How to Become a Network Engineer?

Network Engineering is always in high demand and a very rapidly growing field to work in.

In India, the average salary of Network Engineers is around 6-8 Lakhs Per Annum.

There are many other reasons too to become a network engineer such as onsite opportunities, working with trending technologies, etc. Once you enter into the Networking field, there are endless opportunities!

Also, you can go for the vendor certifications like CCNA, CCNP, etc. for better opportunities. If you are looking for a career switch and want to be a skillful Network Engineer, you have to follow the right pathway (as given below)

1. Get to Know About the Basics of Networking

• LANs/WANs
• Topologies
• Router/Switches / Hubs
• OSI Model
• Transmission Modes
• Firewalls
• Application Protocols
• IP Addresses
• Network Security, etc

2. Gear Up to the Advance Level

Once you’ve done with the Basic Networking Concepts, now you have to look out for the advanced knowledge of this field. You have to put more effort and dedication here. You can opt for various Live Training Sessions by the Experts, Recommended Books, Research Papers, Journals, Blogs, etc. Along with the core networking concepts, gain knowledge of other related stuff like – Operating Systems (Linux, Unix, etc.), latest trends in Networking, etc.

• CISCO Packet Tracer
• VIRL (Virtual Internet Routing Lab)
• Boson NetSim
• Eve-NG
• Graphical Network Simulator-3

3. Be Certified!

You can go for the various networking certifications offered by the reputed vendors like CISCO, Juniper, etc. These certifications will provide you a lot more exposure and confidence. Also, companies prefer to hire those candidates who have earned these kinds of certificates. Below we have listed some popular Networking Certifications:

• Cisco Certification – Cisco is a hardware and software networking multinational company. It offers various level of network certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
• Juniper Certification – It is provided by the Juniper Networks Company at various levels – JNCIA (Associate Level), JNCIS (Specialist Level), JNCIP (Professional Level) and JNCIE (Expert Level).
• CompTIA Certification – The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) provides Networking Certifications in four areas – Core Certifications, Infrastructure Certifications, Cyber Security Certifications and Additional Professional Certifications.
• Wireshark WCNA Certification – The Wireshark Certified Network Analyst (WCNA) Certification program concerns with analyzing of packets and protocols for the network troubleshooting, optimization and security purpose. The topics covered in this certification are – Wireshark Functionality, TCP/IP Network Communications, Network Troubleshooting and Network Security.
• SolarWinds Certified Professional Certification – It is offered by the SolarWinds Company. This certification exam concerns with the ability to handle network and system management products.

4. Get Some Hands-on Experience

Since the best way to learn networking is by doing it, so after getting appropriate knowledge of the Networking Domain, now what you have to do is some real-time implementation.

So it’s better to start with an entry-level job or internship to gain a fair amount of experience.

• Network Analyst
• Network Technician
• Technical Support Engineer
• Network Operations Associate, etc.

5. Apply for the Networking Giants!!

Okay, so now having adequate knowledge about Networking, relevant certification and some hands-on experience, you’re all set to look out for Network Engineer jobs. You can start it by preparing a list of Networking Companies and visit their official websites to view their eligibility criteria and other requirements.

you can reach on various higher positions such as – Network Manager, Chief Technology Officer, etc. The top networking companies across the globe are Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Juniper, Intel, IBM, Sophos, etc.

You Can Start your Journey As a Network Engineer By L1 Level After that you you can Try L2 and L3 Level Also.