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You’ve likely heard the term Network Administrator or Net Admin. A less common role is that of the Proactive Network Administrator (PNA). Tyson Acosta explains the difference well, it’s about “finding something is wrong before it becomes a problem.” PNAs focus on addressing things proactively to prevent them from causing frustration or inconvenience for the client.
Valued Relationships
Proactive Network Administrators enjoy getting out of the office and being on the front lines – really getting to know the individuals that make a client business successful. Senior PNA Sol Orlowski summed it up perfectly, “My favorite things about being a PNA are working directly with the clients, and the variety of different businesses.”
Safety Net PNAs have a passion for building relationships. It’s not unusual for them to swing by the CFO’s desk to see how his recently installed printer is working or ask the Sales Manager how her softball team did in last week’s tournament. Face-to-face interaction in a world of online communication is a perk of having a PNA in Jason Martin’s opinion.
Boots on the Ground
Your Net managed service clients get the benefit of an on-site PNA who is completely dedicated to their business for a designated number of days per month. They are intimately familiar with each of their assigned client’s IT environments. Because of their understanding of an organization’s systems, they can decrease the need for reactive IT support, effectively increasing the availability of staff to do their work.
During their time on-site, the PNA will focus on small tasks and larger-scope projects that keep a network safe, secure, and functioning efficiently. Utilizing methods that are tried and tested, the PNA resolves issues that need a little more digging in than our Support Services team can offer remotely. They also tackle more time-consuming processes, like organizing cabling and cleaning up network infrastructure.
Measurable Improvements
Organizations benefit from the hands-on work and in-depth knowledge of a Proactive Network Administrator. They have IT systems that are more secure, reliable, and efficient. One way they get there is through an annual Technical Health Assessment (THA).
The THA is a 200-point checklist completed by a PNA. It covers everything from the temperature and humidity in a server room to the controls placed on access to important hardware or information. The assessment takes time, but it is an invaluable tool that identifies areas for improvement and prioritizes them based on the risk they pose to an organization. It is common to see a THA score jump 30 or more points from year one to year two as suggested changes are implemented.
Trust and Accountability
Our PNAs are experts in their field and they can be trusted to do what’s best for our clients. They serve as a main point-of-contact for the rest of the Safety Net team, so they are accountable to many for the quality of their work and depth of their knowledge.
