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Systems admins experienced installing, maintaining, troubleshooting Linux, MacOS and Windows systems e.g. MS Azure, Active Directory (DNS, DHCP, Group Policy). Find Networking / System Admin WFH freelancers on January 21, 2025 who work remotely. Read less
Networking engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining network infrastructures. Here are 20 core skills they should possess, along with their relation to networking principles and examples of software and hardware usage:
1. Network Design
Principle: Understanding network topologies, scalability, and redundancy.
Software: Cisco Packet Tracer, GNS3 for simulation.
Hardware: Fiber optics, switches, routers for physical implementation.
2. IP Addressing and Subnetting
Principle: Efficient use of IP addresses, understanding CIDR, VLSM.
Software: IP Calculator tools online or within network management software like SolarWinds.
Hardware: Relevant for configuring routers and network devices.
3. Routing Protocols
Principle: Knowledge of OSPF, BGP, EIGRP for path determination.
Software: Network simulators like Cisco VIRL for testing configurations.
Hardware: Cisco, Juniper routers where these protocols are implemented.
4. Switching
Principle: VLANs, STP, inter-VLAN routing for network segmentation and loop prevention.
Software: Cisco IOS for configuration.
Hardware: Managed switches from Cisco, HP, or Juniper.
5. Network Security
Principle: Security protocols like SSL/TLS, understanding firewalls, VPNs.
Software: Firewalls like pfSense, Cisco ASA, or network security tools like Wireshark for packet analysis.
Hardware: Firewalls, secure routers, and VPN concentrators.
6. Wireless Networking
Principle: WiFi standards, SSID management, WPA3 security.
Software: Ekahau for Wi-Fi planning, Cisco Prime for management.
Hardware: Wireless access points, controllers (e.g., Cisco Meraki).
7. Load Balancing
Principle: Distributing network traffic across multiple servers or paths.
Software: HAProxy, Nginx for software solutions; F5 for dedicated hardware.
Hardware: Load balancers from companies like F5 or Citrix.
8. Network Performance Analysis
Principle: Understanding throughput, latency, packet loss.
Software: PRTG, Nagios for monitoring; iPerf for testing.
Hardware: Network taps or SPAN ports for capturing data.
9. DNS Management
Principle: Domain name resolution, DNSSEC for security.
Software: BIND, Microsoft DNS Server, or cloud services like AWS Route 53.
Hardware: DNS servers can be specialized hardware or run on general-purpose servers.
10. DHCP Configuration
Principle: Dynamic IP address assignment.
Software: ISC DHCP, Microsoft DHCP server.
Hardware: Servers configured for DHCP services.
11. Network Troubleshooting
Principle: Systematic problem-solving, understanding network layers.
Software: Wireshark for packet analysis, ping/traceroute for basic diagnostics.
Hardware: Use of cable testers, loopback plugs for physical checks.
12. Cloud Networking
Principle: Virtual networks, VPCs, hybrid cloud connectivity.
Software: AWS VPC, Azure Virtual Network, or Google Cloud networking tools.
Hardware: Cloud infrastructure generally abstracts hardware, but understanding underlying network hardware is beneficial.
13. Quality of Service (QoS)
Principle: Traffic prioritization for bandwidth management.
Software: Configurations within Cisco IOS or Juniper Junos.
Hardware: Routers, switches with QoS capabilities.
14. Network Virtualization
Principle: SDN, VXLAN for creating overlay networks.
Software: VMware NSX, Cisco ACI.
Hardware: Physical switches supporting virtualization or dedicated SDN hardware.
15. MPLS
Principle: Multi-Protocol Label Switching for traffic engineering.
Software: Configuration tools in network devices' OS.
Hardware: MPLS-capable routers from vendors like Cisco, Juniper.
16. Network Automation
Principle: Scripting for configuration management, automating network tasks.
Software: Ansible, Python with Netmiko, or Cisco DNA Center.
Hardware: Automation can manage any network device with an API or CLI.
17. IPv6
Principle: Understanding the next generation IP protocol.
Software: DHCPv6 servers, tunneling protocols.
Hardware: Modern network devices with IPv6 support.
18. Network Documentation
Principle: Keeping accurate records for maintenance and troubleshooting.
