Network Administration Definition

Network administration aims to manage, monitor, maintain, secure, and service an organization’s network. However, the specific tasks and procedures may vary depending on the size and type of an organization.

What does network administration consist of?

Network administration primarily consists of, but isn’t limited to, network monitoring, network management, and maintaining network quality and security.

Network monitoring is essential to monitor unusual traffic patterns, the health of the network infrastructure, and devices connected to the network. It helps detect abnormal activity, network issues, or excessive bandwidth consumption early on and take preventative and remedial actions to uphold the network quality and security.

Network management encompasses multiple administrative functions, including network planning, implementation, and configuration. It involves:

• replanning the network based on changing organizational requirements
• implementing the network for maximum efficiency
• configuring various networking and security protocols
• applying security patches and updating the firmware of the networking infrastructure, such as routers, hubs, switches, and firewalls
• assessing the network for weaknesses
• evaluating quality and capacity to increase or decrease network capacity and manage resource wastage

Network security employs various techniques to ensure a network is secure. For example, it uses multiple tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection or prevention systems, and anti-malware software to prevent or detect malicious activity in the network.

Network administration goals

Network administration aims to ensure a reliable, secure network conducive to business operations.

Generally, network administration goals include:

• maintain a resilient, high-quality network
• plan and improve network capacity to enable seamless network access and operations
• leverage networking tools for network systems administration and better network administration control
• track and document relevant changes
• evaluate possible risks and orchestrate effective mitigations
• prevent activities compromising or using the network as an attack vector
• identify and mitigate intrusions to avoid security breaches

Network administration key areas

Networks administration consists of 5 key areas:

1. Fault management: Monitors the network infrastructure to identify and address issues potentially affecting the network. It uses standard protocols such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to monitor network infrastructure.


2. Configuration management: Tracks configuration and related changes of network components, including switches, firewalls, hubs, and routers. As unplanned changes can affect the network drastically and potentially cause downtime, it’s essential to streamline, track, and manage configuration changes.


3. Account management: Tracks network utilization to bill and estimate the usage of various departments of an organization. In smaller organizations, billing may be irrelevant. However, monitoring utilization helps spot specific trends and inefficiencies.


4. Performance management: Focuses on maintaining service levels needed for efficient operations. It collects various metrics and analytical data to continually assess network performance, including response times, packet loss, and link utilization.


5. Security management: Aims to ensure only authorized activity and authenticated devices and users can access the network. It employs several disciplines such as threat management, intrusion detection, and firewall management. It also collects and analyzes relevant network information to detect and block malicious or suspicious activity.

What does a network administrator do?

A network administrator typically manages an organization’s network and is responsible for:

• installing, monitoring, troubleshooting, and upgrading network infrastructure, including both hardware and software components
• monitoring network activity
• implementing optimization techniques to improve network efficiency and utilization
• managing and granting network access to users and endpoint devices

In smaller organizations, the responsibilities of a network administrator also include:

• distributing software upgrades efficiently using tools such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
• planning and executing routine backups
• managing and distributing licenses and maintaining compliance with licensing agreements
• installing new software applications and hardware appliances

Network administrator tools and software

Network administrators use various networking software and tools to optimally perform network operations, including compliance, automation, configuration, real-time monitoring and alerting, network inventory management, performance management, and vulnerability assessment.

Due to the increasing number of networking components in an organization’s network, it becomes difficult to manage the network manually, which is also error-prone. By implementing basic and advanced tools, network administrators can automate several tasks and focus on more value-adding tasks needing their attention.

What is the difference between a network administrator and a network engineer?

A network administrator focuses on the day-to-day aspects of managing and maintaining a network; whereas, a network engineer focuses on network engineering aspects, specifically the lifecycle of a network and its design and strategic implementation.

In a larger enterprise, a network engineer may oversee a team of network administrators and collaborate with them to solve network issues and improve overall utilization and efficiency. Similarly, the roles and responsibilities of network administrators and engineers may overlap, but the differences are outlined below.

Network Administrator:

• is responsible for managing and maintaining the network in real time
• ensures the network is secure by blocking suspicious activity and mitigating the risk of security breaches
• implements security programs based on hardware and software
• manages on-site networking servers responsible for business operations
• ensures network integrity and resilience to maintain service levels
• tests the network to uncover weaknesses and mitigate them
• monitors and tracks utilization
• applies utilization, authentication, and authorization policies to maintain the quality and security of the network

Network Engineer:

• designs network architecture and develops the entire network based on an organization’s requirements
• plans and implements both wired and wireless networks
• broadly manages the underlying network equipment
• strategically ensures network performance is as desired
• researches and introduces better technologies and implements them into the network lifecycle
• collaborates with network administrators to manage and remediate network issues