System administrator
The term system administrator (abbreviation: sysadmin) designates a job position of engineers involved in computer systems. They are the people responsible for running the system, or running some aspect of it.
The precise meaning varies. Organisations with very large or complex computer systems typically divide up computer staff according to specialism, in which case a system administrator is someone responsible for the maintenance of an existing computer system.
Duties of a system administrator
A system administrator's responsibilities typically include:
- performing backups
- applying any operating system updates, and configuration changes
- installing and configuring any new hardware/software
- adding/deleting/modifying user account information, resetting passwords, etc.
- answering technical queries
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- responsibility for security
- responsibility for documenting the configuration of the system
- troubleshooting any reported problems
In larger organizations, some of the tasks listed above may be divided between different system administrators. For example, there may be a dedicated individual or group responsible for testing and applying system upgrades.
In smaller organisations, the system administrator can also perform any number of duties elsewhere associated with other fields:
- Technical support
- Database administrator (DBA)
- Network administrator/analyst/specialist
- Application analyst
- Programmer
System administrators also tend not to be system architects/system engineers/system designers, although these duties are sometimes given to them, too.
In smaller organisations, IT/computing specialties are less often discerned in detail, and the term "system administrator" is used in a rather generic way — they are the people who know how the computer system works and can respond when something fails.
Becoming a system administrator
As with many professions, there is no single path to becoming a system administrator. Few colleges or universities have specific programs for system administration, so many system administrators have a degree in generic fields: computer science, computer engineering, information system management, or even a trade school program. As of 2004, only two U.S. universities, Tufts and Florida State University, have post-graduate programs in system administration.
In addition, because of the practical nature of systems administration and the easy availability of open-source server software, many systems administrators enter the field self-taught.
Generally, a prospective administrator will be required to have some experience with whatever computer system he or she is expected to manage. In some cases, candidates are required to possess industry certifications before being considered. For example, someone applying for a job administering Microsoft Windows systems may be expected to have the MCSE certification. For Linux systems, there are two common certification programs: LPI and RHCE. Administrators of systems in certain fields and using specialized software may also be required to have experience or have received certification to use said packages.
Sometimes, almost exclusively in smaller sites, the role of system administrator may be given to a skilled user in addition to or in replacement of his or her duties.