Was just promoted to Network Administrator now nothing to do

Well, not exactly nothing to do. I usually run any needed updates, swap out bad hardware or install new software and troubleshoot and fix and user problems like email, Windows crashes, etc. which don't happen too often. And that takes about about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The next six hours I am just researching better ways to improve/secure our set up and data and monitoring event logs.

I'm typically a hard worker and my last position had me doing more work. I guess my question is, "Should I expect this type of work from now on?"

What do you do in an average day as an administrator? I guess I shouldn't be expecting much since this is my first IT job and it is a smaller company. But I have a friend that administers a larger network for a larger company and says that his day consists of about an hour's worth of real work, the rest of the day he is just hanging out and researching over the net. Should I be enjoying an easy ride for now or can I expect harder work in the future?

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Comments

Smallguy

sounds alot like my job

all I realy do it fix things as they break support users, check the spam filter

check the event logs

but honestly I have only a few hours of work a day...I usually try to study for certs on my breaks

some days I do go all out all day but luckily we;ve stabilzed alot of things here and are now reaping the rewards

but the nature of IT seems to be dead or really busy

keenon

its a bit of slow and fast

somedays it slow, very slow ( use them to study)

somedays its fast.. issues that need to be fixed ASAP

once you have a feel for the network, become proactive and reap the free time from fixing issues before they have the chance to show up

TechJunky

Get used to the slow paced atmosphere. I am normally usually pretty bored here at work. I create projects to keep me busy.

Sometimes I will have to upgrade a SQL server or program a database, add users etc. But normally my time consists of going to the coffee pot and reading up on the net.

garv221

What were you doing before? It's better to be researching & planning then be busy doing no brainer PC fixes all day .

kujayhawk93

Smallguy wrote:

all I realy do it fix things as they break support users, check the spam filter

check the event logs

but honestly I have only a few hours of work a day...I usually try to study for certs on my breaks

Glad I'm not alone, this describes my day almost exactly! With the long holiday weekend, our spam filter is fuller than usual, I've been sifting through it most of the morning.

Ricka182

I wish I could find a job as an NA, even if I had to the work...of course, having experience would probable help, which I don't have....but I still don't do much anyway. Today, I've done pretty much nothing but listen to music, check my email about 100 times, and eat lunch......

muriloninja

I am the desktop guy at a particular NFL team and i spend alot of time re-imaging PC's and resolving performance issues. Maybe wire a room or two. Somedays i am more busy than others, yesterday was slooow.

Well i am off to grab another cup of "joe"

Olajuwon

muriloninja wrote:

I am the desktop guy at a particular NFL team and i spend alot of time re-imaging PC's and resolving performance issues. Maybe wire a room or two. Somedays i am more busy than others, yesterday was slooow.

Well I am off to grab another cup of "joe"

So you support the Cowboys. Treat T.O. well or you might become Mcnabb.

Cessation

kujayhawk93 wrote:

Smallguy wrote:

all I realy do it fix things as they break support users, check the spam filter

check the event logs

but honestly I have only a few hours of work a day...I usually try to study for certs on my breaks

Glad I'm not alone, this describes my day almost exactly! With the long holiday weekend, our spam filter is fuller than usual, I've been sifting through it most of the morning.

Im so envious.... I hope to become an NA within the next 6 or so months.
I dont really mind desktop support as this company is really awesome, but I dont think a position will open up for me here. I guess It all depends on how much I buckle down and study.
Anyway I do my best to study on my free time here.

Please all be thankful for what you have and earned as there are many who WISH to be in your places.

~Cess

muriloninja

Olajuwon wrote:

muriloninja wrote:

I am the desktop guy at a particular NFL team and i spend alot of time re-imaging PC's and resolving performance issues. Maybe wire a room or two. Somedays i am more busy than others, yesterday was slooow.

Well I am off to grab another cup of "joe"

So you support the Cowboys. Treat T.O. well or you might become Mcnabb.

lol

Olajuwon

Yep, That's what it will be like forever unless there is failure or upgrades. A net admin's day contains about 1-2 hrs of actual work.

Cessation

Olajuwon wrote:

Yep, That's what it will be like forever unless there is failure or upgrades. A net admin's day contains about 1-2 hrs of actual work.

Although bordom might suck I think I would like that job.
I would have tons of time to study for certs and still have time for my fiance and future family.

seccie

Hi guys,
it's a very interesting thread.
Is it better to have average income and lots of free time? or lots of money and no time for going to coffee shop?
I like lots of learning and moderate amount of well paid work, because learning is perceived by me as leisure.
Btw. could we make a pool/survey?

KGhaleon

I wouldn't mind a job like that, but the pressue would kill me. <_<
I prefer jobs where I don't have to rush...but generally I find myself doing that anyway. Right now I work for a small business with few employees, so I repair about 4-5 PCs per day and have crappy wages.

