How can you stay competitive with new network administrator skills?

It's important to stay curious and don't be afraid to makes mistakes. You'll be a better Network Engineer with every mistake made and fixed. Read the news, follow the trends and dig deep into the areas that interests you. There is a great deal of free practice resources from all the big providers and lots of free learning material. Your imagination is the only limit to what can be achieved.

Definitely get outside your comfort zone and embrace new technologies. Cloud Networking knowledge is key. Build hands-on skills ans ensure you get certified.

As a Network Administrator requires ongoing learning and adaptation, given the rapid evolution of technology in the IT field. The following strategies will helpful to stay competitive with the new network administrator skills: Continuous Learning Hands-On Experience Security Awareness Automation Cloud Computing Coaching Adaptability IT is not just about acquiring new skills, but also about your ability to apply them effectively in real-world situations. A commitment to continuous improvement, adaptability, and learning are essential to success in the ever-evolving field of network administration.

I would add it is important to focus on one provider at a time. The skills are transferable to the others. This way you don't get dragged down into jagons. I believe as Network Admins we need to also work on learning Kubernetes and Automation tools to help with these cloud services that we would be providing to our clients and companies.

We also need to keep in mind that with the current trend onprem and cloud, security is blended with network and it is not only a DMZ topic anymore. Cloud security should be in the radar of the network administrator.

Automation is a must-have skill for network administrators, offering time-saving benefits and error reduction. Tools like Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Terraform, and Jenkins enable streamlined network management. Learning scripting languages like Python, PowerShell, or Bash is essential, and online resources provide practical guidance for efficient automation tool usage.

I completely agree that understanding the purpose of automation is critical, even more so than simply knowing how to use automation tools. Automation is a mindset that requires a deep understanding of the tasks you perform repeatedly or the complex tasks that are prone to errors. By automating these tasks, you can significantly improve your productivity and efficiency. However, if you find yourself wasting time on repetitive or error-prone tasks without considering how to automate them, then you're not fully embracing the automation mindset. Therefore, it's crucial to prioritize the purpose behind automation and actively seek out opportunities to streamline your workflow through automation.

By leveraging automation tools, network administrators can improve operational efficiency, enhance reliability, and free up time to focus on strategic planning and addressing complex issues. These tools can automate routine tasks such as backups, software updates. Also, Automated monitoring tools can quickly detect network issues.

Few things that I came to understand while working on Automation scripts and tools is that it eases your repetitive work meanwhile you can run checks or do complex task at same time . So it's necessary to learn Automation Tools.

I agree. It is better to do Smart work, than Hard Work. Automation is an enabler to achieve same result in lesser time and better accuracy. Specially, when we have repetitive task, Automation comes in handy.

The most important part of understanding how new protocols work is to read their specification. After gaining theoretical knowledge, one should actually try to understand how they are working in real world, how to configure them, to try to analyze wireshark dumps and to see how the protocol integrates in existing networking landscape. Stay regularly tuned on any protocol updates and potential new features.

Network protocols It's not just about mastering the basics like TCP/IP, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, VPN, and DNS but also staying updated with emerging ones like IPv6, HTTP/3, QUIC, and SD-WAN. These new protocols can bring substantial improvements in performance, security, and functionality to network communication. To dive into these protocols, consider reading articles, white papers, or books that break down their features, benefits, and challenges. Additionally, network simulation tools like GNS3, Packet Tracer, or Wireshark are fantastic resources to experiment with and analyze how these protocols function in diverse network scenarios. It's an ongoing journey of learning and adapting in the ever-evolving world of networking.

L’un des moyens de se former à ces nouvelles technologies est de s’abonner à des sites connus et sérieux qui font régulièrement le point. L’une des erreurs à éviter est de tester directement ces nouvelles technologies sur un réseau en production même si son efficacité a été prouvée chez d’autres.

One of the most important things in networks is knowledge about protocols. If you understand the theory of how protocols work, you will have fewer downtimes. And the best friend, in this situation, is Wireshark. With Wireshark, you can see what's happening on your network, analyze packet headers, and show that there is no network fault when RADIUS sends 'access-reject'.

With every advancement in Technology, threat levels have also gone up equally. Protocols may not have changed but have certainly expanded and improved. We need to be gatekeeper for the World, so that we can have a safe environment for Data streaming and Consumption.

It's important to note that certifications do not necessarily make someone an expert in a particular field. Rather, they demonstrate that the individual has a baseline level of knowledge and has met the criteria set forth by the certifying body. It's also worth mentioning that cheating can undermine the value of certifications, so it's important to approach the process with integrity. Ultimately, if you decide to pursue a certification, it should be because you want to gain that base knowledge and not solely for the purpose of obtaining a certificate.

