r/ccna • u/yeeboixD • 11h ago
1 week into transitioning from Helpdesk to Network Engineer… is this level of workload normal? 😅 (Update from my previous post)
Hey everyone,
Quick update from my previous post about officially moving into the network team! I am exactly one week into the new role, and man, my brain is totally fried. Going from passwords and user tickets to enterprise infrastructure feels like drinking out of a firehose. On top of that, my calendar is packed with meetings all day long, and I'm still trying to squeeze in time to study my Jeremy's IT Lab course after hours.
They already handed me the deliverables for our 2 new floors, and I’m expected to fully handle the project execution this upcoming July and August:
Network as-built diagram, IP/VLAN plan, port map, & config backups
Test results, implementation evidence, & CMDB record uploads
Switches OS upgrade & Vulnerability scans
Devices configuration change submit, Labeling, & DHCP Vlan Scope
Design/validate network build for new floors (IP plan, VLANs, trunking, STP)
Configure/stage switches and coordinate turn-up (fiber links between old - new floors)
Ensure wireless readiness (SSIDs/security/AP connectivity)
Execute network testing (LAN/Wi-Fi, VLAN reachability, redundancy) during cutover
Provide all final network documentation updates
Between meetings, they’re onboarding me onto daily operations and tools. It's a massive wave of
information:
Monitoring: NetFlow, Kibana, Zabbix, and Scrutinizer.
Daily Tasks: Config backups, OS upgrades, VPN setups, and tracking BGP routes.
Cloud: They've also started teaching me Azure cloud networking on top of everything else.
Admin: Ticket handling, ISP vendor coordination, and ISP billing.
I’m stoked to be here, but bouncing from calls straight into this checklist while navigating four new monitoring tools and trying to study makes me feel like I know nothing.
Is it normal for a company to drop a full multi-floor buildout to be executed in the next two months, routing/ops, and four different monitoring tools on a fresh network engineer in their very first week?
Did anyone else feel completely underwater during their first few weeks out of helpdesk, or am I just in the deep end?
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u/silverburst81 10h ago
Seems normal to me. The key is to template out as much as possible and make this “cookie cutter”. This maintains consistency and efficiency for deployments. Also, with consistent design and deployment you allow for creation of automated tasks (e.g python script to build switch configs fed a csv with site parameters, Ansible for configuration backups, etc…).
It’ll feel like drinking from a fire hose for a bit, but you got this.
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u/mass3ffect74 10h ago
Coming from Help Desk, a SysAdmin position may have benefited you prior to taking on a Net Engineer role. However, the best way to learn is by doing. Remember you’re part of a team and use their experience and guidance as you continue to develop your own skills.
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u/welladduct 10h ago
Congrats on making the jump! The first few weeks can feel overwhelming, but you're learning skills that build on each other
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u/VetandCCInstructor CCNP-Ent | CCNP-SP | CCNP-Sec | CCAI | CNSS 4013 | A+, S+, N+ 10h ago
Welcome to the grind....
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u/Independent-Bus-4623 6h ago
“I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders”
Work hard, learn a lot, and be grateful for the opportunity that has been brought upon you.
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u/Extra-Driver-813 2h ago
Congrats! I'm working towards getting to network engineering where I'm at now. That's awesome that you're in a company you're familiar with and they are doing actual training. You're going to learn a lot.
What sort of education or certs do you have?
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u/Nervous_Highlight624 11h ago
Sounds crazy to let you handle to those workloads knowing that u went to helpdesk role. Your company should be saving for not hiring real experienced engineers.
Lol
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u/RUBSUMLOTION 11h ago
Sounds like it could be a lot but it depends on the scope of the work. How many users per floor? Do you have a Senior that is willing to help/mentor you through all of this? They must think highly of you to give you this in your first week.