The person who is responsible for setting up and maintaining the system is called as the system administrator.

System administrators may be members of an information technology department. Most of the following discussion also applies to network and Windows system admins.

Duties of a system administrator

The duties of a system administrator are wide-ranging, and vary widely from one organization to another. Sysadmins are usually charged with installing, supporting, and maintaining servers or other computer systems, and planning for and responding to service outages and other problems. Other duties may include scripting or light programming, project management for systemsrelated projects.

The system administrator is responsible for following things:

1. User administration (setup and maintaining account) 2. Maintaining system 3. Verify that peripherals are working properly 4. Quickly arrange repair for hardware in occasion of hardware failure 5. Monitor system performance 6. Create file systems 7. Install software 8. Create a backup and recovery policy 9. Monitor network communication 10. Update system as soon as new version of OS and application software comes out 11. Implement the policies for the use of the computer system and network 12. Setup security policies for users. A sysadmin must have a strong grasp of computer security (e.g. firewalls and intrusion detection systems).

What is so special about the system administrator account?

The root account has full (unrestricted) access, so he/she can do anything with system. For example, root can remove critical system files. In addition, there is no way you can recover file except using tape backup. Many tasks for system administration can be automated using Perl or Shell scripts. For example:

Create new users Resetting user passwords Lock/unlock user accounts Monitor server security Monitor special services etc

Most important skill to a system administrator

Problem solving, period. This can some time lead into all sorts of constraints and stress. When workstation or server goes down, you are called to solve the problem. You should able to quickly and correctly diagnose the problem. You must figure out what is wrong and how best it can be fixed in small amount of time.

System administrators are not...

Cookie cutting software engineers. Developers. It is not usually within your duties to design new applications software. But, you must understand the behavior of software in order to deploy it and to troubleshoot problems, and generally should be good at several programming languages used for scripting or automation of routine tasks such as shell, awk, perl, python etc.

Windows 2003 Server Administrative Roles: Windows Server 2003 defines a universe of system administration responsibilities. Yet only a few system administrators have the broad enterprise-level view. Instead, they have specialized responsibility for planning and deployment of such things as domain controller servers, domain models, the Active Directory, sites, security policies, and network infrastructures. Because the majority of administrators perform these more specialized functions, Windows Server 2003 allows the assignment and delegation of both broad and function-specific roles. An administrator could have all or a portion of these management responsibilities:

Operating system maintenance the health of the operating systems processes and services. The monitoring and logging tools help tune individual computers, domain controllers, and specialized server performance. In this work, many administrators find both standard tools and custom scripts handy. User and group management adding, modifying, and deleting user accounts and group policies. Windows Server 2003 security groups are used to establish the rights and privileges of individuals and groups of users. Underlying group policies are the establishment and enforcement of security and user behavior. The Active Directory services manage the distribution of group policies. This includes such activities as logon and password management, and granting or restricting permissions and access. Hardware and device management the health of the physical network devices, computers, and peripherals. Microsoft provides a Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to assess the viability of a given item of hardware in a Windows environment. This also permits the system administrator to ensure that the most recent device drivers for the hardware components are being used. This involves not only traditional network hardwired connections but also such items as wireless devices and assessment of Internet and intranet bandwidth.

Scope of Responsibility

Windows Server 2003 provides for levels of administrative authority, for which there exists a relative hierarchy. An administrator gains authority by becoming a member of one or more builtin or default security groups, inheriting the rights, privileges, and restrictions associated with each . In we explore group policies in depth. However, for the sake of this discussion of administrative roles, we note that responsibilities are assigned through the accumulation of group memberships.

Another important concept is specialized function versus broad responsibility. Members of different groups have broad-based authority to manage domain activities. These include Administrators, Domain Admins, and Enterprise Admins. The scope of authority can be granted to other users with specialized functionsfor example, printer support or backup operations. The specialized security groups are Account Operators, Backup Operators, Printer Operators, Replicators, and System Operators. Membership in these groups can be assigned individually or in any combination. The final major concept is granularity. The organizational unit (OU) is a structural mechanism (also viewed as a container object) by which domains can be divided into smaller elements such as a sales department. In turn, this OU can be divided into other units that involve users, devices such as printers, and network components. Each parent and child OU can then be assigned specific system administrators to manage the allotted functions. The system administrator role is a true workhorse in the IT department. I have spent a good chunk of my career in this role and I have found that even in different environments the system administrators role will remain the same, to provide a stable and secure network environment for the business. This doesnt always make you the most popular guy in the room, because you will at times have to make stands even against your own boss to keep the network running smoothly. Though you

must remember that the IT department is there to support the business unit so make sure that you clearly understand what the business needs from IT to be successful. Usually someone in this role has paid his dues in desktop support/helpdesk roles and has worked his way up into this greater position of responsibility. This is usually done by having an aptitude for the work, and also by taking training outside the normal responsibilities of the desktop role. Unfortunately not all companies will pay/provide for this kind of progression, so be prepared to be willing to pay and invest time in your own career growth.

