What You Can Learn from a Network Administration Degree
October 9, 2012
•Information Technology (IT)
• 0 Comments
Interested in pursuing career opportunities in Information Technology? It’s a good idea: IT is a rapidly-evolving, fast-paced field that can offer exciting career path options. And as businesses and organizations become ever more dependent on IT solutions to meet their goals, individuals with appropriate training, qualifications, and skills should be able to compete for a growing number of positions.
One area of interest to those considering an IT degree could be network administration. Nearly every business and organization relies on a computer network to share data, access applications, and serve its customers. Network administration services maintain and manage these networks. In this article, presented by American InterContinental University, you can find out more about the duties and training involved in network administration.
What Network Administration Is
Whether they’re large or small, public or private, profit-seeking or non-, businesses and organizations need computer networks. They need professional help to determine what sort of network configuration best meets their needs, and the types of hardware and software needed to run that network. Professional network administration services can also set up company databases to store important information.
Once equipment and software is installed, access privileges must be established and managed so that data and applications are only available to authorized personnel. Security measures must be put into place to protect data from hacking, leaks, and theft. And network management and optimization needs to happen so that users of the network get the best possible service from their computers.
Because of the broad need for network administration services, job prospects for this occupation should grow. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that job openings in network administration will grow by 28% nationally over the decade 2010-2020 (local markets will vary).
Network Administration Training
Most commonly, network administrators have earned a bachelor’s degree. Very large or complex companies may require further training, such as professional certification from hardware or software manufacturers or a master’s degree.
While skills relevant to networking administration can be learned in a number of computer or engineering-focused degree programs, a bachelor of information technology degree, particularly one that specializes in network administration, is usually the most relevant for those interested in pursuing job opportunities in IT after graduation.
An IT degree program that focuses on network administration should teach key concepts in calculus, statistics, computer programming, database structure, and web systems. Courses for the network administration specialization should cover topics such as:
- Network design concepts
- Hardware, software, and operating systems
- Routing, switching, and wireless networks
- Cluster computing
- Network security
The curriculum should include a blend of exercises, solo projects, and group projects designed to mirror real-world problems. Whether the degree is hosted online or on campus, students should be familiar with every stage of network administration, from design and implementation through to maintenance and troubleshooting.
This article is presented by American InterContinental University, a provider of career-focused degree programs. Students can study on our Virtual Campus at AIU Online. Find out more at http://www.aiuniv.edu.
Sources: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm