System Administrator - Advice
Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this. Say I'm working towards being a System Admin, What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin? Regards, //James
Dear James, In my humble opinion, a System Administrator should be good with People as well as Technology. You will need, leadership skills to ensure you guide the organisations staff to use the system optimally, you also require good problem solving skills, remember IT problems can be as simple as a cleaner pulling out a cable with a broom to a bug in the system however you need to be calm and collected to avoid disruption in business should the system go down. You also need to understand business processes to know what problems the system deployed by your organisation is solving and if it meets the organisations needs (the Business case). You will need to keep abreast with latest trends in the technology being used by your organisation to ensure you are not left behind especially in this days of distributed computing and outsourced services. Finally, you have to be a good communicator, remember technology is a means to an end and not an end in itself, you have to communicate with users to ensure they are comfortable with the system, you also need to put measures in place (policies) that will guarantee seamless operation of your system, to summary, you need to be savvy technicaly and businesswise, i am sure someone else will elaborate on course work, i beleive system administration could vary across industries. On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 5:16 PM, James Wachira <jwaciira.lists@gmail.com>wrote:
Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this.
Say I'm working towards being a System Admin,
What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin?
Regards, //James
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-- Barrack O. Otieno +41767892272 Skype: barrack.otieno
-Well, the self taught admin is not a rumor..Infact, they are probably the true admins mostly because there is nothing standard when you finally get employed; More often than not, the industry shapes you. -Say you are working for a company that runs Windows servers, then Windows servers become your area of interest for the duration..In the process ofcourse, some machines will break down and you need to change RAM, Hardisk, or whatever..so gradually, you get under the hood and shape your hardware skills. Then, Lucy in accounts needs some assistance with her spreadsheets and there you are.... So what im saying is that you wont find a well beaten path. It is more adaptive. To start with though, you have to decide on which direction you would like to take. Windows, Linux, MacOS.. The professional courses are not over rated. If you want to be a lazy admin, get your certs in order, then you can quickly sort out any issues and go back your tweeting/ skunking... On a light note, to become an admin, Kenyan style, just call your ISP, This is how most admins shamelessly keep their jobs.. Regards, On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 5:16 PM, James Wachira <jwaciira.lists@gmail.com>wrote:
Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this.
Say I'm working towards being a System Admin,
What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin?
Regards, //James
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
@George, Very well put :-) Rgds, Kweheria -----Original Message----- From: george <theonlydamnedavailablename@gmail.com> Reply-to: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> To: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] System Administrator - Advice Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:23:49 +0300 -Well, the self taught admin is not a rumor..Infact, they are probably the true admins mostly because there is nothing standard when you finally get employed; More often than not, the industry shapes you. -Say you are working for a company that runs Windows servers, then Windows servers become your area of interest for the duration..In the process ofcourse, some machines will break down and you need to change RAM, Hardisk, or whatever..so gradually, you get under the hood and shape your hardware skills. Then, Lucy in accounts needs some assistance with her spreadsheets and there you are.... So what im saying is that you wont find a well beaten path. It is more adaptive. To start with though, you have to decide on which direction you would like to take. Windows, Linux, MacOS.. The professional courses are not over rated. If you want to be a lazy admin, get your certs in order, then you can quickly sort out any issues and go back your tweeting/ skunking... On a light note, to become an admin, Kenyan style, just call your ISP, This is how most admins shamelessly keep their jobs.. Regards, On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 5:16 PM, James Wachira <jwaciira.lists@gmail.com> wrote: Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this. Say I'm working towards being a System Admin, What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin? Regards, //James _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
George, I disagree with the point that the industry shapes you, if you dont know where you are going any road will take you there, this is the main difference between companies in the West and in Africa PURPOSE, without purpose we tend to be inefficient which increases the cost of doing business, as a System Administrator, you need to remain relevant to the company and you know relevance is reflected on the balance sheet, the question is how do you contribute? if we answer this, we are not far from our own Silicon Valleys, i stand to be corrected. On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 12:59 PM, Kweheria Erick <kweheria@gmail.com> wrote:
@George, Very well put :-)
Rgds, Kweheria
-----Original Message----- *From*: george <theonlydamnedavailablename@gmail.com<george%20%3ctheonlydamnedavailablename@gmail.com%3e>
*Reply-to*: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> *To*: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke<Skunkworks%20Mailing%20List%20%3cskunkworks@lists.my.co.ke%3e>
*Subject*: Re: [Skunkworks] System Administrator - Advice *Date*: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:23:49 +0300
-Well, the self taught admin is not a rumor..Infact, they are probably the true admins mostly because there is nothing standard when you finally get employed; More often than not, the industry shapes you.
