What do Sys Admins or Network Admins do when there are no fires to put out?
Panther
Member Posts: 118 ■■■□□□□□□□
What are the daily responsibilities of Sys Admins or Network Admins? What do they do when there are no fires to put out?
Comments
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Welly_59
Member Posts: 431
Play water polo.
Seriously though, there's usually a bunch of changes that need some work completed. Failing that I just study. -
scaredoftests
Mod Posts: 2,780 Mod
Study. Document the fire.Never let your fear decide your fate.... -
NetworkNewb
Member Posts: 3,298 ■■■■■■■■■□
They make sure everything is setup and working correctly so you don't have many fires to put out. -
Rakurai
Member Posts: 84 ■■■□□□□□□□
Network diagrams, backup configurations (if there isn't a tool that automatically does that), IOS upgrades, port security for help desk swapping out equipment, prepping for ASI's, maintaining monitoring tools (if there isn't a separate group), hardware upgrades, network expansion/ new site standup's. Most importantly, answering to why things failed and/or if redundancy didn't work or was never implemented. Don't forget about more unimportant meetings that don't accomplish anything
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Panther
Member Posts: 118 ■■■□□□□□□□
How do you explain "studying" to HR or other management?
What do you study?
I think my immediate boss or even the dept. manager (depending on your relationship) wouldn't care so much if you're studying, as long as it's mainly work relevant.
But outside of them, "studying" could be you don't have enough to do? -
Panther
Member Posts: 118 ■■■□□□□□□□
There we go. Not having to explain why things failed and/or why redundancy didn't work or was never implemented. So when there's no fire, you focus on ensuring those things work. Got it.
That's what one could be "studying" for. Though, I like to say researching.Network diagrams, backup configurations (if there isn't a tool that automatically does that), IOS upgrades, port security for help desk swapping out equipment, prepping for ASI's, maintaining monitoring tools (if there isn't a separate group), hardware upgrades, network expansion/ new site standup's. Most importantly, answering to why things failed and/or if redundancy didn't work or was never implemented. Don't forget about more unimportant meetings that don't accomplish anything -
scaredoftests
Mod Posts: 2,780 Mod
OOPS. I mean RESEARCHING. However, if it applies to my job (which covers all aspects..the studying is RESEARCHING!)
Never let your fear decide your fate.... -
networker050184
Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
Usually when you're not putting out a fire you'll be doing project type work. What those projects are depends of course and people here gave great examples.An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made. -
Ismaeljrp
Member Posts: 480 ■■■□□□□□□□
Network diagrams, backup configurations (if there isn't a tool that automatically does that), IOS upgrades, port security for help desk swapping out equipment, prepping for ASI's, maintaining monitoring tools (if there isn't a separate group), hardware upgrades, network expansion/ new site standup's. Most importantly, answering to why things failed and/or if redundancy didn't work or was never implemented. Don't forget about more unimportant meetings that don't accomplish anything
This pretty much nails it. -
Dakinggamer87
Member Posts: 4,016 ■■■■■■■■□□
Research solutions and architect ways to improve the system back end infrastructure. *Associate's of Applied Sciences degree in Information Technology-Network Systems Administration
*Bachelor's of Science: Information Technology - Security, Master's of Science: Information Technology - Management
Matthew 6:33 - "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
Certs/Business Licenses In Progress: AWS Solutions Architect, Series 6, Series 63 -
kriscamaro68
Member Posts: 1,186 ■■■■■■■□□□
Automate putting the fires out. Automate everything else. Site back after everything is automated. -
jibtech
Member Posts: 424 ■■■■■□□□□□
Network and System Admins have two jobs:
1. Put fires out.
2. Create an environment where fires don't start.
If they aren't doing #1, they are doing #2. #2 can be configurations, improving network responsiveness, backups, automation, you name it.
But a big part of #2 is training. How is this done somewhere else? What are the best practices? How can it be done better? Call it studying, learning, training or researching. But, it is a core element of #2, not something done on the side.
When you dail at that aspect of #2, you tend to do a lot more of #1. -
jdancer
Member Posts: 482 ■■■■□□□□□□
Automate the sh*t out of everything, 'cuz you know, admins are lazy f*ckers. ( <- yeah, that's me! ) -
Legacy User
Unregistered / Not Logged In Posts: 0 ■□□□□□□□□□
Network diagrams, backup configurations (if there isn't a tool that automatically does that), IOS upgrades, port security for help desk swapping out equipment, prepping for ASI's, maintaining monitoring tools (if there isn't a separate group), hardware upgrades, network expansion/ new site standup's. Most importantly, answering to why things failed and/or if redundancy didn't work or was never implemented. Don't forget about more unimportant meetings that don't accomplish anything
1+ this plus creating netflow reports on traffic usage for someone stating the network is slow for there pc and professional development (studying) -
kohr-ah
Member Posts: 1,277
Study
Work on making the environment better
Documentation
Learn how my current environment works fully inside and out (Corporate)
