System Administrator Job Description

The most striking feature of the job description of a system administrator is to maintain the computer systems of the company, for which they work in a systematic manner. The demand for system administrators is growing at a very fast pace and according to industry experts, these professionals will be much in demand in the days to come. You can become a system administrator by completing a course in computer science and obtaining computer certifications of reputed companies by clearing their exams. It is important that system administrators have the talent and ability to learn new technologies and implement them successfully. A good knowledge of Windows and Linux administration systems is very essential for these technical professionals.

Tasks Performed by a System Administrator

System administrators undertake the important responsibility of managing servers, which typically involves server installation and up-gradation. They also provide essential hardware support for laptops, desktop personal computers, printers and for monitors in the company. They also undertake the tasks of configuration of hardware devices, testing new software and designing structure of the network. These professionals have to learn many technologies on the job, which are new in the market, for increasing the efficiency of their work.

This job also involves taking appropriate steps for the right up-gradation of the systems and solving any kind of problems, which might occur in the systems. They play an important role in timely completion of projects by working closely with application teams. They daily monitor the NT Server Event Log, NT Server Hardware and also the scheduled archival software. They also test operating system software, networking software and also computer hardware. They also take keen interest in the design and configuration of these software. After finding out which components are not functioning well due to some kind of defect in them, system administrators replace these components with good quality ones. In the backup tape management, they carry out the task of changing, storing and labeling the tapes, apart from buying new tapes. They are also responsible for changing tapes according to HSM software guidelines.

There are many system administrators who are engaged in inventory and organization of different types of software and hardware resources. They also contribute in the important field of creation and maintenance of documentation, which has technical information. They also closely monitor and develop procedures for backups of the servers. Almost all system administrators have a very good knowledge of TCP/IP and networking concepts.

Salary Details

The salary for the position of system administrator depends largely on location of work, educational details and number of years of experience. By graduating from a reputed university, you can expect to fetch a decent salary package. Candidates with a master's degree in computer science and applications are known to earn much more than those with just a bachelor's degree. As per several salary surveys, a system administrator's average salary is around USD 50,000 per year. However, the median salary is expected to be around USD 70,000 per year. As a senior system administrator, you can easily earn around USD 90,000 per year.

This was all about system administrator job description and their salary. Those people who have a strong desire of learning new technologies, can succeed well in this field. All the best for your career!