What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the U.S. earn more than $99,130 a year — the middle 80% land between $62,640 and $155,050. About 314,340 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Network and Computer Systems Administrators”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$99,130typical pay / year
314,340people in this work
$155,050+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Fixing1
Make upgrades and repairs to networks
+Reconfigure and replace the failing switches in the west stacks, reroute the fibre to avoid the reading room…
Make upgrades and repairs to networks
+Reconfigure and replace the failing switches in the west stacks, reroute the fibre to avoid the reading room ceiling duct, verify redundant paths and update capacity settings so patrons on ground and second floor keep uninterrupted checkout and catalogue access tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workAnsiblejob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Move1
Monitor network performance
+Run continuous performance checks across the campus VLANs, collect latency and packet-loss metrics for the…
Monitor network performance
+Run continuous performance checks across the campus VLANs, collect latency and packet-loss metrics for the last 72 hours, flag any link over 5% packet loss and email the operations team with a one-paragraph summary and suggested bandwidth adjustments before Friday afternoon.
The tools that do the workApache Kafkajob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Analysing1
Troubleshoot network issues
+Isolate the reported dropouts in the periodicals area by tracing routes from affected workstations to the…
Troubleshoot network issues
+Isolate the reported dropouts in the periodicals area by tracing routes from affected workstations to the core, capture packet traces during a repro, swap suspected cable runs, then record findings and remedial steps in the incident log and notify circulation desk by noon.
The tools that do the workAnsiblejob descriptionsWikipedia
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Get approval1
Manage user access and permissions
+Audit and reconcile staff and public account permissions across the catalogue and proxy systems, remove…
Manage user access and permissions
+Audit and reconcile staff and public account permissions across the catalogue and proxy systems, remove expired access, promote three part-time assistants to manager-level rights where approved, then send a confirmation list to Helen in HR and Lucy in Circulation.
The tools that do the workAmazon Web Services AWSjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Learning1
Train people in computer system use.
+Run the two-hour introductory session for new student assistants on logging into the catalogue, reserving…
Train people in computer system use.
+Run the two-hour introductory session for new student assistants on logging into the catalogue, reserving study rooms, and safe Wi-Fi use, hand out the one-page quick-start sheet, schedule a follow-up in three weeks and collect feedback forms before they leave.
The tools that do the workAJAXjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Perform system backups and disaster recovery
+Execute the full nightly backup of catalogue and circulation databases to the offsite replica, verify…
Perform system backups and disaster recovery
+Execute the full nightly backup of catalogue and circulation databases to the offsite replica, verify checksums, run the recovery drill restoring last week's snapshot to the staging server, and update the disaster-recovery log with timings and any failures by close of business.
The tools that do the workAmazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2Amazon DynamoDBjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work14
Adjust ICT system capacity
+Increase catalogue and discovery capacity for the three-week student intake spike: add two physical servers…
Adjust ICT system capacity
+Increase catalogue and discovery capacity for the three-week student intake spike: add two physical servers to the West rack, raise the virtual CPU allocation by 40 percent, expand database storage by 6 TB, and verify replication and backups complete before Friday noon.
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ICT networking hardware
+Reconfigure the campus edge and stack switches to separate staff and public Wi‑Fi VLANs, move the circulation…
ICT networking hardware
+Reconfigure the campus edge and stack switches to separate staff and public Wi‑Fi VLANs, move the circulation desk printers onto the staff VLAN, update routing so the new VLANs traverse the west core, and test authentication and throughput from the three busiest floors by Thursday evening.
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Determine hardware and software needs
+Determine server, storage and network appliance capacity for the branch network, list model and power…
Determine hardware and software needs
+Determine server, storage and network appliance capacity for the branch network, list model and power requirements, and produce a procurement-ready bill of materials and rack plan for the IT manager by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workAmazon Web Services AWSjob descriptions
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Review system and application logs
+Review the last seven days of system and application logs for authentication failures, backup errors, and…
Review system and application logs
+Review the last seven days of system and application logs for authentication failures, backup errors, and unusual traffic, summarise incidents with timestamps and affected services, and flag any needing immediate follow-up for the head librarian.
