Now is the exciting time to join
the field of network engineering! According to the 2018 eWeek "Most
Popular" IT Jobs Report, security specialists and network engineers are at
the top of the business list. The network engineering position offers long-term
growth and a high average salary on demand. However, there is a caveat. As with
any technology career, we need to anticipate new trends and technology curves.
Remember the job of a network engineer that requires knowledge of Token Ring,
ISDN or ATM? I'm not good either. These were technologies that were part of the
CCIE exam topic, but are now almost gone.
When we move to 2020, it's a
great opportunity to take time to discover where we are and where the industry
is headed. After all, it's not just accidentally drifting to achieve a valuable
goal. You must plan where you want to go, plan well, have enough discipline to
follow the steps, and respond to plan changes as needed. It all starts with
knowing where things are and how they fit into the big picture.
Below are five areas of network
engineering that are expected to evolve in 2020. In addition to high-level
metrics, I'd also like to build trust and provide concrete examples and
technology areas that each of us can address. After all, I know I need to eat
and exercise properly, but I'd also like to give you a good diet plan and
recommendations for sneakers so that you can lose unnecessary weight tomorrow
morning.
1. Data-Based Networks
With a penny every time I read
about machine learning, AI, or big data last year, now I'd be super rich. These
articles and presentations are generally related to the analysis of data sets
collected from IoT sensors, drones, mobile phones or servers. There are few
articles on data analysis related to network engineering. More research,
articles, examples and data-driven networking technologies will be available
this year
There are several reasons for this trend.
The days of network silos and
vertical integration are over. It was a bit ironic to think that a device built
to interconnect disassembled parts of a network was built with vertically
integrated software and hardware. Think about how difficult it is to drop a BGP
table from an IOS based router compared to running the API on an NX-OS router.
Having an easy, consistent, and predictive way to collect data allows you to
automate the process and focus on analyzing the data.
yes. New features and
requirements for network engineers.
The reason for this will be
explained in more detail later in the article. For now, trust me when I say
that the 2019 network engineer skill set is very different from the 2000
network engineer skill set.
2. Continuous Python control
Okay, I admit that I'm a bit
biased towards Python. It is my favorite language when I write code to solve
business problems (not to mention my INE Python course). However, there is
plenty of industry data to support Python's popularity. For example, the Stack
Overflow article on the incredible growth of Python.
3. Cloud
I don't think we need to convince
anyone about the importance of the cloud, so we save "why" on digital
ink. The questions I see usually arise about "how". Here are some
common questions I received:
Q: Which cloud provider do you start with?
A: If your company has already
invested in a cloud provider, start with that provider. Get more resources and
support. If you want to start a Greenfield research project, or do it yourself,
use AWS, the most dominant player.
Q: In what area of the cloud should I start?
A: Network engineering is
ridiculous. We already have a strong foundation in network engineering, so why
not translate that benefit to the cloud? Please note that there are several
caveats when your network is operating in the cloud. For example, you can
freely connect NAT and Internet gateways to different subnets with just one
click. Alternatively, you must connect the virtual NIC to the router before
assigning it to the subnet.
Q: Do I need to be certified if offered?
So. But like all credentials,
cognition is a by-product of knowledge. The ability to answer multiple choice
questions is not a substitute for practical knowledge. If you can demonstrate
that your company has created a valid AWS Virtual Private Cloud, you may not
need that AWS Certified Icon on your resume.
The bottom line: don't wait, let's get started. All major public
cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) offer free tiers and a host of incentives to
attract new and existing customers.
4. The emergence of the community in networks
I know you think this is not a
real trend. Believe it or not, before I really determine this trend, I really
put in some ideas. When I started working in the network engineering industry
18 years ago, there were only a few industry events for network engineers (i.e.
service providers and Cisco Networkers, now Cisco Live NANOG). Even in large
corporations, network engineers often felt separate from developers and systems
engineering groups.
To this day, the field of network
engineering has emerged in every specialization. Data center networks are quite
different from service provider environments, where public cloud networks have
their own flavor and business networks have their own challenges. With
advancements on Meetup, YouTube, Slack, and Podcasts, there are many exciting
communities serving their respective audiences. Below are some of the most
interesting ones for me.
- Packt Pusher Podcasts: From human-centric networks, weekly updates to tech-focused podcasts, we have a variety of podcast tracks for your background.
- North American Network Operators Group: The NANOG Group meets several times a year and is directed at network operators of service providers.
- Open Network Symposium (ONS): This event will be organized by the Linux Foundation with a focus on open networking and orchestration.
- Private Communities: Network Chuck and David Bombal are two very interesting communities that I follow.
- Others: OpenStack Summit, Cisco Live, AnsibleFest, Cisco DevNet Create, NetworkToCode Slack channel and more.
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