System Administrator: Job Description, Key Skills, and Salary in 2024

• A system administrator or sysadmin can simply be defined as someone who sets up and maintains technology systems. But this also involves complex information technology (IT) tasks such as configuration management, access control, security, troubleshooting, and user education, in addition to ensuring the system’s business as usual (BAU) operations.
• System administrators are valuable assets for enterprise IT teams. They ensure that the infrastructure can keep up with business and user needs, a skill that can also help them advance into a career in site reliability engineering.
• This article explains the roles and responsibilities of system administrators and their importance in a modern enterprise. It also discusses sysadmin salaries in 2024.

System Administrator Job Description: Roles and Responsibilities

A system administrator or sysadmin is a person who sets up and maintains technology systems. But this also involves complex information technology (IT) tasks such as configuration management, access control, security, troubleshooting, and user education, in addition to ensuring the system’s business as usual (BAU) operations.

They are in charge of managing every aspect of technology and IT infrastructure as a systems administrator. This means that sysadmins sustain the vital systems that support the business as a whole, particularly for tech companies.

Each second a website or server is offline, it leads to reduced efficiency, revenue losses, and significant disruption expenses. Therefore, system administrators must be adept problem-solvers and keep track of multiple operating systems, network setups, and security concerns.

Importance of the system administrator role

In most instances, an outstanding system administrator remains unrecognized because they shine in their craft and can manage, repair, and protect the integrated systems of an organization while working in the background. Simply put, very little (or nothing) is apparent when a system administrator executes their duties flawlessly.

Although the sysadmin role is easy to overlook, they execute one of the most important functions in the security of an enterprise. System administrators are the guardians of an organization’s data, from maintaining and cleaning servers to ensuring that internal systems are safe and secure against intrusions and viruses.

As more businesses embrace cloud-based enterprise systems and more operations are hosted in the cloud, the demand for highly qualified administrators has increased dramatically. In addition to overseeing the everyday functioning of these systems, admins must now focus on important aspects of broader goals such as governance and change management.

Moreover, as DevOps has evolved, the function has grown even more complex. Today’s system administrators frequently wear multiple caps and help with various duties, a few of which may involve programming and engineering.

The truth is that every company is unique. The daily tasks of a system administrator can vary based on the nature and extent of their role, the magnitude of the business’s operations, and the systems it’s running. However, in nearly every company, the system administrator role will help:

• Improve business unit synergies: A system administrator’s most vital task is ensuring that employees and other stakeholders know how to use technology effectively. Sysadmins frequently find new ways to improve processes and connect different divisions with multi-level protocols and clearances.
• Address gaps in security awareness: System administrators often serve as the first line of defense against user-centric security vulnerabilities. An exceptional administrator will work closely with security and compliance teams to guarantee that best practices are integrated directly into system operations. This helps reduce risks arising from user negligence, often seen as the weakest link in cybersecurity.
• Minimize technical debt: Enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and other business systems support a lot of customizability. However, this can result in unnecessary complexities, making the system more difficult and expensive to use in the years to come. A good administrator will be proactive in mitigating excess.

See More: 7 Ways a System Administrator Directly Impacts Your Business 

Responsibilities of a system administrator

The system administrator is responsible for various technological systems within an organization. Depending on the structure and scope of the business, this IT specialist can be accountable for any or all of the following:

1. Ensuring the smooth functioning of IT systems

Sysadmins are in charge of the accessibility and functioning of IT systems. They diagnose and resolve problems that affect system performance or accessibility to an IT service. This role also includes routine system enhancements, like changes based on shifting end-user and organizational needs.

2. Monitoring for potential issues in a proactive manner

Most technical issues are often only detected once they impact end consumers. System administrators track system health and recognize unusual network activity, which may involve security-sensitive actions like illicit network access or data transfer. Solutions like network management and monitoring tools help accomplish these tasks together with the IT, security, and logistics departments.

3. Supporting compatibility between systems

Sysadmins support IT team members by ensuring systems and new feature launches are consistent with the current IT infrastructure. They may have to assess the reliability of server demand performance. Setting up and updating hardware is also part of the job while overseeing patch management activities about systems.

