Top 12 Network Manager Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, having a strong set of skills as a Network Manager is crucial for ensuring the efficient operation and security of organizational networks. A well-crafted resume highlighting your top network management skills can significantly enhance your job prospects, demonstrating your ability to oversee complex network infrastructures and lead teams towards achieving seamless connectivity and system integrity.

Network Manager Skills

1. Cisco IOS
2. Juniper Junos
3. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)
4. MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)
5. IPv6
6. VMware NSX
7. Wireshark
8. SolarWinds
9. Python (for network automation)
10. Ansible
11. AWS Networking
12. Microsoft Azure Networking

1. Cisco IOS

Cisco IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is a proprietary operating system that runs on most Cisco routers and switches, providing network infrastructure control, management, and security features.

Why It's Important

Cisco IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is essential for a Network Manager as it provides the core functionality and security features for managing and configuring Cisco network devices, ensuring reliable network infrastructure operation and performance.

How to Improve Cisco IOS Skills

Improving Cisco IOS performance and security involves several steps tailored to the needs of a Network Manager. Here are concise strategies:

1. Update Regularly: Ensure your Cisco IOS is always updated to the latest version to patch vulnerabilities and improve features. Cisco Software Central

2. Configure Network Services and Protocols Securely: Implement secure configurations for network services and protocols to minimize vulnerabilities. Cisco IOS Security Configuration Guide

3. Optimize Performance: Use Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize traffic and ensure bandwidth efficiency. Cisco QoS Solutions

4. Monitor and Manage: Regularly monitor your network using SNMP or NetFlow and manage configurations for optimal performance. Cisco Network Management Solutions

5. Enhance Security: Implement Access Control Lists (ACLs), VPNs, and firewall features to protect your network from unauthorized access. Cisco IOS Security

6. Educate Yourself and Your Team: Stay informed about the latest Cisco IOS features and security trends. Cisco Learning Network

By following these steps and leveraging Cisco's extensive resources, you can significantly improve the operation and security of your Cisco IOS-based network.

How to Display Cisco IOS Skills on Your Resume

2. Juniper Junos

Juniper Junos, for a Network Manager, is the operating system used on networking equipment from Juniper Networks, providing a unified OS that delivers advanced features, reliability, and security for routing, switching, and security devices.

Why It's Important

Juniper Junos is important for a Network Manager because it provides a unified, reliable, and scalable operating system that simplifies network configuration and management, enhances security, and supports high-performance routing, switching, and security across complex network environments.

How to Improve Juniper Junos Skills

Improving Juniper Junos for a Network Manager involves enhancing network performance, security, and manageability. Key steps include:

1. Keep Junos OS Updated: Regularly update to the latest version for improved features, security patches, and bug fixes. Juniper Support

2. Automate Tasks: Leverage Junos automation tools like PyEZ, Ansible, or Junos Space for configuration, monitoring, and management tasks to increase efficiency and reduce human errors. Juniper Automation

3. Enhance Security: Implement security best practices, including secure access controls, firewall policies, and VPN configurations. Regularly update security policies and practices. Juniper Security

4. Optimize Network Performance: Use Junos tools for network performance monitoring and troubleshooting, such as RPM and TWAMP. Prioritize and manage traffic using QoS policies. Juniper Monitoring and Management

5. Attend Training and Certification Programs: Enhance your skills and knowledge about Junos OS and Juniper devices through official Juniper Networks training and certification programs. Juniper Education Services

6. Join Juniper Communities: Engage with Juniper forums and communities to share insights, resolve issues, and stay updated with the latest trends and best practices. Juniper Communities

By following these steps, a Network Manager can significantly improve the performance, security, and manageability of networks running on Juniper Junos.

How to Display Juniper Junos Skills on Your Resume

3. BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is a core routing protocol that manages how packets are routed across the internet through the exchange of routing and reachability information between autonomous systems (ASes), ensuring efficient and reliable internet data traffic management and connectivity between different networks.

