NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

SOC 15-1244.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full career arc of Network and Computer Systems Administrators working in enterprise and multi-site organizational environments, from supervised configuration and monitoring tasks through strategic infrastructure leadership and team development.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Computer hardware and systems software configurations — document and apply under direct supervision in a managed enterprise network environment.
  2. Data backup procedures — execute scheduled backup jobs following established protocols on organizational servers and storage systems.
  3. Network and system problem symptoms — recognize and escalate to senior administrators in a multi-user corporate computing environment.
  4. Email application settings and virus protection software — configure basic parameters under guidance in a standard business IT environment.
  5. Master console monitoring dashboards — observe system performance metrics and report anomalies to senior staff during routine operations.
  6. Network performance baseline data — collect and log using standard monitoring tools in a supervised enterprise network environment.
  7. Network security policies — review and apply predefined access control rules under direction in a production IT environment.
  8. Equipment performance logs — retrieve and compile records for senior review to support repair or replacement decisions.
  9. Technical documentation and vendor manuals — read and interpret to support assigned configuration and maintenance tasks in a corporate IT setting.
  10. Ticketing and incident management systems — use to record, update, and track hardware and software issues in a help-desk-supported environment.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Computer networks and related computing environments — administer and maintain with reduced oversight across hardware, software, and configuration layers in a mid-sized enterprise.
  2. Disaster recovery operations — execute and validate restoration procedures following documented recovery plans in a business-critical server environment.
  3. Hardware, software, and network faults — diagnose and resolve using structured troubleshooting methodologies and replace defective components in a production network.
  4. Email platforms and endpoint virus protection software — configure, monitor, and tune to meet organizational security standards in a corporate messaging environment.
  5. Master console tools — operate to coordinate network access, monitor system performance, and respond to alerts across a multi-server enterprise environment.
  6. Network performance metrics — analyze trend data to identify bottlenecks and recommend capacity adjustments in a growing organizational network.
  7. Network security measures — plan and implement firewall rules, access controls, and patch schedules to protect data and systems in a regulated business environment.
  8. Equipment performance records — analyze patterns over time to make informed repair-or-replacement recommendations to IT management.
  9. Database management system software — maintain user accounts, permissions, and routine maintenance tasks in support of enterprise applications.
  10. Technical findings and status updates — communicate clearly in written reports and verbal briefings to IT peers and non-technical stakeholders in a corporate setting.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Enterprise network infrastructure and computing environments — autonomously design, administer, and optimize across full hardware, software, and configuration scope in a complex multi-site organization.
  2. Backup architectures and disaster recovery plans — author, test, and refine to meet RPO and RTO targets in a business-continuity-focused enterprise environment.
  3. Complex, non-routine hardware, software, and network failures — independently diagnose, resolve, and document root causes using advanced troubleshooting in high-availability production systems.
  4. Enterprise email platforms and security software suites — architect configurations, evaluate new tools, and enforce compliance with organizational security policies across the full user base.
  5. System and network performance consoles — leverage to proactively coordinate access controls, optimize resource utilization, and preempt service degradations across a large enterprise.
  6. Network performance analysis — conduct in-depth capacity planning studies and translate findings into actionable infrastructure upgrade recommendations for IT leadership.
  7. Comprehensive network security programs — design and implement including intrusion detection, vulnerability management, and incident response procedures in a risk-conscious enterprise environment.
  8. Equipment lifecycle data — evaluate systematically to develop evidence-based replacement and investment strategies aligned with organizational operational needs.
  9. ERP and enterprise application integrations — assess, configure, and troubleshoot to ensure reliable connectivity between business systems in a complex technology ecosystem.
  10. Critical thinking and systems analysis — apply to evaluate emerging technologies and recommend adoption strategies that align with organizational IT architecture goals.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Enterprise-wide network and systems strategy — define and lead implementation across all infrastructure layers, setting long-term technical direction for a large or multi-site organization.
  2. Disaster recovery and business continuity governance — establish organizational standards, oversee testing cadences, and ensure regulatory compliance across all systems and sites.
