Why Do You Enjoy Networking?

IT Pro's,

I have a ? which I would like to ask people who are in or enjoy the networking field.

Why Networking?
Why Do You Enjoy Networking?

Your answers would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

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Comments

GT-Rob

Programming is a bore, and climbing under desks is not for me, and System Admin stuff was never enough of a challenge for me. It was just one of those things that once you started into, there was no turning back.

I like how diverse it is, and things are being added in all the time (wireless, voice, SAN, etc), so there is always going to be a million things more to learn.

NetAdmin2436

I chose the networking field for the chicks

Nah, I always like hooking up audio gear when I was a teenager. Before I began college I had to talk to the counselor. I really didn't know what the difference was between an Network admin, programmer, database admin, etc... I told her my interest is in computers and hooking up multiple devices (like audio equipment) and so she recommended to go into the Networking field. I am glad she recommended networking, I love it

Forsaken_GA

I chose networking so that I could prioritize my WoW traffic over everything else and get rid of those pesky port blocks.

*looks around*

.... what?!

RouteThisWay

Because Networking is what brings everything together

It is what holds everything in IT together. It does everything from file sharing, email, to doing live video conferencing across the planet.

In a more a technical sense, it is what drives me and what I enjoy learning. I also enjoyed programming, but didn't like the tedious nature of it. Sys admin work is a bit... boring to me. Not that there is anything wrong with it, different strokes for different folks.

I am going to take a stab at your motives, and you are considering the networking field of IT... but want to know why others are doing it before you commit yourself to that area of expertise, because you are unsure if you will like it or not. Unfortunately, no one can answer it for you. If you find yourself drawn to it, do it. If not, don't. Don't go by what the job boards say, what tv commericals say, or what the lastest Yahoo HotJobs article says. Or even what posters here say. Find what inspires you and motivates you. Envision yourself in that role 5 years from now, and figure out what you need to do to get there.

For me? I hope to one day move from a support role, into more of a consulting/design role. I want to be the one who designs and implements networks, or upgrades to them. Once I figured out that is what I wanted, I jumped into networking with my Net+ now working on my CCNA, and hope to grow from there.

There is no right path. Only what is right for you

Aldur

I always enjoyed working with computers in highschool and went to college to get a BSCS degree and dabbled some into networking. The program focused mainly in programming, I enjoyed it but it was a little to tedious for me. Although I'm sure I learned some good troubleshooting skills from it. Amoung the networking classes was some CCNA classes, something definitely clicked there and I found that I enjoyed doing this crap

What I like about networking is that any network to me is a massive puzzle that needs putting together. And normally there's never just one correct way to do it. Sure there's times that I'm pulling out my hair trying to figure out a problem or put together a design but 99% of the time I love this work.

Plus the pay ain't bad either

hiddenknight821

I didn't think I would deal with networking field until the end of my senior year in high school when I realized I did not like programming very much, but I can do it. I start to fall in love with computers when I was a junior even though, I did not have a lot of experience with it. I guess it's because of this crappy Compaq PC I had from 1998 that made me become more fond with computers, and I couldn't do a bunch of things on it. It always have problems, and I tried to maintain it as much as I could until I can afford to get a new one. So, after that, I was still learning more about computers. When I take more courses in college, I realized programming and system administration is not something I love to do. At this time, I'm exploring network engineering to see if I really enjoy it.

mikej412

Networking was a means to shuffle code and test data around between my various development systems -- starting with moving code from my home dual floppy 8088 PC Clone to a 3B2-400 at work via modem (the 3B2 was my C: drive).

I still remember spending MEGA$$$$ to get two WD8000 Ethernet network cards (10base2) for home use -- even though Arcnet, Starlan, & Token Ring were still fighting it out at the office and customers, leaving the Thicknet (10base5) backbone for me

. Work did give me Ethernet NICs for my home work UNIX systems.

