Is Computer Networking Hard?
As technology careers are in high demand nowadays, computer networking is not excluded, and many IT enthusiasts strive to build their careers in this direction. However, before starting, many people question the difficulty of computer networking, and what kind of tasks they would have to perform in this job position. So, is computer networking hard, and what points of it can be delicate?
Computer networking is quite straightforward, and it does not involve many complex concepts. However, as technology constantly changes, many IT experts can find this industry challenging at some points. Therefore, you need to acquire a strong basis, so you can adapt to the changes quickly.
In this article, I will discuss the career in computer networking in detail, and I will elaborate on the difficult things that might come along the way. Understanding why something can become hard is very important, so you can expect it, and deal with it in a proper way. Once you read my overview of computer networking, I believe you would be able to determine whether this is a career for you or not.
What Makes Networking Hard?
In computer networking, it is difficult to determine what makes it hard because it is different for every person. Some IT experts find particular points hard to tackle, while others see the same points as a piece of cake. For example, some network techs find troubleshooting hard, while others have difficulty in understanding some of the hardware and software components.
The important thing is to understand that networking is needed everywhere since every company and every household uses the technology of some kind. Therefore, the necessity of network tech will always be present. This also means that technology will continue to change, so you will have to learn to keep up with the changes.
Furthermore, if you want to work in the networking field, you will have to find a way to deal with all of the factors that impact this industry. Below, I will discuss some of the things that need to be taken into consideration that will help you understand at which points you might experience difficulties.
The Rapid Change Of Technology
The advances in technology happen really fast. Sometimes in months, and sometimes even days. These advances change technology for the better, but they also cause the occurrence of volatility and complexity.
The technology changes are essential for the benefits of the vendors on the market. However, these changes are not updated on networking products as quickly as we hope. So, here comes the difficulty for the network techs. Therefore, the experts who work in networking need to be able to adapt to these advances, i.e. to mobility, BYOD, loT, and the cloud.
Flaws In The Public Protocols
The networking field allows the interoperation of hardware from different vendors. That is because the technology is advanced, and enables people to use it in the simplest way possible. However, since these public protocols offer different options for people, it is understandable that there will be an occurrence of flaws.
Firstly, the flexibility of the public protocols allows people to use hardware in a way that the writers did not anticipate. So, there arise complications that the network tech needs to deal with. They need to find the solution which was not thought of to happen in the first place.
Secondly, people use particular devices in a different way than they were intended to. This is because the public protocols allow this kind of possibility. However, different ways of use can disrupt the specifications and features of the hardware.
Lastly, some protocol specifications are pricey, so they are left unreviewed. Due to this, the network techs cannot do their job in an intended way, and they are faced with additional complications and issues in the network.
Additional Complications In The Security Field
The security features added to a network or a system can be quite complicated. This is usually expected since we are talking about security. However, the experts that deal with networking have hard time troubleshooting networks that have complex layers of security.
In these cases, the network tech has to work along with the defense experts or needs to have additional knowledge in security. Finding a professional in the security field can sometimes be hard when you need to deal with an issue at the given moment. So, in these situations, network techs can get stuck, and networking becomes difficult.
Necessity Of In-depth Knowledge
As the network goes together with many fields of the IT industry, a particular network tech needs to be familiarized with the basics of each. Without any foundation, the job in networking can become extremely difficult and annoying. You might feel that you cannot do anything, and you are useless in the position in which you are.
Therefore, before starting a career in networking, make sure that you cover the fundamentals in different fields, such as security, standards, and protocols. Once you learn the basics, it would be easier for you to diagnose different kinds of issues, and you would know how to proceed further.
Logical Thinking And Attention To Details
In order to solve different kinds of issues, you will need to have the ability to think both logically and creatively and pay a lot of your attention to details. These are the key points that will take you to the appropriate solution to a certain network problem. Therefore, as a network tech or engineer, you need the special ability for detecting issues in routers, switches, or similar hardware.
Necessity Of Using Tools
To be able to deal with the networking difficulties, a network engineer needs to have the appropriate tools. However, you cannot use every tool that is at your disposal and you cannot use anything that is not familiar to you. Therefore, to be able to deal with issues in a proper way, you will need a certain set of tools in which you have expert knowledge, and you know how to properly operate it.
Networking can be difficult, but it is not unmanageable. You just need to be well informed in each field and have significant knowledge in the needed areas, so you can detect issues and deal with them in a proper way.
