Best Tools and Software for Networking Engineer

Networking Engineer is one of the hot jobs for IT Professionals. A Networking Engineer looks after all the computer networks through various tools and software. The execution of accurate data, in-voice, video, and wireless networks all come under a Network Engineer's responsibilities. Sometimes network engineers work as consultants and do not operate under any company. Applying a human hand to these technologies is a challenge for anyone. For the convenience of speeding up these processes, tools and software were developed. To learn these tools one can enrol in many computer networking certification courses.

Although this software and tools were developed to enhance quality and reduce work time, giving the best tools and software for networking engineers has led to a decrease in Network Engineering skills. There has been a shortage of proper Network Engineer training. People learn tools for network engineers but do not have the basic knowledge of Networking.

Gartner has predicted that the implementation of Intent-Based Networking technology (IBN) will rise to above 1000 companies in 2022, and it has become real.

Above all, network engineering tools are essential for the implementation of proper technologies. People learn the working of such network engineer software tools through several online courses.

Tools and Software for Network Engineering and Courses

1. PuTTY –

Network Engineers use putty for configuration or reconfiguration of the Network as a serial console. One of the best tools and software for network engineers, it is a free application that works as an Open Source Terminal Emulator. It is a user-friendly application too. The PuTTY comes with source code, and users do not need to enter new code again and again for each amendment they make. Such best tools and software for networking engineers are also used to create public and private SSH keys.

Simon Tatham wrote puTTY for Microsoft, but later it was done by other Operating systems to pair.

Operating Systems that support PuTTY are:

• Windows 95, 98

• Windows ME, NT

• Windows 2000, 2003, 2008

• Windows XP

• Windows Vista

• Mac OSX

The protocols supported by PuTTY are -

• SCP (Secure Copy)

• SSH (Secure Shell)

• Telnet

• RLogin

• Raw socket connection

To learn how to use the best tools and software for network engineering, one can directly log in to puttygen.com. The site will provide you with the link to download this application and how to use it. Such the best tools for networking engineering will give you all the necessary knowledge that is needed.

Also Read:

• 22+ Free Computer Networking Courses on Coursera
• Top Computer Networking Interview Questions and Answers

2. Whatsup Gold –

Whatsup Gold is considered one of the best tools for network engineers. It is a managing tool that keeps a check on network services' status and performance and later stores it in an MS SQL Database in the form of a report. The device is highly in use by all Network Engineers and Network Administrators.

Such best tools for networking engineers can be downloaded from the Whatsup Gold official website, and the instructions are available there too.

3. Cisco Packet Tracer V7.2-

Considered one of the best tools for network engineering, this software comprises various tools—the tools in the designing, picturing, and diagnosing of any network. Such best tools for networking engineering are used as a virtual simulator on multiple platforms.

The software is being used by several Network learning students to understand the concepts of several networking devices' behaviour.

The software imitates the networks and creates topologies. The software has a user-friendly interface consisting of add and remove, drag and drop, and commands to configure any system. All the features make it highly accessible and positively used software among IT professionals.

Cisco itself offers many courses that can be considered as a part of Network Engineer certificate programmes. Such courses make a Network Engineer job-ready.

These network engineering courses that are offered that can come under the Network Engineering degree are –

1. CCNA: Introduction to Networks

2. CCNA: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials

3. Networking Essentials

4. CCNA: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation

5. CCNP Enterprise: Advanced Routing

6. CCNP Enterprise: Core Networking

If one wants to learn how to use and more about Cisco Packet Tracer, then one can do these courses:

1. Intro to Packet Tracer

2. Intro to Packet Tracer Mobile

You have access to all these on the website netacad.com

4. Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG) Network Monitor –

This is one of the most reliable network engineer software tools to use. This software helps to keep an eye on or monitor network hosts. The several network hosts are Switches, Routers, and Servers that help in analyzing system conditions like uptime and the amount of Bandwidth usage,

This software is highly used by Networking Engineers and Networking Administrators to identify the root cause in case of a network issue and to find a solution to the problem. It is not free software but a free version (30 days) can be used for some time to check the reliability of the software and its proper usage. There will be no requirement to download any additional plugins as everything is available in PRTG Network Software itself.

The software offers applications in the following concepts:

1. Bandwidth – It will check the usage

2. Database – PRTG monitors specific datasets with its configured sensors and queries

3. Applications- manages applications to get detailed statistics of the application

4. Cloud- manages all your Cloud Computing services

5. Server – monitoring servers for reliability

6. LAN – tracking of your entire Local Area Network

7. SNMP- monitoring devices using SNMP feature

The PRTG offers many other services that can be checked on its websites.

