careers in system administration fran fabrizio uab computer and information sciences fran fabrizio...
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Careers in System Administration
Careers in System Administration
Fran Fabrizio
UAB Computer and Information Sciences
Fran Fabrizio
UAB Computer and Information Sciences
Talk OutlineTalk Outline
A Day in the Life… What is a Sysadmin? What does a sysadmin do on a daily basis? Other kinds of sysadmins
Does This Sound Interesting? Benefits of Being a Sysadmin Compatibility Traits of Successful Sysadmins
Preparing to Be a Sysadmin Required Skills Ideas for College
A Day in the Life… What is a Sysadmin? What does a sysadmin do on a daily basis? Other kinds of sysadmins
Does This Sound Interesting? Benefits of Being a Sysadmin Compatibility Traits of Successful Sysadmins
Preparing to Be a Sysadmin Required Skills Ideas for College
A Day in the Life…A Day in the Life…
What is a sysadmin? What types of things do they do? The different types of sysadmins
What is a sysadmin? What types of things do they do? The different types of sysadmins
What is a Sysadmin?What is a Sysadmin?
Google’s answer to define:sysadmin
This is the person or people that takes care of a UNIX system This person has full access to all system resources.
Employee responsible for a company's computer network, also sometimes called a network administrator. A sysadmin's duties may include configuring the company's firewall, acquiring and installing hardware, setting up email addresses and keeping the printers working.
A job position of engineers involved in computer systems. They are the people responsible for running the system, or running some aspect of it.
Google’s answer to define:sysadmin
This is the person or people that takes care of a UNIX system This person has full access to all system resources.
Employee responsible for a company's computer network, also sometimes called a network administrator. A sysadmin's duties may include configuring the company's firewall, acquiring and installing hardware, setting up email addresses and keeping the printers working.
A job position of engineers involved in computer systems. They are the people responsible for running the system, or running some aspect of it.
What is a Sysadmin?What is a Sysadmin?
My informal definition…
“A person who is responsible for creating and maintaining an IT environment (or some aspect of it) to support users’ needs.”
How it relates to other areas of IT / CS? Draw picture
My informal definition…
“A person who is responsible for creating and maintaining an IT environment (or some aspect of it) to support users’ needs.”
How it relates to other areas of IT / CS? Draw picture
How I Became a Sysadmin(An extremely concise history of my past 14 years)
How I Became a Sysadmin(An extremely concise history of my past 14 years)
Left TJ and went to Wash U. wanting to be a doctor Organic Chemistry happened. I didn’t want to be a
doctor any more. I was good with computers, so I tried computer science
I was a programmer for 6 years, first at a local St. Louis company, then at WebMD
I had to find a job in Birmingham. This one was mistakenly listed as a programmer job. I learned otherwise at the interview. They still hired me!
(More practical advice coming later…)
Left TJ and went to Wash U. wanting to be a doctor Organic Chemistry happened. I didn’t want to be a
doctor any more. I was good with computers, so I tried computer science
I was a programmer for 6 years, first at a local St. Louis company, then at WebMD
I had to find a job in Birmingham. This one was mistakenly listed as a programmer job. I learned otherwise at the interview. They still hired me!
