Introduction to System Administration

CSCI N321 – System and Network Administration

Copyright © 2000, 2011 by Scott Orr and the Trustees of Indiana University

Section Overview

What is a System Administrator?

Personal Perspectives

Ethics

Documentation

References

CQU COIT13146 Study GuideChapters 1-3

What is a System Administrator?

Someone who takes care of the systems others are using.

System Running System Running Smoothly and EfficientlySmoothly and Efficiently

Users able to work in Users able to work in Easy and Efficient MannerEasy and Efficient Manner

Sysadmin .sig file

“My job is like an airplane pilot's -- When I'm doing it well, you might not even notice me, but my mistakes are often quite spectacular.”

Source: Unknown

System Administration Tasks

User ManagementHardware ManagementSoftware ManagementSystem Monitoring & TroubleshootingDocumentation & Help DeskBackupsAutomation, Planning, Policies, and AuditingFirefighting!!!

The Good…

Lots of varietyChallenging FulfillingPays wellVery employable

The Bad…

Annoying at times Users Management Vendor Tech Support

Long hoursMay not be your only job

And the Ugly…

Most people don’t understand the job

When things go well… Go unnoticed “They don’t do anything”

Game players Web Surfers

Important to document everything

And the Ugly (Con’t.)…

When there is a problem… Everyone is looking for you Highly stressful Some blame you for the problem

May graduate to “Miracle Worker” status once problem is fixed

Sage Advice…Kirk: “Scotty, Do you always multiply your repair estimates by a factor of four?”Scotty: “How else to maintain my reputation as a miracle worker?” ~Star Trek IV

“Starship captains are like children. They want everything right now and they want it their way. The secret is to give them what they need, not what they want.”

~ST:TNG - Relics

SAGE/LOPSA Code of Ethics

ProfessionalismPersonal IntegrityPrivacyLaws and PoliciesCommunication

System IntegrityEducationResponsibility to Computing CommunitySocial ResponsibilityEthical Responsibility

“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse”

~Edmund Burke

Documentation

Enables you to recreate systemContents include Configuration information Policies and procedures Useful commands and resources Daily log of modifications

WikisRequest/Ticket Systems

Documentation Wiki

Ticket Systems

Conference!!!