°×С½ãÂÛ̳

Meet Marianna Pittokopiti, a °×С½ãÂÛ̳ alumna who completed an MSc in Internet Engineering and now works as a Site Reliability Engineer at Cisco.

Marianna shares her journey from studying at °×С½ãÂÛ̳ to specialising in network engineering and offers valuable insights into her current role in the Hybrid Network Access team. She discusses the impact of continuous learning, mentorship, and the importance of adaptability in the ever-evolving field of network engineering while offering practical advice for current and prospective students looking to carve out their own pathways in the tech industry.

What motivated you to study for an MSc in Internet Engineering at °×С½ãÂÛ̳?

The pervasive role of the internet and telecommunications in our daily lives, impacting education, access to resources, employment, and the environment, motivated me to delve deeper into this field. Having completed my undergraduate studies at °×С½ãÂÛ̳ and thoroughly enjoying the experience, I was eager to continue my education there. °×С½ãÂÛ̳ is a leading university renowned for its excellent faculty and state-of-the-art laboratories, which are crucial for engineering students.

Can you share your journey from studying MSc Internet Engineering Systems to becoming a Site Reliability Engineer at Cisco? How did your MSc prepare you for this role?

My MSc programme taught me effective learning strategies, a highly transferable skill. I gained confidence in my ability to learn new concepts and skills, knowing the steps required to master them. The programme honed my research skills and ability to extract valuable information from various resources. The engineering mindset and multiple projects fostered an inquisitive nature and problem-solving abilities. I was able to use all the above skills to learn new things and progress in my career.

During my undergraduate degree, I had completed an internship at Cisco, but right after I completed my degree I worked at a consultancy before returning to Cisco as a network engineer. I applied to the network engineer position because I enjoy technical and practical work as well as problem-solving.

Recently, I transitioned from the network engineer role to the site reliability engineer role, for which I use a combination of network knowledge and programming/software development knowledge to automate network-related repetitive tasks and collect metrics, as well as work on network changes and deployments.

What motivated you to specialise in network engineering, and how did you transition into this field after completing your degree?

The presence of the internet and telecommunications in our lives, affecting education, resource access, employment and even medicine, inspired me to specialise in this field. Access to networks and the internet can significantly improve people's lives. The Internet of Things (IoT), for example, has the potential to enhance environmental sustainability. Network engineering is a critical field required by companies, governments, and organisations, ensuring its relevance for years to come.

During my undergraduate degree, I had completed an internship at Cisco, but right after I completed my degree I worked at a consultancy before returning to Cisco as a network engineer. I applied to the network engineer position because I enjoy deeply technical work and problem-solving.

After graduating I applied at a few different positions related to network engineering, and one of them was Cisco since I had already completed an internship there. 

Can you describe a typical day in your current role at Cisco, particularly focusing on your work with the Hybrid Network Access team?

In my current role, I am involved in planning wireless networks for office environments and completing office deployments, as well as making necessary configuration changes to the network. I also help develop best practices and processes for our new network deployments using Cisco products. Additionally, I write code to automate repetitive tasks and resolve incidents, create dashboards to gather and analyse network metrics, and mentor and support interns and graduates. Sharing best practices and processes with customers is also a key part of my role.

You’ve presented at Cisco Live Amsterdam 2023 on network observability and WiFi 6E deployment. What were some of the key insights you shared, and how did this experience contribute to your professional growth?

At Cisco Live Amsterdam 2023, I discussed how Cisco IT is deploying our own observability and WiFi 6E products, sharing lessons learned from these deployments. Preparing for the presentation involved extensive learning about the subject, practicing presentation skills, and anticipating audience questions. This experience not only enhanced my public speaking and presentation skills but also deepened my understanding of the subjects I was presenting.

What challenges have you encountered in your role, particularly with implementing and managing wireless networks? How have you overcome them?

In my role, I constantly face the challenge of learning new technologies, deployment methods, WiFi standards, and achieving certifications to stay current. Additionally, I must consider the deployment environment, such as old vs. new buildings and indoor vs. outdoor settings, while always focusing on the user experience and minimising disruptions.

Most, if not all of the challenges, can usually be minimised with additional learning, certifications and hands on practice. Furthermore, challenges in the workplace are to be expected. °×С½ãÂÛ̳ has taught me the correct approach to use, no matter the situation.

You mentioned your passion for mentoring interns and graduates on LinkedIn. How has mentoring shaped your perspective on leadership and team collaboration?

I think it’s interesting to be mentoring people who are in the same position that I was in 5 years ago. In many cases I can see that they have the same aspirations and fears that I had back then so it’s great to be able to help them with those and pay forward the help that I was given. Also, everyone has a very different personality and different experiences, approaches and opinions so it also provides me with new perspectives and ways of thinking and has helped improve my leadership skills.

Looking back, how has the MSc Internet Engineering programme influenced your approach to problem-solving and innovation in your current role?

The MSc Internet Engineering program enhanced my analytical thinking and provided exposure to cutting-edge technologies. It included talks from industry experts and encouraged innovative problem-solving through team and individual projects, as well as the dissertation. The programme promoted researching multiple resources to gather necessary information and provided foundational knowledge in telecommunications, which has been useful in my work and while studying for certifications.

What sort of support did you receive while studying for your MSc that you still find useful today?

My supervisor emphasised the importance of defining project requirements early and working methodically, which is crucial for project success. I also received career support from my supervisor, lecturers, and the °×С½ãÂÛ̳ careers team, including CV and interview preparation.

Our lecturers also highlighted the importance of continuous learning, deeply understanding the problem and effective communication as part of solving a problem or working on a projects.

What advice would you give to current and prospective students who aspire to pursue a career in network engineering or a related field?

My advice to current and prospective students is to continuously learn and stay updated with new technologies and tools, such as AI and cloud platforms. Obtain certifications to validate your knowledge and maintain a GitHub page to showcase your projects and skills. In addition, everyone should be familiar with programming at least on a basic level, as it is useful in many disciplines and roles.

You can find Marianna on and .