Why It's Important

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is crucial for a Network Manager as it enables the routing of data across the internet, ensuring connectivity and optimal path selection between different autonomous systems (ASes), which are large networks or group of networks under a common administration. This is essential for maintaining the global internet infrastructure's efficiency, reliability, and scalability.

How to Improve BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) Skills

Improving BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) performance and security involves a mix of best practices, advanced configurations, and the use of additional tools. Here’s a very short and concise guide aimed at Network Managers:

1. Apply Route Filtering: Implement route filtering to control which routes are advertised and accepted. This minimizes the risk of route leaks and propagation of incorrect routes. Cisco Guide on Route Filtering

2. Use Route Aggregation: Aggregate routes to minimize the number of routes exchanged, reducing the size of routing tables and improving overall performance. Juniper Route Aggregation

3. Implement BGP Route Reflectors: In larger networks, use BGP route reflectors to reduce the number of peer connections and simplify the network design. BGP Route Reflectors - Cisco

4. Adopt BGP Best Practices for Security: Secure BGP sessions with MD5 authentication, deploy origin AS validation using RPKI, and use BGPsec for path validation. BGP Security Best Practices

5. Leverage BGP Communities: Utilize BGP communities for granular route control and policy implementation across your network. Utilizing BGP Communities

6. Monitor BGP Sessions: Continuously monitor BGP sessions and the routing table. Tools like BGPmon can provide alerts for anomalies and changes in the BGP ecosystem. BGPmon

7. Engage in Peering Agreements: Establish clear peering agreements with partners to ensure mutual understanding of routing policies and security measures. PeeringDB

8. Participate in Internet Routing Registries (IRRs): Ensure your routing policies are documented in an IRR. This aids in automated route filtering and enhances trust among peers. Internet Routing Registries

9. Capacity Planning and Management: Regularly review network performance and plan for capacity upgrades. This includes assessing the performance of BGP peering points. NANOG Presentation on Capacity Planning

10. Stay Informed and Educated: Keep abreast of the latest developments in BGP features, security vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies. Participating in forums like NANOG (North American Network Operators' Group) can be invaluable. NANOG

Improving BGP is an ongoing process that involves technical, operational, and strategic elements. By adopting these practices, Network Managers can enhance the performance, reliability, and security of their BGP deployments.

How to Display BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) Skills on Your Resume

4. MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a high-performance network protocol that directs data from one node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table and speeding up traffic flow for high-performance telecommunications networks. It allows for efficient management of network paths, supporting varying traffic types and levels, enhancing network reliability and scalability.

Why It's Important

MPLS is important because it enables efficient, scalable, and flexible network traffic management, allowing for prioritization of critical applications, enhanced performance, and improved reliability, which is crucial for meeting diverse organizational network demands efficiently.

How to Improve MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) Skills

To improve MPLS in your network, consider the following strategies:

1. Capacity Planning: Regularly analyze network traffic to ensure sufficient bandwidth for current and future needs, preventing congestion and packet loss. Capacity Planning Guide.

2. Quality of Service (QoS): Implement QoS policies to prioritize critical applications, ensuring they receive the bandwidth and low latency they require. QoS Best Practices.

3. Network Redundancy: Design your network with redundant paths to ensure high availability and resilience. Using features like BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) can quickly detect failures and switch over to backup paths. Network Design Best Practices.

4. Regular Updates and Maintenance: Keep all network devices updated with the latest firmware and software patches to enhance performance and security. Network Maintenance Best Practices.

5. MPLS Traffic Engineering (TE): Utilize MPLS TE to optimize network resource utilization and improve the overall performance by controlling the path traffic takes through the network. MPLS Traffic Engineering.

6. Performance Monitoring: Implement comprehensive monitoring and alerting tools to detect and respond to performance issues proactively. Performance Monitoring Tools.

7. Professional Training: Ensure your team is well-trained on MPLS concepts and best practices to efficiently manage and troubleshoot the network. Cisco MPLS Training.

