IT support specialist job Description

 Information technology (IT) support specialists provide technical support to users of various software and hardware systems. As an IT support specialist, your duties may include installing and upgrading software and hardware, adding or moving computer equipment, and assisting with software rollouts or patches. Information technology specialists also triage technical issues through monitoring and responding to service logs, providing troubleshooting guidance, and resolving technical problems. Administrative tasks for an IT support specialist encompass verifying software licenses, maintaining equipment records and databases, and the procurement of technology. Information technology support specialist roles can be found in virtually any organization with an IT department. Although you can expect to work standard office hours, information technology support specialists may be on-call to resolve urgent or critical issues. To become an IT support specialist, you'll need at least an associate's or four-year degree in a technology-related field. Additional training and certification with platforms like Oracle, Cisco or Microsoft may be of value when pursuing a systems support specialist job.

Microsoft data center technician salary

 Microsoft data center technician salary

A Data Center Technician at Microsoft earns an average of $136,781, ranging from $98,429 at the 25th percentile to $163,824 at the 75th percentile, with top earners (the top 10%) earning more than $207,084. Compensation is derived from 71 profiles, including base salary, equity and bonus.

What skills do you need at Microsoft as a(n) Data Center Technician?

Do you meet the bar? Data Center Technicians at Microsoft tend to know the following skills. Check out individual skills to view our evaluations and insights, along with similar skills and a number of skill building learning opportunities to expand your own potential.

What degrees do Microsoft Data Center Technicians hold?

There are 8 times more applicants with a Bachelor's Degree than those with a Undisclosed Degree. 60% of applicants have a Bachelor's Degree. 31% have no degree. 7% have a Undisclosed Degree.

How long have Microsoft Data Center Technicians worked?

11% employees have 2 to 5 years of experience. 10% have 20 or more years of experience. 31% have 5 to 10 years of experience. 23% have 0 to 2 years of experience. 24% have 10 to 20 years of experience.

Microsoft data center technician salary

  microsoft data center technician salary

The typical Microsoft Data Center Technician makes $24 per hour. Data Center Technician hourly pay at Microsoft can range from $21 - $29. This estimate is based upon 13 Microsoft Data Center Technician salary report(s) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods.

As 2018 comes to a close and people start assessing their situations, some people who are data center professionals might consider getting new qualifications or otherwise preparing to fill some of the data center jobs that'll likely be among the most important in 2019. Here are five of them.

1. Data Center Project Manager

A look at the headlines shows that data centers are popping up all over the world, and that trend isn't likely to fade in 2019.

Many well-known companies — Google among them — hire people to oversee data center construction processes. These people must understand how to meet and set expectations, plus have future-oriented mindsets that ensure the new data centers are ready for 2019 and beyond.

It's also likely that data center project managers will be sent to building sites in cities that are gaining momentum as data center hubs. For example, analysts expect that 2019 will be the year Dublin surpasses London as the biggest data center market in Europe.

2. Compliance Officer

The role of a compliance officer is under the umbrella of data center careers that aren't yet well-known, but it's a career that'll become increasingly important as states and countries iron out how to treat different types of data to be in line with the respective laws. This role is especially crucial for people who work in on-premise data centers associated with major companies.

Not being aware of a lack of compliance is not an excuse any business can use to avoid fines or other repercussions. However, bringing a compliance officer on board lets companies proactively steer clear of problems related to improper data handling. Compliance officers can also communicate with the respective bodies that publish the minimum requirements for data center compliance, ensuring facilities stay abreast of updates.

IT compliance is a complex topic that will only become more detailed once states enact laws related to the treatment of data. The rollout of the GDPR happened in May 2018 and forced many companies to change their data storage practices, often by speaking to their data center providers. California will implement data protection measures in 2020, so 2019 is an ideal time for data centers to hire compliance officers.

3. Cybersecurity Specialist

Many people who work in tech fields have the fear that artificial intelligence (AI) will replace their jobs. More specifically, predictions assert that AI will replace humans in data centers. But, that's unlikely. Even AI can make mistakes, and humans need to verify technology is working as it should. Or, they may need to take action based on what AI applications indicate.

