By Dr. Andre Slonopas  |  12/30/2025

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Network specialists are kept busy maintaining computer networks and keeping modern life alive. You don’t see their work, but you’d feel their absence immediately when something goes wrong. An email won’t send, a video call stutters, or a server stops working.

Network specialists straddle the line between calm observation and fast problem-solving. They trace network data, check network performance, and coax information technology (IT) components into harmony.

 

What Is Needed to Become a Network Specialist?

Prior to a job search, network specialists typically have a degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field. They may also acquire useful certifications from professional organizations, such as:

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM®)
• Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP®)
• Certified Information Security Auditor (CISA®)
• Project Management Professional (PMP®)

Network specialist can assume different roles, depending upon their professional interests. There are several roles that are integral to network support, such as:

• Network support specialists
• Network administrators
• Network engineers
• Network security specialists
• System administrators

Network Support Specialists

Maintaining computer networks isn’t just technical. It’s about keeping people, work, and ideas connected.

A network support specialist is the person everyone calls when the Wi-Fi fades, local area network issues arise during a meeting, or someone gets frustrated. They trace the problem – sometimes by untangling cords connected to computer hardware and sometimes through logic. It’s hands-on work that builds real technical skills and teaches patience.

These professionals learn to listen before they start solving problems. They’ll notice small signs like a flicker of light on the switch or the subtle delay in response time.

Gradually, they learn how network infrastructure functions, how hardware and software components interact, and what makes networks stable. These entry-level roles in information technology are the foundation for anyone hoping to pursue a network professional career path.

Network Administrators

Network administrators keep systems running for many organizations. On a typical day, they're the ones who notice when a company’s network feels off, even before an alert pops up or a user complains. Network administration involves:

• Monitoring uptime
• Tuning firewalls
• Applying software patches
• Ensuring network connectivity
• Keeping network security tight

Sometimes, network administrators’ work involves simple maintenance. Other times, it requires long nights tracing a hardware failure or reconfiguring network hardware after an upgrade.

Administrators focus on ensuring reliability. They handle disaster recovery, balance access and security permissions, and keep hardware and software in sync.

Network Engineers

Network engineers are the architects behind computer networks and design the network infrastructure. Their days involve:

• Mapping out how routers, switches, and hardware communicate
• Ensuring scalability as an organization grows
• Building the framework others will depend on

Most network engineers come from a background in computer science or a related field. They often have a bachelor’s degree and/or hands-on experience applying networking fundamentals. 

Over time, they learn to weave together cloud networking, virtualization technologies, and physical systems. It’s creative work – designing how data should flow and how to preempt network problems.

Every good design reflects an understanding of how technology helps people work more efficiently. Since technology is constantly changing, networking engineering is one of those roles that never stops evolving.

Network Security Specialists

Network security specialists oversee the flow of data across computer networks. Every network administrator, network support specialist, and engineer depends on network security.

Without protection, all that careful network design means nothing. Network security is part defense and part intuition. Network security professionals watch traffic patterns, run scans, and predict how cyber criminals may act.

A normal day in network security might mean patching firewalls, checking for security breaches, or testing wide area networks. Some days are quiet, while others are faster in pace.

Network security specialists build systems, teach users how to protect themselves from cyber threats, and write scripts. If things go wrong, it’s their job to trace the source of the damage.

System Administrators

System administrators keep the backbone of a network alive. They ensure the performance of servers and storage, managing the configurations that make everything else possible.

System administrators work closely with network administrators and network engineers, balancing structure and instinct. They’re immersed in management scripts at one moment, and then they’re tracing a failed update across virtual servers. This technical work demands quick solutions to problems.

Most system administrators learn through hands-on practice, not just theory. They develop skills not only from repetitive tasks, but also from curiosity about how system components fit together.

 

Cloud Technologies and the Tech Industry

The introduction of cloud infrastructure into the IT industry has changed how network engineers and network administrators think about infrastructure. Virtual machines, software-defined wide area networks, and virtualization technologies enable networks to span continents while still feeling like local area networks (LANs).

Working in the cloud demands new skills. Today’s IT professionals need to understand how traffic moves between regions and to balance data security and automation. This profession is less about plugging in hardware and more about orchestration, scripting, and vigilance.

For many network specialists, cloud technology management is the next step in their career path. In this area, knowledge, adaptability, and curiosity matter as much as any command line.

 

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at AMU

For students interested in learning about programming, operating systems, computer networks, and network security fundamentals, American Military University (AMU) offers an online Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. In this degree program, students will develop a deep understanding of topics such as algorithms and data structures, digital systems, database systems, and the principles of programming languages.

This degree has two concentrations so that students may choose the concentration courses best suited to their career aspirations:

• Artificial intelligence
• Cyber operations

For more information about this degree, visit AMU’s information technology degree program page.

Note: This program has specific admission requirements.

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