Monday, November 20, 2000		Article

Demand for Web administrators on the rise
by Sumesh Raizada

RISE in the Internet, Intranet or Extranet-related applications has created new means for data communication and information sharing. Due to extremely useful innovation in the IT, several new career opportunities have sprung up, some of which are purely administrative in nature.

Commercial and educational organisations, having their branches spread over vast geographical area, needs to coordinate through a common computer network. Information and data is transferred through e-mail on the Internet or separate communication channel through telephone lines, satellite or cables. All this involves a huge network of computer hardware and software, within an organisation. The size varies depending upon the industry and area of operation. The need to administer the vast computer network therefore arises in every company and hence network administrator comes into picture.

With rapidly growing application of computer hardware and software in government utilities, commercial establishments and educational institutions, one may witness growing demand for network administrator. The prime and foremost task of these professionals is to ensure that the computers and their communication network operate effectively, without any interruption. This is crucial, as in some cases even a slight disruption may cause serious hazards or financial losses. They install software in the computer network and customise them. These professionals also provide training and technical support to those who actually work on the network. A network administrator is also responsible for regularly updating the application software as well as hardware as per the current need of the company. They also carry out the troubleshooting and corrective measures, in case of any malfunctioning of equipment or communication system.

Large commercial or industrial establishments rely heavily on computer network system that is relatively economical and simple to handle. These are being used in offices, departmental stores, banks, government departments and educational institutions. Computer networks are also extensively used in railways and airways bookings. If a stockbroker is able to trade share swiftly, it is because of the computer network that has interconnected almost all major stock exchanges throughout the world.

Major post offices as well as financial institutions have been linked through a chain of computers. In banks, inter or intra branch transactions across geographical boundaries have been made a reality due to computer network. Computer networks are also used in manufacturing or sales organisation and educational institutes. Several US firms that do outsourcing of work to Asian countries use computer networking for the task. Medical transcription is one such application, which is completely based on communication through computer.

Data is sent or received through a communication link between two or more computers or terminals. The communication link is broadly provided with the help of telephone lines or satellite in case of WAN, i.e. wide area network, or through cable in case of LAN, that is local area network. The means of information transfer may be e-mail, Internet or electronic data exchange (EDI). Because of the high speed of data transfer, either at local level or between far off locations, the efficiency of organisation gets highly improved. The network administrator is also required to diagnose problems and has to coordinate effectively with hardware maintenance engineers or with agencies like the Telecom department, for rectifying the same. They should be capable of planning in advance whenever certain changes in hardware or software are incorporated in the system. This keeps downtime of the network to the minimum possible level.

In offices or banks where the number of computer terminals is more, it is not feasible to have separate printer, modems, scanners or fax machines attached to every terminal. This is expensive and difficult to maintain. However with the help of networking system it is possible to share these resources among several employees. A large network may consist of dozens of computer terminals spread around the globe. Here, task of network professionals is generally well defined unlike in companies where network is small. Network administrators, besides other jobs, are also responsible for monitoring files in the main computer server on regular basis, setting up of system security and maintaining back-up files. The next higher responsibility that a network professional undertakes is that of Network Manager. They are engaged in the identification of network potential and scope depending upon the nature of business, designing of network system and selection of software and hardware to be used, installing the network and finally reviewing it for further improvement. A network administrator has to remain updated on the advancements.

A professional has to be fully conversant with the operating system of main network server, whether it is Window NT, Linux or Unix. Thorough knowledge of personal computer hardware and components is required. A person must also be aware of connectivity protocols specifically TCP/IP. This is essential for troubleshooting as well as for training other employees. Most of the business organisations employ persons having professional degrees like MCA, software or electronic engineering, and train them subsequently as per the network requirement.

Several IT companies like IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Unix, Aptech, NIIT provides employment to graduates or postgraduates who have undergone certified training on their networking system. Microsoft certified networking courses (MCSE) conducted by computer and vocational colleges throughout the world are extremely beneficial for the prospective networking professional. The network systems today are based mostly on NT, Linux, Unix or Solaris applications. Therefore, an individual should go in for those courses, which includes curriculum based on these networking systems. The network administrator career program conducted by IBM Ace covers Certified Cisco Network Administrator (CCNA), Certified Novell Administrator (CNA), Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Unix Certification. Besides several computer and engineering institutes offer recognised courses on computer networking based on modules provided by Microsoft, Novell and Unix. In these courses students are given theoretical as well as practical knowledge on networking techniques like system installation, configuration, maintenance and updating.

There is no limit to the earnings of qualified and experienced professionals. In India they might start career with salaries in the range of Rs.1.5 to 2 lakhs and may reach beyond 4 to 5 lakhs within a couple of years. However, in the USA, Australia and the UK, the earnings might be several folds higher. Their earnings also vary with the nature of industry, type and size of company as well as geographical location. The highest salaries are found in banking services, financial institutions, manufacturing and transportation. In the field of construction and education, the salaries are relatively less.

The task of network professional is sometimes monotonous due to routine nature of work. However, at times it is highly complex and challenging. They have to be therefore extremely patient and organised. They are employed by consultancy companies, which undertake turnkey contracts in commercial establishments or institutions for setting up and maintaining network systems. These professionals may also work independently as consultants and earn handsomely.

It is estimated that with the government relaxing certain restrictions and duties on the means of communication like the DTH, and with the introduction of fibre optics, broadband, LAN and WAN services shall increase drastically. As more and more organisations, whether private or government, get connected through computer network, demand for these professionals is bound to grow further, both in India and abroad.