How to Become a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator

A Cisco Certified Systems Administrator is a high paying post in the IT with a lot of potential as a network practitioner. To become a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator, an IT practitioner must pass the required exams from Cisco’s five-tiered Career Certification program. These tiers are arranged as Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, and Architect. The most well-known and popular Certifications amongst these is the Associate level CCNA Certification.

What is the Job description of a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator (CCSA)?

A Cisco Certified Systems Administrator is required to install and maintain Networking Systems as well as improve its performance by implementing more efficient strategies and installing new Hardware. A respectable job as a Network Technician requires a Cisco Certification as well as experience in the related field. Employers look for Cisco Certified professionals with around 5 years of experience in the field, and a bachelor’s degree and knowledge of related fields such a cloud computing is highly desirable. Cisco Certified Systems Administrators are expected to deploy Networks such as Intranet, Extranet, LAN and WAN, in various industries in different fields. Apart from deploying Networks, Systems administrators are expected to maintain them too. Maintenance covers a variety of duties, such as troubleshooting, optimizing and devising disaster planning and recovery measures. They are expected to work overtime, and often at unusual hours, as an enterprises network must run at all times and cannot afford any downtimes, so any issues that hinder its performance must be dealt with immediately. Moreover, systems administrators must also deploy security protocols in place to prevent data breaches and creates backups in order to secure data in case of a system malfunction or any other issues.

Systems administrators should have strong communication skills and contacts with people who specialize in different areas among networks, such as security, Routing, Security etc. Often times the issues that arise in the network must be tackled by teams who specialize in specific functions within a network. A systems administrator must be able to outsource the work to outside vendors if the need arises.

Employers expect systems administrators to take a proactive approach to optimize the Network and prevent any future problems that may arise. Therefore, systems administrators are expected to analyze networking systems in place and provide recommendations based on best practices. Cisco certified individuals are high in demand and offered high paying jobs in the retail industry in businesses like Amazon, as well as other industries that use Networking, such as the United States Air Force (USAF). Although some companies are still following the years-old trend of employing professionals to handle all types of workloads, there is an increasing trend towards network automation and electronic recording and communication, the need for employees to overlook and monitor networks has increased. Trends show excellent job prospects for systems administrators as Network monitors. These responsibilities are highly valued and are rewarded accordingly. The base salary of a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator is around $46000, but it can go up to $120,000 or more depending on their expertise, experience, and knowledge of all the related fields.

What are the responsibilities of a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator?

The smooth running of a network is essential for every organization. With advancements in technology it has become possible to delegate some authority to the system, but human supervision is still an integral part of an efficient network’s operation. Deployment and troubleshooting are just tips of the iceberg. Cisco Certified System Administrators perform various tasks and overlook a range of functions in a network ensure its smooth operation. For instance, systems administrators are constantly looking for shortcomings in the systems and inefficiencies that they can streamline or omit, in order to make its operation more efficient. These measures could include contingency protocols to follow in case of a systems malfunction, drafting new methods and creating prototype software with the aim of optimizing the network, analyzing network usage and prioritizing network bandwidth according to needs of different users.

Moreover, security is an essential part of any network, where ever it may be installed, be it a government department, or an incorporated business. Systems Administrator must install firewalls and virus protection services to minimize the risk to data getting sabotaged or damaged by threats. These Networks can operate at varying scales, generally Cisco Certifications, at least the CCNA are aimed at enabling professionals to administer Networks in place in small to medium-sized firms. These responsibilities can be stressful, that coupled with unusual work hours mean that this job can be very stressful. But professionals with the right set of skills, the required experience, and professional Certification can manage to pull through, whilst gaining insightful experience that will prove beneficial for them in their careers as they specialize in specific functions within a network. As with most things, a network of large scale cannot be run by one person. A team is essential for smooth operations. It is the responsibility of the systems administrator to enable efficient communication channels for each member of the team. Managing people and delegating authority is also an important skill system administrator are expected to be good at.

Why you should become a Cisco Certified Systems Administrator

According to Android Authority, “Networks are integral to every organization on the planet, meaning network engineers are in high demand. Cisco is by far the biggest name in networking, so Cisco certification is the golden ticket when businesses are looking to recruit.” Cisco is offering the industry leading certifications to professionals who are looking to get a head start with their career or gain a slight edge over the competition. Surely, the value and demand of certified systems administrators are rapidly increasing, and as more and more enterprises digitalize aspects of their operations the demand will further increase. In today's fast-paced world, Cisco Certified Systems Administrator is a career which is promising and shows incredible growth prospects if an individual is willing to stay ahead of the curve and excel at their job.