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gnanasekar
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Need Help - Do I need know Linux or Unix to become a professional Network Engineer

Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:36 am

Hello All,

I have been in a confused state whether we need to know Linux or Unix to become a professional Network Engineer...Here is my detail info regarding my issue.

Currently, As of I have been preparing for my CCNP. After the completion of my CCNA then hopefully will go for my CCIE.

I come from an Electrical background thus have almost no knowledge about Unix or Linux stuff and to be honest I am not too knew about it.

What do, I need your valuable suggestions...for someone who wants to become a professional Network Engineer, how important it is to have Linux skills where i completed my CCNA Learning in a top online institute.

can i do without it?

any advise will be appreciated.

Thanks,
 
just brew it!
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Re: Need Help - Do I need know Linux or Unix to become a professional Network Engineer

Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:59 am

Short answer: No.

Long answer: No, but any additional skills potentially make you more attractive to certain employers. So for example, if you're trying to get a job as a Network Engineer, and a potential employer also has Linux server infrastructure they need help maintaining, some Linux knowledge might make the difference between you getting the job or not.

In other words, it isn't necessary, but it could open some doors for you.
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notfred
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Re: Need Help - Do I need know Linux or Unix to become a professional Network Engineer

Fri Aug 10, 2018 8:27 am

If you are going for CCIE then your head is going to be too full of the Cisco ways to do things, you don't want to be trying to cram Linux in there at the same time.

Having said that, TCP/IP networking was originally developed on BSD and most research these days happens on Linux. If you only know the Windows way of networking then you will be at a disadvantage. Also a lot of the management stuff runs on Unix systems and it gives you an easy way to script things.
 
TheRazorsEdge
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Re: Need Help - Do I need know Linux or Unix to become a professional Network Engineer

Fri Aug 10, 2018 9:25 am

You will eventually need to look at something or troubleshoot from the host side. In those cases, you'll usually just install a packet capture tool so you can see what the host is receiving.

For pure network engineering, you're good as long as you know enough to login, install the package, and open the capture viewer. Most places will see some Windows/Linux/Unix skills as a bonus, but host-side issues are entirely the responsibility of system admins in larger organizations.

Being able to fix or investigate issues at the periphery of your role is a great way to stand out. It makes you a natural choice if you want to branch out into new areas (if such opportunities arise). I strongly recommend learning Linux---once you've mastered the material directly related to your job.

Since most Linux distros are free, it is very easy to learn on your own if you have an old PC sitting around. Or you could setup a Linux VM in Hyper-V if you have a newer Windows PC.

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