This tremendous range of business enterprises that rely heavily on their it systems also presents many additional opportunities for anybody aspiring toward a career in it network administration. Many times, the wide range of organizations that now employ it professionals such as network administrators means that it is possible to combine several different types of interests within the choice to work in it network administration. For example, the law enforcement community has incorporated all sorts of it applications into the field. Criminal investigators now routinely use sophisticated computer systems and custom-designed applications to track criminals, map geographical areas in relation to crime patterns, and to compare sensitive records with other law enforcement agencies across the country as well as internationally (Burnett, 2007). Some of the most advanced it systems used by modern law enforcement agencies includes sophisticated software applications for cracking encryption codes used to unlock the communications devices confiscated from drug traffickers and other types of criminals; others now allow police officers on routine patrol to scan license plates from their patrol vehicles and to automatically enter those license plates into national stolen car and warrant databases to identify stolen vehicles and wanted criminals (Clark, 2006).

Larger organizations may employ an entire staff of network administrators, systems analysts, it security specialists, installers, and technicians assigned to handle different types of tasks that typically arise within large companies using large and complex it systems. The diagram below is an example of a typical it system configuration of a medium-sized professional business using in-house servers and routers to connect different levels of users and multiple remote locations.

http://www.iij.ad.jp/en/service/solution/images/fig-network-02.gif

As is the case in other fields, the salary, typical working responsibilities, and benefits of a job as a network administrator can vary considerably based on the type and size of the organization. Today, network security has become a major focus of many organizations; every year, there are hundreds of millions documented network intrusions and data security breaches in business it networks (Baker, Hylender,...

Therefore, network administrators who are experienced in this particular area are in very high demand and command higher salaries than those who do not remain well-versed in the continually evolving it network threat environment.
Generally, newly graduated it professionals and network administrators receive salaries and benefits that are comparable to entry level positions in other skilled professions. Larger organizations may provide much greater opportunity for advancement to senior administrator and supervisory administrator positions that require extensive people managing skills in addition to technical expertise. Because some people prefer to work primarily with technical issues and others prefer to split their duties between technical responsibilities and administrative and supervisory responsibilities, those types of preferences also play an important role in the specific type of it network administration position one should seek.

Summary of Presentation Strategy

My presentation strategy will be to introduce the topic with a basic description of what it network administrators do. Then I hope to provide information to enable students to determine whether or not their interests coincide with a career in the field. Finally, I hope to present an honest outline of the types of opportunities that might be available and to describe the relevant differences to help interested students decide what aspects of the field might suit their individual interests.

References

Baker, W., Hylender, C., and Valentine, J. (2008). Verizon Business Data Breach Investigation Report. Retrieved October 17, 2009, from: http://www.verizonbusiness.com/resources/security/databreachreport.pdf

Burnett, E. "Crime Analysis Reporting and Mapping for Small Agencies: A Low-

Cost and Simplified Approach." FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin; Vol. 76 No. 10

(2007): 15-22.

Clark, M. "Cell Phone Technology and Physical Surveillance." FBI Law Enforcement

Bulletin; Vol. 75 No. 5. (2006): 25-32.

Kizza, J. (2005). Computer Network Security. New York: Springer.

Personick, S., and Patterson, C. (2003). Critical Information Infrastructure Protection.

Washington, DC: National Academies Press.