Network Technician

The network technician is the professional in charge of installing, configuring, managing and maintaining telematics systems. It can work on computer networks, or on the internal networks of a company that – not connected to the Internet – allow employees to access all the data and information they need.

The network technician has a wide range of responsibilities, which fall under the ICT category of computer and network systems.

Specifically, it installs, maintains, repairs, and upgrades computers, equipment, and network systems. Computer network technicians then maintain and supervise the use of the LAN, WAN and data center infrastructure, as well as the Internet, intranet and corporate extranets.

It is therefore a highly technical profession, which requires perfect knowledge of the hardware and software world, computer networks and connectivity.

The network technician takes care of everything from installing new systems to protecting against cyberattacks and supporting users.

There are several activities it deals with:

• software and hardware troubleshooting;

• execution of updates;

• collaboration with the IT team to ensure that the software is properly installed and launched on all employees’ computers;

• technical support to customers and end users through various communication channels, from live-chat to dedicated telephone line;

• protection of the computer network from cyber attacks, through the installation of antivirus software and the adoption of specific security measures;

• training for employees for the proper functioning of the network.

The work of the network technician can consist of creating a network from scratch, i.e. installing equipment and hardware such as servers, routers, cables, adapters and computers, configuring the software and commissioning the entire system (setting passwords, assigning roles, connecting to the network, configuring printers).

Or they can start working for a company as a problem solver: network technicians allow an enterprise to maintain its productivity by allowing workers to access the network resources they need.

The network technician must have:

• excellent diagnostic, problem-solving and analytical skills;

• good communication skills;

• a perfect knowledge of LAN/WAN networks, TCP/IP protocols and network technologies;

• hands-on experience with common software and hardware.

Becoming a network technician means working in the computer’s hardware, software, operating systems, and servers. In addition, you need to know what a computer looks like in order to install and troubleshoot microprocessors, chipsets, input/output devices, and memory. The training to become a systems engineer is therefore highly technical, in order to create a specialized figure capable of coping with even complex problems.