By focusing on these areas, you can enhance the performance, reliability, and efficiency of your MPLS network.

How to Display MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) Skills on Your Resume

5. IPv6

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP), designed to address the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses by using a 128-bit address space, thereby significantly increasing the number of available IP addresses and improving internet routing and configuration efficiency.

Why It's Important

IPv6 is crucial for a Network Manager because it significantly expands IP address availability, supports more efficient routing, and enhances network security and configuration, addressing the limitations of IPv4 and meeting the growing demand for Internet-connected devices.

How to Improve IPv6 Skills

Improving IPv6 implementation for a Network Manager involves focusing on several key areas:

1. Planning and Policy Development: Begin with a thorough analysis of your current IPv4 infrastructure and develop a clear transition strategy to IPv6. Ensure you have policies in place for IP address allocation, naming conventions, and security. NIST's Guidelines for the Secure Deployment of IPv6 offer a comprehensive approach.

2. Training and Education: Ensure your team is well-versed in IPv6 concepts, configurations, and troubleshooting. Consider resources like Cisco's IPv6 Training to enhance skills.

3. Infrastructure Upgrade: Verify that your hardware and software are IPv6 compatible or capable of being updated to support IPv6. This may involve firmware updates or hardware replacements. The IPv6 Ready Logo Program provides a list of certified products.

4. Security Measures: Implement IPv6-specific security policies and configurations, considering the new protocol's unique characteristics. The IETF's RFC 4942, "IPv6 Transition/Coexistence Security Considerations," provides insights into potential security issues and recommendations.

5. Monitoring and Management Tools: Upgrade or adopt network monitoring and management tools that support IPv6 to maintain visibility and control over your IPv6 traffic. Tools like SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor can be instrumental.

6. External Connectivity and Services: Work with your ISP to ensure they can provide IPv6 connectivity, and start deploying IPv6 on your public-facing servers. Use Internet Society's Deploy360 Programme for guidance on deploying IPv6 services.

By focusing on these areas, Network Managers can ensure a smooth transition to IPv6, addressing both technical and operational challenges.

How to Display IPv6 Skills on Your Resume

6. VMware NSX

VMware NSX is a network virtualization and security platform that allows network managers to create, deploy, and manage a fully functional network infrastructure completely in software, without modifying the underlying physical hardware. It enables flexible, programmable, and dynamic network configurations for data center environments, enhancing efficiency, agility, and security.

Why It's Important

VMware NSX is important because it provides a Network Manager with a comprehensive networking and security platform, enabling the creation, management, and automation of virtual networks and security policies directly within software, thereby enhancing flexibility, efficiency, and security across the data center.

How to Improve VMware NSX Skills

Improving VMware NSX for a Network Manager involves optimizing performance, enhancing security, and ensuring seamless integration with existing network infrastructure. Here's a concise guide:

1. Optimize Performance:

   • Utilize NSX-T Data Center Performance Tuning guidelines to configure and manage NSX for optimal throughput and latency.
   • Implement Micro-Segmentation efficiently to minimize unnecessary inter-VM traffic and reduce attack surfaces without impacting network performance.

2. Enhance Security:

   • Regularly update to the latest NSX version to leverage new security features and patches.
   • Integrate with VMware Carbon Black for advanced threat detection and response, enhancing workload protection across the network.

3. Ensure Seamless Integration:

   • Use the NSX Migration Coordinator for transitioning from NSX-V to NSX-T, ensuring minimal disruption.
   • Leverage NSX REST APIs for automation and integration with third-party tools, improving operational efficiency.

For a comprehensive understanding and deeper insights, regularly consult VMware NSX Documentation and participate in the VMware NSX Community for best practices and troubleshooting tips.

How to Display VMware NSX Skills on Your Resume

7. Wireshark

Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer tool that allows a Network Manager to capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network, facilitating the identification and troubleshooting of complex network issues.