(More practical advice coming later…)
What I DoWhat I Do
Higher Education Sysadmin Department of Computer and Information
Sciences University of Alabama at Birmingham IT staff consists of myself and 3-4 student
workers
Higher Education Sysadmin Department of Computer and Information
Sciences University of Alabama at Birmingham IT staff consists of myself and 3-4 student
workers
ScopeScope
20 faculty and staff 250 students My organization is responsible for
something like 400-500 systems ~ $1.5 - 2 million in IT
20 faculty and staff 250 students My organization is responsible for
something like 400-500 systems ~ $1.5 - 2 million in IT
A Brief TourA Brief Tour
Slide Show Slide Show
The Mythical Typical DayThe Mythical Typical Day
Each day is completely different from the last Everchanging activities
reactive, “helpdesk response” proactive, strategic project development physical labor Teaching Working with vendors doing the “soft” stuff - administrative, PR, recruitment,
professional development (like this talk)
Each day is completely different from the last Everchanging activities
reactive, “helpdesk response” proactive, strategic project development physical labor Teaching Working with vendors doing the “soft” stuff - administrative, PR, recruitment,
professional development (like this talk)
Job ResponsibilitiesJob Responsibilities
The entire IT cycle Research Vendor negotiations Procurement Receiving Installation Configuration Maintenance Decommission
The entire IT cycle Research Vendor negotiations Procurement Receiving Installation Configuration Maintenance Decommission
Job ResponsibilitiesJob Responsibilities
End User Support Answering helpdesk requests Setting up laptops and desktops Handling department guests
Academic Support Setting up servers and software for academic activities
Research Support Maintaining specialized research equipment and services
Infrastructure Support Core production servers - email, web, etc… Centralized storage and account management Network infrastructure
End User Support Answering helpdesk requests Setting up laptops and desktops Handling department guests
Academic Support Setting up servers and software for academic activities
Research Support Maintaining specialized research equipment and services
Infrastructure Support Core production servers - email, web, etc… Centralized storage and account management Network infrastructure
Job ResponsibilitiesJob Responsibilities
Other activities Managing the student staff Maintaining vendor relationships Coordinating with other areas of campus IT Public relations - giving tours, attending events,
creating department advertising Grant writing User training
Other activities Managing the student staff Maintaining vendor relationships Coordinating with other areas of campus IT Public relations - giving tours, attending events,
creating department advertising Grant writing User training
Job ResponsibilitiesJob Responsibilities
Even more activities Producing documentation Teaching classes, seminars and workshops Annual budget Strategic planning Training and development
Even more activities Producing documentation Teaching classes, seminars and workshops Annual budget Strategic planning Training and development
Recent TasksRecent Tasks
Provide IT support to Alabama High School Programming Contest including development of program to automate submissions
Install security cameras Upgrade cluster software Troubleshoot error conditions on server hardware Create system for automating subversion access
and wikis for new accounts Wrote a grant proposal for student technology fees
Provide IT support to Alabama High School Programming Contest including development of program to automate submissions
Install security cameras Upgrade cluster software Troubleshoot error conditions on server hardware Create system for automating subversion access
and wikis for new accounts Wrote a grant proposal for student technology fees
Recent TasksRecent Tasks
Develop system to automate lab machine installs based on location and role
Troubleshoot lost DHCP packets Prepare workstations for summer research
students Migrate users to new email system Install interactive monitors and remote lab PC
control software and create training docs
Develop system to automate lab machine installs based on location and role
Troubleshoot lost DHCP packets Prepare workstations for summer research
students Migrate users to new email system Install interactive monitors and remote lab PC
control software and create training docs
Other Types of SysadminsOther Types of Sysadmins
Corporate Network Database Security Domain-Specific
Corporate Network Database Security Domain-Specific
Domain-Specific AdminsDomain-Specific Admins
Bioinformatics Computer Forensics Computational Chemists High Performance Computing Most physical sciences have become
extremely computation-oriented. They need people who understand IT -and- their world.
Bioinformatics Computer Forensics Computational Chemists High Performance Computing Most physical sciences have become
extremely computation-oriented. They need people who understand IT -and- their world.
Does This Sound Interesting?Does This Sound Interesting?
Debunking some Myths Benefits of the job Compatibility
Debunking some Myths Benefits of the job Compatibility
Myths of SysadminsMyths of Sysadmins
They’re in front of a computer all day. They don’t interact with people much. They never get to program. It’s not a very creative job.
They’re in front of a computer all day. They don’t interact with people much. They never get to program. It’s not a very creative job.
Why I Like My JobWhy I Like My Job
Challenging Hard problems
Never the same day twice Great if you are easily bored
Always learning something new IT reinvents itself every few years
Freedom Autonomy, independence
Challenging Hard problems
Never the same day twice Great if you are easily bored
Always learning something new IT reinvents itself every few years
Freedom Autonomy, independence
Why I Like My JobWhy I Like My Job
Academic Environment Relaxed / casual, respectful, supportive
Feeling of Enabling People Pay and Benefits
High salaries Get to travel a lot Public sector advantages
Academic Environment Relaxed / casual, respectful, supportive
Feeling of Enabling People Pay and Benefits
High salaries Get to travel a lot Public sector advantages
A Quick Look at the Industry(this slide is for the parents!)