Software: NetBox, Visio for diagrams, or Confluence for documentation.
Hardware: Not directly related, but essential for managing hardware inventory.
19. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)
Principle: For inter-domain routing, essential for internet service providers.
Software: BGP simulation in GNS3 or actual configuration in router OS.
Hardware: Routers at the edge of networks, particularly in ISPs.
20. Content Delivery Networks (CDN)
Principle: Reducing latency, distributing content globally.
Software: Cloudflare, Akamai, or custom CDN solutions.
Hardware: Edge servers and caches, often managed by third-party providers.
These skills allow networking engineers to ensure networks are efficient, secure, scalable, and reliable. Each skill intersects with various networking principles, requiring both a deep understanding of theoretical concepts and practical application through specific software and hardware. The integration of these skills helps in building networks that meet business needs while adapting to technological advancements.
Cloud engineers play a pivotal role in enhancing productivity and reducing costs for organizations by leveraging cloud technologies. Here's how they accomplish this:
== Improving Productivity: ==
Automation and Orchestration:
Explanation: Cloud engineers automate repetitive tasks using tools like Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, or Azure Resource Manager, which speeds up deployment, scaling, and management of resources.
Impact: Automation reduces manual errors, speeds up processes, and frees IT staff to focus on more strategic tasks, thereby increasing productivity.
Scalability:
Explanation: Cloud environments allow resources to be scaled up or down based on demand (autoscaling). Engineers configure systems to automatically adjust capacity for peak loads or scale down during low usage.
Impact: This ensures that applications can handle high traffic without performance degradation, enhancing user experience and productivity.
DevOps Integration:
Explanation: By integrating cloud services into DevOps practices, engineers facilitate continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), making development cycles faster and more efficient.
Impact: This leads to quicker market entry for new features and fixes, boosting productivity in software development teams.
Collaboration Tools:
Explanation: Cloud platforms provide or integrate with collaboration tools like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams, allowing for real-time collaboration across different geographies.
Impact: Teams can work together more effectively, reducing delays and improving project turnaround times.
Access to Advanced Technologies:
Explanation: Cloud services offer access to cutting-edge technologies like AI/ML, big data analytics, and IoT without the need for significant upfront investment in hardware.
Impact: This allows businesses to innovate faster, leading to productivity gains in product development and service offerings.
== Saving Costs: ==
Pay-as-you-go Model:
Explanation: Cloud engineers design systems to take advantage of the pay-per-use model of cloud services, where you only pay for what you use.
Impact: This avoids the cost of over-provisioning and reduces capital expenditure on hardware.
Resource Optimization:
Explanation: Through monitoring and management tools like AWS CloudWatch or Azure Monitor, engineers can analyze usage patterns and optimize resources.
Impact: This leads to better resource allocation, reducing waste and thus lowering operational costs.
Cost Management Tools:
Explanation: Use of AWS Cost Explorer, Google Cloud's Cost Management, or Azure Cost Management to track and forecast spending, identifying cost-saving opportunities.
Impact: These tools allow for proactive cost management, helping to cut unnecessary expenses.
Serverless Architectures:
Explanation: Implementing serverless solutions like AWS Lambda or Azure Functions means no need to manage servers, only paying for the compute time used.
Impact: This significantly reduces costs associated with server management, maintenance, and scaling.
Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Strategies:
Explanation: Cloud engineers can design architectures that use multiple cloud providers or combine cloud with on-premises solutions for optimal cost-efficiency.
Impact: This approach can leverage the best pricing or features from different providers, preventing vendor lock-in and reducing costs by choosing economical options for different workloads.
Data Storage Optimization:
Explanation: Engineers choose appropriate storage types (like object, block, or archival) and implement data lifecycle policies to move data to less expensive storage tiers when not in active use.
Impact: Efficient data management reduces storage costs significantly, especially for large datasets.
Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity:
Explanation: Cloud-based DR solutions can be less costly than traditional methods since they don't require duplicating entire data centers.
Impact: Organizations save on hardware and infrastructure costs while ensuring business continuity.
Energy Efficiency:
Explanation: Cloud providers operate at scale, often using more energy-efficient systems and renewable energy sources.
