Duties and Responsibilities of IT Help Desk Support Staff

IT help desk support staff helps end users use IT hardware and software efficiently. Most midsize and large companies have IT technical support staff to resolve internal hardware and software problems and assist employees with general IT questions. Additionally, hardware and software companies have their own dedicated IT helpdesk to assist external users of their products. Since technology is used in most industries, IT help desk support staff can be employed in a wide variety of industries. They are also directly employed by software and hardware companies. IT help desk support personnel spend most days at a desk behind a computer. Those who work for companies work during standard business hours, but those who work as direct support for hardware and software companies may have to work at night and change overnight.

The role of the IT help desk support staff is junior. They generally work under the direction of an IT support manager. IT help desk support staff pay more and have more complex responsibilities. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for IT support specialists, which includes IT help desk support staff, is expected to increase by 10 percent through 2026.

Duties and responsibilities of IT help desk support staff

The IT help desk support staff is responsible for activities related to the correct use of hardware and software by end users. We've analyzed various descriptions of IT help desk support staff and created the following list of key activities and responsibilities for IT support staff. "

Interview with users to determine the scope of the problem.

The IT help desk support staff is a customer service function. To provide good support, they must be good listeners. This duty requires active listening skills to understand and remedy the problem.

Diagnose the root cause of hardware and software problems.

IT help desk support staff should use analytical and troubleshooting skills to troubleshoot hardware and software to find the root cause of the problem. Either they face the problem or they pass it on to someone more qualified.

Solve basic hardware and software problems.

The IT help desk support staff is responsible for basic hardware and software activities. This includes first-time installations and regular updates of all software, as well as new wiring of machines like CPUs, monitors, printers, scanners and copiers to your employer's network. This requires knowledge of WAN and LAN.

Complex hand problems in the chain of command

Some IT problems are too complex to be handled by IT technical support personnel. In these cases, they are responsible for keeping the user calm and delivering the problem to their direct supervisor.

Train users on new hardware and software

The internal IT help desk support staff is responsible for training all employees on new hardware and software. This involves designing and implementing a specific training strategy for each project.

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Technical Support Analyst Career Outlook

Employers often require applicants to have a computer science or business administration degree; however, in some cases, extensive work experience can replace education requirements. Courses typically include programming, systems architecture and marketing. Students who wish to pursue a career as a technical support analyst can take management and finance courses.

Certification

A series of certifications provided by technology companies can make a candidate more desirable for potential employers. Large companies, such as Oracle and Microsoft, allow interested people to obtain certification in a variety of specialties, such as network security and administration.

Career options

Technical support analysts help customers with usage problems, configure networks, and configure software. They are also responsible for system performance and help customers with new products. According to the March 2011 job openings on Monster.com, people who work for technology solution companies could help customers manage proprietary databases or software.

Cable and Internet service providers often hire technical support analysts to help customers with connection problems. Jobs in IT companies may require on-site work rather than addressing problems remotely. While some employees interact with the public during the management of technical problems, many technical support analysts help competent and competent people, such as engineers, to manage specific equipment.

Some companies promote technical support analysts to sales or research positions. Substantial experience as a technical support analyst can lead to managerial or supervisory roles. Promotions for technical support analysts will largely depend on performance, although education is often a factor. Some of the best advancement opportunities for technical support analysts are available with software and hardware companies.

Career prospects and salary information

According to the BLS, jobs for IT support specialists are expected to increase by 10% between 2018 and 2028, which is faster than the national average. The BLS reports that the median salary for technical support analysts was $ 53,470 per year in May 2018.

Some technical support analyst jobs may require a degree or an associated certificate in a relevant field. However, the best job prospects will be for applicants with a bachelor's degree and high proficiency in computer technology. Continuous training is needed to keep up with new technologies.