  3. Organizational incident response capability — build and lead, directing senior administrators through complex, high-impact outages and establishing post-incident improvement processes.
  4. Information security posture — champion and govern enterprise-wide, integrating network security policy with risk management frameworks and executive-level reporting requirements.
  5. IT infrastructure investment decisions — drive by synthesizing equipment performance data, capacity trends, and business objectives into multi-year capital planning recommendations for executive leadership.
  6. Network performance and reliability standards — establish organizational benchmarks, oversee continuous monitoring programs, and hold teams accountable for service-level commitments.
  7. Systems administration team — mentor, develop, and lead, building technical depth across emerging and developing practitioners in a large enterprise IT department.
  8. Vendor and technology partnerships — manage strategically, evaluating enterprise software, hardware, and telecommunications contracts to optimize cost, capability, and organizational alignment.
  9. Cross-functional IT governance — collaborate with business unit leaders, security officers, and compliance teams to align network and systems administration practices with enterprise objectives.
  10. Organizational knowledge management — institutionalize by overseeing documentation standards, runbooks, and knowledge-sharing practices that sustain operational resilience across the IT function.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted configuration lookup — queries an AI assistant to retrieve vendor syntax, error code explanations, and baseline configuration templates for common network devices, reducing time spent searching documentation Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Routine alert triage — submits system-generated alerts and log excerpts to an AI tool to surface likely causes, then confirms the diagnosis against monitoring consoles before acting Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Developing
  1. Troubleshooting workflow acceleration — hands off structured problem descriptions, including device type, symptoms, and recent changes, to an AI assistant to generate ordered diagnostic steps, then executes and validates each step independently Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Backup and recovery scripting — directs an AI tool to draft automation scripts for scheduled data backups and disaster recovery runbooks, reviewing every generated script for correctness before deployment Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Email and endpoint security configuration — uses AI-generated configuration recommendations for mail filtering rules and antivirus policies, cross-checking output against vendor best-practice guides before applying changes Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. Multi-system performance analysis — instructs an AI assistant to correlate performance metrics across servers, switches, and applications, then applies critical thinking to prioritize remediation actions that the AI cannot contextually rank Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Incident response orchestration — directs an AI tool through a structured incident investigation, providing network topology context and containment constraints, retaining all change-authorization decisions Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Capacity planning synthesis — feeds historical utilization data exports into an AI analysis tool to generate growth projections and hardware refresh recommendations, then evaluates outputs against organizational budget and risk tolerance Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  4. Security patch evaluation — delegates initial vulnerability-to-asset mapping to an AI assistant, then exercises independent judgment to sequence patch deployment across production environments based on criticality and maintenance windows Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. AI autonomy governance — establishes team-level standards for which network administration tasks are delegated to AI agents versus requiring human sign-off, calibrating autonomy boundaries based on system criticality and measured time-savings data Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Cross-domain systems evaluation — leads evaluation of AI-assisted monitoring platforms against organizational reliability requirements, applying systems-analysis expertise to identify gaps in AI-generated recommendations that could introduce single points of failure Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Strategic infrastructure decision authority — retains authorship of all architectural decisions—topology changes, redundancy design, vendor selection—while using AI tools to accelerate research, draft proposals, and model failure scenarios Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 27543
Augment share: 95%
Time saved: 79.3%
AI autonomy: 3.32
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Critical Thinking
Score: 57.9 / 100
precision: category_estimate
WEF cluster
Artificial Intelligence
artificial_intelligence
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication8 statements
Emerging
  1. Network status reporting — documents basic system outages and performance issues using standard ticket templates and internal wikis Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. User support communication — explains common network connectivity problems to end users using non-technical language during help desk interactions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Incident documentation — writes clear post-incident reports summarizing root cause, impact, and remediation steps for technical and non-technical stakeholders Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Vendor coordination communication — conveys hardware replacement or service escalation needs to vendors using precise technical specifications and urgency context Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Security briefing delivery — presents network security measures, policy updates, and vulnerability findings to management and department leads in structured briefings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Change management communication — drafts and distributes maintenance window notifications, including scope, risk, and rollback procedures, to affected organizational stakeholders Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Cross-functional infrastructure narrative — translates complex network architecture decisions and capacity planning rationale into strategic recommendations for executive leadership Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Knowledge transfer facilitation — develops and delivers technical documentation, runbooks, and training materials that enable junior administrators to operate systems independently Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
