Network Engineering

A network engineer is a technology professional who is highly skilled in maintaining the connectivity of networks in terms of data, voice, calls, videos and wireless network services. These network engineers are also referred to as network architects.Our Network engineering description includes being accountable for formulating, implementing and executing the entirety of computer networks within an organization.

Additionally, our network engineering description addresses their role making sure all the systems are functioning properly as intended. The fundamental goal of a network engineer is to provide maximum network infrastructure, security and performance to the end users. Depending on an organization’s requirement or network complexity, the organization will sometimes have global network engineers across countries who take care of technological advancements throughout the firm. This international web of engineers proves cost-effective for the organization while also meeting needs for users and the business.

A network engineer is required to have the necessary skills to plan, implement and oversee the computer networks that support in-house voice, data, videos and wireless network services.

The virtualized network poses challenges to network management systems and as more hardware components are virtualized, that challenge becomes even greater.

Often the job titles, network engineer and network administrator are used interchangeably, which can confuse people. However, a networking engineer usually has more executive responsibilities than a network administrator does.

The engineering side of things tends to deal more with planning, design and technical specifications, whereas the administration side of things deals mostly with day-to-day maintenance, management and troubleshooting efforts.

Computer network engineers have computer science as a common major. Network engineers focus on delivering high-availability network infrastructure to sustain the online and on-site information technology activities of users. In addition to technical skills, network engineers need analytical skills, leadership skills and organizational skills.

The network engineer salary ranges from $46,500 to more than $115,000 annually, depending upon skills and experience. The first and most direct way to get a job working as a network engineer is to do some self-study and get vendor certifications, such as becoming a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

The top five Networking Certifications are CCIE, CCNP, JNCIE-ENT, CompTIA Network+, and WCNA.

Responsibilities of a Network Engineer

Network engineering remains one of the top technology fields in today’s job market. Within network engineering a wide variety of positions exist, providing plenty of opportunity for growth, transition and increased challenges within the field. Our network engineering description includes the below responsibilities.

Key ResponsibilitiesPlan for new initiatives and expand the existing network infrastructure.Provide consistent solutions based on issues like traffic congestion, infrastructure upgrades and routine troubleshooting.Document solutions/blueprints for any network related issues.Install any hardware or software, create back-ups for all the systems and monitor the system performance.

In this digital world, technology has grown tremendously, which means the demand for network engineers is huge. There are a multitude of network engineer jobs available in the marketplace, where companies are looking for skilled, talented and certified professionals who can work with their specific project needs. Depending on the company and the project, the role of a network engineer varies.

The network engineering description varies with the company’s requirements. Skills and experience are typically required for these network engineer jobs. Different types and positions within network engineering include: network technician, network analyst, wireless network engineer, network security engineer, network administrator, network manager.

Each position has a different network engineering description and engineers who want to apply for these job roles should have special skills and qualifications for the position.

It’s no surprise given the demand for network engineers, that the network engineer salary varies with different factors like a company, job role, job difficulty, experience, and location. The starting network engineer salary goes around $47K to $58K whereas the median network engineer salary goes around $59K to $71K per annum and the highest network engineer salary is around $86K.

People often confuse the terms network engineer and network administrator by using them interchangeably. Since both of the terms belong to the same background but have some differences in their job roles, let’s have a quick look at what distinguishes them from each other.

A network engineer designs and develops both the physical and wireless networks, whereas a network administrator is responsible for maintaining the network once it is developed.A network engineer troubleshoots network problems and a network administrator implements security programs with hardware and software.For a network engineer, a B.S or M.S in Computer Science, engineering or programming is required. However, for a network administrator, many organizations prefer a degree and additional certifications in programs such as Cisco, Juniper, Microsoft, and Red Hat

Before you get into the computer networking industry, you should know what area you want to specialize in. Networking alone is a huge industry. There are many specialties you can concentrate in. Some concentration options include practical experience in security, server administration, WAN (Wide Area Network) monitoring, NOC (Network operation center) checking, work area organization, and even cabling and equipment installation, such as, switches and enterprise routers. It’s important to choose what interests you to ensure that you don’t burn out.

Network Engineering can certainly be self-taught. You can begin with a CCNA Home Lab, for instance, for a couple of hundred dollars. However, if you are just beginning, looking into professional schools, colleges, or online training that offer a specialization in networking would be beneficial. You can get the standard education as an undergraduate in Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Whichever education choice you pick, simply ensure the organization has the correct classes that help you learn the trade.