The 2nd UNIX shop I worked at was also a Novell and Banyan VAR -- so as a programmer I made money by being in the office (or home) programming. And since this was pre-cell phone days, it made me the only person available sometimes to support our customer's and their LANs & WANS & even Servers.

chrisone

I choose networking because doing Server stuff sucks IMO. I enjoy the variety of technologies in networking from wireless, voip, security, routing, switching, etc. Aside from enjoying the technology , I also went with networking because System Support doesnt pay that well anymore lol If i could earn 65 to 70k doing System Support i would leave networking in a heart beat lol

ConstantlyLearning

The chicks.

veritas_libertas

It started for me with Amateur Radio: Packet, Packet BBS systems, A.P.R.S., and now D-Star.

ColbyG

It's what I enjoy most. I started out doing Systems work, which I liked, but after taking a Cisco class it was all over. The things you can do with networks are endless, even when you get to the CCIE, you're still just scratching the surface.

Bl8ckr0uter

It is fun. Network Engineers are the heroes of the Interwebs. I hope to be one of the best one day.

Darthn3ss

I'm weird.

stlsmoore

I took a CCNA course in high school and always thought it was pretty cool seeing the type of equipment used in networking. I also had a strange knack of picking up the subject pretty easily. I was a B+ student but was the top student in my CCNA class, I even competed with another high school for a lab competition!

I lost though because our school was using older equipment and the lab had all new routers with just enough commands to were I couldn't get my lab finished in time

Forsaken_GA

To answer the question more seriously... I've always had an affinity for making computers talk to each other. It's just what I do, going back to the early days of BBS's and getting involved in message routing from the early days of FidoNet. Then this entire Internet thing blew up, and it was just a natural progression. It may seem a little simplistic, but the reason I enjoy networking is because I'm good at it.

mikedisd2

Networking is fundamentally what IT is all about; pushing bits from here to there.

It's the plumbing of the Internet.

Kaminsky

I've spent almost 20 years in Helpdesk, Unix admin, PC Support manager, MS NT/Novell 6 server manager for huge sites. I've never worked for, nor ever could, small user bases. Networking is still a challenge with new things all the time. In pure comms now looking after data centre comms rooms for a top outsourcer (over 200 comms cabinets alone) where I am left alone pretty much and have the clout to say how things will be done for UK govt, military, utilities, transportation and brand name clients we look after.

The kit I get access to and the scope of the whole thing are incredible. In the last two weeks alone, I have brought in seven 100mb-10gb circuits. When I go home and tell the wife and kids they say, yeah yeah, get out of the way of the tv. /sigh.

gorebrush

I always thought my life would revolve around Servers.

Now I'm a Senior Systems Admin, I'm still picking up the telephone to 1st line crap.

It bores me.

So, when I started realising how awesome learning Cisco was... I carried on. Hoping to start the CCIE mid this year.

Forsaken_GA

neteng is fun right up until the point where the president of the company is breathing down your neck because one user is complaining they're having problems reaching their sites on your network (desptie the fact that their servers are still pushing about 7 gigs of traffic), even after you prove to the customer and said president that the problem is in their providers hand off to Cogent.

You know, hypothetically speaking.

TheShadow

It was the closest thing to mainframes when the meteor killed off those dinosaurs. I could not let all that coax go to waste.

jojopramos

it's nice to be in control lol.... (internet connection, ports, url, ip, routes etc.....)

Kaminsky

jojopramos wrote: »

it's nice to be in control lol.... (internet connection, ports, url, ip, routes etc.....)

When the network engineer asks you what your network port number is, you know your in trouble.

Forsaken_GA

Kaminsky wrote: »

When the network engineer asks you what your network port number is, you know your in trouble.

Ah, that's no fun, it let's 'em know something is coming. I prefer to do something like redirect all their port 80 traffic to asseenontv.com and then tell them they must have a virus or something.

mikedisd2

gorebrush wrote: »

Now I'm a Senior Systems Admin, I'm still picking up the telephone to 1st line crap.

Ow man, I feel your pain, that's what my job has regressed to. I'm sure it's supposed to go the other way around.

yvangkwheng

network is the starting point of online things. only by learning network or things regarding it can we gain more knowledge about the internet.