New Sr Sys Admin job...Where do I begin?

in Off-Topic
So as some of you may have read earlier today, I've decided to take my first sr. sys admin position...I don't start until July 12, but in the meantime I'd like to prepare for the position.
For those of you that have walked into this role at some point in your career, what are the first objectives when starting?
The company's IT operations seem a bit unorganized so I know I will need to work to setup processes...but where should I start?
The end users for the company use a mixture of 4-5 different distros of Linux in addition to both Windows and Mac. This is a like to support so I think I will limit the users to a single distro of Linux, in addition to Windows which will have updates controlled by WSUS, and then the damn Macs will be on the same build.
I also think ensuring a good backup system is in place is an absolute necessity. I'm not sure how exactly they have the backups being performed now, but that will be a necessity to get taken care of.
After that though, I'm not sure what the most important objectives should be. What do you guys think?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
For those of you that have walked into this role at some point in your career, what are the first objectives when starting?
The company's IT operations seem a bit unorganized so I know I will need to work to setup processes...but where should I start?
The end users for the company use a mixture of 4-5 different distros of Linux in addition to both Windows and Mac. This is a like to support so I think I will limit the users to a single distro of Linux, in addition to Windows which will have updates controlled by WSUS, and then the damn Macs will be on the same build.
I also think ensuring a good backup system is in place is an absolute necessity. I'm not sure how exactly they have the backups being performed now, but that will be a necessity to get taken care of.
After that though, I'm not sure what the most important objectives should be. What do you guys think?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Current Certifications:
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
Comments
LOL.
I'd suggest before you start changing anything that you familiarize yourself with your team. How many end users do you support? Is this a brand new company for you, or have you been promoted? You should first audit your own network(s) and computers to find out what security concerns need to be addressed immediately. Make sure that whatever changes you plan on making are kosher with your boss. You might be subject to some pushback if you stroll in and start drastically changing the way people use their machines (such as changing a users operating system).
Backups should be the easiest thing for you to implement. That's a no brainer. Your first week on the job is your first impression, which means a lot. If you've ever read Network Warrior by Gary Donahue (you should if you haven't), remember that the three major things to being successful in your job are politics, money, and doing things the right way - in THAT order.
In order to things the right way, you need to have money allocated to you, and in order to have money allocated to you, you've got to be involved in office politics. That all goes back to your first impression: what your users think of you, and what your peers think of you.
I know this has been some of the most random advice anyone can give, but I hope it helps you in some way.
Congratulations!
Congrats!
John
Work In Progress: BSCI, Sharepoint
There may actually be reasons for the different distros for example. But you need to know where everything is, if it is documented, before making changes. Justify and document.
And congrats on the new job (promotion?).
-Always working on something...
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Even if the team lead or the managers says some things need changing you might very well be sat next to the guy who put those things in and if you go in and starting criticising and making changes you might find yourself being very lonely indeed. (there might very well be some tension and history between people already so you need to figure out the lay of the land.
Just take it slow and find your feet, when people start to respect you as a person and as an admin you will be in a position to start making more and more suggestions. When you do start making changes involve everyone, not just the managers, this makes people feel good and respected, even if they might have been wrong in the past. Ask the opinions of those who are there even if you don't really need them.
This needs to be your first priority. You need to find out everything you can about the business critical systems.
1. Where are they physically?
2. Who is responsible for them? I mean are they supported by a consultant or someone else.
3. What business department uses them and who is the boss of that department? Introduce yourself and talk about down time/lost data. Specifically how much is permissable.
4. Find out when the last restore from backup was done. Test the media. Make sure you are able to restore data to a new location and ensure it is not corrupt.
Document everything you do while you are doing this and it should be done within the first 30 days. 6 months from now once you are certain you know where all the crytical systems are you will get a call that some inportant but rarely used app is down. No body will have ever mentioned it before. Just do your best.
I would also try to see if they current have any documentation that you can look through to get a better feel for the systems and network layout. If they don't you should start creating it (even if it's a notebook and pen) so that you can recall things and help out the next guy/girl that comes along too
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CCNA Security | GSEC |GCFW | GCIH | GCIA
[email protected]
http://twitter.com/paul_bosworth
Blog: http://www.infosiege.net/
Keep your head low and have a pen/notebook to jot anything down you may come across. Also for any questions on why a set up is the way it is. Why do they have xyz in place? Then go ask and find out the answer. There may be a particular reason for it or they may have forgotten about it. However it will give you a better understanding of how the company works.
Passwords, Passwords, Passwords. Make sure to get those. Hard to troubleshoot a server issue if you can't log on to it...
