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Re: a Trivial Question

 
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Maaz
Valued Contributor

a Trivial Question

Hello Gurus

I m going to ask a very Trivial Question ;).

Plz let me know the diff b/w System Administration and Network Administration

who is Network Admin and who is Sys Admin ?

If i m responsible to configure and manage the firewall, web proxy, smtp, dhcp, dns, http, ftp, NTP, NIS, LDAP servers for the enterprise, then I m a Network Admin or System Admin ?

what are the job responsisblities/nature of Sys Admin ?

what are the job responsisblities/nature of Network Admin ?

Regards
Maaz
5 REPLIES 5
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: a Trivial Question

It is very hard if not impossible to draw a strict line.

A system administrator usually deals with servers and operating systems, while a network administrator deals with the network infrastructure.

On the other hand: I have someone's business card that says "group lead - network organization", but they are responsible for NetWare and Windows servers, the network infrastructure and their own SAN.

In a previous life, I had a title of "system programmer", but was responsible for running a group of servers.
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Steven E. Protter
Exalted Contributor

Re: a Trivial Question

Shalom Maaz,

System Administration and Network Administration are intertwined.

Part of System Administration is setting up networking on the system involved.

Network Administration does not actually require a system at all. It means setting up network infrastructure and network segments.

I would divide the responsibilities on your list into three groups.

Pure Networking:
firewall (not on a system)
web proxy (there may be an appliance or system involved. It can be switch.)

DNS is pure networking, but it can be administered with a system.

http is almost always a system function.
NTP is almost always a system function but it can be done with an appliance.

NIS requires a system but is related to network infrastructure.

LDAP is a system function that is seriously intertwined with networking.

Bottom line, your job encompassed both functions.

Summary answer: both.

SEP
Steven E Protter
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Sergejs Svitnevs
Honored Contributor

Re: a Trivial Question

Huc_1
Honored Contributor

Re: a Trivial Question

I would say you are a Sys Admin, for me Network Admin is busy with switch, cables, routers, physical infrastucture , and some dedicated system that run the infrasture program's "like firewall,dns,dhcp,wins...etc), now having said that these network related "applictions/tools" could very well run on some system that the SysAdmin run's and you could share the reponsability with "Network Admin's'" or wear both hats, this is usually the case in smaller organisations.

"When there is a problem no matter what you will ussualy be the prime suspect a common faith for both The Sys Admin and Network Admin and this is often due to the fact that erea's of responsability have net been well defined... maybe now the time ?"


Jean-Pierre
Smile I will feel the difference
Allan Bowman
Respected Contributor

Re: a Trivial Question

In most smaller organizations ther Sys Admin and Network Admin positions are one and the same. As an organization gets larger, the two positions become separate. In a gigantic organization, even these positions get more specialized - there may be a separate LAN Admin and WAN admin, or Exchange Server Admin.

I come from the world of a "one man show". For a long time I was my company's Sys Admin, Network Admin, System Designer, Installer, Contract Admin, and anything else they could think of - but my officail title was "Senior Systems Engineer".

Allan in Atlanta