System Administrator Responsibilities

The system administrator can wear a lot of hats depending on the size of the organization you are working in. I have worked in shops where there were only two of us at this level, and we had full responsibility for all the Wintel servers in our datacenter and all aspect from backups to hardware. The main key of course would be servers, you are going to be working on them a lot and in todays networks you will find some diversity. Even in our Wintel shop I worked on Novel and *nix servers, so it is important to be well rounded. In larger organizations the system administrators are sometimes organized into teams with specific responsibilities, some of these include the following:

Installation/Hardware Backups Operations

The installation/hardware teams generally build images and spec out the hardware for specific solutions. They will put the server image on the hardware and rack it up for the other teams in the datacenter. The operation teams will handle day to day workload on the servers managing users and performance of the servers online. They would also handle escalated helpdesk issues that require greater security or server knowledge. The backup teams will manage and coordinate the backup strategy for the servers and applications. They will check the integrity of the backups and status of the jobs making sure to fix any problems that may arise. Restores are also done by this team for user and application data as needed.

System Administrator Training

As of today most Microsoft administrators are at a cross roads for training between Server 2003 and 2008. There are plenty of shops that continue to use Windows Server 2003 and will for the near future so learning that skill puts you in a good position to get a job at a large percentage of shops. Those opting for Server 2008 training are "future proofing" their skill set. Even though in the short term they may find positions harder to come by at first, they are well positioned for migration work as companies look to move platforms. When companies start their migration work, they will start hiring consultants to bring their staff up to speed and help plan. If you are an established expert, it is a great time to work high paying consulting jobs and then settle in with a company you fit well with as a full time administrator. Train Signal has options to cover either situation you want to work in as they have outstanding training for both Server 2003 and Server 2008.

Microsoft Certifications
For the system administrator role Microsoft currently has two options because of the different versions of Windows Server. For Server 2003 you will be looking at the MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) and you can get identifiers for either Messaging or Security. For Server 2008 you can look at MCITP (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) Server Administrator. Both of these certifications take multiple exams to pass so dont think you are going to knock it out in a month or two.

System Administrator Role Pay Scale

As always this section varies by geographic location, size of the company, and also your experience. According to the salary surveys, system administrators come in around 65K on average. I know of positions for those with experience who can get over 100K, though expect to have to specialize in a discipline like messaging to command those rates. What most beginning administrators will see is low to mid 50K as these guys usually get promoted from a desktop support role so the pay bump isnt as great in the same company. Once they get experience they will see that they can get a greater jump in pay by moving companies in most cases.

Finding System Administrator Jobs

Much like desktop support roles you can usually find a good number of these positions being advertised on the big job boards. I will reiterate though that if you are moving up into this role from a desktop support role 99% of the time it will be easier to get promoted from your current position in the same company. Not many companies will want to take on an unproven system administrator even with certifications, though if you have proven yourself to the right people at your current company they would be more willing to take a chance. The best job boards for finding System Administrator positions are:

Craigslist.com Computerjobs.com Dice.com Monster.com Carreerbuilder.com

Never underestimate the power of networking for these positions. Get involved in your local user groups or even the newsgroups and forums. You will be surprised how many people know of open positions somewhere that might not be advertised yet.

Parting Thoughts
The system administrator role is critical to keeping the IT department running day to day, and some people never aspire to go beyond this role as it is very challenging. Depending on your company you can work in different things almost every day. The downside of this position is that sometimes you can get placed on a team and never get to go beyond those responsibilities and it can stunt your career. Always make sure to keep up your skill set either on your own or through other opportunities in your company.

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Job Description
As a server administrator, you are in charge of implementing and managing some of the most important technology in your organizationthe servers. You use extensive monitoring and profiling tools to manage the network and tune systems so they perform at optimal levels. You are an expert in Active Directory, and you have an in-depth understanding of network protocols, and file and directory security.

Possible Job Titles

Systems administrator Windows server administrator

Skills and Experience

Skills

General Monitor network infrastructures Configure Web services Configure network applications Beginner Plan server operating systems Intermediate Configure and maintain Active Directory Monitor server operating systems Install and maintain hardware Expert Configure server operating system services Configure networks

Typical Required Experience Three to five years Responsibility Scope

60 percent operations 20 percent engineering 20 percent support tasks

With organizations facing an increased number of threats from hackers and malware, having someone employed to ensure network security has never been more important. In this article, we take a look at the responsibilities of a Network Security Administrator.

