subject: Network Administrators Are People Too [print this page] There is a perception that the men and women in charge of modern technology are a breed apart. To many people a network administrator is closer to a wizard like Gandalf than to 'normal' people. Nothing could be further from the truth. Network administrators come from all walks of life. They were teachers, firemen, musicians, hackers, lawyers and clowns. Ok, a lot of them still are clowns - just don't say that to their face. They control your access to the wider world outside your office.
Network administrators have a lot in common with all of us, but they have the most in common with firemen or doctors. In most cases network administrators are on call, many 24/7. They are entrusted with the safety and welfare of the companies data - both proprietary internal data and valuable data customers trust the company to protect. They are responsible for defending the company data and reputation from attacks by persons intent on disrupting normal business activity. If an attack does get through, it is the network administrators responsibility to learn as much as he can about the attack. He has to discover why the attack succeeded, what damage was done, and how to protect against it in the future.
The responsibility can keep the network administrator up at night, wondering if he's done everything he could do to protect the network. Has he provided enough training for the staff? Are all the systems on the network completely up to date with security updates? Like the rest of us, the network administrator worries that he's missed something.
But the network administrator doesn't just hope he's done everything he can to protect the companies data. He is a salesman and an architect. He determines needs and sells those needs to the executives. He design the network to do the most efficient job getting needed data to users in the most cost effective way.
After spending his day making sure the network runs smoothly and securely, the network administrator goes home to spend time with his family and friends. He goes on dates, celebrates birthdays and anniversaries, and enjoys the company of the people he loves. He practices hobbies, plays video games and goes skiing. Network administrators aren't wizards or geniuses. They are men and women with a particular set of skills - skills that a lot of other people have. You may not have those same skills, but that's ok. Odds are good that most network administrators don't have the same skills you do, either.
