Site Navigation.Training.About the School of Health Sciences.Training.About the School of Nursing. You’ve always had a solid understanding of how computers work and are your family’s go-to for dealing with technological hiccups—even the imagined ones ( “Have you tried plugging in the printer first, Mom?”). But now that it’s time to start thinking about your professional future, it seems only natural to consider a career in information technology. Under the umbrella of IT roles, one role in particular stands out: network administrator.But what does a network administrator do?
Despite your general tech know-how, there’s a lot about this role you may not be familiar with. In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on this important, behind-the-scenes tech position that keeps businesses and organizations running smoothly. What exactly is a network administrator?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 may trip you up: systems administrator. So, is a network administrator the same thing as a systems administrator?In short—not really.
But the lines can blur depending on the work environment. Careers in IT can sometimes take a page from the rules of Whose Line Is It, Anyway?—“Where the titles don’t matter and the duties are made up!” While that’s clearly a bit of an exaggeration, in many smaller organizations, the terms “network administrator” and “systems administrator” are often interchangeable as they 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. What are the job duties of network and systems administrators?As we said, the duties of a network administrator will vary considerably depending on the organization they work for. Some work as broad, jack-of-all-trades generalists who cover everything from hardware setup to troubleshooting servers while others have a much narrower focus.Here are some sample network and systems administrator job duties.
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Network Administrator Job Description TemplateOur company is looking to hire a Network Administrator who will be responsible for managing the daily operations of our computer networks. You will be in charge of overseeing digital security and performing maintenance to ensure that the system is operating at full capacity. You will also be tasked with installing hardware and software when necessary.A Bachelor's degree in IT or Computer Science is needed for you to be considered as a candidate. To be successful in this role, a strong understanding of network infrastructure and the ability to administer and troubleshoot network devices are needed.
Main responsibilities-Job Description Network Manager. Responsible for negotiating any changes to networks and connectivity service level agreements required by the organisation and ensuring that these are met including signing-off any changes required to the service being delivered and agreeing the associated capital and revenue expenditure. Responsible for on-site and off-site data centers. Manage and ensure optimal operation of all network hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, hubs, UPSs, and so on. Manage and ensure effectiveness of security solutions, including firewalls, anti-virus solutions, and intrusion detection systems.