For example, cybersecurity in the data center benefits from both humans and AI. A recent survey reported that 87 percent of IT professionals who were familiar with the use of AI in cybersecurity believed the technology could spot problems that humans would miss. But, once a platform detects those issues, people still need to step in and decide how to proceed.

For that reason, cybersecurity specialists will be crucial parts of data center workforces in 2019. Cybercriminals want to orchestrate attacks that result in the most damage possible. And, since data centers possess so much information, they become lucrative targets.

Need help finding talent or posting a job?

 find freelancers

When you're searching for freelancers or agencies, your primary focus should be on finding the right fit for your company and your project. To help you do that, we provide several ways to filter your search results based on things such as hourly rates, skills, and feedback. These filters (and more) are available in the box to the top-right of your search results.

To run a search

1. Go to Freelancers › Find Freelancers
2. From here, search by keyword or browse by category
3. After your initial search, use the filters in the box to the left to refine your results further

Click the dropdown arrow in the search box to use the "Advanced keyword search" feature to search for the skills, platforms, and deliverables required for your project. 

Need help finding talent or posting a job? Enterprise clients can log into their platform to start a chat with an Enterprise Talent Specialist. For more hands-on assistance, contact your rep to learn more about our program management offering

How do freelance websites work?

 freelancer websites

Fieldengineer.com is a marketplace of ideas, skills, and talents where anyone can work on what they love. The website has been up and running for about six years now and it has since launched many products and features to help both employers and freelancers get work done. Because of the platform's vastness, it may seem too daunting for a newbie. In this short guide, we'll discuss the processes involved in working and earning at Fieldengineer.com.

Step 1: Determine what you are good at, commit to a life of freelancing, and sign up for a  Freelancer.com account. Signing up and working at Freelancer.com is absolutely free, but we also have membership upgrades that will greatly help you to earn more, such as getting more bids per month, and a list of skills. Certain projects require your profile to reflect certain skills, so the more you have listed, the more opportunities you get. Head to this page to see what's on offer.

Step 2: Set up your profile. We can't stress the need for a complete and presentable profile enough. It showcases your personality, resume, portfolio, and skills all rolled into one. It's also an important tool for persuasion: an employer may completely base his judgment on whether to hire you or not by how well you present yourself. Get tips here:  The Secrets of a Winning Profile Page.

Step 3: Find projects and start bidding. Earning money at Freelancer.com actually begins here. Hundreds of projects and contests in different categories are posted each day. Find the ones you want to work on by regularly checking the Jobs or Contests page. In the jobs page, you'll see suitable projects open for bidding. For contests, you simply submit an entry.

Requirements to Become a Network Security Specialist

Network Security Specialist: Job Description and Requirements

Network security specialist require a moderate amount of formal education. Learn about the education, job duties and certifications to see if this is the right career for you.

Keeping criminals out of computer systems requires network security specialists to monitor systems and upgrade security measures. Network security specialists have a wide range of job duties, depending on the security needs and protocols of the organizations where the work. These professionals must be ingenious enough to anticipate potential problems, and they must use analytical skills to fix problems and maintain system security at all times.

Essential Information

Network security specialists detect, prevent and resolve security threats to computer networks. They also play an important role in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of a company's data and information systems. Employers prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor's degree and industry certification.

Job Description of a Network Security Specialist

Network security specialists monitor computer networks for security threats or unauthorized users. They may identify compromised machines and report on security measures taken to address threats. Network security specialists also analyze security risks and develop response procedures. Additional duties may include developing and testing software deployment tools, firewalls and intrusion detection systems.

Some network security workers research, evaluate, recommend and implement other security devices as well. This may include installing computer security software, conducting regular security audits, preparing security status reports, educating users on computer security, creating security documentation for users, assisting in disaster recovery and gathering evidence regarding cybercrimes.

Employment Outlook and Salary Information

Network security specialists can also be called information security analysts, and the employment outlook in this profession is favorable. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the field of information security analysts should see an 32% increase in demand, adding over 35,500 jobs between 2018 and 2028. The average salary for information security analysts was $ 98,350 in May of 2018.

