Courses to learn about network administration, design and management

The administration and design of local networks is one of the most important aspects of computing. Nowadays, with everything interconnected through local networks and the Internet, it is essential to have a broad knowledge of the main Internet protocols, how the different network technologies work, how both wired and wireless communications are carried out, etc. If you want to learn about networks to be a network and communications systems administrator, then we are going to recommend a complete list of online courses where they will explain everything you will need in your day-to-day work.

Courses to learn about network administration

When choosing an online course, we must look at what content is covered and its depth. If in a network course we see that many topics are covered but there are few hours, then all these topics will be treated in a rather superficial way, without going fully into how the protocols work or their configuration in a real computer. What you should look for in a network course is that it covers the following aspects:

  • Network protocols.
  • Switching and all related protocols.
  • Routing and all protocols.
  • Network security with firewalls, IDS/IPS and VPN, albeit superficially to go deeper later.

To learn about networks, a course through the Internet with videos is enough, however, it is always advisable to have a tutor behind you, who can solve any doubts we have. These tutorials can be done by email, phone and even by video call on platforms such as Zoom or others. Although the network course that we do is recorded and we watch the videos on a delayed basis and not in real time, the main course platforms always have an associate professor, and even the author of the course will answer the different questions that may arise.

The practice in networks is something very important, it is useless to learn everything at a theoretical level if later in real life we cannot apply it. For this reason, it is very important that the courses provide practice with the different topics, to test our knowledge. It is also very important that you set yourself different goals, for example, using network simulators such as Cisco Packet Tracer for students with basic and intermediate levels, or GNS3 for more advanced students. Today we can find exercises outside the course to solve them, and put into practice everything we have previously learned.

 

Essential agenda

Currently there are many courses on network administration, some of them are more theoretical, where we will learn all the protocols and what they are for. There are other courses that are more practical, where we will have a large number of practices where we can put our acquired knowledge to the test.

In general, in the network courses we will find an introduction to communications and computer networks, where we will see communications, the classification in LAN, MAN and WAN, we will also learn about protocols and their architecture, with their corresponding definitions. , features and main functions. In the world of networks, knowing the OSI reference model is essential, here we will learn the functions of the different layers and also what services it offers, however, today we use the TCP/IP protocol architecture, where we will also learn what functions it has and what services it provides.

Other very important knowledge is related to the transmission of data, below, you can see what we should have in the courses:

  • Data flow (simplex, half-duplex or full-duplex) and addressing.
  • Transmission mode (serial or parallel)
  • Analog and digital transmission, with its main characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
  • Attenuation and distortion in signals, effects of noise.
  • Decibel and signal strength.
  • Coding techniques in digital and analog signals.
  • Transmission media (twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic, wireless) with their strengths and weaknesses.

In these online courses we will also see all the network protocols. In this section we must differentiate between switching and routing. In switching you will learn everything about the switches, protocols that exist in this L2 layer of OSI and what configurations we can make in the different devices, some of the protocols that you will see in this section are:

  • VLANs
  • Spanning-Tree Protocol and Rapid Spanning-Tree Protocol.
  • Link Aggregation or trunks
  • port mirroring
  • QoS with CoS at L2 level
  • Security measures at the L2 level to prevent attacks.

At the routing level, we will learn about the IP protocol and how it is used for network interconnection, below, you can see some concepts that you will learn:

  • what is internet
  • IPv4 and IPv6 addressing and how to create subnets with these protocols
  • What is routing and protocols
    • Interior Gateway Dynamic Routing Protocols (IGP) such as RIP, OSPF, or EIGRP if using Cisco
    • Exterior gateway dynamic routing protocols (EGP) such as BGP to interconnect autonomous systems.
  • TCP and UDP protocols, characteristics, differences, everything that ports mean.
  • NAT technology
  • Security in networks and tools that we can use
  • Cryptography
  • Virtual private networks (VPN) with protocols such as IPsec, OpenVPN or WireGuard
  • Protocols at the application layer level to learn in detail everything about its operation, such as HTTPS, FTPES, SSH or SNMP among many others.
  • Explanation of the PDIOO model (Plan, Design, Implement, Operate, Optimize and Retire) of the network life cycle.
  • Monitor the network to guarantee the level of service, control and analyze changes in the network.

 

Necessary previous studies

Depending on your level on networks, you will be able to access some online courses on networks that are basic, where you can learn how to manage a local home network, the main Internet protocols and little else. In the event that you already have certain knowledge, you will be able to access more advanced courses without much trouble, where you will learn to design and configure a professional local network, and even to monitor to have everything under control.

