This document provides an overview of network administration. It defines network administration as the operational management of human-computer systems. A network administrator has several key roles, including controlling assets and complexity, improving service, balancing needs, reducing downtime, and controlling costs. The core areas of network management are fault management, configuration and name management, account management, performance management, and security management. The document then describes some of the common tasks performed by network administrators, such as security management, performance management, fault management and recovery, account/user management, and networked application support. It also discusses different styles of network administration, including fire-fighting and preventative management approaches, as well as sources of information that network administrators use.