The field of network and system administration is a vast one, and several types of job positions exist in it, each with different potential for career growth and average salaries. However, many of the smaller companies try to fulfill multiple roles with one individual employee. On top of that, many positions also have misleading names, leading to confusion among employees. Here is a heads up on the most significant positions that exist in network and system administration.
Positions available in network administration
Network Administrator – It is their responsibility to manage both local and wide area networks. They configure network settings, monitor network problems, carry out troubleshooting, and work on providing adequate security to users connected to the network. They are also expected to know about configuring operating systems, routers, firewalls, switches and other networking equipment.
Network Engineer – Engineers have duties quite similar to those of network administrators. In fact, some organizations even use the two titles interchangeably, stating that it is difficult to separate the two positions. However, the network engineers are supposed to focus more on the upgrading of systems, testing for loopholes in network security, and evaluating third party networking tools and utilities.
Network Technician – They have to work on the setting up and troubleshooting of hardware and software components of a company network. Technicians also have to repair malfunctioning components. They may have to travel to clients’ offices in order to provide on site support. Some of the smaller companies try to get this type of work done by their system or network administrators.
Network Programmer/Analyst – They are mainly programmers who excel in scripting. It is their job to write programs or scripts that facilitate monitoring of network activities, and execution of diagnostic procedures. They also evaluate third party software tools and utilities and provide feedback on whether the respective utilities are worth purchasing.
Network Managers – Their responsibilities comprise supervision of the work of engineers, technicians, programmers, and administrators. Additionally, any plans made regarding system or network upgrades must be sanctioned by the managers before those are sent to the higher level management.
Positions available in system administration
System Administrator – They have to carry out tasks similar to those of the network administrators, but at a system level only. That includes checking systems (workstations and servers) for loopholes in security protocols, documenting configurations of workstations and changes in the same and troubleshooting problems with hardware and software components of systems. System administrators are expected to be well-versed in different operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Linux/ UNIX, and Novell Netware.
System Engineer – The demand for suitably qualified employees is probably the highest in this field. System engineers bear the responsibility of turning the clients’ abstract requirements into tangible reality. They understand the client’s expectations from the new system and devise ways to provide those functionalities as efficiently as possible. The work of engineers is perhaps one of the most difficult, as they have to visualize the system even before it is set up, and also have to visualize problems that could occur with the system once it is set up. Not surprisingly, this is one of the highest paid positions available in the IT industry.
These are the most significant job positions available in the fields of network and system administration. For an inexperienced candidate, the requirements for many of the above positions can seem to be quite intimidating. However, there can be no doubt that good educational qualification, solid set of relevant skills and some amount of hands-on training and job experience should let anyone ace the job interview without much difficulty.
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