What Is Networking?

What will this Networking job involve?

• I've been given this IT job spec I have an interview for, but I'm not entirely sure why it's so focused on networking when it's support role. Requires understanding of: 1. Basic network administration 2. Mail server administration 3. At least one of the following: TCP/IP, Ethernet, Teleconferencing I'm very much an IT person but my networking knowledge isn't great. What networking tasks would you expect to be involved in this support role? For instance, the 3rd one makes no sense to me. Do they mean knowledge of TCP/IP? In what practical sense? I know they're both protocols and a bit about them but what use is that? It's not like I'm going to be configuring how the data is sent/received. And Ethernet? Again, it's a physical technology, what would they expect me to know about it, that it's the cable that connects nodes of the network? Why is this stuff mentioned, and what are the duties of a basic network administrator? (who apparently needs experience of command-line work) Thanks!

• Answer:

  1. Pretty much explains itself, you will be required to maintain a network (fix it, look after it, feed it etc. :D) 2. You will need to handle the problems that arise and create accounts etc.... 3. Part I. TCP/IP - You will need to configure how data is sent/received as you will need to have a knowledge of how the stack works and which bits to use where. Part II. Ethernet - They need you to know how to make the physical connections between machines, as running servers require lots of them. Part III Command-line - Yes you will need command line as it is used to interface to routers / switches usually through a telnet session. Not many of these are graphical so command-line = definitely needed. Hope this helps!