A network IT manager’s responsibilities vary depending on the work environment, company size, and business type this person supports. In a small business, the IT department may manage the network in a very different way than in a large corporation. In addition, a network IT manager’s role may be more specialized in one organization but may cover more areas of expertise in another, where he or she may have the same responsibilities as a field technician who is required to provide face-to-face customer support. To effectively maintain and support a network within a business environment, a network IT manager should have a specific background, experience, skill set, and degree of leadership.
First and foremost, a qualified network IT manager should be an accomplished network architect with prior experience designing, building, and supporting network infrastructure at other organizations. This person should also have extensive experience working with a variety of operating systems, hardware platforms, and software applications, particularly those related to network management, as well as knowledge of network hardware repair and maintenance, firmware updates, and software upgrades that affect the consistency and functionality of network support tools. Because a network environment operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the network IT manager should be used to working on a flexible schedule.
The tasks that a network manager performs on a daily basis vary depending on the job description. This person may be required to respond to requests related to an individual computer system’s inability to connect to the network in a smaller organization. This person will be responsible for identifying specific problems, troubleshooting on the computer desktop, and consulting with users at this level. The configuration, maintenance, performance, and security of the LAN, or local area network, and its servers will be this person’s primary focus in a larger organization. With this level of responsibility, the network manager is often responsible for controlling and maintaining an accurate inventory of all networking equipment and software, as well as designing and enforcing policies and procedures for both LAN and WAN (wide area network) usage across the organization.
A network IT manager is a multifunctional technical professional who must be a technician, analyst, and leader capable of effectively and efficiently managing their organization’s backbone. As technology advances, this individual’s role within the corporate environment will become increasingly valuable.