4 answers
Lanasia
Student
Waterbury, Connecticut
5
Questions
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How do you end up being a network architect?
#architect #career #networking
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4 answers
Cynthia Carver
Network Infrastructure Deployments (global)
6
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Cynthia’s Answer
Several great answers here already, but I will reinforce 2 points in the comments... in the networking industry, certifications are key to getting noticed, so apply yourself actively and early to learn the fundamental concepts and lend credibility out of the gate. As well, definitely recommend in your early career journey to start from the ground up. The best Network Architects/Engineers I've worked with have hands on experience. The networking space, like many others, is also heavily dependent on who you know as far as landing opportunities so be sure to prioritze and be intentional about networking with the networking community.
Ragil KR
Technical consulting engineer
7
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Ragil’s Answer
To become a computer network architect you need to have below qualities at present situation
Mandatory to have below :-
Expert level of knowledge in computer networking topics like IPv4 and IPv6 addressing , OSI model, Switching , routing ...etc
You should have at least 8 year of experience in networking and that should include network designing and planning .
As a Basic foundation , you should have below :-
A Graduation ( better to have this in IT or computer science) , Good communication and presentation skill
Its good to have below but not Mandatory:-
Vendor Certifications like CCIE or CCDE or CCAr..
Mandatory to have below :-
Expert level of knowledge in computer networking topics like IPv4 and IPv6 addressing , OSI model, Switching , routing ...etc
You should have at least 8 year of experience in networking and that should include network designing and planning .
As a Basic foundation , you should have below :-
A Graduation ( better to have this in IT or computer science) , Good communication and presentation skill
Its good to have below but not Mandatory:-
Vendor Certifications like CCIE or CCDE or CCAr..
Gopal Prasad Singh
Solutions Architect
6
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Gopal Prasad’s Answer
Network Architect is senior level role which required to have good knowledge on routing/Switching technologies, IPv4 and IPv6 and with currently virtualization, automation and Software defined network, one should have understanding on software knowledge is added advantage.
Network Architect should also have understanding of overlay application going to be used in environment will be very important as this will help in designing or providing solution.
Career to get into networking start with network operation or network support and with knowledge and experience and of course one is looking into the career in technical field will be moved to a ladder in Architect Role.
There are some very good and advance level industry certification is available few to be named as CCIE or CCDE.
Network Architect should also have understanding of overlay application going to be used in environment will be very important as this will help in designing or providing solution.
Career to get into networking start with network operation or network support and with knowledge and experience and of course one is looking into the career in technical field will be moved to a ladder in Architect Role.
There are some very good and advance level industry certification is available few to be named as CCIE or CCDE.
Eric Jeffery
Cyber Security Solutions Architect
3
Answers
Elizabeth, Colorado
Updated
Eric’s Answer
Network architects are more senior than network engineers and network engineers are more senior than network analysts. To become one, it's best to naturally progress through the profession.
I suggest starting out with education including certifications including CompTIA A+, Network+ and potentially Security+. Look for an entry level job as a NOC (Network Operations Center) analyst. This role involves substantial troubleshooting to diagnose problems usually around connectivity, access and availability. Help Desk is another place to start; however, those roles usually deal with a much wider swath of technical issues with a lot of desktop support. NOC analysts easily can progress to network engineers and then to that of an architect.
Architects need to understand large types of technologies and their inter-workings and relationships. Architects also need skill in documentation, communication and presentation ability as oftentimes they brief executives and/or may work directly with clients for sales opportunities and/or explaining root cause analysis.
My #1 advice, start small, grow, learn, advance - don't expect an architect role within the first 5-7 years of a career, it takes time to gain the necessary skill and experience.
Certifications - A+, Network+, Security+
Find a help desk or network operations center position
Move up to engineer where you design and implement solutions
Advance to architect once the skill and experiences are there
I suggest starting out with education including certifications including CompTIA A+, Network+ and potentially Security+. Look for an entry level job as a NOC (Network Operations Center) analyst. This role involves substantial troubleshooting to diagnose problems usually around connectivity, access and availability. Help Desk is another place to start; however, those roles usually deal with a much wider swath of technical issues with a lot of desktop support. NOC analysts easily can progress to network engineers and then to that of an architect.
Architects need to understand large types of technologies and their inter-workings and relationships. Architects also need skill in documentation, communication and presentation ability as oftentimes they brief executives and/or may work directly with clients for sales opportunities and/or explaining root cause analysis.
My #1 advice, start small, grow, learn, advance - don't expect an architect role within the first 5-7 years of a career, it takes time to gain the necessary skill and experience.
Eric recommends the following next steps: