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system designer's skills and knowledge. For our purposes here, this job description
and knowledge set is primarily intended to complement the wiring knowledge of the
cabling system. 1
The network designer must thoroughly understand the operating parameters of
the network technology and topology that the enterprise will use. This includes
knowledge of the standards-compliant cable technology, the allowable cabling dis-
tances, basic network hardware setup, and network troubleshooting. The actual
networking standards, such as those for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet, are the
focus of this job. Network wiring must be chosen that is appropriate for the net-
work technology being used.
This person may be employed either by the user or by the cabling contractor,
but the skill set is particularly appropriate for the contractor. It is important that the
wiring contractor ensures that an installation will operate properly for the network
topology planned, not just that it was installed according to a particular set of bid
specifications.
The network designer is the wiring person who knows the difference, for
example, between 1000BaseSX and 1000BaseLX and understands the distance lim-
itations and the cabling requirements for each. It is every contractor's nightmare to
install a cabling system that is according to spec, but inoperable. At the design stage,
it is the network designer's job to cross-check the run lengths, the layouts, and the
number and placement of telecommunications outlets, and to question the assump-
tions that others may make.
A network software technician may possess the skills and knowledge of the
network designer, particularly if that person is responsible for the hardware connec-
tivity of the network. However, one should not necessarily assume that the certifi-
cation testing for software skills prepares one for networking hardware layout or
design. Many of the cable-skills certification programs now recognize the impor-
tance of this networking job category in the overall success of a computer network
installation. In fact, the membership organizations that offer certification may offer
the only manufacturer-independent certification of generic networking skills.
Cabling Technician
The cabling technician's knowledge and experience is at the very heart of LAN
wiring implementation. This is the person who follows the best workmanship prac-
1 Many other jobs and knowledge levels exist for the fields of network engineering and computer oper-
ation, but training and certification for these network-operation jobs are handled by product-specific
training programs from the major vendors of applications software and operating systems.
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