To learn about computer networks it is very important to have a certain knowledge base in computers, because networks are part of computing. In the case of not knowing anything about computers, hardware, software and other important components of computing, our recommendation is that you first study about it, to later get fully into the world of networks. In fact, you could do both at the same time, while learning about computers with their hardware and software, you could also study a basic networking course. In this way, the computer courses you take will complement perfectly with the basic networking courses.

In the event that you are a Computer Science or Telecommunications Engineer, you already have a fairly broad base on how computers and communications work. In fact, if you have studied these careers, you may have specialized in networks. In these cases, you will be able to go fully to the intermediate level networking courses and also to the advanced level ones. Although in the different careers you have learned network concepts at a low level, there are many protocols and technologies that you probably do not know, and even that you do not even know how to correctly configure a professional switch or router. Thanks to the online courses that exist today, you will be able to learn everything about Internet protocols, how to efficiently design a professional local network, and also how to manage and monitor it to notify us of possible failures.

 

Adequate duration

The courses are always measured in teaching hours, within these hours, we can decide whether to extend these effective hours more or less in time. If we do a few hours each day, the course will take longer than if we do many more hours. This depends on each person, if you are working full time, it is possible that a 100-hour course will last you about 2 months (at a rate of 2 hours a day), however, a person who is unemployed can do 8 hours of daily learning , so in less than two or three weeks the same course could be finished.

When we see a course, we must take into account both the duration and the content of the course . If we have a short duration of about 30 hours, but we are only going to see a very specific topic such as switching, then we can think that this course is very specific and will deal with this topic in depth. On the other hand, if we have a 60-hour course but we see topics such as switching, routing, firewalls, and VPN, we can think that this course is not as specific as the previous one, but that it touches on different topics of interest in the world of computer networks. .

If we want a fairly complete course to learn everything about computer networks and from scratch , it is essential that it lasts more than 100 hours . Why this number of hours? Because it is a necessary number of hours to learn and practice both switching and routing, in addition, it is necessary to do more practices than what they put us in the courses, with the aim of going beyond what they provide us. Although as we have said before, it is necessary to know the syllabus that is going to be carried out, and it is that online courses are generally not that long, but we can find different courses of the same but with different levels of learning.

In the event that you already have some knowledge of networks, and you want to reinforce that knowledge, surely with specific courses of about 20 hours, it will be more than enough to learn exactly what you need. For example, there are specific online courses to pass the Cisco CCNA, Cisco CCNP certifications and also other certifications related to the world of networks. Finally, it is vital that all courses have practices to test what has been learned in theory.

Job opportunities

Once you know about networks at an intermediate and advanced level with these courses that we are going to recommend, you will be able to design the communications architecture of a company with low or medium complexity, since if the company has high complexity, it is advisable to have several years of experience behind, and study specific courses and certifications from different manufacturers such as Cisco, Juniper or Mikrotik among others, with the aim of knowing a lot about networks, but above all, knowing how the different protocols and technologies are implemented and configured in these proprietary teams. You will also be able to supervise the implementation of the network following the project you have carried out, and even administer, manage and monitor the resulting system. Finally, you could also provide technical assistance in case network users have any kind of problem.

If you have studied the different courses to be a network administrator, you will be able to develop your professional activity in the following areas:

  • Small and medium-sized companies that design and install computer networks.
  • You can set up your own company to design and install computer networks. Providing consulting services to other companies and also to end users.
  • In medium or large companies or entities, as part of the team of network administrators and maintenance of professional networks to other companies.

That is, once you know about networks, you can work in any company that is dedicated to the following:

  • Maintenance of telematic networks.
  • Design and installation of computer networks.
  • Use of the professional network to support the business process of any company.

As you can see, the job opportunities for this type of course are quite extensive, and today in any company there is a network to manage and maintain, that is if the company is not dedicated precisely to this, providing services to others companies where we will be the ones to give them support. If you are looking for a job, you can apply for any of the following positions:

  • Network designer or architect.
  • Computer network administrator.
  • Network and communications administrator.
  • Supervisor of network design and installation.
  • Professional local network technician.
  • Technician in design of telematic networks.

As we have been working in the world of networks for years, we will increase our knowledge and dedicate ourselves to more complex tasks. Regarding the salary range, it depends a lot on each company and the requirements, but here is a range that can serve as a guide:

  • Network technician: €14,000 to €22,000 per year
  • Network administrator: €25,000 – €40,000 per year
  • Network engineer or architect: More than €55,000 per year

As you can see, the salary ranges vary quite a bit depending on what position we are in. First we will start by being a network technician, then an administrator and finally a network engineer or architect. Of course, depending on each company and our responsibilities, we will charge more or less money, for this reason it is very difficult to give you a more or less exact figure.

