DO and DON'T for sys admin

[N.Ramesh]

DOs
Take backup of your system before and after configuration change.
Know how to restore system if you forgot your root password.
keep on watching the activities of users.
Educate the users who are all not using the system properly.
Placed some important DO and DON'T on the location of Client Sites.
Keep on watching HP's IT Resource Centre Forums for exchange of information.
Be positive.

[RAC_1]

Have important info handy.

keep bdf, swlist, passwd, group, backup tasks,fstab and any other system configuration files copied to your PC. These prove very helpful in case of diaster.

[harry d brown jr]

o Always be proactive, bring issues to management before it affects the business. Monitor your systems and track trends. If you need to buy software, write up a business case explaining the benefits to the company.

o Be involved, get included in as many projects as possible, at least the minutes of the meetings. Talk to the business units, find out what the expected growth rates are for applications. Find out what the projects expect to consume in resources, like disk, memory, number of users, etc...

o Get a laptop and a high speed internet connection at home, while building VPN access into your companies network so you don't always have to be "at work".

o Get web consoles on all of your systems, look at http://www.arula.com for quite a few solutions. With a web console you can do everything but physically power the server off.

o Command respect. Dress appropriately like a professional, talk like a professional, walk like a professional (but keep your eyes open - we don't want you running into walls or falling over arse kissers). If you don't have the answer offer to get back to them as soon as possible. Don't guess!

o All correspondence must be in writing. Emails are great follow ups to meetings and action items. Don't play voice mail tag, ask the individual to email you. Keep your emails on important discussions FOREVER. It's a good CYA.

o Have fun. Ask for a few servers for testing things. Claim old servers that someone might want to obsolete. Find a PC and install linux on it. Set up a web server for your own documentation.

live free or die
harry

[Rita C Workman]

Don't know if this has been said yet .. but ...

DO
..your job and develope the professionalism to want to do it well
..TAKE THE TIME TO THINK FIRST
..remember to say Thank You & Please
..remember to Praise the Other Person for their part & give them their 'just due'

DON'T
..make excuses
..blame the other person
..hit that key until your sure it's the right thing to do
..expect others to fix your mistakes.
..point fingers "even when they were wrong" - WORK WITH THE OTHER PERSON

Just a couple thoughts,
Rita

...and last don't expect someone else to quote you every man page to fix your problem...read yourself to teach yourself !