2Leadership8 statements
Emerging
  1. Task ownership — takes independent responsibility for assigned maintenance tasks such as scheduled backups and patch cycles without requiring supervisor follow-up Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Peer guidance — assists coworkers in navigating standard configuration procedures and internal knowledge base resources during onboarding periods Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Incident response coordination — organizes and directs response activities during network outages, assigning diagnostic tasks to available team members based on skill sets Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Project initiative — proposes and leads small-scale infrastructure improvements such as switch upgrades or VLAN restructuring with defined scope and timeline Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Security implementation leadership — plans, coordinates, and drives execution of network security measures across hardware, software, and policy layers, ensuring team alignment and accountability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Capacity planning stewardship — leads performance analysis reviews, interprets equipment records, and drives replacement or upgrade decisions based on data-informed recommendations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Infrastructure strategy ownership — defines multi-year network architecture roadmaps, aligns technology investments with organizational goals, and mentors administrators across skill levels Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Disaster recovery program leadership — owns the design, testing, and continuous improvement of enterprise backup and disaster recovery operations, building organizational resilience Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition8 statements
Emerging
  1. Troubleshooting self-reflection — identifies gaps in personal diagnostic knowledge after failed resolution attempts and seeks targeted resources to address specific technical deficiencies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Learning strategy awareness — recognizes which vendor documentation, lab environments, or mentorship interactions produce the most effective skill acquisition for new networking technologies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Diagnostic process monitoring — evaluates own troubleshooting methodology during complex incidents, adjusting logical sequencing when initial approaches fail to isolate root cause Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Certification planning — maps current competency gaps against target certification requirements and constructs a self-directed study plan with milestones and checkpoints Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Mental model calibration — regularly audits own understanding of network topology and configuration dependencies against current documentation to identify knowledge drift or blind spots Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Post-incident learning integration — after resolving system failures, analyzes own cognitive errors during diagnosis and updates personal heuristics to prevent recurring misdiagnosis Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Domain expertise mapping — maintains a dynamic self-assessment of mastery across networking, security, and systems domains, deliberately targeting underdeveloped areas to sustain comprehensive administrative capability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Reflective practice modeling — demonstrates and teaches structured self-evaluation techniques to junior administrators, embedding metacognitive habits into team incident review processes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking8 statements
Emerging
  1. Log analysis — reads and interprets system and network logs to identify error patterns associated with common connectivity or service failures Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Configuration review — examines existing network device configurations against documented standards to identify deviations that may cause performance degradation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Root cause analysis — applies structured diagnostic reasoning to isolate whether hardware, software, or configuration factors are responsible for recurring network or system problems Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Performance data evaluation — analyzes network monitoring data to distinguish between normal traffic variation and indicators of capacity constraints or security anomalies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Systems evaluation judgment — assesses equipment performance records against service-level requirements to determine whether repair, reconfiguration, or full replacement represents the optimal resolution path Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Security threat analysis — evaluates vulnerability reports, intrusion detection alerts, and audit logs to determine threat validity, severity, and appropriate remediation priority Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Infrastructure risk reasoning — synthesizes performance trends, vendor end-of-life data, organizational growth projections, and security posture to form evidence-based infrastructure investment recommendations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Assumption identification in system design — critically examines proposed network architectures or vendor solutions for unstated assumptions, single points of failure, and misalignment with operational requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration8 statements
Emerging
