Network operation technician vs data center technician

The differences between network operation technicians and data center technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a network operation technician and a data center technician. Additionally, a network operation technician has an average salary of $64,272, which is higher than the $46,560 average annual salary of a data center technician.

The top three skills for a network operation technician include troubleshoot, network operations and customer service. The most important skills for a data center technician are patients, customer service, and CLIA.

Network operation technician vs data center technician overview

	Network Operation Technician	Data Center Technician
Yearly salary	$64,272	$46,560
Hourly rate	$30.90	$22.38
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	68,874	139,177
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a network operation technician do?

A network operation technician is responsible for providing technical assistance with computer network issues. Network operation technicians repair and troubleshoot networks and routers, identifying the source of defects by listening to the customers and determining step-by-step guidelines for resolution. They also configure servers to optimize the network's performance and recommend strategies to improve the system's infrastructure. A network operation technician must have excellent organizational and technical skills, especially in explaining the network problems to the customers and addressing preventive maintenance.

What does a data center technician do?

A data center technician is an information technology (IT) professional who ensures the optimal performance of data servers and network of a data center. Datacenter technicians are required to protect company data by preventing the overheating of data center components and replace failing parts promptly. They need to collaborate with software and network engineers to work on the organization's cybersecurity and network efficiency. Datacenter technicians must keep track of developing trends in data center technologies and provide advice about the procurement of new data center equipment.

Network operation technician vs data center technician salary

Network operation technicians and data center technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Network Operation Technician	Data Center Technician
Average salary	$64,272	$46,560
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $99,000	Between $28,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	Mountain View, CA	Piscataway, NJ
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Bloomberg	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Retail	Energy

Differences between network operation technician and data center technician education

There are a few differences between a network operation technician and a data center technician in terms of educational background:

	Network Operation Technician	Data Center Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Computer Information Systems	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Network operation technician vs data center technician demographics

Here are the differences between network operation technicians' and data center technicians' demographics:

	Network Operation Technician	Data Center Technician
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3%	Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between network operation technician and data center technician duties and responsibilities

Network operation technician example responsibilities.

Control and manage digital, voice and data circuits with DMS, SNMP and X.400-500 protocols.
Manage, install, and setup network interface devices (NIDS) via VPN and private IP.
Manage the F5 BigIP GTM/LTM appliances to include writing iRules, SSL offload and everyday task of creating WIP and VIPs.
Perform basic network routing troubleshooting via BGP, OSPF.
Update and maintain DNS records for stores, call centers and vendors in a Unix environment.
Process configuration changes on Cisco routers, switches and monitor Aruba wireless controllers.

Data center technician example responsibilities.

Manage job schedules via Autosys, Tivoli, & Zeke.
Utilize remedy ticketing system to track and manage trouble tickets and changes.
Manage the daily operation of the NOC which includes provisioning servers, ticket handling and resolution and internal escalations.
Manage data center power, space and infrastructure planning for mainframe, distribute, storage and network equipment technologies.
Manage proactive network monitoring, repair, and maintenance for TDM, SS7, VoIP, and DWDM platforms.
Job responsibilities include monitoring network equipment and network performance in support of Net2Phones manage PacketCable VOIP solution.

Network operation technician vs data center technician skills

Common network operation technician skills

Troubleshoot, 9%
Network Operations, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
NOC, 5%
Switches, 5%
Technical Support, 4%

Common data center technician skills

Patients, 12%
Customer Service, 10%
CLIA, 9%
OSHA, 8%
Standard Operating Procedure, 8%
Center Management, 8%

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Network Operation Technician vs Data Center Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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