sysadmin

A sysadmin, short for system administrator, is a professional responsible for the configuration, operation, and reliability of computer systems, especially in multi-user environments such as servers and data centers. Sysadmins ensure that systems are available, perform adequately, and meet security requirements. Their duties vary by organization size and can span servers, networks, storage, and applications.

Core tasks include installing and configuring hardware and software, provisioning user accounts, applying patches and updates, monitoring performance and capacity, performing backups and restores, and implementing disaster recovery procedures. They also handle incident response, troubleshoot problems, and participate in change management and documentation.

Common environments include Linux/Unix and Windows Server, virtualized infrastructure and cloud platforms, containers, and virtualization platforms. Tools frequently used are monitoring systems (Nagios, Zabbix, Prometheus), configuration management (Ansible, Puppet, Chef), scripting languages (bash, PowerShell, Python), and automation and ticketing systems.

Skills and education: many sysadmins hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field, though experience and certifications can substitute. Professional certifications (e.g., CompTIA Server+, Linux, Red Hat, Microsoft, AWS, or Cisco) are common. The role often involves on-call duties and collaboration with IT teams.