Figure 1. Network Architecture in the Organization (click to enlarge)
Qualifications & Certifications
Network architect skills demands are centered around networking technologies and the ability to translate business requirements into technical designs. Certifications such as Cisco CCIE or similar demonstrated experience is often required for network architect roles.
More detailed certification information can be found in the following pages:
Attributes of an Excellent Network Architect
It is risky for an organization to rely squarely on a network architect without requiring the burden of evidence from this position for decisions made. An excellent network architect should be able to justify direction and decisions in business terms in a manner that is non-ambiguous and rational to stakeholders. In other words, business leaders should be able to converse - in business language - to an excellent network architect about the strategic direction of the network architecture. Every design component and framework should make sense in terms of meeting business requirements.
Enterprise Architect Career Links
Attraction to the position and job retention strategies for employers
Staff members occupying this role can feel pressured from;
- Sitting across too many projects and being pulled in different directions
- Feeling as though they are ultimately responsible for the success or otherwise of a design
- Unrealistic expectations that they should hold expert skills across too many technologies
- Not understanding the true nature of an architect role and attempting to 'solve' every problem that is presented.
Employers can reduce the pressure on this role by ensuring that communication paths are open to the architect, ensuring that the organizational structure provides sufficient expertise across different technologies, ensuring that the role is clearly defined in terms of the architect providing standards and frameworks while engineers provide solutions to specific problems (complying with the standards and frameworks).
Network Architect Job Description
Job Description
Interpret business requirements into technical network solutions framework. Provide technology roadmaps governed by strategic direction, business requirements as well as resourcing and financial constraints. Liaise with enterprise, server and applications architects to ensure alignment across technology portfolios.
Custodian of the architecture process that interfaces with project and program managers to provide direction on scope and direction of network solutions.
Related Content
Tasks and Activities
- Provide technical direction and frameworks to meet business needs.
- Write technical and business documentation.
- Liaise with management and support teams.
- Assist in scoping and costing of projects.
- Guide and influence team members and business colleagues.
- Create presentations/solutions and articulate to boards and executives.
- Work with other SMEs and technical support teams in the pursuit of technically excellent solutions.
- Produce technically excellent solutions architecture that is aligned to business needs and direction.
Role at a glance
What You Know
Understand the core business
Expert level network technologies such as BGP, OSPF, Spanning Tree, MPLS, VPN, VLAN
Expert level understanding of the network design
What You Do
Provide technical direction
Guide and influence team members
Produce solutions architecture & roadmaps
What You Are
Thought leader
Able to influence effectively
A strategic thinker
A great communicator
A leader
Organizational Position
This position will likely work closely with project managers and directors as well as IT department clients (business representatives) from a business and process perspective. From a technical perspective this position may engage network engineers as well as other architecture and engineering staff.
There may also be a close alignment with Operations teams and/or the custodians of SLA (Service Level Agreements).
Page Research Level 2 (PRL)
A key designed to give an indication of the depth of research used to produce the content of the page.
PRL Key Jobs researched
Level 0 =0-6
0-6Level 1 =6-29
6-29Level 2 =30-49
30-49 Level 3 =50-79
50-79Level 4 =80-99
80-99Level 5 =100+
100+
