Career as Computer Network Engineer
Computer Network Engineer is the backbone of an organization’s entire IT system. He is the person who designs, improves and troubleshoots various computer networks for an organization depending upon its nature and needs. He is the person who creates and implements physical as well as wireless networks, manages them as well as ensures proper functionality. In some contexts, he is called a network architect or network engineer. With the increase in the size of the organization and with the growing needs of the IT industry, networking has become a vital part of any sector.Network Engineers have to work along with developers, know some coding and function towards achieving a single outcome. The Network engineering field is expected to gain momentum in the coming years as there is a considerable increase in cloud computing storage, Network design based on the apps, and new protocols that support the cloud infrastructure.
- About Computer Network Engineer :
- Job Profile |
- How do I get there?
Job Profile
A Network Engineers’ duties include designing, maintaining and administering the organization’s networks. He has to maintain the smooth functioning of the day to day operations of the network monitoring bandwidth and implements new networks if needed. He has to perform disaster recovery operations and backup data whenever required. He is the point of contact for everyone within the establishment as well as the clients, in case of any failure in the functioning of networks.
This is entirely a desk job and the work pressure mounts when an important project is midway and the networks do not perform well. A Network Engineer needs to find an alternative in such cases. Though it is said to be a 9 to 5 job, a network engineer will need to stretch his work time if an issue arises, such as virus-infected networks, IP Address exhaustion, etc. to solve the problems.
The Senior Network Administrator is the most popular job in the hierarchy of networking jobs, as it offers the best salaries in the networking industry. The average salary of a network administrator in India is Rs 7 to 8 lakh per annum.
The different types of specialization in networking are Specialization in Cybersecurity Operations, Network and Security Operations Specialization, and Systems and IT Infrastructure Operations Specialization. The best growth in the individual role in the networking industry is a network engineer. With years of experience, one can expect growth depending upon the nature of the company employed and the job hierarchy. The starting salary of an entry-level role in the networking industry may come to around Rs 2 to 3 lakh annually. It can even reach up to Rs 8 lakh per annum when the candidate reaches the network administrator role through constant skill enhancement and experience.
Future Growth Prospects and How to get there faster
As the networks and systems get more complicated, there is a significant demand for Network Engineers in every sector. This demand is going to increase rapidly in the future as there is a shortage of well-qualified professionals in the industry. As a Network Engineer, one has to upgrade themselves as per the changes in the network infrastructure due to advancement in technology.
Pros and Cons of Computer Network Engineer
Pros
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Challenging Career
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Variety of sectors to which to get employment
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Specialization opportunities
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Expectation of good growth in the career
Cons
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Needs constant upgrade in knowledge and skills
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Work Pressure
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Regular long working hour, stretching beyond office hours
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Work-life Balance is not ensured.
How do I get there?
A student who wants to pursue computer network
engineering as his career can start early. After 10th, he can opt
for Diploma courses in Computer Networking, Diploma in IT and
networking, Diploma in Computer Engineering and networking, etc. He
can also opt for certificate courses provided by CISCO such as
CCNA, CCNP, Certificate in Networking and Ethical Hacking, etc.
These certifications are offered in India by many institutes. Some
consider the eligibility criteria as 10th pass, while others enrol
students after higher secondary or Class XII.
After 12th, a student can join a graduation degree with networking specialization such as B.Sc (Hardware and networking), B.Sc (Networking Technology) BCA (Hardware and networking). If he joins engineering, he can go for B.Tech in Computer Science (Networks and Cyber Security) or B.Tech. in IT and Networking. Simultaneously, they can opt for Diploma courses in Computer Hardware Maintenance, Computer Networking, and Security or Diploma in IT and Networking.
After graduation, many students go in search of job opportunities as a network engineer but the opportunities are quite low. However, after graduation, there are options to dive deeper into the field by opting for a master’s degree in Hardware and networking or M.Sc. in Networking Technology. Engineering graduates can take up M.Tech in IT and Networking, M.Tech in Networking and Cyber Security. There are PG Diplomas in Networking Technology, Hardware and Networking and Advanced Diploma in Networking Technology.
Apart from academic knowledge, a person should have an excellent understanding of networks, network protocols, recent changes in the functioning of systems, troubleshooting skills, etc.
How much does it cost?
What are the Top Colleges where one should be studying to become a Computer Network Engineer?
|
Rank of College as per 2019 |
Name of College, City |
Courses offered |
|
1 |
Indian Institute of Hardware Technology, Bangalore |
IT-IMS, Social, Mobility, Analytics, and Cloud networking |
|
2 |
Aptech Training Institute, Pan India |
Certificate courses in hardware and networking |
|
3 |
Jetking, Mumbai |
Certificate courses in hardware and networking |
|
4 |
Rooman Technologies, Bangalore |
Certificate courses in hardware, networking and internet security |
|
5 |
Avera Academy, Mumbai |
MSCE, CCNA, and Linux Certifications in networking |
|
6 |
Institute of Computer Technology and Engineering, Lucknow |
Cisco Certified Network Professional, MCSA, MCSE, RHCE, RHCT, VPN, and Wi-Fi Networking courses. |
|
7 |
Jasoda Devi College for Computer Hardware and Networking, Jaipur |
Courses in Hardware and Networking |
|
8 |
CSC Computer Education Private Limited, Chennai |
Courses in Hardware and Networking |
Books and other Study Material
Once you have completed the degree or diploma in networking, constant self-study is essential to sustain in this field. Some books which can help you in this regard are:
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Computer Networks by Andrew S. Tanenbaum
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Network Intrusion Detection by Stephen Norcutt & Julie Novak
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Computer Networking: A top-down approach by Kurose and Ross
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TCP/IP Protocol Suite by Behrouz A. Forouzan
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Computer Networks: A System Approach Larry L. Peterson and Bruce S. Davie
What if this career does not work out for me? What are the other options for a person with these credentials?
If the career of network engineers does not work out, there are other options to move on to. Every network engineer would have a background in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Computer Systems Engineering, etc. He/she can easily move in that career path. If they are strong in any programming language like Python, C, Java, etc. they can also prove their expertise in it.
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Content on this page is by Career Expert Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile |