Network Administrator Certifications - An Overview

In the modern business world, computers are king. Widely present in offices of all types, from law firms to doctors' offices to the business world, these machines have the ability to store and quickly manipulate large amounts of data. Computers have been around in one form or another since the 1940s; however, it was only since the 1980s that computers enjoyed widespread use in business, with personal and networked computing truly gaining popularity when the Internet became widely available in the 1990s.

Accordingly, the number of computer-related careers has expanded considerably in availability and scope since then. There exist jobs for high- and low-level programming professionals; user interface designers; and software engineers. These jobs typically require extensive schooling, with additional experience acquired on the job.

There are, however, information technology and computer jobs that require significantly less schooling. Individuals are employed as network administrators; technical support professionals; and computer repair technicians -- and often, they are eligible for this sort of employment after just several months of study. This article will discuss some types of quick-study computer education and career training programs that lead to professional certification -- and often, directly to technology careers.

The A+ certification is designed to prove a student's abilities as a general computer technician. A+-certified technicians understand computer systems inside and out. They are as comfortable working with hardware (the "guts" of the computer) as they are with operating systems, software, networks, and files. They have the ability to troubleshoot computer problems and to achieve resolutions to those problems.

Students seeking technical support, computer repair, or networking administration careers often begin with the A+ certification. This certificate is recognized as showing worker competence and achievement in several computer- and technology-related fields. CompTIA sets the standards for this exam, which provides a good foundation for further competency classes and exams, such as Linux/UNIX exams and various network certifications. This certificate can lead to an entry-level technology career, from which the worker might eventually move to an advanced technical support or networking career.

The Network+ certification is also a CompTIA standardized exam. To prepare for this exam, students will study the basics of computer networking, as well as more advanced networking concepts. These concepts can include networking hardware; Ethernet setup and configuration; cable interface; network protocols like TCP/IP protocols, and wireless networking. Students will also study how to connect networked systems and to set up clients and servers for remote Internet access.

CompTIA suggests that individuals who wish to seek a career in the networking field should have 9 months of experience, or equivalent training, before sitting for the certification exam. There also exist a number of adult learning institutions and quick-study programs that can give students the appropriate levels of experience they will need for such an exam.

Like the A+ certification, the Network + certification also enables students to pursue further technology certifications, or to seek increasingly advanced computer technology career positions. The Network + certification is also good preparation for other certifications, such as those required by Cisco or Novell.

The Security 5 certification is established and administered by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants. This organization considers it to be an entry-level security certification. Nonetheless, it is recommended that students or network administration career professionals possess the equivalent knowledge of A+ and Network + exam material if they wish to seek careers in network security.

This exam covers a variety of network and desktop security principles. Students will need to have a solid foundation of basic computer security concepts, like firewalls and hack-proof log-ins. They will also need to understand computer cryptography, e-mail and communications security, secure site and Web browser procedures, and file transfer/FTP security. Desktop and hard drive security, portable and wireless security, and secure computing with third-party devices are additional topics covered.

This exam, when combined with another professional certification or prior networking and information systems experience, can be a powerful career asset. For those computer users who are not employed in the networking or information sciences sectors, the Security 5 certification can be a great asset in protecting the privacy and integrity of personal data.

The Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification is specific to information technology applications in the Windows desktop environment and Windows operating system. It is considered to be a beginner-level credential, and it demonstrates that an individual is competent in assisting end users and helping to test and troubleshoot Microsoft desktops and applications. This Microsoft certificate can be completed in tandem with other certifications supported by Microsoft, including the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification and the Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDA).

Currently, professional Windows environments are in a transitory phase between Windows XP Professional and Windows Vista. Vista's large allocated operating memory requirements and compatibility difficulties have caused XP to remain widely used in the workplace -- so there are some career environments in which the MCDST, MOS, MCDA, and other certifications are necessary. Network administration specialists and information sciences students should be aware, however, that Microsoft is changing the certification requirements in accordance with the new Vista user interface and desktop functions.

Computer Career Center, with locations in Amarillo, TX and Lubbock, TX [http://www.computercareercenter.com/cccal/index.htm], offers training programs for several network administration certificates. Later in 2008, the school is planning to unveil new education and career training programs. These courses of study run one year or less, and are designed to grant network administration [http://www.computercareercenter.com/cccal/technical-career-education.htm], business administration, and medical assistant diplomas. For more information, visit the school's Web site, www.computercareercenter.com [http://www.computercareercenter.com/], or call (915) 779-8031. CCC is located at 6101 Montana Ave., El Paso, TX 79925.