Requirements to Become a Network Security Specialist

According to the BLS, employers often require network security specialists to have a bachelor's degree in a computer-related field. Relevant degree programs include computer science, information technology and management information systems. Some employers may be willing to hire applicants who don't have a degree as long as they have the equivalent experience.

Employers may prefer applicants who have years of experience working in networking systems, network security or information technology, according to multiple job listings found on Monster.com in October 2010. Areas that aspiring network security specialists should be knowledgeable in include network access control (NAC) systems, firewalls, routers, incident response techniques, intrusion prevention systems, information security methodologies, authentication protocols and different attack types.

Freelancer – What is a freelancer?

 freelance services

A freelancer is a self-employed person who offers services, often working on several jobs for multiple clients at one time.

Freelancers usually earn money on a per-job basis, charging hourly or daily rates for their work. Freelance work is usually short-term.

While a freelancer is not officially employed by another company, they can be subcontracted by other businesses. It’s common for freelancers to work on several different jobs or projects at once, but some freelance contracts may restrict who else the freelancer can work for until they complete the project.

Some of the most common freelance service jobs are within creative industries such as graphic design, copywriting, website development, or photography; however, freelancers can work in almost any service-based industry, such as translation, consulting, or catering.

Freelancer vs. sole trader

Like sole traders, a freelancer fits under the broad term ‘self-employed’, but while a sole trader is a specific businesses structure registered with HMRC, the term ‘freelancer’ does not refer to any specific legal status. Instead, it refers to the type of work carried out.

As such, not all sole traders fit the definition of a freelancer, and freelancers are not always sole traders. Although the sole trader business structure is the most common structure for freelancers, freelancers may also choose to register as a limited company or partnership instead.

How to become a freelancer

When you first start working for yourself, you will initially be classified as a sole trader. As a sole trader, you will need to register with HMRC to make sure that you pay the correct Income Tax and National Insurance.

You may also need to register for:

• CIS if you are working as a contractor or subcontractor in the construction industry;
• VAT if you have an annual turnover of more than £85,000.

If you register as a partnership or limited company, you will have some additional responsibilities, such as choosing and registering a company name.  

Pros and cons of freelance work

If you are thinking about becoming a freelancer, it's important to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of freelance work.

Some of the advantages of being a freelancer include:

• Flexible work schedule: you can choose which hours to work and can set your own schedule to fit around other commitments.
• Choice and variety: whereas employees are often told which clients to work for, as a freelancer, you can pick your projects and are less confined to specific markets or sectors.
• More control: you can set your own goals and will have more say in the direction of your business.  

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages to consider, including:

• Less stability: because freelance work depends on reaching enough clients, many freelancers have less financial stability and less guarantee of future work than employees
• Fewer benefits: many companies offer benefits for their employees, such as insurance or pension plans. Self-employed freelancers would be responsible for their own perks and benefits.

What Do Data Center Technicians Do?

 data center tech salary

A data center technician oversees server centers and other centralized banks of computers for data-, cloud-, and information technology-dependent companies. He or she helps ensure that networks stay up and online, that data is accessible, and that the processing and performance speed and power maintains efficiency at all times.

Much of a data center technician's job involves actively monitoring server and network performance and then analyzing this information. The technician determines what areas, if any, are falling below efficiency standards and works to isolate and address them. He or she also performs troubleshooting for customer and client problems as well, seeking to isolate those problems within the server and processing structure.

In most cases, a company expects the technician to be able to perform routine hardware repairs, replacements, and upgrades, as well as upgrade and augment existing hardware while causing minimal, if any, downtime for users and clients. In some cases, data center technicians may be asked to create detailed reports illustrating efficiency bottlenecks and offering upgrade solutions to solve them.

Many companies also use the job title of data center technician for first-line customer support of software, applications, and network services. This job may encompass the areas already discussed, but is typically focused more on individual client and customer problem-solving, and it requires more extensive knowledge of the software applications sold by the employer.

