What They Do
Network Engineers keep data flowing smoothly, securely, and reliably across local networks, data centers, and the internet.
Day-to-Day Activities
- Configure and maintain routers, switches, and firewalls (Cisco, Juniper)
- Monitor network performance, analyze traffic, and troubleshoot connectivity
- Design network architectures for offices, data centers, or cloud expansions
- Implement security measures (firewalls, ACLs, access control policies)
- Configure and maintain VPNs for secure remote access
- Create and maintain documentation (topology diagrams, IP schemes)
- Plan and execute upgrades, migrations, and hardware refreshes
- Respond to outages and performance issues (often on-call)
Skills & Technologies
Technical: TCP/IP and subnetting, routing (BGP/OSPF/EIGRP), switching/VLANs, firewalls and security best practices, wireless networking, monitoring tools (Wireshark, SolarWinds/PRTG), cloud networking (AWS VPC, Azure VNets), network automation with Python.
Soft Skills: Systematic troubleshooting, attention to detail, project planning, clear communication, staying calm during outages.
Salary & Career Growth
| Level | Typical Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level | $60,000 – $80,000 |
| Mid-Level (3–5 yrs) | $85,000 – $110,000 |
| Senior (8+ yrs) | $115,000 – $155,000+ |
Career Path: Junior Network Engineer → Network Engineer → Senior Network Engineer → Network Architect / IT Infrastructure Manager
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