Why It's Important

Wireshark is important for a Network Manager because it provides deep visibility into network traffic, allowing for effective monitoring, troubleshooting, and analysis of network issues and security threats.

How to Improve Wireshark Skills

As a Network Manager looking to improve your experience with Wireshark, focus on enhancing its functionality, performance, and your proficiency in using it. Here are concise strategies:

1. Stay Updated: Regularly update Wireshark to the latest version to benefit from improved features, security patches, and better performance. Follow the official Wireshark download page.

2. Use Plugins and Extensions: Enhance Wireshark's capabilities by incorporating plugins and extensions tailored to specific protocols or analysis tasks. Explore options on the Wireshark plugins page.

3. Customize Filters: Master the use of filters to efficiently analyze traffic. Create custom filters for repetitive tasks. The Wireshark Display Filters documentation is a valuable resource.

4. Leverage Capture Filters: Use capture filters to limit data collection to relevant information, improving performance and analysis speed. Learn more about capture filters from the Wireshark User's Guide.

5. Optimize Performance: Adjust Wireshark’s preferences for better performance, especially on high-traffic networks. This includes increasing capture buffer size and streamlining packet processing. Guidance can be found in the Wireshark Performance Tuning guide.

6. Enhance Security Practices: Secure your Wireshark installation and usage to protect sensitive data. Implement best practices as outlined in the Wireshark Security section.

7. Participate in Communities: Engage with Wireshark communities for support, custom scripts, and new use cases. The Wireshark Q&A site is a great place to start.

8. Educate Yourself: Continuously learn through online courses, webinars, and tutorials. Websites like Cybrary and YouTube offer free Wireshark training resources.

Implementing these strategies will enhance your Wireshark experience, making network analysis more efficient and effective.

How to Display Wireshark Skills on Your Resume

8. SolarWinds

SolarWinds is a software company that provides a suite of network, systems, and IT infrastructure management tools, designed to help network managers monitor, visualize, diagnose, and optimize the performance and availability of their network and computing resources.

Why It's Important

SolarWinds is important for a Network Manager because it provides comprehensive network management tools for monitoring, diagnosing, and optimizing network performance, ensuring reliability and efficiency in network operations.

How to Improve SolarWinds Skills

Improving SolarWinds as a Network Manager involves a few key steps to enhance its performance, security, and usability. Here's a concise guide:

1. Update Regularly: Ensure SolarWinds and its modules are always up to date to benefit from the latest features and security patches. Check the SolarWinds Release Notes for updates.

2. Optimize Configuration: Customize and optimize SolarWinds configuration to your network's specific needs. Use Network Configuration Manager for automated configuration backups and compliance.

3. Enhance Security: Implement strong access controls and monitor user activity. SolarWinds provides a guide on Securing your Orion Platform.

4. Leverage Automation: Utilize SolarWinds' automation features to streamline tasks such as device discovery, configuration changes, and alerting. Explore the Orion SDK for custom scripts and integration.

5. Educate Your Team: Ensure your team is well-trained on using SolarWinds efficiently. SolarWinds offers training and certification programs.

6. Engage with the Community: The THWACK Community is a great resource for tips, custom scripts, and advice from other SolarWinds users.

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of SolarWinds in managing your network.

How to Display SolarWinds Skills on Your Resume

9. Python (for network automation)

Python is a versatile programming language widely used for network automation, allowing Network Managers to automate repetitive tasks, manage network configurations, and analyze network performance efficiently through scripts and libraries designed specifically for networking tasks.

Why It's Important

Python is important for network automation because it simplifies the execution of complex network configurations, reduces manual errors, and enhances operational efficiency, enabling a Network Manager to manage large-scale networks more effectively and with greater agility.

How to Improve Python (for network automation) Skills

Improving Python skills for network automation involves enhancing your understanding of Python programming concepts, network automation libraries, and best practices. Here's a concise guide:

1. Learn Core Python: Focus on mastering the fundamentals of Python. The official Python documentation is a great starting point.

