question -- network security position

[wuboy]

hi all,

i know there are a lot of networking gurus out there... so this may pertain to ur careers and what not, so please do not mind if i ask this type of question here.

i was just wondering what type of salary to expect for network security positions... i know that network administrators can make in the six-digit salary range, but do these administrators also work on network security? namely, securing their network to be virus, worm, trojan, hack-free...

additionally, what type of places require a secure network? obviously, everyone would like one, but besides ISPs, who would actually devote their budget solely to employees administering a secure network...

i am curious because lately i have been working on this, and was wondering if i actually bring this type of knowledge to the working world, what kind of career i could make of it.

any input would be helpful...

thanks all!

 

[IgorTs]

Any respectful place required secure network.
I used to be network/system admin and everything you described was included in my duty (for 5 digits, which was close to 6)

 

[MikeD83]

go to college, you won't make any digits as a network admin without it.

 

[IgorTs]

good advice, follow it.

 

[wuboy]

<< go to college, you won't make any digits as a network admin without it. >>



thanks for the advice

i've recently graduated with a BS in computer science.

however, sometimes i feel that college doesnt exactly prepare you fully for the big bad world. sometimes you have to rely on what you can do yourself and learn on your own... of course, the degree is the best thing u can have, and higher degrees are even better...

anyway, my point on writing this thread was just to get some feedback on network security in the work field. i havent had enough exposure to it yet, plus they didnt really touch upon it in my classes. so i just needed some input. im currently a web programmer, but i just wanted some more information about network admin occupations.

thanks.

 

[IgorTs]

Duties include: Planning, design and implementation of networking infrastructure. Planning of network upgrades; network faultfinding and correction; network stability and security. Evaluation and testing of new networking technologies. Making contacts/partnership with computer systems vendors.
Performance tuning, quality assurance testing, creating real life scenarios for intensive testing for developed applications. Implementing WAP infrastructure, evaluating and purchasing required equipment/software/ licenses. Development and maintenance of product staging and deployment infrastructure in the data centers. Search and evaluation of software/hardware for the company needs. Dealing with Internet naming facilities, purchasing domain names, setting IPs for computers, NATting, DNS.
Move existing NT network to Windows 2000, implement Active directory, maintain and verify backup. User management, enabling secure remote access to production computers located on industrial hosting sites using secure VPNs, LAN maintenance and protection, local and external DNS, installation and maintenance of MS Exchange server for corporate e-mail, multiple proxy servers, planning and implementing backup technology, centralized virus protection, creation of test labs running Sun Solaris and various MS Windows. Establishing a co-location facility at hosting site with clustering, load balancing. Responsible for systems high uptime and functionality.
some of my duties.

 

[Z_Amon]

A question right up my alley! This information is mostly for security only positions, and not for general "network admin" types, although some does apply. In my current job(s) I handle both normal network administration and security - I'm a graduate assistant and my role in that position is as the lab administrator for the Cybercrime and Police/Fire Staff & Command lab at my university, and I'm a network administrator at a commercial production and post production company in the greater Detroit area.

I'm graduating in about 5 weeks with a Master's Degree concentration in Information Security. If you want to continue college and get an Infosec advanced degree, you're looking at George Mason, James Madison, or Eastern Michigan (where i am). GMU and JMU are more computer science based, whilst EMU is a bit more managerial - we get a lot of former military and police officers, and it tends to be a bit less technical.

Salary ranges I've seen go from around 40k for a basic network/website security flunky on up to over 120k for high end managers at places like Sprint. You'll find that getting a government job, or a job that grants Secret or Top Secret clearance will be greatly beneficial to obtaining many of the truly interesting infosec jobs. Places like Raytheon, the DoD, Sprint, and other large employers are typically your best bet for employment in a serious information security concentration. Most smaller companies will stick you with a variety of duties, but not let you concentrate on security.

If you're going to work in the security industry, you should consider a CISSP certificiation. You'll typically need some time in the industry before you can take the test, but it wouldn't hurt to go read up about it. Other certs are also useful - I'm planning on both a CISSP and a CCNA in the next couple of years to expand my resume and make me even more employable.

If you need more information, or I can share anything I've got access to, please contact me at the email in my profile.

Z.