So You Wanna Be a Sys Admin

So you wanna be a sys admin but you don’t have a clue what it entails. Well, don’t fret my pet, I will cover the basis with you and educate you so you will make an informed decision.

Most students start their college years off without a solid understanding of their course of study. Book knowledge is great, but the real world is hands-on and you need to know the hands-on more than the books. The books can guide you, give you information, and be a great resource or reference. But, the grit of it all is from the experience and the years of knowledge. I know you heard it all before.

So what does it take to be a systems administrator? Well, it actually takes years of experience, but from the start, it should take passion. You should enjoy the work of a sys admin. The day to day operation of a sys admin consists of problem-solving, troubleshooting, maintenance, installation, configuration, and management of a wide range of systems. Depending on your level of skill and the position which you have taken on, you may support multiple operating systems, such as: Linux, Unix, Windows, etc. The truth of the matter is you should always stay well within your comfort zone when seeking employment, you can always teach yourself more advanced technologies as you progress in your area of expertise. Staying within your comfort zone will make you a master of your domain and can expose you to new avenues of interest.

Problems which may arise on a day to day as a sys admin can include system failures, application errors, hardware issues, server maintenance, data or system recovery, etc. As a sys admin it is your job to keep all computer systems up and running at all times. It is also your responsibility to monitor the systems before its point of failure and therefore perform preventative maintenance for the software and hardware of each system. You are responsible for maintaining proper file structure, security permissions, systems upkeep, systems inventory, and systems functionality. As a sys admin you are the front-line defense and you should take initiative in recommending software and hardware purchases for your organization.