A Quick Look at the Industry(this slide is for the parents!)
The IT job outlook is phenomenally good right now
The outsourcing myth - debunked! Explosion in need - 43% job growth Job happiness - IT dominates these rankings Competitive salaries - Top 5 of all degrees.
Start > $50k.
The IT job outlook is phenomenally good right now
The outsourcing myth - debunked! Explosion in need - 43% job growth Job happiness - IT dominates these rankings Competitive salaries - Top 5 of all degrees.
Start > $50k.
Is Sysadmin Right for Me?Is Sysadmin Right for Me?
I like to always be doing something different.
I am spontaneous and adapt well to sudden changes and new situations.
I multitask well and don’t mind interruptions.
I don’t fear the unknown.
I like to always be doing something different.
I am spontaneous and adapt well to sudden changes and new situations.
I multitask well and don’t mind interruptions.
I don’t fear the unknown.
Is Sysadmin Right for Me?Is Sysadmin Right for Me?
I welcome challenging problems. I enjoy installing and debugging computer
hardware and software. I get along with all sorts of personalities
easily. I work well under pressure. I like puzzles.
I welcome challenging problems. I enjoy installing and debugging computer
hardware and software. I get along with all sorts of personalities
easily. I work well under pressure. I like puzzles.
Is Sysadmin Right for Me?Is Sysadmin Right for Me?
I’d rather know a little about a lot than a lot about a little
I don’t mind unpredictable work schedules and being on call
I like to take things apart and figure out how they work
I’d rather know a little about a lot than a lot about a little
I don’t mind unpredictable work schedules and being on call
I like to take things apart and figure out how they work
Preparing to be a SysadminPreparing to be a Sysadmin
Required Skills Traits of Successful Sysadmins Maximizing College
Required Skills Traits of Successful Sysadmins Maximizing College
Required SkillsRequired Skills
“Hard” skills Must be an expert hardware and software tinkerer Comfortable in multiple Oses Install and configure server and client software Know how networks work and how computers
communicate Script programming Leveraging the Internet for information
One of the biggest mistakes I see young admins make!
“Hard” skills Must be an expert hardware and software tinkerer Comfortable in multiple Oses Install and configure server and client software Know how networks work and how computers
communicate Script programming Leveraging the Internet for information
One of the biggest mistakes I see young admins make!
Required SkillsRequired Skills
Hard Skills Linux, Windows, OS X, Solaris, Perl, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, XML,
CSS, AJAX, Active Directory, SQL, Amanda, TCP/IP, HTTP, SMTP, IMAP, POP, SVN, CVS, LDAP, DNS, DHCP, SSH, SFTP, FTP, SSL, Java, Apache, Tomcat, MySQL, PostgreSQL, RRT, Cricket, Nagios, Samba, SMB, BOOTP, IPMI, PXE, Python, sh, bash, csh, MPI, SGE, Globus, Grid, Cluster, CUPS, LPR, DFS, EXT3, Reiser, XFS, JFS, Squid, iptables, IBRIX, Infiniband, Ethernet, DVI, USB, PCI, PCI-X, PCIe, DIMM, CMOS, BIOS, ISO, IIS, Postfix, sendmail, dovecot, courier-imap, scp, df, du, top, uptime, find, tar, tail, less, grep, ls, vi, emacs, ps, man, which, crontab, cp, dump, more, ruby, c, c++, sed, awk, proc, postscript, pdf, latex, drupal, plone, modprobe, regedit, group policy, ping, route……….
The point is, you obviously can’t learn all of these, so focus on getting a good foundation and being able to learn new things quickly.
