What they do

While we know that big corporations are dependent on robust, reliable connectivity, even local mom and pop shops and growing start-ups in rural areas can’t live without their broadband. And in each of these places, it is broadband network operations engineers who design, implement, and maintain data communications networks—and troubleshoot them when they go down.

 

How they can help

Unlike other technician-type broadband personnel (ones who lay fiber, for example) these engineers not only understand the technical capabilities and limitations of the equipment, but they also have a clear idea of their companies’ needs and business goals. They understand which departments have the most complex technical needs, who needs the most storage, what equipment—phones, computers, routers, servers, and both intra- and extranet—each needs. Bearing all this in mind, they develop custom network designs, investigate new technologies (when old ones no longer suffice), monitor current performance and make adjustments to optimize, and work with management to change network options as business goals evolve.

 

What tools they can use

As noted, their technical capabilities are only half of what makes great network operations engineers. They need to have firewall management skills—but also be able to communicate concerns to leadership. They must understand network security and system design—and also be able to juggle multiple priorities at once. Their “toolbox” can really be broken down into soft and hard skills:

 

Soft skills: Problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, understanding of standard business processes

Hard skills: SolarWind’s toolset, PRTG,Wireshark, Nmap, Ping, and Putty

 

How they got there

To say that the experience and education required to do this job is commensurate with the big time salaries that come with it is an understatement. While some find their way to this occupation through similar jobs in IT, network operations engineers almost always start with an undergraduate degree in computer science, IT, or engineering; these provide foundational knowledge and a big picture understanding of networks as a whole. As technologies evolve, however, many engineers also obtain certifications in new methods (such as Cisco, AWS, and cloud computing certs like CompTIA Cloud Essentials+).

 

Interested in becoming a network engineer? Coursera offers certs in Network Security and for IT Support Professionals.