To work as a data center technician, a person typically needs at least an associate's degree in information technology (IT) services or a similar computer-focused disciplines. Additionally, employers look for a variety of network certifications specific to a position and frequently want entry-level help desk experience. https://www.fieldengineer.com/skills/data-center-technician

Data Center Technician Tasks

• Troubleshoot for network, hardware and software problems.
• Maintain hardware and software inventory and maintenance logs.
• Adhere to and update documentation and user guides.
• Support users and escalate problems to ensure customer service.
• Set up, fix, maintain and patch technology in the data center

The 7 Best IT Certifications of 2020

 entry level it certifications

As businesses continue to rely on increasingly complex information systems, the need for experienced IT professionals continues to grow. Individuals with particular IT certifications are even more sought-after since the rigorous exams and certification prerequisites showcase both deep knowledge and real-world experience.

There’s also evidence that IT certifications can boost earning potential. A recent survey showed that 23% of IT professionals experienced a 20% salary increase after getting certified.1 According to CompTIA, 72% of employers actually require IT certifications for certain positions, and 92% believe IT certifications help ensure the credibility of their IT staff.2          

We looked at over a dozen popular IT certifications and chose the best—those with the highest demand, earning potential, and opportunities for advancement. These are our top picks. 

The 7 Best IT Certifications of 2020

• Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect (GCP)
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation

While Amazon Web Services (AWS) owns 33% of the cloud marketplace versus Google Cloud Platform’s (GCP) 8%, Google is increasingly appealing to newer startups with modern modular applications compatible across any cloud environment.3 As a result, GCP certification is in high demand and commands one of the highest IT salaries, averaging around $175,000 per year.4

As more and more businesses leverage the power of the cloud, they are finding it difficult to find qualified candidates to fill cloud IT positions. GCP certification caters to this need by showing that an individual has the skills to design, develop, and manage a secure, scalable cloud architecture using GCP technologies.

The GCP exam takes two hours to complete, costs $200, and can be taken online or at a local test center. GCP certification is valid for two years, and then an individual will need to get recertified by taking the exam again.

Google recommends at least three years of industry experience including at least one year of designing and managing solutions using GCP for anyone wanting to take the GCP certification exam. 

Recommended Training Provider

As a company-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking GCP certification should go straight to Google for training. Google offers an exam guide, a practice exam, and a number of free online training resources for GCP certification.

Vendor Ticket Management

 Below mentioned best practices are recommended by ExterNetworks to improve the overall effectiveness of the NOC design and to alleviate monitoring risks.

1. Vendor Ticket Management: A Vendor ticketing system showcases all the information related to the open tickets such as priority task, urgent issues, the person who is handling the task, and the pending issues. It eases the daily routine work & also help in providing the best services to the customers.
2. Incident Management: Identify the incident, find the underlying problem and fix it immediately to ensure the operation is running smoothly & the business is not affected.
3. Standard Monitoring Policy: Define and implement standard monitoring policy & procedures for performance forecasting and capacity monitoring for Telecom network infrastructure.
4. Root Cause Analysis: Use Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify root problems for performance improvement & easy connectivity.
5. Documentation & Reporting: Track & document each and every issue to maintain a healthy knowledge base.
6. Escalation: The roles & responsibilities with the appropriate designation is required for every employee working in a NOC. Sometimes the problems are too complex to be resolved by level-1 or level-2 engineers & thus the same need to be escalated to the higher management for assistance.

Managing a Network Operations Center (NOC) –

A typical Network Operations Center (NOC) employs NOC engineers & NOC technicians to monitor large computers & servers from a centralized location. Their duties include:

• Net flow, server, & endpoint monitoring
• Hardware & Software installation
• Network Analysis & Troubleshooting
• Monitor common threats, viruses & DOS attacks.
• Alarms handling & performance improvement
• Monitor power failures & system backups.

Many issues may arise that get in the way of optimal network function, dealing with these problems quickly and efficiently is the duty of the network engineer. Examples of these common issues include DDoS attacks, power outages, network crashes, and black-holes in routing.

A network operations center (NOC) may have personnel who install routers or software like firewalls, but they don’t function as a help desk. The IT help desk & NOC team are different and the terms cannot be used interchangeably. The Helpdesk deals directly with clients whereas the NOC team ensures the client’s uptime is maintained.