4. Governing database operations

System administrators frequently preserve the security, efficiency, and productivity of database management systems in smaller enterprises. These activities include data asset movement, design, setup, installation, and monitoring. Sysadmins may also liaise between consumers and database-related challenges, like archiving and restoration.

5. Providing user education and training

Usually, system administrators interact with end users directly to fix technical issues. Sometimes, they may also run workshops to get users up to speed on fresh software installations or alterations to IT systems. These software programs may not be relevant to specialized engineering instruments. Nevertheless, employees must still be trained to navigate the web portal and access the business’s network and IT resources.

6. Maintaining comprehensive documentation

System administrators need to keep track of the usage of IT assets. To prepare for potential IT investments and enhancements, they record end-user demands, company specifications, and, if necessary, recurring IT issues. Documentation also facilitates compliance with regulations. That is why sysadmins may need to work closely with compliance teams.

7. Looking after access privileges

System administrators usually oversee user permissions and all services and apps. They can designate user classifications and handle the entire company’s IT infrastructure, giving everyone secure access to the needed services and applications. These configure alerts according to access limits to get incident reports.

8. Planning for backups and recovery needs

Sysadmins administer data backup and restoration tactics in several IT systems and software development lifecycle (SDLC) contexts. They also help discover deleted or inaccessible data to end users. They must have active, up-to-date redundancy plans and rollover and disaster recovery strategies. This accelerates the resolution of system failures and IT issues.

9. Reviewing an incident’s history after it occurs

System administrators are responsible for post-incident assessments of the impacted systems. Instead of conducting root cause analysis, they ask questions like how long it took to identify the issue and the remediation speed. By collecting comprehensive post-incident memos, they help strengthen relationships between IT and software designers and create more effective feedback cycles.

10. Checking on server health

A system administrator’s responsibilities span many duties related to the health of mainframes and servers. For example, they may monitor and verify the CPU usage of critical processes like “java,” “HTTP,” “MySQL,” etc., to guarantee that they aren’t using excessive CPU resources. Sysadmins will search for and deactivate any zombie processes on the server.

11. Automating repetitive system administration jobs

System administrators write algorithms or use tools that automate numerous administrative tasks (like server health audits, usage of resources, backup triggers, transfer of files, archives, etc.) when required. This responsibility may also include working with automation experts in other departments.

12. Outlining and implementing authentication measures

The sysadmin oversees the company’s single sign-on (SSO) guidelines and processes. This ensures that all system safety standards are met. The system administrator configures these tools if SSO and two-factor authentication are used. They also have to help employees gain access to the relevant systems when required.

System Administrator Key Skill Requirements in 2024

You now understand the system administrator’s role well and what sysadmins do on a typical day. Next, let’s look at the skills needed to fulfill these duties:

System Administrator Key Skill Requirements

1. Knowledge of different operating systems

Whether it’s Windows, Linux, or Mac, recruiting managers typically seek experience managing the organization’s operating systems. Windows and Linux operating systems are extensively adopted and are great starting points. However, it is important to figure out which system the industry prefers.

2. Network management skills

System administrators are frequently expected to set up and manage local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN), along with configuring network security features like firewalls. This is often the case in smaller businesses, where IT workers tend to wear multiple hats.

IP addresses are assigned to various network devices using the dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP). Sysadmins are entrusted with DHCP configuration and maintenance. This requires them to be familiar with different network configurations and how they interact.

3. Cloud infrastructure know-how and certifications

With AWS, Azure, and GCP ruling the market, system administrators everywhere must understand how to run cloud-based systems. This involves the tracking and notification tools needed in cloud environments, especially hybrid ones. After cloud migration, system administrators must choose the optimal method for managing networks and servers.

4. Familiarity with versioning tools

Version control is a technique to monitor code development and app or service versions. For example, if there’s ever something amiss with the present version of an application, sysadmins can roll back implementations or updates to fix the issue.

Managing an efficient CI/CD pipeline while offering multi-unit visibility requires version control. Sysadmins must fully understand version control to quickly discover what developers are working on, detect challenges, and resolve them, mainly when working in a DevOps environment.

5. Basic programming and scripting skills

System administrators are increasingly writing algorithms and programs. The demand for system administrators who write code has given rise to an all-new job role called site reliability engineering (SRE). Sysadmins proficient in scripting and programming are in high demand in the current job market as they can enhance system reliability without depending solely on software developers.

