System administrator

System administrator (alternatively known as sysadmin) is a person who is responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and reliable operation of computer systems; especially multi-user computers, such as servers.

The system administrator seeks to ensure that the uptime, performance, resources, and security of the computers he or she manages meet the needs of the users, without exceeding the budget.

To meet these needs, a system administrator may acquire, install, or upgrade computer components and software; provide routine automation; maintain security policies; troubleshoot; train or supervise staff; or offer technical support for projects.

Curriculum

Main wikipage: CNM Cloud requirements

Related fields

Many organizations staff other jobs related to system administration. In a larger company, these may all be separate positions within a computer support or Information Services (IS) department. In a smaller group they may be shared by a few sysadmins, or even a single person.

• A database administrator (DBA) maintains a database system, and is responsible for the integrity of the data and the efficiency and performance of the system.
• A network administrator maintains network infrastructure such as switches and routers, and diagnoses problems with these or with the behavior of network-attached computers.
• A security administrator is a specialist in computer and network security, including the administration of security devices such as firewalls, as well as consulting on general security measures.
• A web administrator maintains web server services (such as Apache or IIS) that allow for internal or external access to web sites. Tasks include managing multiple sites, administering security, and configuring necessary components and software. Responsibilities may also include software change management.
• A computer operator performs routine maintenance and upkeep, such as changing backup tapes or replacing failed drives in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). Such tasks usually require physical presence in the room with the computer, and while less skilled than sysadmin tasks, may require a similar level of trust, since the operator has access to possibly sensitive data.

Duties and responsibilities

A system administrator's responsibilities might include:

• Analyzing system logs and identifying potential issues with computer systems.
• Applying operating system updates, patches, and configuration changes.
• Installing and configuring new hardware and software.
• Adding, removing, or updating user account information, resetting passwords,etc.
• Answering technical queries and assisting users.
• Responsibility for security.
• Responsibility for documenting the configuration of the system.
• Troubleshooting any reported problems.
• System performance tuning.
• Ensuring that the network infrastructure is up and running.
• Configuring, adding, and deleting file systems.
• Ensuring parity between dev, test and production environments.