An Overview of Computer Network Security

The realm of computer networking has allowed efficient communication between various computing devices such as computers, servers, mainframes and peripheral devices such as printers, scanners etc. Once a computer becomes a part of a network, it is possible to share information and data easily and with minimum hassle. However, this data sharing has given rise to a host of security issues and thus computer network security is one of the most highly talked about topics these days. In actual, the computers in a network are always at the risk of unauthorized access from hackers in the network. A prime example of this is the Internet where insufficient security measures can lead to your valuable and highly confidential information being stolen.

Considering the increasing number of Internet crimes and an even greater need for privacy and strict security; a number of network security software are now available in the market, which can help protect your computers. This software has been designed to provide computers with network security by scanning and detecting any potential security risks in your computer. The detected files are then accessed by the program and corrected (if possible).

Most of the times, network administrators working in large bossiness or organizations have to cater to the problems of network security individually. In addition, in order to improve the security separate software for every separate function may also be used. For home networks it is advised to make use of single comprehensive network security software that protects the computer from any security threats and invasions while also offering faster problem solving and solution finding.

Effective network monitoring is the key to computer security. In order to efficiently manage a network, the activity logs from various servers or firewalls and even routers has to be closely guarded and reported. Good network security software will help you by doing just that.

Computer network security depends greatly on the end point security for it is through this node that all the data flow is managed. Unless a proper security measure is not taken to control this data flow; hackers and users from all over the network will have minimum trouble introducing various viruses and worms into your system and hence successfully stealing your confidential data. Computer network security is also greatly enhanced by making use of an intrusion prevention system. As network scams get more and more sophisticated with time, it is crucially important that you take equal measures to secure your computer.

Moreover, when a particular network is being designed or planned, data security considerations must be taken into account as a lot of data is generally stolen during the transfer process.

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A Basic Overview of Digital Network Security

Technology has changed the face of everything we do in our lives, both socially and professionally. Essentially every business has by now installed a computer system in order to store, send, and receive information. The usage of computers and networks requires a basic knowledge and understanding of security, and networks that store and maintain sensitive, confidential, or personal information typically have a high focus on security. Even the simple storage of emails and other archived documents requires a digital network security system.

The Importance of a Secure System

The importance of network security should not be minimized whether it is for a government organization or a large or small business. Intruders or hackers can create huge amounts of damage if they manage to get past the security buffer. These concerns require that all users of a network be aware and practice basic security measures. Every new day sees the creation of new security flaws and loopholes, so computer security systems must be kept consistently up to date to keep intruders out. The International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics reports that each new day introduces one million new security threats online.

Key Areas

Deterrence. By simply deterring hackers from trying to break into a network, you can prevent the costly damage that would occur from a breach, or attempted breach.

Prevention. Ensure up-to-date methods are in place to prevent any unauthorized access to the network. Authorizing special access, updating security systems, and utilizing communication encryption all work to prevent successful security breaches.

Detection. Logging access of the system will turn up any unauthorized access to the network and record the time and usage of the unauthorized user.

Flaw correction. A good security system is capable of putting measures in place to prevent known security flaws from reoccurring.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology states that network attackers have four main aims when they are breaching a system. They may do, or attempt to do, any or all of the following:

Intercept. This attacker attempts an unauthorized entry into the network system. He may use packet sniffing or information copying to achieve what is essentially eavesdropping on communications.

Interruption. This attacker's goal is to deny service availability. When these attacks are done successfully, network resources become universally unavailable.

Fabrication. This attack is basically a form of counterfeiting. A fabrication attack will bypass any authenticity checks and engage in mimicking and information impersonation.

Modification. This attack simply reroutes a particular user's information.

Digital network security system analysts are trained to manage both active and passive attacks. Active attacks disrupt a system and may include:

Reply
Service Denial
Masquerade
Modification

Passive attacks can be a bigger challenge to detect because they do not disrupt or change the information. They can take the form of transmission monitoring and traffic analysis.

Paul De Vizard is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things technical. This includes Network Monitoring Tools that provide Application Performance Monitoring for large corporations.