  1. Help desk coordination — shares diagnostic findings with tier-1 support staff to enable consistent user-facing troubleshooting without duplicating effort across teams Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-team access coordination — works with department representatives to understand network access requirements and communicates constraints when configuring user permissions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Change advisory participation — contributes technical assessments of proposed network changes during cross-functional change advisory board reviews, balancing operational risk with business need Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Vendor and internal team alignment — coordinates with hardware vendors and internal IT staff to schedule maintenance windows that minimize disruption across dependent systems Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Security implementation coordination — collaborates with security teams, application owners, and compliance personnel to design and deploy network security measures that address organizational risk holistically Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Disaster recovery exercise facilitation — partners with business continuity teams and application owners during backup and recovery drills, integrating network restoration into enterprise-wide response plans Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Cross-organizational infrastructure governance — leads collaborative forums involving networking, security, application, and leadership stakeholders to align infrastructure priorities and resolve competing demands Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mentorship-driven team capability building — cultivates a knowledge-sharing culture within the systems administration team, creating structured peer review and collaborative problem-solving norms Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
6Character8 statements
Emerging
  1. Access credential stewardship — handles administrative credentials and sensitive network configuration data with confidentiality, following established privilege management policies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Accurate incident reporting — documents system issues, changes made, and outcomes honestly and completely, even when errors reflect personal mistakes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Maintenance accountability — follows through on scheduled backup, patching, and monitoring tasks consistently, escalating proactively when constraints threaten timely completion Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Ethical access administration — enforces network access policies impartially, resisting informal requests to bypass security controls regardless of requestor seniority Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Security policy integrity — upholds and enforces network security standards consistently across all systems and users, modeling compliance behavior and flagging policy violations through proper channels Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Professional accountability in outages — takes ownership of self-caused configuration errors during incidents, communicates impact transparently, and drives resolution without deflecting responsibility Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Ethical infrastructure stewardship — advocates for security and data protection measures that prioritize organizational and user interests over convenience or cost savings, even under executive pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Trust-based administrative leadership — establishes a team culture where accountability, transparency in error reporting, and ethical access management are practiced and reinforced as non-negotiable norms Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
7Creativity8 statements
Emerging
  1. Workaround generation — identifies alternative routing or configuration options to maintain service continuity when standard network paths or components fail unexpectedly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Monitoring adaptation — modifies standard alert thresholds and dashboard configurations to better surface meaningful performance signals for specific network environments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Automation scripting — develops scripts or scheduled tasks that automate repetitive administrative functions such as log rotation, backup verification, or configuration audits Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Novel diagnostic approaches — devises non-standard diagnostic sequences when conventional troubleshooting methodologies fail to isolate intermittent or complex system faults Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Security architecture innovation — designs layered security configurations that go beyond baseline compliance requirements to address organization-specific threat scenarios creatively Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Infrastructure optimization design — engineers creative network segmentation, redundancy, or traffic management solutions that improve performance while working within existing hardware and budget constraints Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Emerging technology integration — experiments with and adapts new networking paradigms such as software-defined networking or zero-trust architecture to solve persistent organizational infrastructure challenges Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Process reinvention leadership — redesigns legacy administrative workflows and disaster recovery procedures using creative systems thinking to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce organizational risk Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset8 statements
Emerging
  1. Technology change acceptance — approaches unfamiliar operating systems, hardware platforms, or network protocols as learning opportunities rather than obstacles during assigned tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Feedback incorporation — applies constructive feedback from senior administrators on configuration practices or troubleshooting approaches to improve subsequent technical execution Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Certification pursuit — actively pursues relevant networking or systems certifications, sustaining study effort through technical difficulty and exam setbacks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Post-incident learning commitment — treats resolved incidents as structured learning events, extracting lessons that refine both personal skill and team runbooks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Continuous tool adoption — proactively learns and integrates new monitoring, security, or configuration management tools into daily administrative practice as the technology landscape evolves Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Performance gap ownership — identifies personal technical weaknesses exposed by complex incidents and constructs targeted improvement plans rather than avoiding those problem domains Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Learning culture cultivation — establishes team habits of continuous skill development by creating internal training opportunities, encouraging certification pursuit, and normalizing learning from failures Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Technology disruption navigation — models adaptive response to major infrastructure paradigm shifts by rapidly building new competencies and guiding the team through capability transitions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness8 statements
