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Network Engineer
by
Mustafa Ali
|
November 29, 2022
A Network Operation Center Engineer or a NOC engineer is an expert in the management and monitoring of a network from any centralized location. Typically, NOC Engineers and IT professionals work in teams to watch the IT environment and ensure that the uptime and connectivity of the IT systems are operational 24/7.
NOC Engineers resolve any issues related to the servers, networks and telecommunications by consistently troubleshooting and monitoring. The skills required for a NOC, or Network Operations Center include network support, network administration and management, switching and routing, along with Linux. The responsibilities are extensive and requires highly skilled individuals.
Because they are responsible for monitoring multiple networks and systems, NOC jobs are very demanding. The NOC Engineers maintain uptime for all IT systems by monitoring network errors, malware, and all issues pertaining to security. To maintain efficiency and an ideal network environment, NOC Engineers are required to study their systems in order to make decisions quickly.
Troubleshooting and Resolution: Being a NOC Engineer means they are in charge of resolving all issues concerning their IT services. The NOC Engineer uses standard procedures to troubleshoot and resolve any issues concerning the network. They are always working with other IT teams, customers, and vendors to enhance the routing performance.
Alarm Handling and Escalation: The NOC engineer’s principal role is troubleshooting all technical and quality-related issues. In some instances, the issues are far too complex to be fixed quickly. This is when the NOC engineer must approach upper management for assistance. They must simultaneously maintain communication with the vendors and the team to ensure they remain updated on any issues.
Client Interaction: A NOC engineer also must regularly interact with customers. Additionally, they must treat customers with diplomacy and politeness. Although the role of the NOC engineer varies slightly according to the situation, they must handle both the non-technical and technical requirements of the customer.
Documentation and Reporting: A NOC engineer provides network assistance by working in close contact with vendors and clients. The NOC engineer must ensure their knowledge base is current and accurate, and all technical issues must be tracked and documented in a detailed format. Many NOC teams use a ticketing system to enable them to update details in real time regarding the current issues being resolved.
A standard requirement for NOC jobs is a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. This is because this degree covers an extensive variety of topics related to computers. These courses provide the necessary training for network security, information technology, designing, programming, network administration, and computer algorithms.
The core subjects of a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science teach the students how to understand and troubleshoot a wide variety of network errors and the expected complications. Due to the fact there are no prerequisites to being a NOC engineer, once students have graduated, they can start their careers immediately. Excellent written and oral communication skills are an extra advantage for this career.
The general responsibilities of a NOC engineer include responding to alerts, supporting calls, and communicating with the technicians to ensure all incidents are resolved. Being a NOC technician means that they must maintain documentation for all queries and solutions related to technology. They are responsible for the maintenance and management of the customer’s infrastructure.
The majority of Network Operations Center Engineers in the United States are males. According to Zippia, NOC Engineers earn between $45,000 to $92,000 per year with the average being somewhere around $65,000. The average hourly wage of a NOC engineer working in the United States is $31 per hour. For a freelance NOC engineer, earning potential can be substantial in a freelance marketplace depending on their experience and job requirements. Freelancers don’t operate on a routine schedule, and their working hours depend on the specific requirements of the project. This provides more flexibility and as a result, more variability than with full-time employment.
The freelance NOC engineer’s salary is often better than a standard NOC engineer’s salary. Become a freelance engineer by signing up for Field Engineer today!
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Since a NOC engineer has no specific license requirements, the number of certification courses offered are extremely limited. There are certifications that can increase the employment opportunities available for a NOC engineer.
a. The Cisco Career Certification
b. The MCTS, or Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist certification
c. The MCIPT, or Microsoft Certified IT Professional certification
d. The Microsoft SQL Server Certification
e. The CISSP or Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Additionally, the NOC engineer can increase their skills by achieving a certification in wireless network systems, routing and switching and network designing and security. Completing a Microsoft IT certification course is also a tremendous help.
The future for NOC engineers is promising since the demand is constantly growing. As technology continues to grow and change, the demand increases to meet system requirements. NOC Engineers are necessary to ensure the stability and success of the system while communicating with IT technicians.
The Global Network Operations Center: The GNOC, or the global network operations center is the future. Two network operators in different locations can ensure the users’ smooth connectivity in different locations. An ITIL, or Information Technology Infrastructure Library certification teaches the utilization of IT as a tool for individuals and organizations. This ITIL is a helpful tool to help NOC engineers rise in their career.
Information Security Operations Center (ISOC or SOC): The ISOC, SOC, or Information Security Operations Center analyst monitors the flow of data and prevents malicious activities. These responsibilities also include the identification and analyzing of threats requiring vulnerability prevention.
Broadcast Engineering: The broadcast engineer’s responsibilities vary depending on whether they work for radio, media or television. Their main responsibility is ensuring the program is broadcast on time, and with high quality.
Master Control Operator: The responsibilities of a master control operator are to monitor the quality and accuracy of the on-air products. They additionally ensure the operation is continuous and smooth.
NetOps Specialist: The NetOps specialist is responsible for monitoring the operation of the network. They must respond accurately to all events and alerts. They also ensure the network’s continuity regarding any unresolved problems by reviewing the ticketing tools.
The NOC team and the help desk are different, and the terms are not interchangeable. Help desk specialists deal directly with end-user issues while NOC Engineers maintain systems that affect the back-end and front-end global systems. For instance, help desk specialists may help a user troubleshoot issues that are caused by their hardware or software but if there is a network-wide error causing issues for an entire user base then a NOC Engineering team would get involved. In this case, MSPs, or Managed Service Providers, contact the NOC team to quickly resolve any issues.
FieldEngineer.com has more than 35,000 engineers working on diverse projects. This is an excellent opportunity to begin a career as a freelance NOC engineer, or shift into a more flexible work schedule within an existing career. The FieldEngineer App is available for iOS and Android devices at the App Store and on Google Play. Once the app has been downloaded, connecting with prospective clients while on the move is simple and easy. Sign-up and begin your freelance career today!