 

Recommended online courses

The online courses that we are going to recommend below are organized by levels, we will have three levels (basic, intermediate and advanced), depending on your previous knowledge, you can take some courses or others. If you take an advanced level course but your knowledge is limited, you probably won’t be able to make the most of it and may even miss out.

 

Basic level courses

In this list you will find the basic level courses that we recommend to start with the world of networks. It is not necessary to have previous knowledge.

 

Learn Networks from Scratch: Complete Course UDEMY

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €14.99 Type 7 hours of video on demand, 10 articles, 9 downloadable resources and 2 mock exams. Evaluation No, but it has practical exercises as if it were an exam. Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.udemy.com

If you are interested in learning about communication networks and computer networks from scratch, this is the course to take. If you do not have any prior knowledge, or very limited knowledge, this course is for you as it will cover the basics of networks. You will be able to learn the benefits of networks, basic operation, network topology, equipment and different types of wiring that we can use, IP addressing and subnets, how to plan and design a network from scratch and much more.

 

Why we like it

It is a beginner’s course in the world of networks, explained from scratch for people who want to start, no prior knowledge is necessary and it is aimed at almost any sector such as administrators, company workers, etc. It is the basics of the operation of the Internet and also of local networks, if you already have experience with computers in general and networks in particular, this course will strengthen your previous knowledge.

 

What to consider

Being basic, it is possible that your knowledge is above this course, see if it is really worth it or better to do a more advanced one. Our recommendation is that if you already have experience, you can do the following Cisco CCNA course directly, because in this course you also learn from the most basic things to the most advanced at a professional level.

 

Cisco CCNA 200-301 Certification: Introduction

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €14.99 Type 13 hours of video on demand, 2 articles, 38 resources to download. Evaluation No, but it has practical exercises as if it were an exam. Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.udemy.com

If you are interested in taking the prestigious Cisco CCNA 200-301 certification, which is Cisco’s top level certification in routing and switching, this is one of the essential courses you should take. In this course you will learn about networks at a basic-intermediate level, in addition, you will learn everything you need to pass the Cisco certification in the future. This course gives you a pretty solid foundation in networking, with the goal of completing the rest of the courses (part 2 and part 3) to finally become Cisco certified. This is one of the best courses in Spanish, although our recommendation is that you also do David Bombal’s, either by watching videos on his YouTube channel or on Udemy itself.

     

Why we like it

It is a starter course to take the prestigious Cisco CCNA 200-301 certification, if you are going to get certified in Cisco and want to start from scratch, this is the course you should take. Any network administrator knows how Cisco equipment works because it is the standard, even if later in the company they do not have Cisco equipment, but from other manufacturers such as Mikrotik, D-Link, Ubiquiti or other brands. Knowing Cisco networks, you will adapt perfectly to the rest of the manufacturers, because you will have the knowledge base.

     

What to consider

In addition to this course to get certified, you will also need to take the next level courses, because this course offers you the basic and fundamental things you need to know, but to pass the certification you need more knowledge. It could be said that this course is divided into two, in this course the general things of the certification and the world of networks are seen, and later in the other course of the same professor everything related to switching and routing is seen in detail. .

 

Intermediate level courses

In this list you will find the intermediate level courses that we recommend to continue learning about networks, in this case, it is recommended to have previous knowledge or to have done the basic level courses before.

 

CCNA Certification Version 200-301. Learn CCNA 2 and 3

This course is the second part of the previous one, it is the course where you will learn more in depth about switching and routing protocols. If you plan to get certified by Cisco, taking this course will be essential for you because you will learn the entire certification syllabus in detail. However, our recommendation is that you not only take these courses, but also others in the English language, to be prepared for the Cisco certification.

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €14.99 Type 11 hours of video on demand, 2 articles, 27 resources to download. Evaluation No, but it has practical exercises as if it were an exam. Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.udemy.com
Why we like it

It is one of the fundamental courses to obtain the Cisco CCNA 200-301 certification. If you are going to get certified or want to start in the world of networks and obtain a basic-intermediate level, this course is the one you should take, because you will learn a lot about networks at a professional level. If you want to improve or learn for the first time everything related to managed switches and routers at a professional level, this is the course you should take to start your journey in the world of networks.

What to consider

Learning everything in this course and practicing does not guarantee that you will obtain the Cisco CCNA certification easily, you will have to study more, do many exercises and put into practice everything you have learned with your own test scenarios. This certification is the “easiest” of Cisco, but not everyone approves it, especially because you have to get 850 points out of 1000 points, that is, an 8.5/10, so you have to have extensive knowledge and very well entrenched.

