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Network Administrator as a Career Choice?

  • Amruta Bhaskar
  • Sep 23, 2020
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A network administrator is responsible for keeping an organization’s computer network up-to-date and operating as intended. Any company or organization that uses multiple computers or software platforms needs a network admin to coordinate and connect the different systems. Seems simple enough—but there’s another common IT job title that is commonly confused: systems administrator.

Network administrators design, manage and maintain technological networks. They work within organizations and government agencies to oversee local area networks, wide area networks, network segments, and other data communication systems as needed.

Network administrators provide support and oversight alike, working closely with colleagues to explain how to use data storage and communication networks and ensure efficiency. Often part of a larger, computer-related operational staff, network administrators may supervise computer support and computer systems specialists.

Companies and organizations using more than one computer to carry out necessary functions usually employ network administrators. Network administrators make sure computer software and operating systems work properly and stay updated. These professionals oversee the information technology within an organization, serving as the go-to people for a major computer or technical issues.

Network administrators may hold specialized certifications or bachelors or graduate degrees. Professionals in this field earn a generous median annual salary of $82,050, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that they will experience a steady 5% job growth rate in the coming years.

Network administrators acquire hard skills through educational programs and practical experience. With knowledge of network types and functions, these professionals build competencies in programming languages, software and hardware management, and network security. These essential skills allow network administrators to carry out best practices as reliable professionals.

ou may be wondering if a network administrator is essentially the same as a systems administrator. In short—not really. But the lines can blur depending on the work environment. In many smaller organizations, the terms “network administrator” and “systems administrator” are often interchangeable as they may cover the same tasks.

That being said, the differences between network and systems administrators become much clearer in large organizations. The best way to differentiate between the two is to examine the type of work they do—so let’s dive in.

As we said, the duties of a the network administrator will vary considerably depending on the organization they work for. Some work as jack-of-all-trades generalists who cover everything from hardware setup to troubleshooting servers while others have a much narrower focus.

In environments where administrators play more specialized roles, network administrators tend to focus more on how computers interact with one another. This often includes configuring an organization’s local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN) and other elements of a network system. Systems administrators, on the other hand, work more directly with computer hardware and software, including installation, maintenance, data recovery and training on best practices.

Network administrators play an essential role in any organization’s IT department—they keep the technology connecting our devices running securely with minimal downtime. Knowing what a network administrator does is just the start of your IT career search. You’ll also need to know what it takes to become one.

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