Another question that can come into one's mind is –

What technologies are supported by PRTG Network Monitor?

The PRTG supports the following technologies -

• SNMP

• WMI and Windows Performance Counters

• SSH: Linux/Unix and macOS systems

• Traffic analysis (flow protocols/packet sniffing)

• HTTP requests

• REST APIs (for returning XML or JSON)

• Ping and SQL

The official website for PRTG Network Monitor is paessler.com

5. SecureCRT –

The SecureCRT tool is available to its users through VanDyke Software. This best software for network engineers is a managing tool that is widely used for SSH and Telnet clients. The SecureCRT comes with a GUI (Graphics User Interface) that has the feature of tab support. Some other facilities that SecureCRT offers are Smart Card Generic Security Service Application Program Interface (GSSAPI) support and the quality of Public Key assistance. These offer terminal emulation.

This best software for network engineers also offers file transfer, data tunnelling, and secure remote access for every individual connected to your organization.

What SecureCRT supports Operating Systems?

The SecureCRT tool can be used on the following operating systems-

1. Windows

2. Mac OS X version

3. Linux Version

The SecureCRT offers the following benefits –

1. It helps in accessing business applications in a secure mode on VMS, Linux, or UNIX

2. It helps in configuring, managing, and organizing all the sessions even if they are thousands in number

3. It helps you access the overall array of network devices that are connected from one particular client

4. It offers relaxation with its high-productivity GUI

5. It runs repetitive tasks automatically, saving time

6. The tool implements a Smart Card for security

7. It helps in transferring files among network devices

6. PING

Considered one of the best software for networking engineers, PING is a tool that tests if the particular host is in the reachable area. It can be called the Network Utility program. In any computer network, the technique of sending messages and indications from one PC to another is called ping. The PING also checks for the reliability of the connection. It works as an indicator of the general speed of the host. It can also check for response time.

7. EVE-NG -ADVANCED

Emulated Virtual Environment- Next Generation is a well-known tool among Networking Engineers. The tool helps in studying various technologies and testing the new innovative technologies that are coming today for reliability and seeing if they are suitable for implementation.

These are the six tools and software that a Network Engineer can refer to for speeding up their work.

The next question - are there any Network Engineering courses online?

Network Engineering Certificate Courses

1. Networking in Google Cloud

Such online information technology courses will give a proper understanding of basic Networking concepts and designs. These online information technology courses will teach you the aspect of Cloud Networking. This course will allow you to learn VPC networks, and control VPC objects through administrative access, and interconnect systems.

Such online information technology courses are available on Coursera and are offered by Google Cloud.

Duration- You can complete this course in approximately two months

Syllabus

1. Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure

2. Networking in Google Cloud: Defining and Implementing Networks

3. Networking in Google Cloud: Hybrid Connectivity and Network Management

Fee – This is a 7-day free trial course and later charges ₹2,856 per month.

2. The Bits and Bytes of Network Computing

This is another IT Network Engineer Course that will brief you on everything about Computer Networking. This course will cover everything from modern Networking Technologies to the protocols that are used today. The system will also give you an overview of Cloud technologies and all these concepts' practical applications. Such information technology certification courses are another initiative under Grow with Google offering benefits offering an IT Support Professional Certificate.

Syllabus

1. Introduction to Networking

2. The Network Layer

3. The Transport and Application Layers

4. Networking Services

5. Connecting to the Internet

6. Troubleshooting and the Future of Networking

Duration – One can complete this course in approximately 33 hours.

3. Networking and Security Architecture with VMware NSX

This component of the Network Engineering course will help you understand the basics of Network Virtualization. After such information technology certification courses, one will summarize security solution architecture and also Network automation with OpenStack. It will also develop a learning plan for Networking Virtualization. One will learn all this through NSX, but one can apply the same. Such information technology certification courses are available on Coursera and are offered by VMware.

Syllabus

1. Introduction & Networking and Security Architecture with VMWare NSX

2. NSX Architecture Components

3. Security Solutions with VMWare NSX

4. Application Continuity Solutions I

5. Application Continuity Solutions II

6. Operations I

7. Operations II

Duration- One can complete this course in 20 hours.

Conclusion

Now that you have gone through some of the most important network engineer tools and how to learn them, you are one step closer to your goal of becoming a certified network engineer.