Eric
What are the educational background requirements for being a System Admin
#information-technology #education
4 answers
Cyril Joseph
Cyril’s Answer
Typically a bachelor's degree in computer science is required for a system administrator role, in web technology, network administration or something similar. However, some employers may require further training depending on the role and if it requires the system administrator to specialize in a specific area.
Bellow are some certifications that will also help in landing a job as a System Administrator.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)
Red Hat: RHCSA and RHCE.
Linux Professional Institute (LPI): LPIC System Administrator.
CompTIA Server+
VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization (VCP-DCV)
ServiceNow Certified System Administrator.
Increased automation also means the system administrator must become even more knowledgeable. Automation typically involves scripting in various languages, so while you may have been able to get away with knowing Python or Windows PowerShell, you will probably need to become proficient in both, and maybe more.
If you are considering becoming a system administrator, now is the time to learn your first scripting language, as it will make it easier to learn others on the job if you understand the basics. It will also help you to get the job in the first place. The more you know, the better.
Chad Kalmes
Chad’s Answer
Completely agree with Andrew's comments above - in many cases a 2-year or vocational education would be sufficient to start off in a career in Systems Administration.
In terms of the education itself, there are probably a few areas to focus on:
The first would be general operating system (OS) knowledge (Linux & Windows) - those would be the two main platforms that most businesses will operate on, and having a strong OS-level knowledge of both will serve you well in the long-term. Eventually, you may want to or wind up specializing in one or the other based on the specifics of the environment you're supporting, but getting exposure to both is probably good starting out.
The second is more application-specific knowledge. Often system admins need to not only support the basic OS-level needs of any given system, but also the application-level. That might be a specific type of database, a user-facing application (like an accounting system, CRM tool, ERP package, etc.), or more of an infrastructure component (like a logging/alerting system, authentication service, etc.). Again, my advice would be to get exposure to a variety as part of your education, but you'll likely develop a more specific sub-set of skills in a particular area over time, again based on the specific environment that is used by your eventual employer. Many people who start with general systems administration backgrounds eventually go into more specialized areas like database administration or application administration.
Lastly, to be a strong systems admin, you will hopefully also get the opportunity to pick up some broad, general technology concepts as part of your education - even if you're initially not directly responsible for overseeing or managing them directly. For example, learning networking basics and the OSI model, understanding the basic best practices around security, storage/file system management, and database/data structure concepts. One of the most important skills I would suggest you work on developing is general troubleshooting and learning 'how' to investigate and solve issues. One of the most important tasks a system administrator often performs, is diagnosing and remediating issues...often with tight timelines/SLAs to get a malfunctioning system or component working again. You'll naturally build this skill as you learn the specifics of any particular technology you wind up overseeing, as everything has its own particular quirks and typical failure points - but being curious and using that to identify and resolve anything anomalous that is happening is a skillset that will generally serve you well, long into your career.
Good luck with your learning and career!
Romil Shah
Romil’s Answer
Minimum requirement is to be a graduate and a graduation in computer science or electronic and telecommunication will be more useful as they cover some subject related to IT Networking industry.
The most basic things to know in the role are - OS level knowledge, Basis Routing and Switching knowledge, and nowadays Programming and scripting is becoming a key skill required for automation purposes.
One should also consider opting for some Globally accepted industry level certifications available from multiple vendors depending upon the interest of work
For Windows, there are Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certifications. Yo can choose Desktop, Server and Cloud specific certifications based on your career planning.
For Linux, Linux Professional Institute Certifications (LPIC) will be good as they are distributional-neutral; they focus on generic Linux skills rather than any specific Linux distributions skill set. CompTIA certifications also fall in this space, they are distribution-neutral as well.
For Networks, Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) having multiple streams within like - Routing and Switching, Service Provider, Datacenter and more.
For Programming, basics of Python, YAML, XML, JSON
To sum up, a graduation with some basic knowledge on networking technologies and a must needed programming skills to cop up with the speed of delivery expected from customer.
Andrew Johnson
Andrew’s Answer
Eric,
Another great question and I'm glad to see you're so passionate about this field.
I'm more in favor of seeing candidates that take a vocational route instead of a traditional four-year degree. You'll get more industry-specific training this way without the incredible expense that a bachelor's degree brings (yes, this is a broad generalization).
Get your Associates from a good technical school and get to work fast. Don't be afraid to take a lower-paying job at first to gain experience. You have to put your bones in!
Once you start proving your value and building rapport within a company, it's easier to make the case for salary increases and more responsibility in your role.
As I've mentioned in my answer to your other question, don't stop learning! Keep ahead of technologies on the horizon. Being able to adapt and adjust to industry changes will keep your skills relevant and in-demand.
Best of luck!
Andrew J.