Computer skills are obviously a necessity before you launch your network consulting business.  However, you may not need the level and amount of computer skills you think you do to get started.  Here is a brief summary of the computer skills you will need for a majority of the clients you will be targeting.

Required Computer Skills

Hardware
You should know all the hardware skills extremely well that are required for micro-small businesses.  Plus you should be comfortable with server hardware including multi-processor servers. You should also know about RAID and multi-port communications adapters.

Storage-attached Networks
You should know the basic mid range data back up systems, DAT, DL2, UPS’s, power protection devices, routers, CSU’s, VSU’s, advance wi-fi hardware as well as items that support roaming and management.

Networking software
This is the bigger part of supporting sweet spot small businesses effectively. You should be comfortable with all the computer skills required for networking.  You really need to know the server OS’s extremely well. A big part of what you’ll be hired for is networking design, installation and ongoing support and maintenance. Specific computer skills here include:

  • Microsoft Windows server
  • Microsoft Small Business server
  • Novell Netware
  • Novell Small Business Suite
  • Red Hat
  • Microsoft Exchange server
  • Novell GroupWise
Client Server Sequel Database Applications
Your computer skills here need to be advanced enough so you are comfortable checking on log files, knowing how to handle data backups, and knowing how they fit into the network.  You don’t need to be a database administrator or an applications developer.  

Client Server Business Specialty Applications
Your computer skills should allow you to be comfortable with applications like:

  • Accounting packages
  • CRM
  • Web servers like Microsoft IS and Apache
  • Web authoring tools like Microsoft Front Page or Macromedia Dream Weaver
Terminal services
Here, if you’re on the Windows side of things, network faxing is pretty important. You should also be able to handle performance monitoring, virtual private networking, BPM’s and RAZ.

Advanced virus protection
You should be able to set up protection for multi-applications and be very comfortable with security, like intrusion detection and firewall.

Bottom Line on Computer Skills
While you don’t need expert computer skills in each and every area mentioned, to support sweet spot small businesses effectively, you should know at least 25%, and optimally 50%, of the things mentioned above.  Armed with that scope and depth of computer skills you should be able to meet the needs of the majority of your clients.

In this article, you’ve been introduced to Computer Skills. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about Computer Skills, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.