The adoption of cloud for data storage and the introduction of big data analytics has driven the development of the Network-as-a-Service market (NaaS). Furthermore, the rapid growth and evolution in IoT technologies has become the backbone of NaaS.

NaaS has offered companies greater flexibility and performance gains in its network infrastructure. With the help of on-demand purchasing, firms can cut costs and pay only for the networking services they require.

These developments have increased the demand for networking professionals in India and offer a secure work-life amidst the pandemic. In 2022, there are several courses to keep an eye out for.

The Complete Python Network Programming Course [Udemy]

This course will teach you how to use Python for network programming, extract data in various formats over the web and request and retrieve web resources. You will also learn how to modify systems over the web with DNS and IP networking. It starts with the basics of Python 3.9 installations and goes to the advanced networking topics.

It is a great course for computer science students, system administrators and experienced Python developers. Although this course is also suited for advanced programmers, prior experience with Python is not necessary. The requirements of this course are to have a macOS, Windows, or Linux operating system.

Find the course here.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate)

This certification helps organisations identify and develop talent with important skills for deploying cloud protocols. Upon the completion of this course, it boosts the candidates’ ability to design and implement distributed systems on AWS.

It is intended for anyone who has one or more years of hands-on experience designing available, cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS. Prior knowledge in using AWS Management Console and the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) can be helpful during this course.

The benefit of this course is that it will teach you everything about the AWS Well-Architected Framework, AWS networking, security services, and the AWS global infrastructure. It also gives you the ability to understand the AWS services and define technical requirements for an AWS-based application.

Candidates must pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C02) exam to complete this certification. The exam has two question formats: multiple-choice and multiple-response.

Find the course here.

Aruba Certified Mobility Associate (ACMA)

This is another associate-level certification to start your career in networking. Small to medium scale companies often require potential employees possessing knowledge of Aruba networking features. This course will teach everything about designing, setting up, and configuring a basic Aruba Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

Under this, there are four other associate-level Aruba certifications – Switching, ClearPass, Design, and Security. If you complete three out of these, it will certify you as an Aruba Edge Associate. Candidates must pass one exam. It has no prerequisites, but candidates are motivated to also complete the course on Aruba Mobility Fundamentals.

Find the course here.

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

The Cisco Certified Network Associate is an entry-level IT certification issued by networking hardware company Cisco. It is designed to verify your knowledge of important networking concepts valuable for networking roles in IT positions.

To attain the CCNA certification, candidates must pass one exam, the 200-301 CCNA. However, there are no prerequisites to take the exam. Some training and experience with computer networks are recommended. It is one of the most requested IT certifications in the US, with 6,000 job listings on Glassdoor and 12,000 on Indeed, as of June 2021.

Find the course here.

CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Certification and Training

Completing this course will prove your skills with complex enterprise infrastructure solutions. In order to complete the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure certification, the candidates are required to pass two exams.

Firstly, a qualifying exam that focuses on enterprise infrastructure technologies, and secondly, a hands-on lab exam on enterprise networks during its entire network lifecycle, from designing and deploying to operating and optimising.

The lab exam is a little more strenuous than any other on this list. It is an 8-hour hands-on lab that needs more effort and dedication. Since it is an advanced course, you need to have five to seven years of experience with designing, deploying, operating and optimising enterprise networking technologies and solutions before appearing for the exam.

Find the course here.

Cisco Certified DevNet Associate Certification and Training

This course will teach candidates how to develop and maintain built on Cisco platforms. In order to complete the DevNet Associate certification, you will need to pass the exam, which covers the fundamentals of software development and design for all Cisco platforms.

It validates your skills and knowledge using APIs, Cisco platforms and development, application development and security, and infrastructure and automation. Preferably, people interested in this course should have a minimum of one year of experience in software development and Python programming.

Find the course here.

Networking in Google Cloud Specialisation

This specialisation helps people study the core infrastructure and networking on the Google Cloud Platform. Under this course, candidates will learn via recorded lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on labs exposure. There is some freedom to explore and deploy GCP networking technologies – Google Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) networks, subnets, firewalls, interconnection among networks, load balancing, Cloud DNS, and Cloud CDN.

It will also go over network design patterns and automated deployment with the help of Deployment Manager. This specialisation is best suited for network engineers and admins who have used Google Cloud Platform or are planning to do so and for people who want to be familiar with software-defined networking cloud solutions.

There are a few requirements for this course: having an understanding of the OSI 7-layer model, IPv4 addressing, and experience with managing IPv4 routes.

Find the course here.

Professional Cloud Network Engineer [Google]

Moving on from the basics, this professional course is for people who want to kick-start their career as a professional cloud network engineer who manages network architectures in Google Cloud. The cloud network engineer deploys Google Cloud Console or command line interface, to leverage experience with network services, application, and container networking. It can also work with hybrid and multi-cloud connectivity, implementing VPCs, and security for established network architectures.

Ideally, people with three or more years of industry experience, along with one or more years of experience in designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud, can shine after completing this course. This two-hour exam can catapult your career as a professional.

Find the course here.