Hard Skills Linux, Windows, OS X, Solaris, Perl, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, XML,
CSS, AJAX, Active Directory, SQL, Amanda, TCP/IP, HTTP, SMTP, IMAP, POP, SVN, CVS, LDAP, DNS, DHCP, SSH, SFTP, FTP, SSL, Java, Apache, Tomcat, MySQL, PostgreSQL, RRT, Cricket, Nagios, Samba, SMB, BOOTP, IPMI, PXE, Python, sh, bash, csh, MPI, SGE, Globus, Grid, Cluster, CUPS, LPR, DFS, EXT3, Reiser, XFS, JFS, Squid, iptables, IBRIX, Infiniband, Ethernet, DVI, USB, PCI, PCI-X, PCIe, DIMM, CMOS, BIOS, ISO, IIS, Postfix, sendmail, dovecot, courier-imap, scp, df, du, top, uptime, find, tar, tail, less, grep, ls, vi, emacs, ps, man, which, crontab, cp, dump, more, ruby, c, c++, sed, awk, proc, postscript, pdf, latex, drupal, plone, modprobe, regedit, group policy, ping, route……….
The point is, you obviously can’t learn all of these, so focus on getting a good foundation and being able to learn new things quickly.
Required SkillsRequired Skills
Soft Skills Be an excellent communicator
Written Verbal Communicating technical information clearly and concisely is
extremely hard! Adaptability
The landscape is constantly changing. Stay ahead of the curve by keeping track of current development, maintaining current training, and trying new things.
Soft Skills Be an excellent communicator
Written Verbal Communicating technical information clearly and concisely is
extremely hard! Adaptability
The landscape is constantly changing. Stay ahead of the curve by keeping track of current development, maintaining current training, and trying new things.
Required SkillsRequired Skills
Soft Skills Tolerance, Patience and Compassion
End users can be difficult and unreasonable Put yourself in their shoes
Self-Motivating Often, the only time you hear from users is when there’s
something wrong. The best ones remember to praise you when things go right, but don’t rely on it for motivation
Creativity Ability to think outside the box and come up with creative
solutions to problems
Soft Skills Tolerance, Patience and Compassion
End users can be difficult and unreasonable Put yourself in their shoes
Self-Motivating Often, the only time you hear from users is when there’s
something wrong. The best ones remember to praise you when things go right, but don’t rely on it for motivation
Creativity Ability to think outside the box and come up with creative
solutions to problems
Successful Sysadmins…Successful Sysadmins…
Generalize. They become a Jack-of-all-Trades. They don’t get
trapped in a specific technology or product.
Are expert problem solvers. They understand how to attack the unknown in
manageable, measured steps.
Are very good at time management. They manage information and workflow effectively.
Generalize. They become a Jack-of-all-Trades. They don’t get
trapped in a specific technology or product.
Are expert problem solvers. They understand how to attack the unknown in
manageable, measured steps.
Are very good at time management. They manage information and workflow effectively.
Successful Sysadmins…Successful Sysadmins…
Think ahead. Put monitoring systems in place before the
problem exists. Identify bottlenecks and weaknesses and address them.
Solve a problem once. Build a permanent solution, not a one-time
hack job. “Higher Order Administration”
Are often outgoing, social people
Think ahead. Put monitoring systems in place before the
problem exists. Identify bottlenecks and weaknesses and address them.
Solve a problem once. Build a permanent solution, not a one-time
hack job. “Higher Order Administration”
Are often outgoing, social people
How To PrepareHow To Prepare
Most college programs don’t do a good job of preparing people to be sysadmins
Which department? Computer Science? Computer Engineering? MIS? My choice, and why
Most college programs don’t do a good job of preparing people to be sysadmins
Which department? Computer Science? Computer Engineering? MIS? My choice, and why
Maximizing College Opportunities
Maximizing College Opportunities
While at college, try to work at student labs and helpdesk jobs and get IT internships and co-ops.
Good classes to take: Technical writing Networking computer architecture operating system theory scripting languages web applications/services distributed computing computer security
While at college, try to work at student labs and helpdesk jobs and get IT internships and co-ops.
Good classes to take: Technical writing Networking computer architecture operating system theory scripting languages web applications/services distributed computing computer security
The EndThe End
Thank you! Questions?
Contact me at [email protected]
Thank you! Questions?
Contact me at [email protected]