Expectations And Professional Behavior

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction

Many organizations use a multi-tiered hierarchy amongst the support staff. The first level is typically a help desk whose responsibility includes fixing a certain set of issues that fall within the scope and ability of that level of support. They also take any initial calls for issues that may be bumped up to a level 2 support group consisting of technicians and other pc support analysts that fix more advanced issues. Then there is the third level of support consisting of network engineers when issues require that level of expertise. Network engineer is typically the highest ranking position in an IT department as far as support issues are concerned.

Ensuring hardware and network infrastructure is properly maintained is a critical role for network engineers. They are usually deeply involved with the process of acquiring new hardware in order to meet some business need. In other words, they determine what the requirements are for a particular business process and determine the best way to meet those requirements in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. In addition to these responsibilities network engineers also benefit an organization by taking on the task of new software installs and license management. Once new software is installed, especially for a different department, the role of maintaining said software is usually passed down a lower level group within IT. Daily routines also include monitoring network performance and checking for security breaches.

A significant amount of knowledge is necessary to carry out the role of network engineer. One must be able to quickly learn new technology and become familiar with the modularity these technologies have with existing technology. In other words, how might one integrate this new technology into an existing network infrastructure? It’s been my own experience that it is much easier to build a new network from scratch than to inherit an existing network and make ends meet. However, over time, one can migrate everything to a new design to one’s liking. It all boils down to network availability and performance.

The primary task of a network engineer is connectivity. On a day to day basis, especially when connections to sites are made across a WAN where service providers manage at least part of the connectivity which is out of ones hands, any number of things may go wrong. When a person, place, or thing has connectivity issues, it usually rests in the hands of the network engineer to determine the cause and resolution of these issues. It isn’t uncommon, especially on days with severe weather, for example, a network engineer may spend a lot of time diagnosing connectivity problems as they relate to specific issues caused by the severe weather.

The IT budget is a critical part of network operations. As hardware ages and technology advances, upgrades must be implemented. For example, when gigabit Ethernet first arrived it was quite expensive to implement, but in some cases it may have been a necessity at the time. New switches and routers with gigabit capabilities would be required in this case which would require a large budget to be in place to do so. What to upgrade and what to upgrade with usually side with the discretion of the network engineer.

Objectives

A Network Engineer is a professional in the area of information technology and communication who is able to design, configure, deploy and manage communication networks such as local area networks, metropolitan area networks, wide area networks, wireless networks or Storage Area Networks. They may also be involved with managing and configuring systems such as intrusion detection systems. Additionally, a network engineer will monitor networks using various protocols with software such as HP OpenView Network Node Manager by HP or Network Performance Monitor from Solarwinds. Aside from building and expanding networks, troubleshooting is an important aspect of the network engineer role. Capturing data as it flows through a network with a sniffer such as Wireshark or tcpdump helps in the discovery of computers and communications. Other aspects of the role include remote administration, and virtualization of network environments, implementation of geographic information systems, and satellite systems for the use of GPS . 

These professionals have functions related to the securitization of information through security policies and databases. They also assume the task of the configuration of integrated communications networks, administration and maintenance of computer systems and networks, network installation of communication, access control, network design of transmission media such as wireless, copper or optical fiber, as well as ensuring convergence, flexibility and mobility networks for voice, data and video.

A computer network installation is an integral part of all organizations today. Linking the various equipment in the office together, computer networks help in the growth of the business, saving time and money. It accelerates the pace of work and always saves time. Each office has its own specific needs. A network engineer can consult with an organization to discuss their needs and have a computer network setup that caters specifically to these needs. The equipment should be used to its full potential and their needs must be met with good computer network system in place.

An effective computer network would be a good network design to begin with, however as technology advances network requirements change. It is important to keep with changes in technology and be prepared to understand how to incorporate this new technology into an existing network architecture.

There are several types of computer networks and each has its own particular function and selecting the right one depends on the requirements of a network implementation. For example, more and more electronic devices are capable of connecting to networks via wifi. It is important to have a robust and resilient wireless architecture to support user requirements. Wifi is a broadcast medium so before simply turning on wireless access, it is important to understand the impact this medium has on the security perimeter of an organization.

Expectations and Professional Behavior

There are many expectations and assumed professional behavior when taking on a role of network engineer. When it comes mission critical communications, when an issue is found it must be met with appropriate reaction. Many networks are very large in the number of sites, devices, and the number people those devices serve. Reactiveness to network issues must be founded on a priority basis. For example, a single device may affect total coms at a particular location, however, the people working at this location may not rely on network coms as much as a handful of people who are experiencing issues connecting to a single application. Email, voip, file shares, Internet access are all examples of services that are built and maintained by network engineers. These services all provide increased productivity and value in services offered by the organization.

There are several ethical issues that encompass the role of a network Engineer. For example, it isn’t unusual for individuals in this role to have Domain Administrative rights within a network. This means they have access to everything within the domain on the network. Issues that arise from this include the ability to assign privileges to otherwise unauthorized individuals. Additionally, having this level of permissions allows the individual in this role to gain access to things that they should not access. It comes down to having the right to do whatever you want, but refraining from doing so.