 

Mikrotik course: From beginner to expert

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €12.99 Type 22 hours of video on demand, 6 articles, 13 downloadable resources Evaluation No, but it has practical exercises as if it were an exam. Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.udemy.com

This course is specifically dedicated to learning about Mikrotik routers, one of the best manufacturers at a professional level in the world. Mikrotik also has different certifications such as Cisco, if you are going to dedicate yourself to the world of networks, knowing this brand and learning everything about it is very important. This brand is the most recommended to have a professional router in a company, without spending thousands of euros on a Cisco. RouterOS is the operating system that all the manufacturer’s models incorporate, and it is very advanced, in addition, it can be managed both through the graphical user interface and also by command line.

Why we like it

It is one of the fundamental courses to obtain the Mikrotik certification and learn everything about its routers. If you are going to get certified or want to know everything about Mikrotik, this is the course you should take, because you will learn a lot about networks at a professional level using their equipment. It is highly recommended to take this course whenever you have a Mikrotik router to carry out all the tests and practices, however, you could also use different simulators to learn all the commands that can be executed in the RouterOS operating system.

What to consider

It is recommended to have previous knowledge of networks and also of networks with Linux, since the Mikrotik operating system is based on Linux. You can start practicing with any Linux like Debian, to see how network interfaces, VLANs and even the iptables firewall are configured, in this way, it will be easier for you to learn everything in this course and make the most of it.

 

Advanced level courses

In this list you will find the advanced level courses that we recommend to improve your knowledge about networks. These courses are primarily geared towards increasing knowledge in specific areas.

 

CCNP Switching Certification 300-115

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €12.99 Type 4.5 hours of video on demand, 1 articles, 5 downloadable resources. Evaluation No, but it has practical exercises as if it were an exam. Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.udemy.com

This course is the second part of the CCNA Routing&Switching, specifically oriented to the latter. With this course you will learn switching at a professional level to get your Cisco certification. To take this course it is absolutely necessary that you have previous knowledge of this world of switching, because the syllabus is quite advanced. If you do not fully control everything you have learned in the previous CCNA course, first practice with the knowledge acquired in the other course.

Why we like it

It is one of the fundamental courses to learn about switching at the Cisco CCNP level. If you are going to prepare for certification or just learn a lot about it, then this course is a must for you. This course will teach you everything at an advanced level, both theoretical and practical, in fact, the most interesting thing is the hours of real practice with Cisco IOS, the operating system that we have in the switches of the popular manufacturer.

What to consider

Even if you see this course and know everything in detail, you must study the syllabus with other resources since everything that is included in the CCNP certification, which is one of the most advanced, is not thoroughly seen. Our recommendation is that you also take other courses in English that have more variety, especially David Bombal’s. It is possible that in certain parts of the course you find yourself “lost” and have to find information on the official Cisco website and even on YouTube videos where these topics are explained.

 

Forensic analysis and DFIR in networks

Schedule Price Type Evaluation Certified Diploma Practices Web
Schedule On demand, any schedule Price €400 Type 20 hours of video on demand Evaluation No Diploma / Certificate Yes, certificate of completion. Internships He does not have internships, but he does have internships to learn. Web www.securizame.com

If you are interested in delving deeper into the world of networks with a network-oriented forensic analysis course, this Securízame course is the best thing you can do. In this course you will learn about network forensics, OSCAR methodology, network concepts that you probably already know if you have done the previous courses will be reviewed, but above all you will learn to use network capture programs such as Wireshark, you will also be able to learn about TCPFlows tools like ntop-ng, you’ll learn about intrusion detection systems like Snort, Suricata, and Zeek. Lastly, you will learn about firewalls, proxies and also WAF. This course would be the next level and it is oriented to forensic analysis to know what is happening in your network.

If you take this course and apply the discount code REDESZONE, they will automatically give you a 5% discount, so you will save €20 for using our code. This course is highly recommended once you already have intermediate-advanced networking knowledge.

Why we like it

It is one of the most recommended courses if you want to learn about network forensics and also security related to networks. Securízame has high-quality online courses and they are highly valued by companies in Spain, especially if you later decide to carry out the related certifications, since we not only have the attendance certificate but also a certificate indicating that we have passed the course.

What to consider

This course is clearly more expensive than the previous ones, but it must be appreciated that the level is much higher than the previous ones and there are very few that are similar where so many new concepts are learned. If you have already taken the Cisco CCNA courses and know something about network cybersecurity, then our recommendation is that you take this course to broaden your knowledge.

So far we have arrived with this complete list where we have recommended two courses at each level of knowledge, however, you can also follow David Bombal (English) on YouTube as he has very interesting content and is totally free, although he also has courses on Cisco on Udemy and other payment platforms.