A Day in the Life

For IT Systems Administrators there are no "typical" days. There are "typical" tasks. Log reviews, software patches and updates, data retrieval, data backup, storage management, commission new servers, retire old ones, test new software, server performance checks, network performance checks, power regulation checks on the Uninterruptible Power Supplies, Air Conditioning unit checks, handling user queries and complaints, checking that all services are up and running (and running correctly!) and many many more smaller tasks that fall into the "preventative" category - all form the backbone of the Systems Administrator raison d'être.

Then there are the atypical tasks - like dealing with a flooded server room, moving your entire inventory of servers from one room to another, crawling around under the floor to find a possible cable break, running emergency power cables because someone forgot to tell you that there would be a power interruption that day and a hundred and one other things that can and do happen only occasionally, but that need to be dealt with by "someone".

Then we have the administrative tasks of the position - the documentation of systems, servers, networks and services, the preparation of proposals for new/upgraded servers and services, the preparation of specifications for desktops, servers and laptops so that they will do the job at the most reasonable cost - and then there is the form filling for management - but enough said about that particular endeavour.

And after all that, we have the real reason why we are needed. When a service goes down, we need to get it backup as soon as possible - and that may mean 24 hour shifts, cannibalising other, less important servers/services and basically doing what is needed to ensure that that service is back up in the least amount of downtime possible.

There are many ways that could be used to describe the job of Systems Administrator, but my favourite is this one:

"So, Jock, you say you are the "Official Elephant Hunter and Disposal Person" for the City of Glasgow?"
"That's right"
"But Glasgow has never had a problem with elephants!"
"See what a good job I'm doing!"

You don't know you need me, until you need me.