Systems Administrator As A Career

Systems Administrator as a Career

Matt Arnilo S. [email protected]://matt.baluyos.net

mailto:[email protected]

Who am I?

Who am I?

Graduated BS Computer Science from Xavier University (2004)

My Syntactics ID says I'm a "Technology Research, Development and Implementation Specialist“

But really, I do outsourced Systems Administration for Better Telecom Pty Ltd – an Australian telecommunications company

Who am I?

I manage the network infrastructure of the company including its 20+ servers

In another life, I was Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader Publication

List Administrator, Kagay-anon Linux Users Group (KLUG)

Now on to the good stuff…

A day in the life of a SysAd…

A typical SysAd day…

Technical Support: What you’ll be hearing every now and then…“I’m not receiving my emails…”“Site is offline!” (SMS on a lazy Sunday

morning)“Is there something wrong with the fax

system?”

A typical SysAd day…

Provisioning new servers/services Managing accounts (email, hosting,

internal systems) Monitoring the IT infrastructure Research projects (aka the “cool stuff” /

Boss’s new brilliant idea)

SysAd Survival Guide


Be TrustworthyKeep information safe - passwords, accounts

access, credit card infoPersonal integrity

Be reliableBe responsive (even at odd hours)Be prompt


Always document everythingUse emailConfiguration/settingsLogsCompany assets (servers, IP addresses,

accounts, physical setup) Never take chances with data

Backup! Backup! Backup!


Be Lazy. Make things easy for you.Set up server monitoring software (Nagios,

Cacti)Learn to script repetitive tasksCron/AnacronPublic-key SSH authentication


Be Resourceful. BUT know when, where, and how to ask questions.Google is your friend…… and so are mailing lists, forums, technical

supportTIP #1: Go to the sourceTIP #2: Read “How to ask questions the

Smart Way”

More Career Tips…

More Career Tips…

Think long-term. Work for experience first. Money will follow later.Find a company that will contribute to your

career growthMoney can be spent but whatever you learn,

you will always have with you.

More Career Tips…

The BasicsLearn to touch-type. Aim for 50+ WPMLearn to communicate clearly. (Very important

if you work for foreign companies)

Always upgrade (your brain). Never stop learning.

More Career Tips…

Grow your network (social network, that is). And never burn bridges.

Work/life balance. There's more to life than computers/work.

LOVE YOUR WORK. :)

So, what’s so cool about being a SysAd?


The feeling that you're needed. A sense of purpose.

You're the hero when things get fixed. (LOL)

Lots of challenges. Get paid to learn! (which you'll probably be doing for free anyway)


Cool toys to play with (the new superfast server! a 10-node server farm! a new 8-channel ISDN board!)

Great compensation. Chances to travel (well, depending on where you're at)

“Sponsors”

http://www.letIThelp.org http://www.syntacticsinc.com

http://www.letithelp.org/

http://www.syntacticsinc.com/

http://www.syntacticsinc.com/