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PyNet Labs- Network Automation Specialists

Top Network Engineer Skills for 2025 and Years to Come

Author : PyNet Labs
Last Modified: November 11, 2024 
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Introduction

Becoming a network engineer is just the first step in your professional journey. However, the journey doesn’t stop there. It leads to two core elements of success, i.e., Learning and practicing. This will surely make you better prepared and stand out in the job market.

Organizations are always looking for network engineers who can operate on current networks and also design, implement, and maintain next-generation networks on which businesses rely. The skills that we are going to discuss are not simply skills to keep you adequately employed; they are about creating a future-proof career.

But, have you ever thought about what network engineer skills you must learn? If so, this blog is just for you. In this blog, we will be targeting individuals like you who have lots of determination to succeed in your career path. Here, we will consider some of the most important skills required for network engineers. We will also describe how these skills can be useful for attaining specific career objectives.

Why Network Engineer Skills are in Demand?

With businesses increasingly relying on digital communications, demand for network engineers continues to grow. Companies need professionals who can ensure network security, handle complex systems, and keep up with emerging technology trends.

For your better understanding, we have explained the skills required for network engineers in two sections: Technical Skills and Soft Skills. Let us first discuss these technical skills.

Top Technical Network Engineer Skills to Master

In this section, we will look into the core technical Network Engineer skills that will be essential for your success in 2025 and beyond. These are the skills that build the foundation of your expertise:

Network Fundamentals

Even several years from now, you will still be a network engineer to be precise, therefore, it is important to understand the networking fundamentals. You can’t automate if you have no clear understanding of IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, RIP, IGRP, OSPF, EGP, EIGRP, BGP, switches, network topologies, TCP/IP models, and so on.

Also, as we mentioned above, even in the public cloud, these basics are required to establish a strong network. One must also know that without a base of network knowledge, there is no chance to comprehend more complex material or analyze sophisticated issues. In other words, it serves as a kind of base to build a house – the more solid it is, the more it will be able to cope with further work.

Network Design and Infrastructure

Network design and infrastructure, as the concept suggests, focuses on the arrangements of the physical and logical setup of the network. This includes selecting of right hardware like routers, Switches, and firewalls as well as determining the network topology. As a network engineer, you will have the duty of designing and implementing network infrastructure. This skill sets you apart from someone who just recognizes the individual components.

Network diagrams, Network planning & implementation, Hardware selection, Capacity planning, and Network documentation help you enhance your Network design and infrastructure knowledge.

Programming and Scripting

Programming and scripting are basics of automating work and developing own solutions for networks. This is not just knowing what is on the network, i.e., components; it allows you to control and optimize them.

When working as a network engineer, then you should be able to write scripts with good programming skills for configuration management, network monitoring, and diagnosing. This is particularly important in large and complex networks where the management of these networks could be time-consuming and liable to human errors.

Withdrawing knowledge in languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell, which is backed up by the concepts of APIs and Network protocols, can enable you to write complex scripts for processes such as device deployment, log analysis, and security incident response. With programming and scripting skills, you can easily Perform everyday network tasks automatically, develop your custom networking applications, and utilize APIs in the network. Modern Networking demands learning programming and scripting for network automation that will make you a much more involved and productive network engineer.

SDN (Software Defined Networking)

SDN is one of those concepts about which it is difficult to give a definite, clear definition. Yet, most of the discussions refer to the use of controllers, abstraction, and automation, as well as the ability to influence traffic flow. For network engineers, SDN is not just the wave of the future but a wise career decision that will greatly benefit engineering personnel who want to advance their professional skills. What is true regarding SDN is that it helps to control the network with better flexibility and less need to configure things by hand and adapt to changes in the network more efficiently.

By learning SDN, network engineers can develop automation and orchestration skills. In addition, advanced certifications like CCIE, particularly in areas such as SDA and SD-WAN, are part of the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure lab exam.

You should focus on learning:

  • Ansible: Learn how to use Ansible to configure network devices, deploy software, and automate tasks.
  • Chef and Puppet: Other popular configuration management tools for automating infrastructure management.
  • Network automation tools: Understanding and utilizing various network automation platforms and tools is essential for efficiency.

These skills are vital to optimizing processes, lowering the level of mistakes made by employees, and improving the company’s growth. Also, it will help network engineers to convert conventional networks into extensible and flexible ones, given the ever-changing requirements that organizations may have.

