vendor.
  • Secures network by developing network access, monitoring, control, and evaluation; maintaining documentation.
  • Prepares users by designing and conducting training programs; providing references and support.
  • Upgrades network by conferring with vendors; developing, testing, evaluating, and installing enhancements.
  • Meets financial requirements by submitting information for budgets; monitoring expenses.
  • Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
  • Protects organization's value by keeping information confidential.
  • Accomplishes organization goals by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

This is another sample from America's Job Exchange:

Sample
Network Administrator Job Description
Summary
Responsible for designing, organizing, modifying, installing, and supporting a company's computer systems. Designs and installs LANs, WANs, Internet and intranet systems, and network segments.
Primary responsibilities
  • Install and support LANs, WANs, network segments, Internet, and intranet systems.
  • Install and maintain network hardware and software.
  • Analyze and isolate issues.
  • Monitor networks to ensure security and availability to specific users.
  • Evaluate and modify system's performance.
  • Identify user needs.
  • Determine network and system requirements.
  • Maintain integrity of the network, server deployment, and security.
  • Ensure network connectivity throughout a company's LAN/WAN infrastructure is on par with technical considerations.
  • Design and deploy networks.
  • Perform network address assignment.
  • Assign routing protocols and routing table configuration.
  • Assign configuration of authentication and authorization of directory services.
  • Maintain network facilities in individual machines, such as drivers and settings of personal computers as well as printers.
  • Maintain network servers such as file servers, VPNgateways, intrusion detection systems.
  • Administer servers, desktop computers, printers, routers, switches, firewalls, phones, personal digital assistants, smartphones, software deployment, security updates and patches.
 

Tatty_Two

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My youngest daughter has just completed a 4 year degree this year and acheived 1st Class Honours in Network Computing. There are a number of different fields you can explore within "Network" computing, for example, security, forensics, infrastructure, system development and project management. She starts work on Monday in a very well paid job, can't go into too much detail but she will be working within the Security and Infrastructure areas. I cannot speak for anywhere else but in the UK, of all the IT degrees on offer, Networking is one of the very best for salaries and opportunities but you need a good degree and hard work! She is kind of indirectly following in her fathers footsteps so to speak!
 

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IT is the field to go into when it comes to any administrative like position. Computer science has more emphasis on math and theory and lays the way to more development and DevOps like positions.

Personally, I think going into comp sci is the better option because DevOps basically buts you between a developer and a system admin position with all the benefits of both.
 

sofia1930

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My youngest daughter has just completed a 4 year degree this year and acheived 1st Class Honours in Network Computing. There are a number of different fields you can explore within "Network" computing, for example, security, forensics, infrastructure, system development and project management. She starts work on Monday in a very well paid job, can't go into too much detail but she will be working within the Security and Infrastructure areas. I cannot speak for anywhere else but in the UK, of all the IT degrees on offer, Networking is one of the very best for salaries and opportunities but you need a good degree and hard work! She is kind of indirectly following in her fathers footsteps so to speak!


I have just completed a 4 year degree in Network Computing so thats why i am looking if I will do my master or a CCNA,CCNP or go straight for job.


Thanks for your answers,.. but if u know, is there any office job related to networks?
 

Tatty_Two

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I have just completed a 4 year degree in Network Computing so thats why i am looking if I will do my master or a CCNA,CCNP or go straight for job.


Thanks for your answers,.. but if u know, is there any office job related to networks?
According to my daughter in my country CCNA and CCNP are equally as important as the degree itself, she was very lucky, her 3rd year was a well paid internship with Pepsi in their European Headquarters in the UK where she was able to do both, many of the bigger companies would insist on CCNA/P.

For me, and I can again only speak generally the UK, a "System Adminstrator" is a fairly low level, possible upto mid level that would not necessarily require a degree, obviously either some experience and/or possibly what we would call a Diploma level qualififcation, the money over here is in system management, development and infrastructure.
 

Tatty_Two

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Well to be honest it's not as simple as that, I am guessing you are in a different country and requirements/salaries and career paths may be very different. I suppose in a perfect world I would suggest doing your CCNA whilst trying to secure a decent job with a decent sized company based on your existng degree. Many of the bigger companies may well fund a Masters down the road if the see real potential in you as a long term investment, that way you get much needed experience as well as furthering your academic development and qualifications.

Not knowing were you live though, I do not know what opportunites would be available to you and it maybe that those opportunities would not be available to you, if that were the case I would still advocate the CCNA as a starting point, and maybe look for a lower level post, once you have gained some practical work experience in your field and gained your CCNA that should open the door for further higher level opportunities. It's a very competative world in this field, there are many others that I am sure are equally good technically with my daughter but where she felt she was particularily strong was in the selection and interview processes where "people" skills count for a lot, she has been fortunate because of my background to have lived in many different countries during her 22 years and has come into contact with many different cultures, this has helped her mature and given her some perspective socially.
 
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If it's something you're serious about doing and have a bit of cash lying about build yourself a network 'lab'.

If you're strapped for cash it doesn't have to be expensive, pick up some cheap computer parts to act as a server, it doesn't have to have double figure gigs of ram and the latest Xeon server processor, something with a single or dual core processor and a gig or 2 of RAM should be fine for something small scale and if possible a good network card. Get a router and/or switch and hook it together with the computer you're working on.

Pick a server OS to test with (ubuntu server apparently has a large community to help out, i'm not saying it's the best either but it's free), set up your server so that it deals with DHCP, create a domain and a domain controller, use directory services in the form of Active Directory or Samba. Create a mail server or a website and buy a cheap domain name or a free one if you can find somewhere to get one. Set up DNS if you have a static IP or look into Dynamic DNS if you dont. Set up wireshark to monitor your network and understand what it's trying to tell you.

I'm not saying you HAVE to do this, i'm saying you COULD do this because it's entirely up to you, but that's if you're interested to get into networking and want to learn about it. Hell you probably know more than me (not very hard :laugh:) but networking as a subject is massive and you just need to find parts of it that you enjoy.

Ramble over :D

Seany
 

v12dock

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Go find a small church or school and volunteer to be a "network administrator" for them. That is how I started out.
 
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