2. Understand Networking Concepts: A solid understanding of networking is crucial. Cisco's networking basics can provide foundational knowledge.

3. Explore Network Automation Libraries: Libraries like Netmiko, NAPALM, and Ansible are essential tools for network automation.

4. Practice with Projects: Apply your knowledge on real-world projects. Websites like GitHub offer a plethora of open-source projects where you can contribute and learn.

5. Stay Updated and Network: Join communities such as Network to Code on Slack or r/networking on Reddit to stay updated on the latest trends and network with professionals.

6. Continuous Learning: Enroll in advanced courses from platforms like Udemy or Coursera that focus on Python for network automation to deepen your expertise.

Focusing on these areas will significantly improve your Python skills for network automation.

How to Display Python (for network automation) Skills on Your Resume

10. Ansible

Ansible is an open-source automation tool used for IT tasks such as configuration management, application deployment, and orchestration, enabling network managers to automate and manage network devices and configurations efficiently.

Why It's Important

Ansible is important for a Network Manager because it automates the configuration, management, and deployment of network devices, ensuring consistency and reducing manual errors, thereby improving efficiency and reliability in network operations.

How to Improve Ansible Skills

Improving your Ansible skills and efficiency, especially as a Network Manager, involves understanding best practices, leveraging advanced features, and staying updated with the latest developments. Here are concise tips along with authoritative resources for deep dives:

1. Master Ansible Basics: Ensure a solid foundation by mastering Ansible basics. The Official Ansible Documentation is invaluable for this.

2. Utilize Ansible Roles: Modularize your playbooks by using roles. This enhances reuse and simplifies management. Learn more from Ansible Galaxy.

3. Leverage Ansible Collections: Collections offer a great way to package and distribute playbooks, roles, modules, and plugins. Understand their usage on Ansible Collections Documentation.

4. Dynamic Inventory Management: For a network manager, managing inventory dynamically is crucial. Explore dynamic inventory to automate the inclusion of your network devices.

5. Automate with Ansible Tower/AWX: Use Ansible Tower or its open-source version AWX for automation, scaling, and operational tasks. This quickstart guide is a good starting point.

6. Implement Error Handling: Implement error handling and retries for more robust playbooks. The section on Error Handling in the official documentation provides insights.

7. Optimize Performance: Enhance Ansible performance for large networks by configuring your environment properly. This includes adjustments in the ansible.cfg file. The Performance Tuning Guide provides insights.

8. Continuous Learning: The technology landscape is constantly evolving. Engage with communities, forums, and resources like Ansible Blog and Ansible Fest to stay updated.

9. Security Practices: Implement security best practices for Ansible, especially in network management. The Ansible Security Automation page provides resources and tools.

10. Hands-on Practice: Finally, practical experience is invaluable. Use labs and sandbox environments to experiment with new ideas and tools. Platforms like Katacoda offer interactive learning scenarios for Ansible.

Improving in Ansible, particularly for network management, is a continuous process of learning, practicing, and adapting to new methodologies and tools.

How to Display Ansible Skills on Your Resume

11. AWS Networking

AWS Networking refers to the comprehensive set of cloud networking services provided by Amazon Web Services that enable Network Managers to design, implement, and manage scalable, secure, and highly available network infrastructure for cloud applications and systems. These services facilitate connectivity between AWS resources, on-premises data centers, and the internet.

Why It's Important

AWS Networking is vital for a Network Manager because it ensures secure, scalable, and highly available network infrastructure, enabling efficient management of cloud resources, optimized performance, and reduced operational costs.

