Are you a system administrator or are you considering becoming one? The first thing you should know is that it’s not an easy profession, but you shouldn’t be discouraged if you really want to do it.
The system administrator is a key figure in any company that uses a certain degree of technology. In this article we are going to see some ideas about what a good system administrator should be like, proposed by the administrators themselves (no one better than them to tell us which are some very valuable qualities in the profession, don’t you think?). Let’s start:
1. Being flexible
The system administration profession has a very broad field of activity. The sysadmin will have to deal with all kinds of problems and be able to handle all sorts of different environments, often in different workplaces. And, as we said, you will have to work with all kinds of people, who will often have training that has nothing to do with yours. Do you want to be a good system administrator? Remember what the Japanese proverb says, “the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists“.
2. Automation
Doing the same daunting tasks over and over again is not only a waste of time to crush, but can lead to errors and loss of productivity. Automation with tools like Puppet, Chef, and Ansible helps reduce the performance of routine steps and frees system administrators for more meaningful and more action-oriented work.
A configuration management tool such as Puppet can help you simplify server creation processes, for example, by automatically installing software and creating user accounts.
However, these types of tools can do a lot. They can apply certain settings, automatically create SSL certificates, and create files with specific permissions, for example. Whatever you can learn from configuration, you can automate, so this is a great opportunity to discover how to simplify your work and end the "Groundhog Day" problems.
3. Simplification
The more complex your environment, the more difficult it will be to automate processes and functions. That is why my pet is angry at some scripting languages that you can spend more time exploring problems than if you were performing the functions that are supposed to be handled manually.
Suppose you have an environment with multiple Password Islands (places that need to be authenticated using separate credentials). We guarantee you a demon while dealing with setting up similar accounts, working with SSH keys for access without a password, dealing with authentication failures, troubleshooting a security account, arranging a password reset, etc. Instead, place all these islands under one umbrella (such as in a unified Active Directory domain) before streamlining processes through automation. Your sense of patience and reason will thank you.
And if you can not automate or simplify it?
4. Self-service
Some IT responsibilities include field requests from the user community for new accounts, password reset, virtual machine snapshots, or new operating systems / redrawing existing operating systems, to name a few.
Where possible, look for ways to provide users with the ability to execute these requests themselves (reasonably; you do not want them to grant unusual resources such as 500 GB of RAM).
For example, it is possible to use VMWare's vRealize to allow users to provide virtual machines as needed. Microsoft Identity Manager can allow users to reset their passwords as needed.
Regardless of the process or process that you deliver to the user community, a solution is likely. A little (or even a lot) of research, planning, and implementation can distribute profits to your productivity on the road.
5. Authorization
No matter how automated and simplified you are or how you implement self-service solutions, some processes will always end in human hands if everything else fails (or when).
Take account lockout and reset the password, for example. A system administrator older than 25 should not waste time dealing with user account issues or setting passwords. It's crippling career.
Delegate such inconveniences to the help desk or trainee or be creative and recruit someone interested in helping such as a receptionist or HR representative. The more you put the words "forgot my password" in the rearview mirror, the faster you will be accelerated towards a productive and exciting career.
6. Being curious and eager to learn
Although in any discipline it is important to have the desire to continue learning day by day, in those related to computer science, this quality becomes essential. The world of IT is constantly evolving, we all know it. That is why it is essential that in a profession, such as systems administration, which is usually multidisciplinary, curiosity and the desire to know are necessary qualities in a good professional.
7. Cybersecurity
This one is a no-brainer. If sysadmin jobs are already becoming scarce, I intend to move to cybersecurity and I will look at training and manuals this year to assess how switching works, as well as how to lay the groundwork for greater involvement in the subject. this year.
8. Artificial Intelligence
When I say I will focus on artificial intelligence (AI), it does not mean that I am investigating or creating Siri or Alexa solutions for my technology environment.
Instead, I plan to focus on the machine learning aspect of AI, where some products or services can analyze vast amounts of localized data and trends that the average human would not necessarily discover. For example, by monitoring the network, machine learning can improve the accuracy and detail of alerts to filter out noise and allow humans to turn their attention to actual problems.
9. Programming languages
I am convinced that the best way to understand how to implement successful IT operations is to be familiar with the functions below them, the code that works or interacts with those processes.
I plan to have a basic understanding of the elements behind Java / Javascript, C #, C ++, Python, Perl, R, SQL and Ruby on Rails. Even being able to discuss terms and concepts in a meaningful way with these key elements, it would be useful to develop a more holistic approach to understanding how things work.
10. Focus
I threw this up because as a regular multitasking employee (like many IT professionals), I have trouble concentrating on one thing at a time, especially in a crowded office environment. I plan my work systematically and try to handle tasks in order of priority, but information technology usually involves a lot of unexpected chaos and fire fighting. Focusing on one task whenever possible and setting up an adequate budget to do so is a priority for me.
I also found that distraction in offices became difficult to overcome. Co-workers' conversations, external noise, phone calls, and even a hateful staircase loud door, which opens and closes constantly, makes the focus too much. Working from home can help, but if you have a family at home (such as noisy children), this may put you in the same repair.
I benefited a lot from Unreal Ocean Wave Noise Generator, which I recently discovered. This coupled with a good range of headphones will significantly improve my focus. I highly recommend this (or a similar option) to stay focused.
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System Administrator