Network Planning Engineer

Network Planning Engineer

The Network Planning Engineer is a professional who plays a significant role in the maintenance of an internal and external network of an organization. They operate to support critical teams across the company where needed and to implement new standards for fiber design engineering along with communicating strategies for new project deployments, upgrades, and maintenance.

They will help to plan the complete set-up of the network for an organization to meet their satisfaction level. It includes CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) as well as OSP (Outside Plant) deployment.

They are involved in the creation of custom network designs which needs placement of new fibers, analysis of capacity information across the OSP fiber plan according to defined network architecture.

There is no disagreeing that systems and networks are the dynamic forces of the contemporary IT & Telecom domain. Irrespective of any new skills arise, whether it is cloud computing, IoT or any new technology, usually powered by networks communication. Hence, system networking has been, an essential technology for the organization.

They Generally Incorporate Three Essential Steps

1. Topological design: In this stage of planning, Engineers determine and optimize the network area along with their switch, cost, and connectivity parameters of the network providers.
2. Network Synthesis: Here they determine the size of network components along with GoS (grade of service). The cost of transmission is also determined in this phase
3. Network realization: This stage calculates an actual physical circuit plan.

Network Planning Approach

An old-style network planning procedure in the framework of commercial conclusions usually includes five steps of planning, specifically:

• Requisite valuation and resource validation
• Interim network design or planning
• IT supply
• long-standing and medium-range network planning
• Processes and looking after

All of these layers includes strategies for a different time, i.e., the business planning level regulates the planning that the network engineer must do to ensure that the networking is executed as vital for its proposed lifespan. The network operation and maintenance level, on the other hand, scans how the network will function on a daily basis.

The network planning procedure starts with the getting hold of obvious facts & figures. The system comprises of the following:

• Predictions of how the fresh network or service will function
• The cost factor of the network requirements
• An outline of the network’s competencies for the organization

Job Description

They will assist in multiple ways for the upkeep of the essential network which runs in the 24/7 environment. They take part actively to determine the economic and technical viability of organizational network infrastructure. Engineers are highly engaged to assist Network Operation Centers (NOC) for seamless operations. You as a Network Planner holds significant job responsibilities for the organization by leveraging the network skills.

Engineers make use of technical skills for the network in association with the project management of given network engineering discipline. In case of network failure during peak hours there should be a backup plan in place much before commencing the network driven production. If the Engineers do not document such plans, it may cause the irreversible loss that can be catastrophic at times.

Some of the fundamental responsibilities of Network Planning Engineer comprises of:

• Management and essential tools for network planning and distribution
• Engaging with consumer technical staff to outline requests and implement into network design
• Operational with stakeholders on documentation and getting hold of appropriate sites for distribution of device combination in the given sites
• Coordinating with tools suppliers and suppliers

Challenges

• Identify or evaluate appropriate network technologies to meet the present and future requirement.
• Analyze the specific network deployment area considering the concept of CPE, OSP and ISP deployments.
• Coordinate with customer’s technical teams for equipment installation regarding their hardware, software, and routers including datacenter connectivity with a zero failure.
• Creation of backup plan to maintain connectivity during the network failure.
• Manage network tools across the relevant departments.

Education

The specific educational requirements vary according to organizational requirements. To become a success in this field, you will need to have an essential degree in telecom, computer science, IT and related field.

To help the Network engineers the best suitable certification for your career, the following are the top certification in computer networking which would help as a part of network planning.  

• CompTIA Network+
• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) – Datacenter
• CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
• JNCIA/JNCIS (Juniper Networks Certified Internet Associate or Specialist)
• VCP6-NV (VMware Certified Professional 6 – Network Virtualization)
• AWS- Associate (Certified Solutions Architect)

Salary Outlook

As per payscale salary estimates, their average salary is $70,825 per year. Working as a part-time can be an excellent option for the boost to the career. In the Telecom world, top freelance marketplaces like Fieldengineer.com provides the best platform for a freelancer.

Fieldengineer.com has almost 40,000+ Engineers around the world available from over 180 countries, making it a success for the employer for dedicated roles.