What a network person does ?

diablo911

Just curious for any input, i know that allot of the jobs i see vary in what they want from a person which is way to much information/ skills for me to take in so i narrowed down by interest. Cisco configuration is the main thing i want to peruse despite thats a small small portion of my studies, i try to learn linux and python on the side. But the main question is what would be a typical day for someone thats a networker. I hope is doesnt involve sitting all day cause that in itself would be a nightmare for me. iv always been a hands on / throw on my gear and move out type of person.

TrunksXV

For a network administrator, its kinda like something you would see in a help desk position, except you only take calls from the people who require assistance in updating or modifying how the network will operate in a business environment. I did something similar in my first help desk position. I would tell some clients over the phone that it was time to update their software, even though the software in question still worked the other day. So being a network administrator is kinda like help desk only there are fewer clients and the network is much more specialized in nature.

Take mobile devices for example, as a network administrator you would also have to take into account the mobile devices that are accessing the network and all the potential security doors that could be opened inadvertently. So the best way to describe it is that your the jock in a radio station.

The radio station is automated, but you're there to make sure it runs. Although System Admins are becoming more and more specialized, because of the types of networks that need to be administered. So that's a bit of a picture of what it looks like. But one thing that doesn't go away in any tech role, you need to be able to work with a lot of different people and be a patient listener to what their needs are, and you also have to take into consideration that sometimes they may or may not know what they are talking about, when you do know what your talking about. That's the picture I can paint for your question.

sephiroth66

To add to Trunks description, I would say it depends on the size of the organization and how specialized they let you be. 

I currently work as a Network Systems Admin, and its pretty much a mixture of everything. The company I work for likes to keep a small tight-nit IT group so we don't get the chance to specialize very much. My typical day can be anything from troubleshooting a server/network issue to taking a call about someone needing a website unblocked from the webfilter. 

I would love to be in switches and routers all day, but the reality is that once you get them configured there is very little daily tasks that require a trip to the CLI. You are mainly there to keep "the machine" running so-to-speak.