-Say you are working for a company that runs Windows servers, then Windows servers become your area of interest for the duration..In the process ofcourse, some machines will break down and you need to change RAM, Hardisk, or whatever..so gradually, you get under the hood and shape your hardware skills. Then, Lucy in accounts needs some assistance with her spreadsheets and there you are....
So what im saying is that you wont find a well beaten path. It is more adaptive. To start with though, you have to decide on which direction you would like to take. Windows, Linux, MacOS..
The professional courses are not over rated. If you want to be a lazy admin, get your certs in order, then you can quickly sort out any issues and go back your tweeting/ skunking...
On a light note, to become an admin, Kenyan style, just call your ISP, This is how most admins shamelessly keep their jobs..
Regards,
On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 5:16 PM, James Wachira <jwaciira.lists@gmail.com> wrote:
Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this.
Say I'm working towards being a System Admin,
What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin?
Regards, //James
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing listSkunkworks@lists.my.co.kehttp://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheethttp://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Ruleshttp://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- Barrack O. Otieno +41767892272 Skype: barrack.otieno
I concur..Well put. On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 12:59 PM, Kweheria Erick <kweheria@gmail.com> wrote:
@George, Very well put :-)
Rgds, Kweheria
-----Original Message----- *From*: george <theonlydamnedavailablename@gmail.com<george%20%3ctheonlydamnedavailablename@gmail.com%3e>
*Reply-to*: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> *To*: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke<Skunkworks%20Mailing%20List%20%3cskunkworks@lists.my.co.ke%3e>
*Subject*: Re: [Skunkworks] System Administrator - Advice *Date*: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:23:49 +0300
-Well, the self taught admin is not a rumor..Infact, they are probably the true admins mostly because there is nothing standard when you finally get employed; More often than not, the industry shapes you.
-Say you are working for a company that runs Windows servers, then Windows servers become your area of interest for the duration..In the process ofcourse, some machines will break down and you need to change RAM, Hardisk, or whatever..so gradually, you get under the hood and shape your hardware skills. Then, Lucy in accounts needs some assistance with her spreadsheets and there you are....
So what im saying is that you wont find a well beaten path. It is more adaptive. To start with though, you have to decide on which direction you would like to take. Windows, Linux, MacOS..
The professional courses are not over rated. If you want to be a lazy admin, get your certs in order, then you can quickly sort out any issues and go back your tweeting/ skunking...
On a light note, to become an admin, Kenyan style, just call your ISP, This is how most admins shamelessly keep their jobs..
Regards,
On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 5:16 PM, James Wachira <jwaciira.lists@gmail.com> wrote:
Seeing the good response James got on his "CCNA - Advice" thread, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask this.
Say I'm working towards being a System Admin,
What is the right place to start? What skill set do I need to have? What I'm I required to do in terms of professional courses, private study etc? Are these possessional courses over-rated, is there such a thing as the self taught System Admin?
Regards, //James
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing listSkunkworks@lists.my.co.kehttp://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheethttp://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Ruleshttp://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Server donations spreadsheet
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AopdHkqSqKL-dHlQVTMxU1VBdU1BSWJxdy1f... ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
participants (5)
-
Barrack Otieno -
george -
James Wachira -
Kweheria Erick -
Vicky Njiru