Impact: This can lower the carbon footprint and energy costs compared to maintaining in-house data centers.
Negotiating Contracts:
Explanation: Knowledgeable cloud engineers can negotiate better terms, reserved instances, or spot instances for substantial savings.
Impact: Long-term commitments or using less predictable but cheaper compute resources can lead to significant cost reductions.
By combining these strategies, cloud engineers not only make organizations more productive but also ensure that the financial benefits of cloud computing are fully realized. However, these benefits require continuous monitoring, optimization, and adaptation to new cloud offerings and pricing models to maintain cost-efficiency and productivity gains.
Networking Engineers and System Administrators (SysAdmins) share several technical skills due to the overlapping nature of their roles in managing IT infrastructure. However, their primary focus areas differ, leading to some distinct skills as well. Here's how these roles intersect and diverge:
== Common Technical Skills: ==
Operating System Management:
Both: Proficiency in managing various operating systems like Windows, Linux, or Unix. They need to configure, update, and troubleshoot OS-related issues.
Networking Basics:
Both: Understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, subnetting, and routing protocols (like OSPF, BGP). Both need to ensure network connectivity and manage network services.
Security Practices:
Both: Knowledge of network security, including firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection systems, and basic security policies. They work to secure systems from unauthorized access and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Troubleshooting:
Both: Skills in diagnosing and resolving hardware and software issues, often requiring them to use tools like Wireshark for network analysis or log analysis for system problems.
Scripting and Automation:
Both: Using scripts (Bash, PowerShell, Python) to automate tasks, manage configurations, or monitor systems. Automation is key for scalability and efficiency.
Backup and Recovery:
Both: Implementing and managing data backup solutions, ensuring data integrity, and being capable of disaster recovery processes.
Monitoring and Performance Tuning:
Both: Use of monitoring tools like Nagios, Zabbix, or Prometheus to watch system and network health, optimizing performance based on metrics.
Virtualization:
Both: Knowledge of virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM) for creating and managing virtual environments.
Documentation:
Both: Creating and maintaining documentation for network configurations, system setups, and procedures for future reference or compliance.
== Differences in Skills: ==
Networking Engineers:
Network Design and Architecture:
Focus: Designing network layouts, choosing appropriate hardware, and ensuring network scalability and resilience.
Skills: Deep understanding of network topologies, MPLS, SDN, and network segmentation strategies.
Advanced Routing and Switching:
Focus: Configuring complex routing protocols, VLANs, and ensuring optimal network traffic flow.
Skills: Expertise in Cisco IOS, Juniper Junos, load balancing, and QoS configurations.
Network Security at Scale:
Focus: Securing networks at an enterprise level, dealing with network-wide security policies, and managing large-scale firewalls or intrusion prevention systems.
WAN and Internet Connectivity:
Focus: Managing leased lines, BGP peering, and ensuring robust internet or WAN connectivity.
System Administrators:
Server Management:
Focus: Installing, configuring, and maintaining servers (file servers, application servers, web servers).
Skills: Server hardware knowledge, OS installation, patch management, and server-side application management.
User and Group Management:
Focus: Managing user accounts, permissions, and group policies, especially in environments like Active Directory.
Application Support:
Focus: Ensuring applications run smoothly on servers, managing application dependencies, and sometimes developing or customizing scripts to support these applications.
Storage Management:
Focus: Configuring and managing storage solutions like SAN, NAS, or cloud storage, ensuring data availability and integrity.
System Integration:
Focus: Integrating different systems, ensuring compatibility, and managing middleware or interfaces between applications.
== Overlap and Collaboration: ==
Both roles often work together in:
- Infrastructure Projects: Where network expansion affects system capacity or where system demands dictate network improvements.
- Security Incidents: Responding to breaches or threats that span both network and system levels.
Performance Optimization: Where network speed can impact system performance or vice versa.
In summary, while there's significant overlap in foundational skills, Networking Engineers tend to focus more on the transport layer of IT infrastructure, dealing with how data moves between systems, whereas System Administrators concentrate on the systems themselves, managing how data is stored, processed, and accessed once it reaches its destination. Both roles require a broad understanding of IT, but their day-to-day tasks and specialized knowledge diverge based on their primary responsibilities.