Network Security Administrators are charged with the responsibility of ensuring the security of an organizations network from threats originating from inside and outside the organization. In addition to writing network security policies, the Security Administrator has to do frequent audits and ensure that the security policies are up-to-date and are being followed. In addition, he or she must take corrective steps where there are breaches. While a Network Administrator (or system administrator) is employed to oversee and ensure the effective and smooth running of all computer systems, a Network Security Administrator has more refined responsibilities that may include the following:

Write and implement the policies to govern an organization's network environment and the systems that are connected to it. Add, remove, or update user account information, reset passwords, etc. Find security gaps by performing routine audits of hardware and software entities on the network and closing those gaps. Apply operating system updates, patches and make configuration changes to tighten security. Protect the network from malicious entities such as hackers, viruses and spyware. Ensure the security of traffic that passes through the network. Ensure that network equipment is physically secure. Maintain an inventory of computers, servers, terminals, modems and other access devices that are attached to the Network. Manage, assign, and maintain the list of network addresses. Upgrade, manage, and maintain VPN concentrators, routers, and other Network equipment.

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Ads by Google In large organizations, where there is less constraint on human resources, some of responsibilities of the Network Security Administrator may be shared among several individuals. For example, someone may be specifically assigned to apply security patches and software updates or administrate user account information. Regardless, even in large organizations, a security administrator may be called upon to perform some routine tasks that may not seem to be security related but nonetheless has some bearing on the security of the network or organizations assets. However, the lines between a Network Security Administration and other technical roles may not be as well defined in smaller organizations. In small organizations, the Security Administrator may be called upon to perform system administration functions, including doing installations and data backups. In essence the administrator may be the guy you call when something or anything goes wrong.

Training and Qualifications

A good Network Security Administrator must have a good understanding of standards, conventions and new developments in the industry. It also helps if the administrator has a good blend of technical skills, to ensure that he or she can meet the challenges of the job. Typically a Network Security Administrator will hold at least an undergraduate degree in Information System Management, Computer Science, Computer Engineering or information Technology. However, more specialized training makes for a more competent Security Administrator. Network Security Specialists are expected to possess industry certifications such as: the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), MCSE, Novell CNA, CNE, Cisco CCNA, Sun Certified SCNA, to name a few. While security administrators are not programmers or system engineers they must have a good grasp of programming and scripting languages as well as a good understanding of generally accepted concepts and conventions. This skill-set will allow them to recognize security gaps as well as advise developers on potential problems area and the measures that can be taken to strengthen security.

1. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF SYSTEM ANALYST 2. The role of an analyst is to help organizations understand the challenges before them to make this transition and to ensure that the needs and expectations of the client are represented correctly in the final solution. 3. Each company needs to define the specific roles and responsibilities that an analyst plays in their organization. However, the general roles and responsibilities of an analyst are defined below. 4. In general, the analyst is responsible for ensuring that the requirements set forth by the business are captured and documented correctly before the solution is developed and implemented. 5. . In some companies, this person might be called a Business Analyst, Business Systems Analyst, Systems Analyst or a Requirements Analyst. 6. . While each of these titles has their particular nuances, the main responsibility of each is the same - to capture and document the requirements needed to implement a solution to meet the clients' business needs. 7. . If requirements are not captured and documented, the analyst is accountable. If the solution meets the documented requirements, but the solution still does not adequately represent the requirements of the client, the analyst is accountable. 8. Process Responsibilities Once the Analysis Phase begins, the analyst plays a key role in making sure that the overall project successfully meets the client needs. This includes : 9. Analyzing and understanding the current state processes to ensure that the context and implications of change are understood by the clients and the project team Developing an understanding of how present and future business needs will impact the solution Identifying the sources of requirements and understanding how roles help determine the relative validity of requirements Developing a Requirements Management Plan and disseminating the Plan to all stakeholders

10. Identifying and documenting all business, technical, product and process requirements Working with the client to prioritize and rationalize the requirements Helping to define acceptance criteria for completion of the solution 11. Again, this does not mean that the analyst physically does all of this work. There may be other people on the team that contribute, including the project manager. However, if the finished solution is missing features, or if the solution does not resolve the business need, then the analyst is the person held accountable. 12. Analyst Skills Generally, analysts must have a good set of people skills, business skills, technical skills and soft skills to be successful. These include: 13. Having good verbal and written communication skills, including active listening skills. Being well organized and knowing good processes to complete the work needed for the project. Building effective relationships with clients to develop joint vision for the project. Assisting the project manager by managing client expectations through careful and proactive communications regarding requirements and changes. 14. Negotiating skills to build a final consensus on a common set of requirements from all clients and stakeholders. Ensuring that stakeholders know the implications of their decisions, and providing options and alternatives when necessary. 15. Multiple Roles Depending on the size of your projects, an analysts time may be allocated one of the following ways. They may have a full-time role on a large project. They may have analyst responsibilities for multiple projects, each of which is less than full time, but the combination of which adds up to a full-time role. They may fill multiple roles, each of which requires a certain level of skill and responsibility. On one project, for instance, they may be both an analyst and a beta tester.