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Computer Network Certification
Computer networking is viewed by many as one of the "hottest" career fields available today. A serious deficit of skilled people to fill these positions is said to exist, and these claims have lured some people into the fray hoping for an easily obtainable position with a fast-growing company.
Don't be fooled by the hype! Serious debates around the actual depth of any "shortages" set aside, networking consists of hard technical work, and the competition for high paid positions is quite strong.
Job Titles
Several varieties of jobs exist in computer networking. Each has different salary ranges as well as long-term potential, and a person should obtain a clear understanding of these differences. Job titles in Information Technology (IT) generally can be misleading and frequently lead to confusion among both beginners and experienced industry professionals alike. Vague or overly sensational titles often fall short of describing the actual work done by a person in this field.
The most basic job titles for networking and networking-related positions include:
- Network Administrator
- Network (Service) Technician
- Network (Systems) Engineer
- Network/Information Systems Manager
- Network Programmer/Analyst
Comparing Roles and Responsibilities
For the most part, Network Administrators manage and configure Local and Wide-Area Networks (LANs and WANs). The duties of administrators can be quite detailed and specific, and often very intimidating.
A Network Engineer’s job often varies little from that of a Network Administrator. One company could use one title while another uses the other title to refer to the same position. Many companies will use the two titles interchangeably. Companies that make a distinction between the titles usually designate that administrators focus primarily on the day-to-day operation of networks, while network engineers deal primarily with system upgrades, security testing, and so on.
A Network Technician will deal more with network setup, repair, and troubleshooting, as well as that of specific software and hardware products. Service Technicians will often travel to remote customer sites to administer in-field support and upgrades.
Network Programmer/Analysts write scripts or programs to aid in network access, analysis, and diagnostics or monitoring. The programmer/analyst also specializes in third-party products evaluation and integrating new technologies into an existing network as well as building new network environments.
Network Managers oversee the work of administrators, engineers, technicians, and programmer/analysts. Network IS Managers also deal with long-range strategy and planning considerations.
Average Salaries for networking positions is contingent on numerous factors including local market conditions, the hiring organization, a person's experience and skill level, and so forth.
Certifications
Network managers and administrators have grown very fond of certifications such as Microsoft MCSE and Cisco CCNA networking based certifications. For the most part, in order to gain and maintain a certification a candidate must pass a lengthy initial exam, and then pass re-certification exams at regular intervals. Re-certification exams are usually required every 2-3 years. A candidate may choose between enrolling in a training course for the exam or self-study preparation. Taking the certification exam requires paying a testing fee of $100 to $300, however many employers will reimburse their employees for this cost.
Certifications are designed to give you credit for a certain time of industry experience. Some certification programs will even make recommendations as to this. Typically one to two years of prior experience is needed for entry-level certifications. In reality, experience is recommended, not required. Some people have levied criticism on the entry-level exams for being too easy to pass without previous hands-on experience.
Which certification is best depends on the candidate’s individual interests and the preferences of employers. Many ambitious networking students avoid this problem by obtaining multiple certifications. Remember however, that certifications are an incomplete substitute for actual experience and formal education.
Many larger companies provide their employees with ongoing training opportunities. The company will sometimes design their own courses or will bring in a specialized company to perform the training. These training courses are often designed around a specific product technology or tool. Sometimes company training will focus on the specific information needed to pass a particular certification exam. It may be preferable for the entry-level networking candidate to focus on general technologies at the beginning rather than certifications, as their company may prefer to train their employees in-house.
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