Industry Real life Network Engineer Skills

A real-life network engineer requires a diverse set of technical and soft skills to effectively design, manage, and troubleshoot networks. Here are key skills for a network engineer:

Technical Skills

  1. Networking Protocols & Models

    • TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
    • DNS (Domain Name System)
    • DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
    • HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SMTP
    • OSI Model: Understanding of all layers (Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application).

  2. Network Design & Architecture

    • Ability to design scalable and secure networks.
    • Knowledge of LAN (Local Area Networks), WAN (Wide Area Networks), VPN (Virtual Private Networks), MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching).
    • Cloud Networking knowledge (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

  3. Routing and Switching

    • In-depth knowledge of routers, switches, and related configurations.
    • Experience with routing protocols: OSPF, EIGRP, BGP.
    • Understanding of VLANs, STP (Spanning Tree Protocol), Ethernet switching, subnetting.

  4. Network Security

    • Firewalls: Configuring and managing.
    • VPNs, IPSec, SSL/TLS.
    • Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS).
    • Access Control Lists (ACLs).
    • Network Segmentation.
    • Knowledge of encryption techniques.

  5. Wireless Networking

    • Familiarity with Wi-Fi standards (802.11).
    • Knowledge of wireless controllers, APs (Access Points), and mesh networks.

  6. Troubleshooting & Diagnostics

    • Using ping, traceroute, Wireshark, netstat, etc., for diagnostics.
    • Knowledge of network monitoring tools (Nagios, SolarWinds).
    • Experience with troubleshooting connectivity issues, latency, and packet loss.

  7. Automation & Scripting

    • Basic understanding of scripting (Python, Bash) for automation of network configurations.
    • Familiarity with Ansible, NetFlow, and Cisco’s DNA Center for network automation.

  8. Performance Tuning & Monitoring

    • Ability to analyze network performance using tools like Wireshark, SolarWinds, Nagios, or PRTG.
    • Knowledge of Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize traffic.

  9. Network Virtualization & SDN

    • Knowledge of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV).
    • Virtualized environments like VMware, Hyper-V.

  10. Operating Systems & Devices

    • Familiarity with operating systems like Linux, Windows Server, and macOS in the context of networking.
    • Understanding network interfaces and drivers.

Soft Skills

  1. Problem-Solving

    • Being able to quickly and effectively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve network issues.

  2. Attention to Detail

    • Ensuring configurations are correct and secure, as even small mistakes can lead to significant problems.

  3. Communication Skills

    • Ability to explain technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
    • Clear documentation of network configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps.

  4. Project Management

    • Managing network upgrades, installations, and changes in an organized way.
    • Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

  5. Collaboration

    • Working with other IT professionals like system administrators, security engineers, and developers.

  6. Adaptability

    • Being up-to-date with rapidly evolving networking technologies and standards.

Certifications (Commonly Pursued)

  1. CompTIA Network+
  2. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
  3. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  4. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  5. Juniper Networks Certification
  6. Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA)

This skill set enables network engineers to ensure smooth operations and minimize downtime while keeping network security top of mind. Would you like to know more about any specific skill or certification?

Service Provider Network Engineer

1. Core Routing & Switching

Routing Protocols:

  • BGP (Border Gateway Protocol): Understanding of inter-domain routing in large-scale networks.
  • OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and ISIS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System): Interior gateway protocols, especially for large-scale service provider networks.
  • EIGRP: Often used for internal routing in service provider environments.
  • MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching): Extensive knowledge in creating and managing MPLS VPNs, traffic engineering, and QoS.
    Layer 2/Layer 3 Switching: Knowledge of VLANs, trunks, and spanning-tree protocol, especially in core provider networks.

2. IP Addressing & Subnetting

  • Advanced IP addressing, including subnetting, IP address allocation, and managing large address blocks (Class A, B, and C addresses).
  • Understanding of IPv6 and its deployment, given the growing demand for IP addresses.

3. Carrier-Grade Technologies

  • Carrier Ethernet: Knowledge of Ethernet-based technologies like E-Line, E-LAN, and E-Tree services, including IEEE 802.1ad (Q-in-Q).
  • Frame Relay, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode): These legacy technologies are still used in some provider environments.
  • PON (Passive Optical Networks) and FTTH (Fiber to the Home): Knowledge of broadband technologies.

4. Network Design & Architecture

  • Designing high-availability networks for service providers (e.g., redundancy, failover, and load balancing).
  • SDN (Software-Defined Networking): Leveraging SDN for flexibility and automation in service provider networks.
  • Data Center Networking: Familiarity with data center interconnects and scalable architectures to support cloud services.
  • Multi-Service Networks: Integration of voice, video, and data services over the same infrastructure.

 

5. Traffic Engineering & Optimization

  • Using MPLS TE (Traffic Engineering) to optimize and control traffic flows.
  • Expertise in QoS (Quality of Service) to ensure reliable service delivery, especially for VoIP, video, and high-priority applications.
  • Bandwidth Management and Traffic Shaping techniques to prevent congestion and ensure optimal resource usage.

 

 

6. Network Security

  • Firewalls, IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems), and DDoS mitigation to protect large-scale networks from external threats.
  • VPNs: Configuring and managing VPN technologies like IPSec or SSL/TLS for secure communication between clients, branches, and service provider networks.
  • Access Control Lists (ACLs) for network access management.

 

7. Automation & Orchestration

  • Automation Tools: Using tools like Ansible, Python, Chef, or Puppet to automate configuration, provisioning, and network management.
  • Network Function Virtualization (NFV): Virtualizing network functions (e.g., routers, firewalls) to improve scalability and reduce costs.
  • Zero-touch Provisioning (ZTP) for simplifying deployment and reducing manual configuration.

 

8. Monitoring & Troubleshooting

  • Expertise in network performance monitoring using tools like SolarWinds, Nagios, PRTG, and Wireshark for large networks.
  • Proficient in troubleshooting large, distributed networks, using tools like ping, traceroute, netstat, MTR, and deep packet inspection (DPI).

 

9. Virtualization & Cloud Networking

  • Experience with virtual network functions (VNFs) in a cloud-based environment (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Knowledge of SD-WAN and Cloud VPN technologies for hybrid networks that span across physical and virtual infrastructures.

 

10. High-Capacity Network Design

  • Designing and maintaining multi-gigabit/10G/40G/100G networks to accommodate large volumes of data.
  • Understanding of optical transport networks (OTN), dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), and fiber optic networking.

Soft Skills

1. Project Managemen

  • Ability to manage large-scale deployments, migrations, and ongoing infrastructure improvements.
  • Experience in coordinating with other departments, vendors, and stakeholders for network rollouts or troubleshooting.

 

2. Communication & Documentation

  • Communicating effectively with customers, management, and vendors about network performance, outages, and upgrades.
  • Writing detailed network documentation for configurations, processes, and troubleshooting guides.