The definition of a Unix System Administrator

[Mark Grant]

I have a need to find things that help to distinguish a Unix System Administrator from e.g. A Storage Manager or a Disaster Recovery responsible.

What kind of things can be used to show unix system administration as a particular and definate position e.g The fact that you can be certified suggests it a definate position. Books on system administration also suggest it is a definate role.

Is there a "red book", or perhaps a "best practices" document relating to IT departments that anyone knows of that may help define the role of the Unix System administration.

Hope this all makes sense but any answers, links etc would be appreciated.

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Nice Hat. If I didn't congrat congrats.

http://snap.nlc.dcccd.edu/sysadmin.html

The Navy's take on this.
http://www.totse.com/en/hack/hack_attack/unixadmn.html

i like the second doc

SEP

[Chris Wilshaw]

There have been a number of other discussions about the admin role;

eg:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=535813

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=11685

[Jeff_Traigle]

From an "academic" standpoint, the following showed up in a Google search:

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/system_administrator.html

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/system_administrator.html

In a more "real world" environment, I've found the definition of the role can be much more diverse. I've seen job postings that have systems administrators doing systems engineering work and backups and anything else you can probably think of. I think a lot of it depends on the organization. A huge organization is more likely to specialize the job roles (e.g. Disaster Recovery, Storage Management, Operations), whereas a smaller organization will usually have the administrator filling multiple roles.

[Fabio Ettore]

Hi Mark,

in this thread

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=716493758+1088088574511+28353475&threadId=611539

Hemanth (HP) gave interesting answers and links about that.
I also think that other posts are good.

Anyway check this link too:
'What is UNIX System Administration?'

http://wks.uts.ohio-state.edu/sysadm_course/html/sysadm-3.html

See you soon! ;-)

Best regards,
Ettore

[Mark Grant]

Thanks for all these guys.

These are exactly the kind of things I need!

SEP, that navy one is great and Fabio, that pointer to the link to the link from HP is ideal.

The others are fantastic too.

I hope you guys don't mind if I hold off on the point assignment until the morning (Oslo morning that is) as I want to keep the bunnies away until I get some more answers.

[R. Sri Ram Kishore_1]

Hi,

Take a look at this thread:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=611539

HTH.

Regards,
Sri Ram

[Jeff_Traigle]

Oops... I meant to include this unique link instead of duplicating the one I had in the previous post:


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oi=defmore&q=define:system+administrator

[Hemanth Gurunath Basrur]

Hello Mark,

I found the foll. link interesting:

http://www.mcgillicuddy.com/article_req_usa.htm

Also, refer to the foll. link, which describes the HP-UX system administration curriculum path:

http://www.hp.com/education/currpath/hp-ux_sys_admin.html

Though, you may find the info in the above link specific to HP-UX, you can map it to any unix system administration task.

HTH.

Regards,
Hemanth

PS: Fabio, Sri Ram, thanks for asking Mark to refer to that link. I think there are lot of good answers out there.

[curt larson_1]

how about:
http://newweb.sage.org/

[Geoff Wild]

Here's a couple - first on Linux Administration:

http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/2X/07645363/076453632X.pdf


A quote from "UNIX® Unleashed,
System Administrator's Edition"

"Part III, System Administration, gets you started and keeps you going with the tasks required to administer a UNIX system. From installation through performance and tuning, the important topics are covered. The general duties of the system administrator are described (so you can build a job description to give to your boss). "

http://athena.vvsu.ru/docs/unix/unix_adm/fm.htm

Rgds...Geo

[Bharat Katkar]

Well, the System Administrator's has vast scope as compared to Storage administration or even disaster recovery.
I would also say that Storage administration is a subset of SysAdmin and Disaster recovery bit
different as compared with these two.
System administrator should accomplish following task:
1. H/w sizing for the setup
2. System Installation/Upgradation
3. User/Disk/Software management
4. System performance and tuneup
5. Backup/restores (designing and maintaing backup policies
6. Designing and maintaining System security policy.
7. Corrective/preventive maintenance
8. Documentation

Storage Administrator should accomplish following task:
(These are mostly suitable positions in huge SAN environments)
1. Designing Storage network as per the requirement
2. Planning & implementing Redundancy level as per the requirement.
2. Installation / upgration of Storage
3. Modular Configuration as per the requirement
4. Analysing and monitoring the Storage Networks
5. Performance management
6. Planning system Backups
7. Corrective/preventive maintenance
8. Documentation

Disaster Recovery Incharge should accomplish following task:
(Not much idea about this one, but to summarise certain things)

1. Planning location (EarthquakeZones, Atmosphere, Distance etc.)
2. Designing and maintaning Data replication policy.
3. Reliable connectivity
4. Regular Disaster (Failover) Testing
5. General System security
6. Planning Remote Backup if any.
7. Documentation.

An Effort to segragate the most closely related profiles.

Regards,

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Forrest's Mama would say that "Sysadmin is as sysadmin does." The good ones appear to do nothing at all. The bad ones are firefighters.