How to Improve AWS Networking Skills

Improving AWS Networking involves optimizing for performance, security, cost, and reliability. Here are concise strategies:

1. Use Amazon CloudFront for faster content delivery. It integrates with other Amazon Web Services to give developers an easy way to distribute content to end users with low latency and high data transfer speeds. CloudFront

2. Implement AWS Direct Connect for a dedicated network connection from your premises to AWS. This can increase bandwidth throughput and provide a more consistent network experience than internet-based connections. AWS Direct Connect

3. Leverage Amazon Route 53 for scalable Domain Name System (DNS) web service. It is highly available and scalable, ensuring low latency and high throughput for your applications. Amazon Route 53

4. Optimize for Multi-AZ and Multi-Region to enhance reliability and fault tolerance. Design your network for high availability by spreading your resources across multiple Availability Zones and consider replicating critical components across Regions. Regions and AZs

5. Utilize Elastic Load Balancing (ELB) to automatically distribute incoming application traffic across multiple targets, such as Amazon EC2 instances. It improves the fault tolerance of your applications. Elastic Load Balancing

6. Adopt AWS Transit Gateway for easy network scaling and to connect VPCs and on-premises networks through a central hub. This simplifies your network and puts an end to complex peering relationships. AWS Transit Gateway

7. Implement Network Access Control Lists (NACLs) and Security Groups to control inbound and outbound traffic to your EC2 instances and subnets. This enhances the security of your VPC. NACLs and Security Groups

8. Monitor with Amazon CloudWatch and AWS CloudTrail for comprehensive visibility into your network performance and operational health. Use these tools to detect unusual activity and troubleshoot issues. Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail

9. Optimize Costs by selecting the most cost-effective resource types and sizes, and by utilizing reserved instances or savings plans where possible. Regularly review and adjust your usage based on AWS Cost Explorer insights. AWS Cost Management

10. Stay Updated with AWS Best Practices and continually refine your architecture based on the latest recommendations and services. AWS regularly updates its services and introduces new features that can help optimize your network. AWS Architecture Center

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly improve the efficiency, reliability, and security of your AWS network infrastructure.

How to Display AWS Networking Skills on Your Resume

12. Microsoft Azure Networking

Microsoft Azure Networking is a comprehensive suite of cloud networking services and capabilities provided by Microsoft, enabling network managers to design, deploy, and manage scalable, secure, and highly available network infrastructure within the Azure cloud ecosystem. These services include Virtual Networks, Load Balancers, VPN Gateways, ExpressRoute for dedicated connectivity, and various network security features, supporting a broad range of networking needs from simple to complex enterprise scenarios.

Why It's Important

Microsoft Azure Networking is crucial for a Network Manager as it provides a highly secure and scalable infrastructure to manage and deliver applications and services globally, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and connectivity across the cloud environment.

How to Improve Microsoft Azure Networking Skills

To enhance Microsoft Azure Networking, a Network Manager should focus on optimizing performance, increasing security, and ensuring scalability. Here are concise strategies:

1. Optimize Performance: Use Azure's global network to reduce latency. Implement Azure Front Door for global load balancing and Azure Traffic Manager for DNS-level traffic routing. Azure Front Door, Azure Traffic Manager.

2. Increase Security: Secure your network by deploying Azure Firewall for high-level security and network segmentation. Utilize Network Security Groups (NSGs) to control access and Azure DDoS Protection to safeguard against DDoS attacks. Azure Firewall, Network Security Groups (NSGs), Azure DDoS Protection.

3. Ensure Scalability: Leverage Azure Virtual WAN for large-scale network connectivity, ensuring your network can grow with your organization's needs. Use Azure ExpressRoute for dedicated private connectivity to Azure services. Azure Virtual WAN, Azure ExpressRoute.

4. Monitor and Diagnose: Implement Azure Network Watcher for monitoring and diagnosing network performance issues. Utilize its tools like Traffic Analytics and Network Performance Monitor for insights into network traffic and health. Azure Network Watcher.

5. Automation and Governance: Use Azure Policy and Azure Blueprint to enforce governance and compliance standards across your network. Automate repetitive tasks with Azure Automation for efficiency. Azure Policy, Azure Blueprints, Azure Automation.

By focusing on these areas, a Network Manager can significantly improve the performance, security, and scalability of Microsoft Azure Networking.

How to Display Microsoft Azure Networking Skills on Your Resume