How to Become a Network Administrator

A network administrator is an important part of any company or organization that has a computer network. Often referred to as a Systems Administrator or Network Engineer, when you obtain this kind of job in the administrative field, your work will be what keeps the company operating. This is because it will be your responsibility to keep the hardware and software working so that the rest of the personnel can do their jobs. You need to have the knowledge necessary to install and deploy the equipment and then maintain it through daily monitoring. You will also need to know about security features and protocols, how to assign email addresses for the staff as well as determining how they access the network.

In order to become a network administrator, you need to have extensive training. If you already know this is the type of administrative job you want to have, when you enter university you can take the coursework that will lead to a Bachelor of Computer Science. If not, if you have a Bachelor’s degree with a high grade point average, you can take post-secondary studies in Information Technology. At the entry level, you will start off in a junior position and then as you gain experience you can move up through the levels to become a Networking Technician and then a Senior Administrator.

Other qualifications you will need to obtain a position as a network administrator is certification through various computer courses. One of the first certificates you should have is that of a Microsoft technician. Other certificates in clued A+, C++, Java and certification in several computer languages. You will need to know HTML code and be able to write the necessary programs for the system. The main focus of your job will be to ensure that the system and all the computers in the company are running and stable at all times. A break in one part of the system will affect all other operations. You will have to be able to diagnose the problems and know how to do the necessary repairs. In all companies, whether they are large or small, security is a high priority to protect the company information, that of the staff and of the customers. This requires careful monitoring.



You can work in a variety of settings as a network administrator. Once companies and organizations install a network system, they need a person with your skills to maintain it for them. Depending on the size of the company, you may have to travel from one location to another or you may work in a large building. Some network administrators can manage everything from their office or even their home and be able to instruct others in how to solve the various problems that arise.

The salary you can receive as a network administrator is high as compared to other jobs in the administrative field. There is also a growing demand for people in this profession all over the country and overseas. It is one area of information technology that is attracting a large number of students in college and university courses.