Large-scale data centers need dependable engineers to facilitate the smooth operation of their software, physical infrastructure, storage, and all other vital elements; because there usually isn’t a designated specialist for any of these specific elements, an infrastructure engineer serves an important role in assuring their synchronization.
Education and Skill Requirements
It isn’t necessary for a prospective infrastructure engineer to be trained at a higher education institution to be capable of performing the task that will be asked of them in the workplace, but having a degree from an accredited university can be very important for giving them a competitive edge as an applicant. In addition to a bachelors degree in a relevant field, an infrastructure engineer is best off with a diverse variety of skills to accommodate wide variety of regulatory tasks.
On a typical day, an infrastructure engineer might be tasked with things such as optimizing the flow of data through all different platforms. Ultimately, the majority of an infrastructure engineer’s tasks will be done for the purpose of allowing the organization to evaluate their data with higher accuracy and efficiency.
An infrastructure engineer doesn’t have to be so knowledgeable that they never need any help at all, but they should at least have a moderate level of understanding in all the fundamental pieces of IT infrastructure that they work on. Generally speaking, it will be desirable for an infrastructure engineer to be competent in the administration of Cisco, Linux, Windows Server, and other widespread end-user applications.
Role and Responsibilities
An infrastructure engineer is going to have to be capable of supervising technology implementation in order to fully support corporate data. In addition to corporate data, the infrastructure engineer is also going to have to be competent when it comes to voice infrastructure as well.
Through the technology implementation that the infrastructure engineer facilitates, valuable data and voice platforms can be made more readily available. By making voice and data platforms more available, both external customer relations and internal business communications can be made that much smoother.
The infrastructure engineer is going to need to have a satisfactory level of skill when it comes to network integration and system implementation planning; in this way, they can be said to be involved in both the past, present, and future of the business’s data.
In addition to making sure that all of the data is implemented smoothly, an infrastructure engineer also plays a big role in circumstances where the data may not be working properly. Infrastructure engineers need to be able to properly troubleshoot any platforms or procedures that aren’t working in the way that they are intended to. To lower the chance of troubleshooting becoming necessary, the engineer will play a valuable role in data platforms’ initial design and operation.
Related Resource: What is a Computer Support Specialist?
Job Outlook
According to Glassdoor, the national average annual salary for an infrastructure engineer is about $92,000 a year. In Washington DC, the average annual salary for an infrastructure engineer is about $91,000 a year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts infrastructure engineers under the umbrella classification of computer network architects, for which a job outlook of about nine percent is projected by the year 2024.
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