Network Security

Network security skills are essential for the future of network engineering. The ever-increasing landscape of cyber threats creates a high demand for professionals who can design, implement, and maintain secure networks. This specialization leads to higher salaries and faster career progression, offering job security in a constantly evolving field.

Network security engineers are vital for protecting organizational data and infrastructure, making these skills highly valuable and in constant demand. Developing expertise in this area provides a significant competitive advantage, ensuring a fulfilling career in a dynamic and crucial sector of IT.

Network Virtualization

Network virtualization is becoming increasingly popular in modern networking. Network virtualization allows you to create virtual networks on top of existing physical infrastructure.

Network virtualization involves:

This skill allows for greater agility, resource optimization, and reduced hardware costs compared to traditional physical networks.

Mastering concepts like virtual overlays, network abstraction, and the orchestration of virtualized network components differentiates you from engineers limited to physical deployments. Virtual network design, SDN controller configuration, VNF deployment and management, and cloud networking principles are key components in building your expertise in network virtualization.

These are the top technical skills required for network engineers.

Top Soft Skills Required for Network Engineers

While technical skills are essential, soft skills are equally important for network engineers. These skills allow you to perform tasks in a team, express ideas in the right manner, and cope with incidents in the workplace.

Communication

Proficient communication is important – especially speaking and written expression abilities. You are required to have the skills to communicate technical information to technical as well as non-technical individuals.  This is in terms of listening actively, speaking, and articulating clearly and to the point as well as the adaptation of the right mode of addressing the audience.

Problem-solving

Network engineers, of course, face various challenges.  It is critical to reason deeply to identify and solve different problems affecting networks especially when it comes to diagnosing the problem.  This includes generic skills such as critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and skills that involve compartmentalizing tasks in set problems.

Teamwork

Network engineering always deals with a group of people most of the time. The completion of each project is highly dependent and needs collaboration from other individuals.  This includes communication in particular and working together to be able to further a common interest.

Continuous Learning & Adaptability

There are enormous and ever-growing advancements in this field of technology. It implies that network engineers must be ready for the integration of new technologies and ready for new challenges.  This includes the readiness to acquire knowledge, assertiveness when it comes to acquiring new skills, and a positive attitude toward change.

These are the top Network Engineer Skills.

How to keep Network Engineer Skills Up-to-Date?

Staying current is essential for all Network Engineers. Here are the ways to keeping yourself updated:

  1. Certification: Certifications validate a network engineer skills, making them more attractive to employers. The CCNP and CCIE Certifications are top of the line certifications to keep you updated with industry standards.
  2. Latest Courses: Network Engineering is evolving and so should you as a network engineer. Cisco is moving towards AI and ML, so a network engineer should also learn these skills with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Courses.
  3. Online Resources: To keep yourself up-to-date, you should also invest your time in online resources, such as Forums, videos, etc.
  4. Online Courses: Platforms like PyNet Labs, offer accessible courses that can help you learn new skills and prepare for certifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What skills are required for a network engineer?

To become a good network engineer, you have to focus on continuous learning. Some of the skills required for network engineer that are worth learning are Network Fundamentals, Network Design and Infrastructure, Programming and Scripting, SDN (Software Defined Networking), Network Security, and Network Virtualization.

Q2. What is the main role of network engineer?

The main role of network engineers is to set up and maintain networks for different organizations. Apart from this, they are also responsible for supporting clients, staff members, and users.

Q3. Is CCNA enough for network engineers?

CCNA is a basic course for those who want to make a career in the field of networking. With CCNA Course, one can only learn the basics of networking.

Q4. Is networking a technical skill?

Yes, networking is a technical skill. Networking skills involve configuring routers and firewalls, i.e., managing networks for different companies.

Q5. What does a Network Engineer do?

A network engineer designs, implements, and maintains an organization’s computer networks, ensuring reliable connectivity and data flow. They troubleshoot network issues, optimize performance, and secure the network against potential threats.

Conclusion

When it comes to goals for the year 2025 and beyond being a network engineer, there is an immense need to work on the right set of skills. The core network engineer skills are not only in acquiring specific technical skills; they are also about constant learning to keep up with the rapidly evolving use of technology.

In this blog, we have outlined the top 10 skills required for network engineers, which include the right set of technical skills such as Network Fundamentals, Network Design and Infrastructure, Programming and Scripting, SDN, Network Security, Network Virtualization, and the right set of soft skills such as Communication, Problem-solving, Teamwork, Continuous Learning & Adaptability.

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