Launch a career in IT Hardware and Networking

Hardware and Network remain an essential part of an organization. High-end systems, uninterrupted internet connection, secure servers, and cloud storage are vital for businesses to run efficiently in this ultramodern digital landscape.

Digital assets play a significant role in a company's success; even a minor glitch can cost them tremendously. This is why Hardware and Networking are among the most sought-after fields nowadays. It comprises a broad area with many specialist fields, such as cloud storage, virtualization, system administration, security, etc.

Why should you look for a career in IT hardware and Networking?

IT professionals in Hardware and Networking can pursue an array of positions such as working in network support, field support, server or network support technician, internet system administrator, and even help desk administrator.

The IT hardware and networking industry have advanced recently,where organizations have moved from physical server stations to cloud storage and virtualization, opening up more career opportunities.

You can pursue a hardware and networking career if you have a computer degree. Gaining a few years of experience can land you in a good position. Following this promising career path can land you in a prominent role in an IT department of a big organization.If you are a beginner, you can start with a job such as installing computers and printers.With experience, you can also become a LAN administrator or support team member.

Courses in Hardware and Networking

The hardware and networking field is vast and provides you with various positions to kickstart your career. To pursue this, you should have basic computer knowledge, especially related to this field. These are multiple courses available online and offline. Be sure to do detailed research, such as checking for the course type, syllabus, fees, etc., to ensure the correct type of course for you.

Getting a job will be easy with good clarity of the concept and subject and a bit of hands-on experience.

Considering the vastness of this sector, you will find many courses offered by several online and offline institutions, offering certifications, diplomas in hardware and Networking, international accreditation, and degree-level systems.

These courses aim to offer practical knowledge in this domain, giving an extra edge to students in dealing with real-life scenarios.

Top Programmers in Hardware and Networking Domain

Linux Certifications −

Linux is an international certification course, one of the most popular in this domain for LAN administration.It comes with a series of modules of various levels. This includes −

• Certification Level 1 (LPIC-1:Junior Level)

• CompTIA Linux+

• Certification Level 2 (LPIC 2:Advance Level)

• Certification Level 3 (LPIC 3:Senior Level)

• Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) certification

Cisco Certifications

Cisco certification is bought by Cisco System Inc., an organization specializing in networking and communication products and services. The company has a well-known reputation for its business routing and switching products, used globally by millions of organizations.

The cisco career certification program is an all-rounder program that ensures IT professionals have the skills and knowledge to support cisco products and solve technical problems. There are five levels of cisco certifications, beginning with entry-level certifications that advance to associates, professional and expert levels and that go higher to the architect level.

Certifications within Cisco's portfolio include −

Cisco Certified Architect Certification Process (CCAP)

Cisco Certified Architect Responsibilities (CCAR)

Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA)

Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)

Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)

Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)

Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional (CCIP)

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)

Job opportunities

A degree or certification in IT hardware and Networking can make you eligible for several jobs, including Server technician, network support technician, system administrator or engineer, network manager, and many more.

Some popular jobs in the IT hardware and networking field

Server Technician

Server technician position is readily available as more and more organizations are becoming digitized, especially companies from sectors like healthcare, banking, insurance, finance, IT, etc. Significant roles of a server technician include installing, updating, and maintaining server systems of organizations, as well as providing proactive support and troubleshooting.

As you gain experience in this position, you can proceed with your career involving roles like upgrading, planning, and installing new server systems in companies. Since companies always need their servers up and running, the demand for a service technician will always be there for setting up new servers and configuring new systems.

The average salary of a service technician is around $55,000 per year in the United States, which may vary based on the candidate's location, company, and experience.

Network Support Technician

The role of network support technicians is to set up a work environment for software professionals to carry out their work. Support technicians must also address issues, troubleshoot, and resolve problems that might arise. Every organization, especially IT companies, has its in-house help desk department, and they hire network support technicians as a part of the department. Some IT companies also hire support technicians to work at their clients' workplaces. Some smaller companies hire network support technicians for the role of administrator. In short, you will always have job options if you have the required skills.

The median salary for a Network Support Technician in the United States is 48,622 yearly, which goes as higher as $61,000 per year.

Network System Administrator or Network System Engineer

Technically, the role of a Network System Administer slightly differs from a Network System Engineer, but they often share similar responsibilities in most organizations.

The role of an administrator and engineer is to take care of LAN and WAN, which involves monitoring the performance of the Network. They engaged in troubleshooting problems, maintaining network security, router, firewall, and switching configuration.

The average salary of a network system administrator in the United States is $68,938and goes as high as $92,000.

IT Network Manager

The IT Network Manager is a challenging role that requires years of extensive experience in various IT hardware and Networking positions. Your job includes setting access to the internet, email, files, and security systems to prevent cyberattacks and hackers from intruding into the system. Once you set up the system, your task will be to provide technical support, train staff, monitor system use, support staff queries, set up user accounts, and manage backup.

You will also need to create a disaster recovery plan to ensure the company's productivity remains unhampered when the Network is disrupted. You will have to work as a part of the IT team alongside project managers, network engineers, and support staff.

The average salary of an IT Network Manager in the United States is $97,578, and it goes up to $132,000 and may even go higher based on the location and skills.

Conclusion

The demand for IT hardware and networking professionals will always be there. The best thing is that the recruitment for jobs in this field is always consistent, and the salary varies very little. So check out for a career option and get yourself certified to start your journey in the ever-growing sector.