System administrator – a specialist in the field of IT-technology, engaged in configuring the computer park, as well as ensuring its stable operation.
The main task of the system administrator is to improve and upgrade the information infrastructure of the company. Specialist must also monitor the performance of this infrastructure and respond to problems in a timely manner. It is believed that the “administrator” – a specialist capable of solving almost any profile problem. At the same time the decision should not be momentary and one-time, but effective, balanced, with a long-term perspective.
In small companies, the position of sysadmin sometimes entails performing the duties of the so-called “encyclopedia worker”. In addition to the direct responsibilities of a system administrator will have to refill cartridges, reinstall Windows, deal with the purchase of equipment, interact with providers and much more. To put it simply, a sysadmin is needed to implement “this thing”, to prepare the user/developer/client work environment and, in the end, to make “everything work”.
It also often happens that a sysadmin is needed, among other things, to perform the tasks of a network administrator (connecting and maintaining network switches, routers, setting up virtual networks and other things). In the classical sense of the profession sysadmin solves problems at the operating system level, as well as application programs. At the same time network administrator maintains networks and understands the programs working with them.
In fact, the duties of a system administrator depend on the size and specifics of the company for which he works. These may include:
Configuring software and hardware;
work on the configuration of servers, infrastructure elements, fault-tolerant solutions;
installation of servers, installation of services, upgrade of existing ones;
maintenance of office equipment;
writing software for servers;
testing of hardware;
information security;
setting up workstations, network equipment (modems, routers) and networks;
organization of data backup;
organization of remote access;
procurement of software and hardware;
user support.
There is an opinion that if a sysadmin does nothing – it is a good “admin”, because everything works, nothing breaks. But in fact there is a lot of work. Even if everything works, there are still many things that can be improved, to make it work better. In a well-organized workflow, the system administrator, by and large, only needs to look at monitoring reports of how things broke, and afterwards, how they fixed themselves. Work should be set up so that routine problems are solved with a few keystrokes. This will free up time for more complex and interesting tasks, the introduction of new technologies, etc.
If we talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the profession, in recognition of the system administrators themselves, most of all they are attracted by the opportunity to work with technology and solve non-standard problems. Or standard, but “in their own way”. Such work is more suitable for those who love computers and everything connected with them. For some, they are akin to toys, with which you can “play” every day at work and get a steady paycheck. Some liked to “mess around” with the operating system and the “iron” itself from the moment of first acquaintance with the computer.