System administrator

A system administrator is a person responsible for running, or running some aspect of, a computer system.

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 ("sysadmin") is someone responsible for the maintenance of the existing computer system, and who is specifically not :

• Technical support
• DBA
• Application analyst
• Programmer
• Network specialist
• System architect

In smaller organisations, not all of these specialties exist separately, and the term "system administrator" is used in a much more generic way — they are the people who know how the computer system works and can respond when something fails.

Duties of a System Administrator

A system administrator's work will almost always 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
• responsibility for security
• responsibility for documenting the configuration of the system.
• troubleshooting any reported problems.

But may (particularly in smaller organisations) include much of the job description given in the separate articles listed above. 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.

Becoming a System Administrator

As with many professions, there is no single path to becoming a system administrator. Many system administrators have a college degree in computer science while others have training in information system management . As of 2004, two U.S. universities, Tufts and Florida State University, have post-graduate programs in system administration. 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 be certified on the system before being considered. For example, someone applying for a job administering Microsoft Windows systems may be expected to have the MCSE certification. Administrators of systems that use very specialized software may also be required to have experience with those 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 other duties.

See also: BOFH, PFY, SAGE (organization), System Administrator Appreciation Day.