Are the jobs that are acceptable with the CCNA at risk of being deprecated due to the rise of automation? Are Network Engineers and Security Architects at risk of AI takeover at the same level that Software Engineers are?
As someone who works in networking, this was an important question in my mind and I did not pay attention to it for a long time.
because I couldn't find a practical article to answer this question, I followed this subject on Reddit and got some fascinating responses. A list of the top responses is provided at the conclusion of this post.
However, I feel like when most network and system administrators, as well as those working in the field of network and security, want to answer this issue, ChatGPT comes to their mind rather than artificial intelligence. Whilst ChatGPT is not the only product utilising artificial intelligence, in the near future, a far more intelligent product might be developed.
As a person who has worked in artificial intelligence projects for a while, I am aware of the enormous potential of AI, which has perhaps only been utilised 10% of the time to yet.
My short answer to this question is:
I admit that up until a year ago, I guessed that Cisco might release a new device called "Network Admin" and would place it at the highest level of the network configuration hierarchy. This means that a new device called Network Admin is created in addition to switches, routers, firewalls, and end hosts. It has the ability to automate entire network processes, troubleshoot issues, and evaluate firewall rules. it has got a panel to communicate with a person in place of a command prompt as well.
But my answer today is that I think all the smart algorithms I mentioned will soon be used in Cisco's current products. For example, we are seeing smarter routers and smarter switches that will perform many of the tasks of a network administrator.
I'm not saying that I'm not waiting for a revolutionary product in the field of networking, but I just feel that this is closer to reality.
- CCNA means you know the basics. Most jobs will not ask you to program each individual device on their campus. CCNP mainly focuses on troubleshooting and knowing how technologies work. AI is a tool, not a replacement. Similar to a hammer drill to a demolition experts.
- As someone who deals with billables in networking, I can guarantee you Chatgpt or AI will not replace IT personnel, I know AI is really cool and can be helpful however I don’t think it can do what we do just yet. Maybe it will in 5 to 10 years but I think we are relatively safe for now.
- Probably in like 100 years. ChatGPT knows what a board is, it knows what a game is, and it knows what a board game is. However, it doesn't know that a board game is played on a board. It lacks intuitive knowledge about the world, physical or otherwise. I bet it'll get there, and AI powered networking assistance tools will surely be developed to assist people, but I doubt that al our jobs will be taken over by robots in the near future.
- Now, I will say that things can be simplified; meraki's auto vpn can cut down on a lot of manual configuration, but I don't see any complicated design being handed off to AI in the next 10-15 years.
- I mean, we all know that ChatGPT can’t do that, but a more likely scenario would be asking it to configure a VLAN on a switch. With the right programming that’s possible. It’s similar to configuring it in ACI as opposed to going to each individual switch and configuring it. Even VTP is a protocol that allowed the automation of VLAN creation, even if it has its flaws. The point is, things will be more eloquently automated so you won’t have to CLI into every device in order to make a change. I mean, if we weren’t evolving in that direction, we’d still be trying to communicate with 1’s and 0’s.
- Even then if it's a configuration tool for equipment already on the network, the tool will cost thousands of dollars and will be too expensive to not make it worth it for the majority of companies.
- Also considering that there is a big push for network guys to automate stuff. I can't see chatgpt being a replacement for the stuff that was already automated by the engineer.
- It'll be in a niche market for a long time. The same question was asked in 2000s, "google to replace IT?" I mean we all know how that worked out.
- If you're just a security admin and not bothering to learn new stuff and basically your only job is to enter and push around firewall rules then yes, your job will be gone soon. But there is so much more in Networking and Security that no AI will be able to do in quite a while, so don't worry too much. Keep up with the new stuff though. Most networking jobs perform a service to customers, whether the customers are internal or external. AI has a long way to go before it will reach “feature parity” with human-based service.
- AI replacing our jobs I think is a little overblown. It depends on the industry 100%. Talking about our industry specifically, which is network engineering, you’ll still need people to think. I use GPT in my day to day work, I don’t think there’s any risk of it replacing me though. It’s just an aid.
- Saw a David Bombal video, and Cisco and others are already working on AI that works with voice to configuration networks. You kind of still have to know how things function in 5-10 years most of this stuff will be done by voice.
- Sidenote I always thought CLI was human robot language and I for one welcome the change. Look at Microsoft, they are embedding their AI directly into the browser, soon people won't bother to type in anything, just ask Copilot and it'll discuss the results with you.
- AI will see the ticket, see nothing wrong with the network, close the ticket as "No issue found." - Except anyone whose worked in IT knows that people don't accept that when they are experiencing slow speeds.