Most Common Freelance Career Fields

 freelance work online

If you’re interested in having a bit more control and freedom in your professional life, freelancing is an attractive option.

Upwork’s recent annual report on freelancing in the U.S. found that 56.7 million Americans freelanced in 2018—an increase of 3.7 million people from 2014.

The freelance community is certainly growing. Statista, a business data platform, predicts that by 2028 that number will increase to over 86 million.

With these large numbers, it’s imperative to prepare yourself to freelance and freelance well. Use this guide to understand what freelancing is, how to find companies and jobs hiring, and the characteristics needed to succeed as a freelancer.

The Complete Guide to Freelance Success

What Is Freelancing? A Basic Definition

Essentially, a freelance job is one where a person works for themselves, rather than for a company. While freelancers do take on contract work for companies and organizations, they are ultimately self-employed.

Freelancers are responsible for all sorts of things that traditional employees are not, such as setting their work hours, keeping track of time spent on different projects, billing clients, and paying their own employment and business taxes. Freelancers are not considered “employees” by the companies they work for, but rather “contractors.”

Ways to Say “Freelance Jobs”

When you’re searching for freelance jobs, there are a number of different terms to be aware of. These can be used to help you find freelance job openings, and they’re also useful when describing yourself and the work you do to potential clients.

• Freelance job: A widely-used term to find freelance jobs.
• Contract work: Jobs where you’re a temporary contract worker, rather than a permanent employee.
• Contract job: Same as contract work.
• Independent contractor: Another common way to say freelancer. Your work terms are specified by a contract with another company or individual. This is how the IRS classifies this type of work.
• 1099: Used to describe the type of job. For example, “This is a 1099 contract position.” Refers to the IRS form an independent contractor fills out: form 1099-MISC.
• Contract consultant: Someone who is hired for temporary consultations for specific issues within a company.
• Contract-to-hire: A job that begins as a freelance, independent contractor position but has the potential to become a regular employee position if things go well.

How to Find Freelance Work

Focusing on companies that are known to hire freelancers can be a great way to start your search for freelance work. Recently, FlexJobs created a list of the top 30 companies for freelance jobs, meaning they posted the most freelance openings on our site. Here’s the top 10:

1. Kelly Services
2. Real Staffing
3. Kforce
4. AFIRM
5. Onward Search
6. Dahl Consulting
7. Ajilon
8. Computer Futures
9. Paladin
10. Addison Group

Most Common Freelance Career Fields

As you can see from the freelance job listings on fieldengineer.com, a variety of companies, organizations, and government agencies hire freelancers. You’ll find work in almost every career imaginable, and the freelance jobs vary from small, temporary projects to long-term, full-time projects.

In 2018, FlexJobs determined the career fields that had the most freelance openings on our site are:

1. Computer & IT
2. Accounting & Finance
3. HR & Recruiting
4. Editing, Proofreading, and Writing
5. Administrative
6. Project Management
7. Data Entry
8. Analyst
9. Software Development
10. Technical Support

Pros and Cons of Freelancing

Every job has pros and cons, and freelancing is no different. Being aware of challenges ahead can ensure you’re prepared and dealing with reality.

Pros of Freelancing

Having control over your workload, the clients you work with, and your income is a big benefit of freelancing. When you freelance, you’re in the driver’s seat. You determine what jobs to take on, which clients you want to work for, and your pay rate. Depending on your level of expertise, it could be possible to work part-time hours, but make full-time pay.

Flexibility and remote work are also a perk. Most of the time, working on freelance projects will involve working at your home office and working the hours you so choose. You’ll absolutely have deadlines to meet, but you will decide when and where you work.

Cons of Freelancing

With the ultimate in control, comes additional responsibilities. As a freelancer, you are a business owner, and you need to stay on top of taxes, invoices, payments received, finding your own health insurance, and buying every piece of software and technology you need to complete your work.

Feast or famine syndrome is another real downside to freelancing. Some months you’ll be full to the brim with work, while the next month may be a ghost town. You may be relying on a consistent contract with one client, only to find they don’t need you anymore suddenly. Freelancing requires good money management and constant sourcing of new clients.

NOC Engineer Job Description.

Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineers monitor large computer networks and servers for problems from a central location. They analyze problems, perform troubleshooting and incident response on the system, communicate with site technicians and track problems through to resolution. NOC Engineers resolve any issues related to the servers, networks and telecommunications by consistently troubleshooting and monitoring. The skills required for a NOC, or Network Operations Center include network support, network administration and management, switching and routing, along with Linux

Responsibilities of the NOC Engineer

NOC Engineers resolve any issues related to the servers, networks and telecommunications by consistently troubleshooting and monitoring. The skills required for a NOC, or Network Operations Center include network support, network administration and management, switching and routing, along with Linux. Their responsibilities are extensive, requiring highly skilled individuals.

Core Responsibilities of the NOC Engineer

NOC jobs involve a lot of responsibility, since they’re in charge of strict monitoring of multiple networks and systems. They must maintain uptime for all IT systems. These NOC Engineers consistently monitor network errors, malware, and all issues pertaining to security. Their decisions have to be made quickly, requiring an informed NOC engineer in order to maintain organizational efficiency and an ideal network.

Typically, Server Management is a capability of a variety of other G2 Software categories. See more below to select the

 best Server Management Software.

Server management can be achieved with a few different types of software. Network management tools provide tools for monitoring, diagnosing, and remedying issues associated with IT infrastructure. These software solutions constantly monitor network performance performance, create a baselines for network performance, alert administrators of crashes, and suggest solutions to performance issues when they arise. Application performance monitoring (APM) software provides management tools for the IT infrastructure backing web applications. They will track your applications functionality and diagnose issues in both programming and physical server functionality. Enterprise IT management suites provide features for both network and application performance. In addition, they supply users with tools for asset tracking and operational intelligence reporting to provide data insights such as power consumption and system performance. If you are looking to avoid local server management, IT outsourcing providers will take the work off your hands and manage your infrastructure.

SERVER MONITORING SERVICES

Server Monitoring is a process to monitor server's system resources like CPU Usage, Memory Consumption, I/O, Network, Disk Usage, Process etc. Server Monitoring helps understanding server's system resource usage which can help you better your capacity planning and provide a better end-user experience.

Your application's health depends on a large part on the health of the underlying server. Server Monitoring ensures that your server machine is capable of hosting your applications. Server Monitoring provides you with data relating to your operating system and when used in conjunction with other monitoring data from the application you get a true glimpse into the working of your system.

What does a systems engineer do?

  Systems Engineer responsibilities include:

• Managing and monitoring all installed systems and infrastructure
• Installing, configuring, testing and maintaining operating systems, application software and system management tools
• Ensuring the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability

Job brief

We are looking for a Systems Engineer to help build out, maintain, and troubleshoot our rapidly expanding infrastructure.

What does a systems engineer do?

You will be part of a talented team of engineers that demonstrate superb technical competency, delivering mission critical infrastructure and ensuring the highest levels of availability, performance and security. Qualified systems engineers will have a background in IT, computer systems engineering, or systems engineering and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Manage and monitor all installed systems and infrastructure
• Install, configure, test and maintain operating systems, application software and system management tools
• Proactively ensure the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability
• Monitor and test application performance for potential bottlenecks, identify possible solutions, and work with developers to implement those fixes
• Maintain security, backup, and redundancy strategies
• Write and maintain custom scripts to increase system efficiency and lower the human intervention time on any tasks
• Participate in the design of information and operational support systems
• Provide 2nd and 3rd level support
• Liaise with vendors and other IT personnel for problem resolution

Requirements

• BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related subject
• Proven working experience in installing, configuring and troubleshooting UNIX /Linux based environments.
• Solid experience in the administration and performance tuning of application stacks (e.g.,Tomcat, JBoss, Apache, Ruby, NGINX)
• Solid Cloud experience, preferably in AWS
• Experience with virtualization and containerization (e.g., VMware, Virtual Box)
• Experience with monitoring systems
• Experience with automation software (e.g., Puppet, cfengine, Chef)
• Solid scripting skills (e.g., shell scripts, Perl, Ruby, Python)
• Solid networking knowledge (OSI network layers, TCP/IP)