It’s rather easy to get in a hurry and find the simplest way to accomplish the same thing, but often, taking this route introduces problems that may not be fully understood at the time of implementation. For example, adding a dozen rules to a firewall to permit specific communications through is a common task. The specificity of these rules increases complexity and takes time to implement, as opposed to being less specific with rules and potentially exposing the network to unauthorized access. This is also true with user permissions. It’s easy to give user administrative rights to a full directory as opposed to only giving the user access to the specific file they may need access to.

In addition to fixing network problems when they occur, it is important to be upfront about network changes and notify the appropriate personnel ahead of the change so that they may have time to prepare or offer feedback for any inconveniences this may cause. This gives the users who may be affected an opportunity to settle on a specific time that works best for everyone, especially when a change has the possibility of disrupting services.

Fairness

One of the more challenging aspects of a network engineering role, which is true for any other IT role, is prioritizing the resolution of issues. It always seems to come down to who is affect first, then what is affected. Weighing how important an issue is because of who it affects and how it actually affects them is always a challenge. One would initially assume that any issues that affect a CEO of an organization should be top priority for example, however, if the issue is that he can’t get iTunes to install correctly on his laptop does that warrant the kind of reaction that might be afforded to an issue where customers are unable to pay their bills? It would almost certainly depend on the CEO, of course, but in general in a situation like this the item which deserves priority should be obvious.

On the other hand, always treating issues from a particular person or department is not a recommend approach to handle problems as they occur either. What may be perceived to be unimportant may prevent someone from doing their job. Communication lines must be opened so that these instances can be made aware of. IT provides a services to users, and users in IT provide services for other users in IT. The thing about the network is it’s a lot like electricity. Users don’t think about it, they don’t even realize it’s there. They just want to be able to do what they need to do, as it just so happens to require a solid network infrastructure. It’s a thankless position for the most part.

Continued Education

Anyone in the IT world must keep up with current trends in technology at least in the areas in which they are involved with their career. Network requirements change just as technology advances. Keeping a network infrastructure up to date is a lot less about making things run faster as it is about always having the network prepared to receive new applications and services. One may argue that having a really fast, error free network is what you want, while I would argue that although that is the kind of network nirvana we all strive for, it comes second to having the infrastructure in place to keep up with advancements in technology.

It’s important to attend seminars to see the latest trends in technology. Likewise, it is also important to attend classes to learn how to use these new advancements in technology. IT is always changing, so it’s important to continue one’s education. If in any event there is hesitation to press the return key on the keyboard, one should use that as an indication that by doing so may trigger an undesired result. In these instances it is important to seek counsel from someone who has more experiencing executing the task and has a better idea of what the result may be. On the other hand, if one is in the position from which information is being sought out, welcoming the exchange and offering the information willingly is very important.

Summary

 The field of network engineering may be nice, well paid and challenging. It also provides the opportunity to advance to other positions within an organization.

Network engineers are the backbone of the business infrastructure. Large companies are able to employ many network engineers, while smaller companies often need to hire a consulting group. Network engineers are responsible for designing, installing, upgrading, and resolve any problems within a computer network. If you want to become a network engineer, you need to feel passion for computers and develop incredible skills for problem solving.

Code of Ethics

Personal Integrity

I will be honest in my professional dealings and forthcoming about my competence and the impact of my mistakes. I will seek assistance from others when necessary.

Communication

I will communicate with management users and colleges about IT-related matters of mutual interest. I will strive to listen to and understand the needs of all parties.

Responsibility to Computing Community

I will cooperate with employees from other Departments, Divisions and Branch Offices to provide and maintain the IT resources required to support their operations

Privacy

I will access private information on computer systems ONLY when it is necessary in the course of my technical duties. I will maintain and protect the confidentiality of any information to which I may have access, regardless of the method by which I came into knowledge of it.

System Integrity

I will strive to ensure the necessary integrity, security, reliability, and availability of the IT resources for which I am responsible. I will understand the potential impact of each proposed system modification before it is implemented and take appropriate steps to minimize the associated risks.

Professionalism

I will strive to build and maintain a safe, healthy, and productive workplace. I will maintain professional conduct in the workplace, and will not allow personal feelings or beliefs to cause me to treat people unfairly or unprofessionally.

Education

I will continue to update and enhance my technical knowledge and other work related skills. I will share my knowledge and experience with others.

Laws and Policies

I will educate myself and others on company policies and Guidelines, as well as relevant laws and regulations, regarding the performance of my duties and will do my best to follow them at all times.

Ethical Responsibility

I will do my best to make decisions consistent with the safety, privacy, and well-being of the company, its employees and its customers, and to disclose promptly factors that might pose unexamined risks or dangers.

I will lead by example, maintaining a high ethi9cal standard and a high degree of professionalism in the performance of all my duties, I will support my co-workers in following this co-worker in following this Code of Ethics.

Adapted from the SAGE System Administrators Code of Ethics (www.sage.org)