A Network Administrator is responsible for the overall maintenance of a computer network comprising of computer hardware and software. To be a Network administrator, one can do a variety of graduate level programs with majors in Network Administration, Computer Science, and Information Technology. Some organizations also demand certain certifications in Networking depending on the area of work including CCNA, Cisco, and Juniper etc.

A Support Specialist is responsible for providing training and assistance to customers on the various products and services of the organization and also on the application of internet resources. They have to clarify doubts on the customers regarding their problems with the software, computer and its peripherals. The educational qualification required for a support Specialist depends on the Organization. Some demand a computer related degree whereas some others demand various certifications depending on the areas of work in that organization including CISCO, MCDST etc.

Network Administrator and Opportunities

The responsibilities of a Network Administrator include the following.

• Deploying
• Configuring
• Maintaining network equipments
• Monitoring active network equipments

He will be in the top most position of technical staff in the organization. The actual role of a network administrator varies with different organizations. Some of the common areas of work of a Network Administrator include the following.

• Network address assignment
• Assignment of routing protocols
• Routing table configuration
• Configuration of authentication and authorization

There are various job opportunities for a Network Administrator in the public sector as well as in Private firms. The Network Administrator is offered very good salary packages also.

Support Specialist and Opportunities

The responsibilities of a Support specialist include the following

• Provide client support
• Resolution of technical issues through phone, mail and other electronic media
• Configuration of client’s equipments
• Provide training to clients on various internet resources

The Support Specialist has also a lot of job opportunities in various public sectors and in Private firms. They can also do self employment by visiting customer’s house for technical solutions.

Key difference between Network Administrator & Support Specialist

The Network Administrator deals with the networking section of an Organization whereas a Support Specialist deals with the customer support section. The Network administrator rarely comes across the task of dealing with the customers whereas a Support specialist always needs to interact with the customers. The educational qualification needed for a Network administrator and a Support Specialist is different. The Network administrator is offered more salary than a Support specialist. The job profile and the reputation of the job for a Network administrator and a Support specialist is also different.