KG

Humper

You guys aren't busy?!

I work for a corporation with over 700 remote network sites and the work never stops!!!!

sprkymrk

ModemHumper wrote:

You guys aren't busy?!

I work for a corporation with over 700 remote network sites and the work never stops!!!!

I'm glad someone else said he was busy.

I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong. I am moderately busy most of the time, but maybe that's because in addition to all the normal network admin stuff I also handle all the security stuff. I automate as much as possible, but you can't automate everything. A human eventually has to interpret and correlate logs, answer emails, research best practices and new technology, answer emails, define and enforce policy, etc.

famosbrown

I'm a systems admin, and the work never stops. If I'm not upgrading one of many servers (Web filter, Email filter, etc.), I'm in meetings with different departments discussing upcoming or current projects. I'm responsible for all of the software i.e. Windows servers, BES, Exchange, etc., and our Network Admin is in charge of all of the physical network infrastructure like the fiber thorughout the city, all of the Cisco AP's/switches/routers, satellites connecting the different subnets and towns, security, etc...the list could keep going on and on...thank God for an hour LUNCH!!!

garv221

Anyone who is good and manages a network should not be busy..The better the admin, the quicker problems get resolved. They shouldn't even flinch when a server crashes, it should just be an inconvience..

sprkymrk

garv221 wrote:

Anyone who is good and manages a network should not be busy..The better the admin, the quicker problems get resolved. They shouldn't even flinch when a server crashes, it should just be an inconvience..

That's a HUGE generalization garv. Budgets, staffing, mixed environments, politics, dumb bosses, and other factors besides one's own skill can contribute to an admins work load.

bmauro

I think it has to do with the work environment. The corporation I work for is always busy.

But don't mistake busy as fixing problems or failures. We are always working on new projects and new deployments - failures and brake/fixes are only a small amount of work.

So I think that how much work you have during the day is centered around if your IT department is solely designed for a "support" function - that is keeping the network up and users happy, then yes I think a good admin should be proactive and not have that much work (fixes) hopefully.

Now if your IT department is also seen as a solution provider, ie., rolling out new solutions, new products/projects, then being bored means either a.) you're not doing your work or b.) you're not really needed

But I'm using my current employeer as an example (not saying anyone here is not needed)

Right now things are slow since we place a "freeze" on all projects or new roll-outs during the Holiday months, it gives everyone a nice breather for the upcoming storm that is the New Year

garv221

sprkymrk wrote:

That's a HUGE generalization garv. Budgets, staffing, mixed environments, politics, dumb bosses, and other factors besides one's own skill can contribute to an admins work load.

Yeah, you're right. I don't consider that stuff busy though. IMO thats just a regular work load and busy would be any excessive work above the normal.

darkuser

use the time on your hands to advance your knowledege.
get more certs ....

if i had THAT kind of time on my hands I be a ccie already .....

famosbrown

bmauro wrote:

I think it has to do with the work environment. The corporation I work for is always busy.

But don't mistake busy as fixing problems or failures. We are always working on new projects and new deployments - failures and brake/fixes are only a small amount of work.

So I think that how much work you have during the day is centered around if your IT department is solely designed for a "support" function - that is keeping the network up and users happy, then yes I think a good admin should be proactive and not have that much work (fixes) hopefully.

Now if your IT department is also seen as a solution provider, ie., rolling out new solutions, new products/projects, then being bored means either a.) you're not doing your work or b.) you're not really needed But I'm using my current employeer as an example (not saying anyone here is not needed)

Right now things are slow since we place a "freeze" on all projects or new roll-outs during the Holiday months, it gives everyone a nice breather for the upcoming storm that is the New Year

^^ This si what I'm referring to. The Systems Administration part of my job is TOO easy. If that was all I had to do, I would be surfing the net all day. Project management for all department's IT needs, learning the different technologies or software solutions they are trying to implement, so I can teach them how to use what they want, testing tomake sure it's compatible with the network, taking department heads and users ideas and requests and translating them into I.T. language that I can use to provide an I.T. solution, etc. The break/fix issues are almost non-existent on our network. The only problems that really come down are users not being able to do something they aren't supposed to be doing anyway

. But yeah...it just never stops though. The non-technical are getting smarter, getting more money, and want more technology everyday. Then dealing with the providers/vendors...a whole other headache. It sucks when you have to depend on outsiders to get things done, but hey...

cliffjag1987

Well you guys. I have read alot of replies of you guys. First of all i think that you have to compare a system administrator as a Security guard. A security guard doesn't have thieves all day. His work is ''sleeping'' eating drinking and looking at tv. Once in a time a thief comes but then he has to be alert for robbing situations. So a System Admin too. instead of sleeping he can do alot of research en test beta softwares etc. And when situations comes he got to work. Like i know some admins that when a problem arise it is like they are sleeping at work.