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Desktop Support Technician Responsibilities and Duties

Desktop Support Technician Responsibilities and Duties

• Assist staff with the installation, configuration and continuous use of desktop computers, laptops, peripherals and software that meet the indicated standards and guidelines.
• Participate in various computer platforms in a multilevel client server environment.
• Train and guide staff in the use of hardware and software.
• He participates in the main projects of the technology department and diagnoses network and desktop environment problems under the direction of IT Management.
• Update and manage inventory of computers and excess equipment
• Maintenance and troubleshooting of LAN / WAN, VoIP phone, biometric, video and other IT equipment.
• Make sure that desktop computers interact perfectly with multiple systems.
• Maintain passwords, data integrity and file system security for the computing environment.
• Interact with vendor support contacts to resolve technical issues with desktop computing equipment and software.
• Recommend and implement system updates to ensure longevity.
• Assess functional needs to determine purchase specifications for the system.
• Identify and repair network and hardware connectivity problems.
• Establish VPN access for all remote users.
• Assistance in technical updating and maintenance of complete desktop systems.
• Support in testing and deploying new applications and systems.

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What is NOC?

NOC Definition - Indicates "Network Operations Center". This is the central location of a company's servers and network devices. The NOC can be located on a company's campus or in an external location. Smaller companies and organizations often have an internal NOC where local technicians manage and monitor servers. Larger companies may have a NOC configuration in a location specially designed to host server devices.

Network operations centers, often referred to as data centers, are almost always connected to a high-speed Internet connection. Large NOCs, such as those used by web hosting companies, are often directly connected to the Internet backbone. This offers servers the highest possible bandwidth.

Although NOCs are used by all web hosting companies and ISPs, they are also useful for companies whose services are not connected to the Internet. Many companies use a NOC to manage internal communications, manage employee email accounts and protect data. Since managing an Internet connection is critical for most businesses today, most NOCs are monitored 24 hours a day. Automatic alerts alert technicians when servers or network connections fail.

How to Become a Network Engineer

Network engineers (also called network architects) plan, build, and manage networks to ensure that they are optimized and work as intended.

As a network engineer, you are responsible for the core of a company's IT system (and, by default, for the entire company).

While network technicians or IT administrators help with daily IT and troubleshooting, network technicians face the major challenge of designing and improving networks.

According to the company, physical and wireless networks are created and implemented, problems are solved and new technologies are researched and integrated. Here are some frequently asked questions about network careers:

Is networking a good career? Network engineering is a fast growing profession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the employment of network technicians is expected to increase by 6 percent between 2016 and 2026, which is above the average for all occupations.

How Much Do Network Technicians Earn? The average national salary for network technicians exceeds $ 72,000. Junior network engineers earn around $ 64,000. The average salary for network analysts is $ 59,000.

Experience level: Most network technicians have 5-10 years of experience.

How do I become a network technician?

If you want to get started with network technology, here are the first steps.

Get your bachelor's degree

Companies generally require a bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems or computer technology. Depending on the role, some organizations may also require you to obtain a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a degree in computer science before applying.

Gather relevant IT experience

A bachelor's or master's degree will put your foot in the door. But it is not enough. Learning IT skills in the workplace is crucial to become a network technician.

First you need to build a network base. An IT help desk or support role for beginners is an excellent opportunity to develop basic IT knowledge in practice.

If you're just getting started, here are the networking skills you should focus on developing:

Basics of the network technician

Clients and servers: How emails, websites and pages are connected via networks

IP addresses - unique identification codes for network devices that control the flow of data

Network hubs, cables, and switches - the basic hardware components of any network

Firewalls and routers: tools that organize and control the flow of network traffic.

Be creative in choosing places where you can gain experience. Volunteers for small businesses or friends. Try an internship. Create your own PC or a full stack network project. You acquire networking skills, expand your project portfolio and have something to discuss in job interviews.

If you have basic IT skills, look for more relevant network positions. If you work as a junior network engineer or network analyst, you can gain network experience. It helps senior engineers with networking tasks and is a great way to develop your skills.

