About This Career

Installs, configures, and maintains an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Performs system monitoring and verifies the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Reviews system and application logs and verifies completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyzes network and server resource consumption and controls user access. Installs and upgrades software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.

This career is part of the Information Technology cluster Network Systems pathway.

A person in this career:

• Maintains and administers computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
• Performs data backups and disaster recovery operations.
• Diagnoses, troubleshoots, and resolves hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replaces defective components when necessary.
• Configures, monitors, and maintains email applications or virus protection software.
• Operates master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
• Monitors network performance to determine whether adjustments are needed and where changes will be needed in the future.
• Plans, coordinates, and implements network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
• Analyzes equipment performance records to determine the need for repair or replacement.
• Confers with network users about solutions to existing system problems.
• Recommends changes to improve systems and network configurations, and determine hardware or software requirements related to such changes.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Overtime work