6. Mastery of configuration management

System administrators must be comfortable using configuration management databases (CMDB) and then proceed to configuration automation tools such as Puppet, Chef, Ansible, and Jenkins. These enable system administrators to manage various application lifecycle tasks, resulting in lower error rates and faster deployments. Mastery of configuration management also helps keep up with growing infrastructure complexity in heterogeneous environments.

7. Ability to make prompt decisions

For many businesses, the network system is essential for daily operations, and network disruptions may have an enormous impact. When tasked with optimizing network operations in a high-pressure environment, the sysadmin must possess extraordinary decision-making abilities. They must be able to appraise the circumstance, spot possible solutions, and select the option that will yield the best results for the organization.

8. A grasp of security best practices

Owing to the increase in phishing, ransomware, and data intrusions over the past few years, security is now a significant concern at all levels of IT. That’s why security is a vital skill for system administrators. Before security issues can escalate, system administrators have to tackle them by imposing protocols and training users. Furthermore, they need expertise in security monitoring platforms.

9. Habit of staying organized

Being methodical and organized can be one of the most effective methods for sysadmins to manage their schedule and workload as a systems administrator. It might be as basic as an action plan on a notepad or a smartphone app to monitor and prioritize activities. As much as tasks can be automated, staying organized helps streamline thought processes and keep track of the job at hand. This is a soft skill system administrators need to hone.

10. Ability to prioritize mental health

The role of a systems administrator isn’t free of challenges. Sysadmins frequently address production issues late at night or in irregular schedules, harming both their physical and mental well-being. It is important to take breaks from work once in a while. This skill also helps system administrators work better with the team and foster a positive work environment.

11. Expertise in cost analysis and cost control

Costs of systems can rapidly escalate, especially when multicloud services or software as a service is at play. Knowing how to construct a secure, scalable, and cost-effective system is essential for system administrators. This includes being able to carry out a “build vs. buy” study. It helps determine whether purchasing a hosted solution is more affordable than administering the same service on-premises.

12. Excellent communication skills

Sysadmins must be able to speak openly with cross-functional teams. Communication with team members is essential for daily operations. They must engage skillfully with non-technical workers facing system-related issues. Oral and written communication skills will help share advice, lead teams better, and communicate more effectively with colleagues.

See More: Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert Certification: Everything You Need to Know

System Administrator Salary in 2024

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of system administrators in 2024 is between $76,000 and $112,000 per year.

Indeed.com’s data (last updated on Aug 28, 2023) notes that a system administrator in the U.S. will earn $81,266 on average. Salaries can be as low as $52,361 for entry-level jobs or in certain parts of the country. Sysadmins may also earn up to $125,481, which marks the high end of the sysadmin salary threshold in the U.S., as per Indeed.

Interestingly, salaries can vary significantly based on the company and its location. For example, despite being a non-technology company, Boeing hires system administrators for as much as $135,325 per year. Oracle, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin are some of the other top employers for this role, reports Indeed. Similarly, companies in Connecticut pay 23% more than the national average, while those in Idaho pay 32% less.

In the same vein, Glassdoor data (last updated on Aug 29, 2023) shows that the average salary of system administrators in the U.S. is $85,965 annually, close to Indeed’s estimates. Of this, nearly $10,000 is often in the form of bonuses and commissions and not included in the base pay. Oracle and Lockheed Martin are top sysadmin employers in the U.S., as per Glassdoor as well.

Notably, the U.S. government is a key employer of system administrator roles. From public administration to aerospace and defense, several salient sectors rely on talented sysadmins to keep operations running smoothly.

See More: What Is Configuration Management? Working, Tools, and Importance

Takeaway

System administrators are often the unsung heroes of technology. They maintain integrated systems, troubleshoot issues, and ensure smooth operations. The sysadmin role expands to managing compatibility, databases, backups, and automation. They review incidents, monitor server health, and implement authentication measures regularly so that all systems function as expected.

While the average system administrator may not command massive six-figure salaries, the role helps acquire important transferable skills to move into an SRE position. Or, they could join top sysadmin employers where system administration makes a mission-critical difference in the company’s daily operations.

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