The tools that do the workApache Kafkajob descriptions
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Configure email applications and virus protection
+Configure user email clients and deploy signature-based and heuristic virus definitions to all public…
Configure email applications and virus protection
+Configure user email clients and deploy signature-based and heuristic virus definitions to all public workstations, verify delivery and scanning on ten sample machines, and report completion with remediation steps for failures.
The tools that do the workAnsiblejob descriptions
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Document network configurations and procedures
+Document current network addressing, VLANs, switch and firewall configurations, backup procedures and…
Document network configurations and procedures
+Document current network addressing, VLANs, switch and firewall configurations, backup procedures and change-process steps in a single operational runbook, then circulate to IT staff and archive the authoritative PDF.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatWikipedia
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Plan network expansions and upgrades
+Plan the next network expansion: map required VLANs, bandwidth increases, required switches and uplinks,…
Plan network expansions and upgrades
+Plan the next network expansion: map required VLANs, bandwidth increases, required switches and uplinks, phased schedule minimising downtime, and a budget estimate for procurement approval by finance next month.
The tools that do the workAmazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2Wikipedia
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Design ICT hardware placement
+Place servers, core switches and wireless controllers in the central rack, note cooling clearances, cable…
Design ICT hardware placement
+Place servers, core switches and wireless controllers in the central rack, note cooling clearances, cable routes, and power circuits, then produce a labelled rack diagram and a short installation checklist for the technician.
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Ensure network security protocols are implemented
+Audit the network perimeter and apply the updated firewall rules, enable encrypted management access,…
Ensure network security protocols are implemented
+Audit the network perimeter and apply the updated firewall rules, enable encrypted management access, document the changes, and schedule a verification scan before Friday to prove public services are not reachable from the guest subnet.
The tools that do the workAnsiblejob descriptionsWikipedia
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Load computer tapes and disks, and install software and printer paper or forms.
+Load the legacy backup tapes and floppy images into the archive workstation, install the required library…
Load computer tapes and disks, and install software and printer paper or forms.
+Load the legacy backup tapes and floppy images into the archive workstation, install the required library circulation client and printer forms, test page layout on the lab printer, and log serial numbers and media condition in the asset register.
The tools that do the workAnsibleO*NET
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Coordinate with vendors and with company personnel to facilitate purchases.
+Coordinate with the vendor contact at Midwest Library Supplies and with Sarah in acquisitions to gather…
Coordinate with vendors and with company personnel to facilitate purchases.
+Coordinate with the vendor contact at Midwest Library Supplies and with Sarah in acquisitions to gather quotes, compare lead times, confirm purchase order terms, and get procurement approval so we can place the order by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workAmazon Web Services AWSO*NET
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Implement and provide technical support for voice services and equipment, such as private branch exchange, voice mail system, and telecom system.
+Install and configure the branch exchange endpoints, provision voicemail boxes for staff, run call quality…
Implement and provide technical support for voice services and equipment, such as private branch exchange, voice mail system, and telecom system.
+Install and configure the branch exchange endpoints, provision voicemail boxes for staff, run call quality tests across the stacks, document handset mappings, and leave a troubleshooting sheet with telecom contact numbers at the service desk.
The tools that do the workApache KafkaO*NET
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Maintain an inventory of parts for emergency repairs.
+Inventory the spare parts bin, reconcile against last month’s usage, reorder missing router modules and spare…
Maintain an inventory of parts for emergency repairs.
+Inventory the spare parts bin, reconcile against last month’s usage, reorder missing router modules and spare power supplies, and update the emergency repair kit list so on-call staff can locate parts within two minutes.
The tools that do the workAmazon DynamoDBO*NET
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Research new technologies by attending seminars, reading trade articles, or taking classes, and implement or recommend the implementation of new technologies.
+Sign up for next month’s academic library systems seminar, read the three recent trade articles on campus…
Research new technologies by attending seminars, reading trade articles, or taking classes, and implement or recommend the implementation of new technologies.
+Sign up for next month’s academic library systems seminar, read the three recent trade articles on campus networking, summarize recommended changes with cost estimates, and present options to Julie in IT governance by the 20th.
The tools that do the workApache HadoopO*NET
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Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses