Computers have taken the world by storm. Thirty years ago, the idea of nearly every home having at least one computer was the stuff made of dreams. In the 1984 US Census it was reported that 8.4% of households had a computer in the home, with the Internet not even being a question asked. The 2012 US Census reports 78.9% of households have at least one computer, and 74.8% have Internet access! Nearly every industry in the United States is now utilizing computers in one way or another, with many having almost all of their business operations taking place online or through computer networks. With this huge growth in computer usage, it’s no wonder that Boston.com reported Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst as the number one fastest
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It’s understandable that they could be confused. In smaller companies, the network engineer very likely wears many hats, including that of a network architect. A network engineer’s primary job role is the physical building of the network. Think of it like building a skyscraper. The architect has the design concepts and puts them down onto paper and makes them to specifications. The engineers then go to work turning those designs into a reality. This is where the difference in a network architect and engineer lies, too. Very often, network architects gained their 10+ years of experience in the engineering side of the field. They’ve been that person putting those plans into place. This gives them a realistic working knowledge of networks and not just a vague concept of their design. At this point in time, there aren’t a whole lot of places to go up the ladder from network architect, except maybe to owning or managing the entire technology department of a company, but in 10 years, many network engineers may take the step up to being a network architect.
Who hires network architects? Everyone from The Hershey Company to Caesars Entertainment Company in Las Vegas. Almost all universities and communications companies have strong need of network architects, as do government offices at many levels. If there’s a network of any substantial size, and the anticipation of growth, a network architect is not just a good idea, but a necessity for reliable business operations. In short, if you manage to get the experience and certifications necessary for the position, there aren’t a whole lot of places you couldn’t
It’s understandable that they could be confused. In smaller companies, the network engineer very likely wears many hats, including that of a network architect. A network engineer’s primary job role is the physical building of the network. Think of it like building a skyscraper. The architect has the design concepts and puts them down onto paper and makes them to specifications. The engineers then go to work turning those designs into a reality. This is where the difference in a network architect and engineer lies, too. Very often, network architects gained their 10+ years of experience in the engineering side of the field. They’ve been that person putting those plans into place. This gives them a realistic working knowledge of networks and not just a vague concept of their design. At this point in time, there aren’t a whole lot of places to go up the ladder from network architect, except maybe to owning or managing the entire technology department of a company, but in 10 years, many network engineers may take the step up to being a network architect.
Who hires network architects? Everyone from The Hershey Company to Caesars Entertainment Company in Las Vegas. Almost all universities and communications companies have strong need of network architects, as do government offices at many levels. If there’s a network of any substantial size, and the anticipation of growth, a network architect is not just a good idea, but a necessity for reliable business operations. In short, if you manage to get the experience and certifications necessary for the position, there aren’t a whole lot of places you couldn’t