Emerging
  1. Alert fatigue management — practices deliberate attention strategies to distinguish actionable monitoring alerts from noise without developing habituation that causes critical signals to be missed Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Task transition discipline — fully disengages from previous administrative tasks before beginning new configurations, reducing the risk of carry-over errors in complex multi-system environments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Incident stress regulation — maintains measured, methodical diagnostic behavior during high-pressure network outages rather than rushing to implement untested fixes that escalate impact Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Maintenance window intentionality — approaches planned configuration changes with deliberate pre-execution review, verifying rollback procedures and dependencies before committing changes to production Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Sustained monitoring attention — maintains disciplined focus during extended console monitoring operations, applying structured attention practices to detect subtle performance anomalies across complex network environments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotionally regulated stakeholder communication — delivers outage updates and security incident notifications to frustrated users and executives with calm, factual composure that de-escalates organizational anxiety Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Mindful change leadership — models intentional, non-reactive decision-making during major infrastructure changes, creating deliberate pause points for risk reassessment that prevent cascading failure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Team presence facilitation — establishes team incident response norms that embed mindful communication and methodical process discipline, reducing cognitive errors under collective pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude8 statements
Emerging
  1. Persistent fault isolation — continues systematic diagnostic investigation through multiple failed resolution attempts on intermittent network faults without abandoning structured methodology Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. After-hours maintenance commitment — fulfills scheduled maintenance and emergency response obligations during off-hours outages, sustaining performance despite disruption to personal schedules Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Sustained incident response — maintains effective diagnostic and remediation performance across extended multi-hour network outage events without compromising decision quality under fatigue Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Security breach resilience — responds to confirmed network security incidents with composed, systematic action rather than reactive or avoidant behavior under organizational pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Disaster recovery execution under pressure — leads data backup restoration and disaster recovery operations during high-stakes business-impacting events, sustaining methodical execution despite organizational urgency Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Chronic complexity navigation — maintains consistent administrative quality and documentation standards across sustained periods of high system complexity, legacy debt, and competing infrastructure demands Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational resilience modeling — demonstrates unwavering persistence through multi-day critical infrastructure failures, maintaining team morale, stakeholder confidence, and systematic resolution focus simultaneously Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Adversity-forged process improvement — converts sustained operational hardships such as repeated system failures or security breaches into durable institutional improvements that build lasting organizational resilience Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Show O*NET source anchors66 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
AI Security Specialist (Artificial Intelligence Security Specialist) · Application Security Administrator · Application Systems Administrator · Computer Systems Security Administrator · E-Mail System Administrator · Enterprise Systems Administrator · Hardware Installation Coordinator · Information Analyst · Information Systems Administrator · Information Systems Coordinator (IS Coordinator) · Information Systems Operator · Information Technology Administrator (IT Administrator)
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSystems AnalysisJudgment and Decision MakingTroubleshootingSystems EvaluationMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningProgrammingOperations MonitoringSpeakingQuality Control AnalysisWritingOperations AnalysisActive LearningTime ManagementManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperation and ControlEquipment MaintenanceRepairingService OrientationMathematicsSocial PerceptivenessCoordination
Knowledge domains
Computers and ElectronicsEnglish LanguageCustomer and Personal ServiceEngineering and TechnologyTelecommunicationsMathematicsAdministrative
Abilities
Problem SensitivityInformation OrderingWritten ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningOral ExpressionNear VisionOral ComprehensionSpeech RecognitionWritten Expression
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntegrityIntellectual CuriosityAdaptability
Technology
Access softwareInternet directory services softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareDocument management softwareDevelopment environment softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareObject or component oriented development softwareWeb platform development softwareData base management system softwareData base user interface and query software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
  2. Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
  3. Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary.
  4. Configure, monitor, and maintain email applications or virus protection software.
  5. Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
  6. Monitor network performance to determine whether adjustments are needed and where changes will be needed in the future.
  7. Plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
  8. Analyze equipment performance records to determine the need for repair or replacement.
CIP education codes
11.010111.100111.1003

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.