Certifications prove one thing. They prove you can read materials and understand enough to pass a test. That is a worthwhile skill and shows that you can persevere to achieve a result. However, there are so many certifications and more being added as technology grows. Who can guess which cert might be valuable to a prospective employer? Keeping many certificates current takes money and time. I think it’s important to have knowledge of the underlying science instead of just knowing what command to type or button to push to accomplish a task. Using critical thinking skills along with knowledge acquired through experience is more valuable in the larger scope of things and should be what employers value when selecting employees.

Certifications are not only for resume, but an acknowledgement for knowledge. Hence a Certified Professional shall carry both the knowledge and Experience of dealing with a technology, he/she is certified for.

Being up to date is a must for network administrators, but certification is a business today and is to the benefit of certification organizations and the administrators. But, there are many people who focus on only getting the certificate, and on the contrary, are many non-certified administrators whose concentration is on learning new concepts and skills. The later are not usually among selected employees. Owing to the fact that any business tries its best to attract as many customers as possible, and employers preferring certificates over knowledge and experience, certification should have less priority than knowledge and be reconsidered by certifying organizations, employers and employees which leads to less stress for administrators.

Certifications are like a compass in the dynamic field of network administration. They not only validate your skills but also keep you updated with the latest trends and technologies. It's crucial to remember that certifications are not set in stone; they require renewal to stay relevant. The article rightly highlights the importance of continuous learning and mentions some reputable certifications like CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, PALO ALTO, Microsoft MTA, and Juniper JNCIA. Keeping these certifications up-to-date is essential for a thriving career in network administration.

As someone who has spent most of their career in a geographically isolated area, online communities provide a priceless opportunity to connect with like minded people, experts in the field as well as learning opportunities. Participate, contribute and leverage the access that these communities give you.

Online Communities are great place to share an gather experience. It is not important to know all the answer, but it is extremely important to know, where to find them. Online Communities comes in handy.

In my experience, Reddit online communities provide me with more current information and feedback than reading any other article on a website. So try and join some communities and participate.

Face à un problème, une communauté peut nous aider à répondre rapidement et à trouver une solution. Les communautés sont également une véritable source de connaissance que ça soit pour des étudiants comme pour des professionnels

Be a part of a study group which will help you to achieve your goals. When you start preparing for a certification, announce it on LinkedIn so that others who are preparing for the same certification can know about this and connect with you, post it on your other social media platforms as well and keep updating your progress as it will make you accountable and keep you motivated specially on the days when you are at the verge of giving up thinking its too difficult and you can't make it. Follow the technique of reading (day-1), watching tutorials (day-2) and labbing /implementation (day-3). Keep switching between the three if you feel that it's getting boring and monotonous.

Never stop learning. Networking technologies are evolving everyday. You need to understand and master some of the new technologies to remain relevant.

Embrace JavaScript and Python for a brighter future. Simplify network management with JavaScript's web-friendly touch and Python's versatile automation. It's not just about skills; it's about securing your career. Don't be left behind; lead the change. Invest in essentials; reap invaluable benefits. Future-proof your journey.

Think outside the box: - generative AI can be a great assistant in many fields, including network administration - If you don't know some programming, please take a look at Python, there's many free courses and automation is key and Python knowledge will help - practice, practice, practice; it's one thing to read a book or an article, it's another to actually do it. - not a core skills, but be familiar with risk management frameworks or project management, it affects your day-to-day, so some understanding is great. Especially if you're in a large enterprise.

Continuous learning is an extremely important part of any IT career, but especially in networking. The networking industry has a diverse, and quickly evolving set of technologies anyone should at least know the basics about to stay competitive. Besides technical skills, soft skills are generally also lacking in most networking professionals, and Improvements in this area should also be part of most people's continuous learning plan

Staying competitive as a network administrator in the ever-evolving field of IT requires a commitment to continuous learning and skill development. Here are a few tips to stay competitive: 1. Stay informed about new industry trends and attend conferences. 2. Continuously learn and earn relevant certifications. 3. Set up a personal/home lab for experimentation. 4. Gain hands-on experience through work opportunities. 5. Learn about cloud computing and cybersecurity. 6. Develop coding skills for automation. 7. Improve soft skills like communication and problem-solving. 8. Maintain thorough network documentation. 9. Engage with networking communities and seek mentorship. 10. Embrace adaptability and a growth mindset.