What Is Network Administration?
A Network Administrator is also called a network analyst or a network engineer. This is a person charged with the responsibility to maintain network systems and their components.
The work of such an administrator, in a more specific sense is to diagnose and correct any problems to do with devices on a computer network.Other tasks, generally, may include the configuration of network devices and systems, deploying and installing network equipment and monitoring the performance of computer networks.
Network information technologies in organizations may extend from Local Area Networks to Wide Area Networks, Intranet and even Internet. The administrator will therefore be responsible for a reliable, efficient and secure data communication on these networks.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Network Administrator
In most organizations, details provided in network administrator job description put the holder of that position at the top or close to the top of the organization’s administration. The administrator is likely to be at the top or near the top of the support staff line of operations. The following are the tasks of a network administrator:- Troubleshooting network errors
- Updating network systems with relevant hardware and software
- Carrying out repairs on computers and other devices on a network
- Design of filing systems on a network as required by the organization
- Maintaining the intranet of a company – intranets are vital in organizations because it is on them that a company’s most important data is stored, transferred and shared. Managing the intranet of a company is therefore one of the most important areas of a network administrator’s job.
- Configuring security parameters of the network to protect it from external attacks and virus threats
- Monitoring the use of a company’s network by employees
- Customization of networks to individual company needs
- Issuing employees rights of access to the network, and sometimes delimiting network access or action levels they can execute.
Educational Qualifications of Network Administrators
Network administrators are usually required to have strong backgrounds in Mathematics, general sciences, computer science and adequate experience working with computers at the user level and diagnostic levels. The qualifications might vary a little bit but the general qualifications are as follows:- College degree in systems science, computer science, math or engineering (this is not a major requirement but it is advised for the purpose of advancement)
- Knowledge and certifications on operating systems such as Linux, Microsoft Windows, Unix, Novell and any other major operating systems
- Microsoft certification on network systems engineering
- Knowledge on IP/TCP protocols including DNS and DHCP – there are colleges that specialize in training on network systems and provide certifications for skills on networking protocols
- Training on Cisco systems and its certifications might also be relevant depending on the network platform a company is using
What are the Other Desirable Skills and Qualifications?
- Logical thinking skills
- Organizational skills
- Effective communication ability, which is important because you will be required to communicate complex and sometimes unfamiliar ideas to colleagues and ensure they understand.
- Knowledge on SQL
- Database security
- Technical documentation abilities
- Knowledge on data systems
Salary Estimates of Network Administrators
Salaries will vary according to a number of things such as the network administrator’s specific job description, years of experience, nature of the job- whether hourly or fixed and so on.Whereas the job has good rewards, the work itself can be quite challenging, as you might have to work for long hours at times in order to solve network issues. Concisely, the salary estimates of a network administrator in the United States are
- About $69,160 a year for the median earners
- Between $53,000 and $88,000 a year for the middle 50 percentile earners
- About $42,000 a year for the lowest 10 percent, and
- About $108,000 every year for the highest 10% earners
The most experienced ones are likely to work at the senior levels. The number of hours you will be expected to work as a network administrator are also likely to reflect on your salary, especially if the organization you are working for employs staff and pays them on an hourly basis.