Network engineers provide expertise in an important aspect of any business that uses a network of computers to communicate. This can be found in any office setting or companies with multiple terminals such as a nuclear power plant or waste water treatment facility. Their skills are very similar to that of an information technology specialist.
The position of network engineer is vital to the success and everyday activity of businesses where employees use computers on a technological network to communicate with one another. If there is ever an issue with the network, which is common, the network engineer must use their knowledge of computers, networks, and programming language as quickly as possible to fix the issue and prevent it from happening again. Many places of employment only require one network engineer on staff while others work with teams of techs in the same position. They generally report to an information technology director or, in the case of smaller businesses, to the general manager or vice president of the business. One perk of being a network engineer is that many businesses like to use their own unique network design, and the network engineer is the one who can design it. This enables them to think creatively and use their own ingenuity.
Network engineers typically work in office settings. Some work on site but some are able to work remotely from their own computer via the network they engineer. Working hours may vary. Some work Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Others may work after hours in the evening or even overnight when certain issues must be handled while nobody else is on the network. There are occasions where some work over the weekend as well. Requirements for being a network engineer are a bachelor's degree in computer science or information technology.
Network engineers are basically the behind-the-scenes guide for computer systems and networks running properly in any business that uses them. Without their expertise, businesses would not be able to work nearly as efficiently. They hold a unique understanding for networks and the languages they are written in that few people fully understand.
Network Engineer Tasks
- Providing tier 4 support and network disaster recovery expertise.
- Test and document system behavior, performance, and security.
- Plan, design, and troubleshoot local and wide area network infrastructure, including routers, firewalls, switches, gateways, DNS servers, DHCP servers, clustering solutions, and related hardware, software, and services.
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