Network Design Engineer
A Network Design Engineer designs and maintains the topology of an organization’s network set-up, either on-site or at a designated locale. Network designers configure efficient computer network designs for both large and small businesses. Design engineers set up an organization’s IT infrastructure and get it up and running. In doing so, the network designer configures multiple types of connections, including those that network an organization’s printers, servers, and applications.
Networking design is a significant practice of communicating with a computer, people, and companies through consistent communication. It includes beginning & associations with the system which can support one another in different areas, offices with proper designing of the network. It’s crucial to develop networking skills to increase your business and personal opportunities.
In our diverse networking world, apart from supporting standard routing and switching solutions, designers often must remain a step ahead of other engineers in the IT and Telecom fields in leading-edge technologies. They support specialized services such as security, VoIP, storage along with specific point virtualization via cloud computing.
So let’s see what Network Design is before moving on to the responsibilities of an engineer:
The initial step to building a network infrastructure is to design it. The design process is at times a complex one including several designs to correctly determine the necessary capacity to house a company’s data traffic requests. The Network design is the combination of different network equipment to complete end-to-end message between network hosts. Specific requests are common in existing networks, which includes high levels of accessibility, performance, dependability and low dormancy, all of which are a necessity for excellent part of network designs by an engineer.
Job Description
The responsibility of a network design engineer is to look after network design, capacity management, and detailed equipment engineering for network expansion. This includes developing all of the conditions required for installation team to correctly install, replace, inventory maintenance, and configure the devices, finding appropriate management authorizations, issuing purchase guidelines, creating applicable diagrams, and confirming vendor distribution.
Essential job responsibilities for the design engineer include the following tasks:
- To ensure that work meets all related engineering, planning, and operational standards
- To identify potential network issues and risks, and to provide workable technical solutions to mitigate such risks
- To develop contingency and fail-over network topologies to maintain dependable network throughput in order to serve your client’s business needs best
- To document network performance in order to take proactive and corrective action as needed
- To work with the Network Operations NOC team in configuring and implementing network design changes
- To provide mentoring and training in design solutions and additional systems training on in-place systems
- To configure and support network services such as MPLS, Ethernet, Ethernet access, Layer 2 switching, wireless, network security, and others
Education, Skills, and Certifications
To become a successful Design Engineer, you will need to have a primary degree in computer science, IT or a related field. The candidate will be familiar with network topologies, VMWare, wireless technologies, VoIP, fiber optics and MPLS.
Certifications provide a career boost and increase the likelihood of getting hired. Important certifications include the Cisco CCIE as well as some relevant Juniper certifications, including the Certified Design Specialist JNCDS-SEC.
Following are the essential certifications which can boost your career:
Cisco certification path is network design in which Cisco offers four types of certifications:
Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA): An initial level of certification for network design engineers validating that they can plan primary site, data center, cybersecurity, voice, and WAN networks. CCDA is suggested for engineers beginning a career in network design.
Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP): It is expected at senior level engineers with understanding in networking and who want to upscale their design understanding. CCDP engineers can make advanced designs giving to more difficult requirements.
Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE): For skilled level network design engineers who have collaboration with the commercial side of the industry and who can organize business needs with a financial plan, and operational restrictions into network design by combining diverse mechanisms. CCDE trains network design experts with a detailed level of technical networking understanding.
Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr): such certification is targeted at senior network infrastructure architects who craft a network's methodical conditions to support businesses objectives. CCArs have a solid knowledge and understanding of the commercial approach and can decode it into technical infrastructure necessities.
Salary
As per Payscale’s salary estimates, this position’s salary in the US averages $76,592 per year. As a freelance engineer, one might earn around $67.41 per hour. Freelance salaries depend on the candidate’s experience level.
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