MCITP: EA
ITIL
CCNA
Studying:
MS press book 70-680
Right now I'm thinking that first and foremost I will need to be setting up a solid backup structure (once I figure out how they are currently setup). In addition to that, I suppose the next biggest priority is to document every last thing.
I currently work in an ISO 20000 environment so I think part of the reason I was brought on was for the documentation and process standards I've experienced so far...I will be sure to continue this in my current new position.
Any advice on how to politic properly in this role of greater responsibility?
There are around 200 end users at 4 different offices in the US that I will be responsible for (including the CEO in NJ). My boss (the IT Manager) is based out of Europe and he has a Sys Admin in Europe who I assume I will do some work with as well, supporting each other.
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
I completely agree with everyone else saying to lie low. I have had managers in the past who walk into a new job, and week 1 they are changing processes that have been in place for 5 years. Maybe it is something that needs to be changed, but to be so swift can really break the morale of the people who have been working with that process. You want to gain the respect of your peers.
Even the first 30 days I would be careful on what you change. The backups aren't a huge issue, since the end user likely won't notice a difference. That would be a good 30 day goal. I wouldn't even stick that in the first week. Yes, very important. But you should learn the enviornment first. Spend some time considering all of the backup options and carefully implement the one that you deem is best for your new enviornment.
Recent: 11/2019 - RHCSA (RHEL 7); 2/2019 - Updated VCP to 6.5 (just a few days before VMware discontinued the re-cert policy...)
Working on: RHCE/Ansible
Future: Probably continued Red Hat Immersion, Possibly VCAP Design, or maybe a completely different path. Depends on job demands...
Especially if you make a mistake. Then everyone who was calling you names behind your back gets to say I told you so.
Make sure you have a solid backup plan. And make sure your backups are working.
BAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA
CCNA Security | GSEC |GCFW | GCIH | GCIA
[email protected]
http://twitter.com/paul_bosworth
Blog: http://www.infosiege.net/
From everything else you said in your post(s), I think you will be fine. Like everyone else has said, make SURE your backups are running like they should be, and that they are recoverable.
I would also take a walk through with your users, and find out how thier end user softwares work, and get a good idea of how they interact with your network and servers. Knowledge is your friend in this case, you will never know enough about everybody elses job, what they do, and how they do it in regards to what you manage. Make it a priority to learn this.
I will be the Sr Sys Admin overseeing IT operations in the US. I'm not sure how much control over the policies I will have at this point...my boss is based out of Europe and I am flying out there to meet with him when I start the job in a couple weeks. I will have a better idea of what my responsibilities will be at that point I guess.
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
Now get on with it and see if you can have your screenname changed to reflect the promotion.
1.) Conduct a survey of the environment, including an asset inventory, repository of configs, updated topology diagrams (logical and physical) and the most up to date policies and procedures currently in use.
2.) Conduct a risk assessment to decide where to focus your efforts. If you have a ton of systems missing patches, a bunch of anonymous or default services, or other egregious errors on the network you should know about them and fix them quickly.
3.) Review existing vendor contracts and services. This is important because you need to know the terms of your contracts.
4.) Remember that people have been working where you're going much longer than you've been there, so even if they have established bad practices they'll be a bit reluctant to make changes. I would go into the role prepared to patiently understand why things are done the way they are then make improvements.
5.) Push change management bigtime if they're weak in that area. Ensuring that proper documentation is tied to every add/move/change on the network is important from a risk management standpoint. If someone just randomly decides to push new firewall rules and an outage occurs you have bad change management to blame.
CCNA Security | GSEC |GCFW | GCIH | GCIA
[email protected]
http://twitter.com/paul_bosworth
Blog: http://www.infosiege.net/
Excellent advice, thanks. This gives me some issues that I can pursue from day 1 without being overly aggressive while still appearing as though I have an agenda. Much appreciated.
Lot of other great advice in this thread as well...thanks for your help guys! Hopefully all will go well.
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
* B.S. in Business Management
* Sec+ 2008
* MCSA
Currently Studying for:
* 70-293 Maintaining a Server 2003 Network
Future Plans:
* 70-294 Planning a Server 2003 AD
* 70-297 Designing a Server 2003 AD
* 70-647 Server 2008
* 70-649 MCSE to MCITP:EA
Then you know, just go in and talk to people. That would be my first six months, hearing how my role is expected to be played out, seeing how it actually plays out, hearing what people do, seeing what they actually do, etc.
I wouldn't plan on doing anything game-changing immediately, unless you're asked to. Get in, get your feet wet, prove you can do your job. Then, if you attempt something amazing and fail, you're okay. If you succeed, you're a jedi.