System Administration areas of responsibility

Startup

• Identify customers
• Gather requirements
• Architect
• Design
•  Data Center
  •    Space
  •    Power
  •    Air conditioning
  •    Physical security
• Implement
• Procure
• Install
  •   Asset management
• Software installation
  •   Install server or media
• Remote access

Ongoing

• Service hours
• Security policies
• Monitoring
  • Network
  • Disk usage
  • CPU loads
• Troubleshooting
• Automating with Perl, ksh, Expect, Javascript, PHP, Python, Java, C, ...
• Hardware and software service contracts
• Patch procedures
• Backup and archiving
• Disaster recovery
• Account setup and pruning
• Upgrade procedures
  •   Applications
  •   Middleware
  •   Operating systems
  •   Servers
    • "fork-lift upgrades" are the easiest
• Help desk. Desktop support.
• Documentation
• Training
• Hiring
  • Teamwork and information sharing are much more important than specific technical skills!
  • The only "stupid question" is an unasked question. The person asking the "stupid questions" today will likely be the guru next year!

General vs. OS-specific tools: the same areas of concern will need to be addressed no matter what operating system you use, but obviously, the specific tools you use are likely to differ greatly.

Breadth vs. depth: if you are a "depth person", you might be happier as a developer. In most shops, the sys admin is a "breadth person" who can do anything from wielding a screwdriver to designing a network.

Large vs. small shops

• Breadth of responsibilities
• Job security
• Career path options