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What softwares and tools should I be familiar with for Computer Networking?

I am wanting to be a Computer Networking Architect, but am unsure of what softwares and tools I should be familiar with. #computer-software #technology

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Christopher’s Answer

Hello,

Some practical and simple software that will provide a solid foundation for how computer networking works would be curl, traceroute, and Matt's traceroute (MTR). I have provided some links below to help you navigate.

https://curl.se/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traceroute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTR_(software)

You can set these tools up on your local computer and check common domain names to see how they work.
Another important concept that underlies computer networking and the above tools is the concept of TTL or Time to live and how that relates to networking packets. If you can grasp these tools and the concept of TTL, you will have a solid foundation to keep deep diving computer networking.
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Doc’s Answer

Robert a combination of the right education and experience can translate to a successful career as a computer network architect. Not to be confused with Network Administrators who manage and support the network, or Network Engineers who build and repair it, Network Architects are responsible for the planning and design of data and communications networks. In addition to hard technical skills, network architects need to understand the company’s business needs in order to design an efficient, secure and scalable network that aligns with strategic goals. With a firm grasp on the business issues, the network architect can begin to craft the network blueprint, carefully considering aspects like which hardware, software and cable infrastructure will be best suited to the project at hand. Entry-level positions might include monitoring and supporting network software and hardware. As network architects gain experience, they typically take on more challenging work, including analyzing systems, creating mathematical models and recommending system upgrades. These professionals might consider voluntary industry or vendor certification to increase employment opportunities. The Computing Technology Industry Association, Microsoft and Cisco offer various computer, server, network and security certifications.

Computer network architect education requirements may be different from position to position, but generally most employers tend to hire network architects who have completed a four-year bachelor's program in a related field, where major concentrations might include Web development or network security. Another way to increase employability may be to earn certification in networks, servers, or security. In-demand technical skills to look for in a network architecture degree program include network design and modeling, information security, telecommunications, cloud computing, virtualization, software engineering, technical writing, and information systems management. A network architect learning plan should also cover skills in popular vendor technologies, especially those from industry-leader Cisco Systems. A major factor in becoming a network architect is understanding the business side as well as the technical, and being able to analyze and express how these two worlds interact. Thus, a strong set of Soft Skills is key to getting hired – and succeeding – in this role. Marketable soft skills in network architect training programs include critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective verbal and written communication, project management and leadership.

Hope this is helpful Robert
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Chad’s Answer

Hi Robert,

While my domain expertise is in software development, I have spent numerous hours in the field troubleshooting network related problems that manifest themselves in the software application. Over the years, I have found Wireshark [1] to be an invaluable tool in diagnosing and debugging problems. At a high level, Wireshark is a tool that monitors and analyzes network packets. It has to ability to monitor network interfaces live, or read a packet capture file (.pcap) that was captured on another machine. Looking at individual packets (or sequences of packets) will allow you to see exactly how a machine, be it a server, end user computer, or something else, is communicating with other machines on the network. In the case of a server, analyzing packets will tell you exactly how it is responding (or maybe not responding) to requests from other machines. The use-cases for packet analysis are virtually endless. More information on the subject can be found here [2].

I hope this has been helpful.

[1] https://www.wireshark.org/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_analyzer
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Glenn’s Answer

There are many Network Tools on the market, here are a few: Solar Winds, Kentec, Cisco, IBM, to name a few. Each company will choose a tool or a few tools that they will deploy and you will have to either know them or learn to use them. There are basic free tools that you should know and most classes will teach them because they are free and can help quickly identify a networking issue. you can then jump into a full networking tool like the one mentioned to triage and eliminate the issue. These basic tools are:
Ping. Ping is likely the number one utility that every tech pro will use on a daily basis. ...
Traceroute / Tracert. ...
Ipconfig / Ifconfig. ...
Nslookup. ...
Whois. ...
Netstat. ...
Putty / Tera Term. ...
Subnet and IP calculator

I hope this helps, there is no easy answer to your question. The first job you find will have one of these tools and you can get your first experience with a Networking Diagnostic Tool and learn others as your career moves forward.
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Maria’s Answer

It can be hard to find the right tools and the right path in any field. What has helped me when I explore new paths is taking a beginner's course. Online courses are great. There are even a lot on YouTube you can check out for free. They give you a general overview of something and then once you have this general overview you will gradually begin having more specific questions.

The beginner's courses on Computer Networking will give you what you need to know as a foundation to get started. And again, this doesn't need to cost you anything. The hardest part is getting the motivation, but if you have that you are already on a great path. I suggest going on YouTube and searching for a course that is related to Computer Networking.

That aside AWS and Kubernetes are kind of big right now, so you will encounter those. Getting certificates can help you with getting interviews for jobs, and from then your skills will take you the rest of the way :)

Happy learning. I hope that helped
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Jeff’s Answer

Hi Robert, I recently made a career switch from being an acupuncturist into the tech field as a Technical Support Engineer with a SaaS company. I think what you're doing now and searching for resources online is a great start but I'm really a huge proponent of informational interviews. When I decided I wanted to look into developer adjacent positions such as support engineering, I found that reaching out to a technical support manager was the most informative because I was getting information from someone currently in the field and I think their recommendations (getting into AWS and Kubernetes certifications) were instrumental in me getting my current job. I think you'll be surprised how open folks are to lending their time to answer questions about their career field.
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Bharathi’s Answer

Try to get certification in CCNP and CCNA. It would help you a lot in Networking domain.
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Tony’s Answer

Hi Robert, to provide several specific tools relevant to networking: curl, ping, hping3, netstat, route, traceroute, netcat, ss, whois, dig, and nslookup. There are a multitude of higher level tools with graphical user interfaces as well.
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Arash’s Answer

Robert, you have chosen a good career path! I agree with everything John said.

Being a Network Architect means that you will be responsible for designing and building computer networks. Due to the nature of this role, you will spend a lot of time talking to people, thinking, designing, and solving small and big problems. To be able to excel in this career, first, you need the right education which usually starts by learning the basics of computer science. Understanding the basics is very important because it sets you apart from others who only look for certifications. So start by getting into a computer science/information technology undergraduate program. Once you pick up the basics, then you can shift your focus on the specifics (similar to how doctors become specialists). Pick a technology stack that you are interested to learn about such as Cisco or Microsoft, AWS, or Google Cloud.

Tools don't bring knowledge, they only help you do your job more efficiently. Remember that tools change all the time, but foundational knowledge does not change quickly. A lot of the advancements in computer science that we see today are based on the same foundational knowledge that is 20, 30, or 40 years old.
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