Maximize experience in every role. Work on as many different projects as possible. Help volunteers take on new tasks. Connect to related engineers or suppliers. You will be more complete and reduce your specialization.

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What is Network Engineering? Career Opportunities

Network connectivity is an essential part of managing business operations in today's world. By establishing and maintaining network connections and operating systems, network engineers provide an indispensable tool for businesses and customers that enables operations.

A typical working day in the life of a network engineer may include formulating the system configuration; supervise the installation of the system; and define, document and apply system standards. Maintaining network systems is an important part of the functions of a network engineer. In this capacity, a network engineer is responsible for monitoring network performance, optimizing network performance, scheduling updates and working with network designers to make the system more efficient. Network engineers are also responsible for maintaining the security of a network system. They establish security and access policies, implement them on relevant network systems and monitor them. Network engineers must keep up with the latest technological developments. They must submit periodic system performance reports and therefore must complete the task of compiling a report after analyzing the performance and potential of a particular system.

Educational qualification for a network engineer

To become a network engineer, you must have at least an engineering degree. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a competent knowledge of all aspects of a network, including network systems, design and maintenance; network protocols; bandwidth development, implementation and support, among others. High-level companies can request that candidates also have a master's degree in their field of expertise. The bigger the company, the more exclusive and strict its requirements can be.

But those without these qualifications can still pursue a career by completing one of the short-term courses offered by various private IT training centers.

Hardware and networking courses offered by private institutions are generally short-lived and range from 3 months to a year. There are several private IT training institutions in India that offer hardware training. A basic educational qualification is not required to access this field. However, an intermediate level of education is generally preferred.

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Network Operations Center Engineer Responsibilities and Duties

Network Operations Center Engineer Responsibilities and Duties :

• Deploy and monitor software delivery and system development to ensure efficient production.
• Generate status reports and improve integration to assess all upgrade production infrastructures.
• Monitor and check the connection between ISP, firewalls and VPN gateways.
• Monitor all production networks, servers and services.
• Manage network security systems and processes and prepare the associated documentation for all work.
• Designing and preparing updates for all trouble tickets using various troubleshooting programs and updating ticket systems.
• Manage the implementation and solve complicated problems through the call center agency.
• Monitor and fix any problems with the ticket system.
• Manage and implement change management processes and systems.
• Prepare status and maintenance reports for the routine system maintenance program.
• Determine and manage the architecture system, provide updates, and ensure that all operational documents are complete.
• Offer technical support and formulate the device configuration as customer requirements.
• Design and run various types of monitoring programs, policy implementation, and standardization of network systems.
• Monitor the implementation of Microsoft-related methods to support PCI programs.
• Manage and design responses to overcome VMWARE errors and warnings.

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Computer Support Specialists Job Outlook

Training requirements for computer support specialists vary. Jobs as a specialist in computer user support require some computer skills, but not necessarily a post-secondary degree. Applicants who have attended some computer courses may be qualified for these jobs. For specialists in supporting computer networks, many employers accept applicants with an associate degree, although some applicants prefer a bachelor's degree.

Job prospects

Estimated percentage change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 10% (faster than average)

(The average growth rate for all professions is 7 percent.)

Go on

Many computer support specialists move to other positions in information technology, such as: For example: B. Network and computer system administrators and software developers. Some become managers in the IT support department. Some organizations offer support specialists the opportunity to move to other parts of the organization, e.g. B. in sales. For more information, see the profiles of network and computer system administrators and software developers.

Licenses / Certifications

Certification programs are usually offered by providers or manufacturer-independent certification providers. The certification validates the knowledge and best practices required by computer support specialists. Companies can request certification from their IT support specialists for the products they use.

Average wages: How much do IT specialists earn?

$ 52,160 annual salary

$ 25.08 per hour

Computer support specialists offer help and advice to computer users and organizations. These specialists support computer networks or offer technical support directly to computer users.

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