Better job mobility: Windows Server Admin vs. SharePoint Admin

[AsgardDevice]

I'm at a cross-roads here.

One direction is as a Windows Server administrator. Mostly virtual servers hosted on VMWare ESX. It entails security, cloning, SAN storage and network configuration.

In the other direction is SharePoint 2010 administrator. This would entail managing the actual application and server farm. It would also be a functional position with user and site collection administration and even InfoPath form/workflow development. It would not however involve much .net design or coding.

This isn't a forum issue. Let's try Off Topic
-ViRGE

 

[Asgard Device]

Oops.. thanks Virge.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

lol at username differences

Windows admin by far. Sharepoint admin isn't a bad job, but it's very specific, only to companies that use sharepoint.. And MS has a nasty habit of making major changes every few product cycles, personally I would hate to deal with that.

 

[classy]

lol at username differences

Windows admin by far. Sharepoint admin isn't a bad job, but it's very specific, only to companies that use sharepoint.. And MS has a nasty habit of making major changes every few product cycles, personally I would hate to deal with that.

Agreed

 

[HydroSqueegee]

Yep. you can make good money as a sharepoint admin, but what do you do if/when it goes away or becomes obsolete some point in the future? Windows based servers will be around for a good long time. Not the greatest job though.

<--- Currently working as a Windows Server Admin

 

[IndyColtsFan]

lol at username differences

Windows admin by far. Sharepoint admin isn't a bad job, but it's very specific, only to companies that use sharepoint.. And MS has a nasty habit of making major changes every few product cycles, personally I would hate to deal with that.

Sharepoint is one of the hottest fields right now and Sharepoint people on average generally make more money than Windows people. I've done both jobs (currently a Sharepoint admin/developer) and quite frankly, I prefer the infrastructure side of the house (servers, network, virtualization) even though I know I can make more money specializing in Sharepoint. The sad thing is that I'm still the best infrastructure person in the company and the buffoon they hired to replace me on the server team needs my help on a regular basis.

I do agree with you about the MS product changes, however.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Yep. you can make good money as a sharepoint admin, but what do you do if/when it goes away or becomes obsolete some point in the future? Windows based servers will be around for a good long time. Not the greatest job though.

<--- Currently working as a Windows Server Admin

Sharepoint won't go away or be obsolete, as MS will continue releasing new versions and taking on heavyweights in such fields as WCM.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm at a cross-roads here.

One direction is as a Windows Server administrator. Mostly virtual servers hosted on VMWare ESX. It entails security, cloning, SAN storage and network configuration.


In the other direction is SharePoint 2010 administrator. This would entail managing the actual application and server farm. It would also be a functional position with user and site collection administration and even InfoPath form/workflow development. It would not however involve much .net design or coding.

The majority of Sharepoint development is using tools like Sharepoint Designer and InfoPath. The rule of thumb in most environments is that custom code should be kept to a bare minimum. In my environment, I only occasionally use Javascript to add some context menu selections or for other minor things; otherwise, everything I develop uses those two tools if OOB functionality won't accomplish it. If you can learn .NET design and coding, that will just give you a leg up on competition and will help you get into senior roles; for me, I'm not interested in the coding aspect so I avoid it if at all possible.

 

[Broheim]

Sharepoint is one of the hottest fields right now and Sharepoint people on average generally make more money than Windows people. I've done both jobs (currently a Sharepoint admin/developer) and quite frankly, I prefer the infrastructure side of the house (servers, network, virtualization) even though I know I can make more money specializing in Sharepoint.

I do agree with you about the MS product changes, however.

sharepoint developers here in Denmark makes a shitton of money, don't know about admins though, but I'm guessing it's the same. I'm hoping to get into mainframes though, as all the old farts are hitting retirement age in the next few years supply will crash through the floor and demand go through the roof.

 

[SagaLore]

Go with Sharepoint. But be sure to specialize in more than just that, pick up additional certifications, etc.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

sharepoint developers here in Denmark makes a shitton of money, don't know about admins though, but I'm guessing it's the same. I'm hoping to get into mainframes though, as all the old farts are hitting retirement age in the next few years supply will crash through the floor and demand go through the roof.

And Sharepoint jobs seem more available too, but that's just my anecdotal experience. You don't need to be a .NET expert to be a top tier Sharepoint Architect either; you just need to know the product extremely well and know what is possible via programming, but you don't have to actually write the code. I have a Sharepoint Architect working for me that is top-notch, but she can't code at all. She is sharp and knows Sharepoint's capabilities backwards and forwards and knows when and how code should be used but would contract that piece out.

Go with Sharepoint. But be sure to specialize in more than just that, pick up additional certifications, etc.

This x1000. It does not hurt to keep up on your Windows skills and also pick up other skills that would help with Sharepoint, such as SQL skills and application firewall (ISA, Forefront TMG) skills. I maintain our ISA servers and SQL servers and am called in for most IIS issues because no one knows them like I do at this company.

 

[Broheim]

And Sharepoint jobs seem more available too, but that's just my anecdotal experience. You don't need to be a .NET expert to be a top tier Sharepoint Architect either; you just need to know the product extremely well and know what is possible via programming, but you don't have to actually write the code. I have a Sharepoint Architect working for me that is top-notch, but she can't code at all. She is sharp and knows Sharepoint's capabilities backwards and forwards and knows when and how code should be used but would contract that piece out.

that's my experience too (but this being Denmark it's probably not all that relevant to the OP), I can't look at my regular IT job website without looking through a sea of sharepoint positions. Around here windows server admins are a dime a dozen (*nix pays much better) but sharepoint people are in high demand.

 

[rudder]

Sharepoint will grow and become a more powerful tool over time. Windows servers will always be there.... but frankly administration can be done with less and less people.

I remember the first SAN we used here where I work. All CLI... you had to pick out the drives to create the LUN from, etc... now it is just click click and you are set.

 

[Asgard Device]

This is actually a pretty healthy conversation. I was looking around job sites and it SEEMED like there were more server admin positions than there were SharePoint positions that didn't require C#.

I'm not sure why I pine over the decision do much. I guess I just want to make the best decision possible for my family's 5 year plan of moving to another state.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

This is actually a pretty healthy conversation. I was looking around job sites and it SEEMED like there were more server admin positions than there were SharePoint positions that didn't require C#.

I'm not sure why I pine over the decision do much. I guess I just want to make the best decision possible for my family's 5 year plan of moving to another state.

Yeah, most server admin positions won't require knowledge of something like C#. Sharepoint development doesn't necessarily require C# knowledge either, but I think you'll find that the majority of Sharepoint positions are consulting positions and most firms want to shoot for the moon and get as many skills as possible in order to use that resource in more projects.

I do not know C# (well, I know the basics), but I could probably do many of the consulting jobs because SP Designer and InfoPath should be the tools of choice. When it comes to custom coding solutions, you need to consider the cost of coding the solution as opposed to purchasing a third-party product. Oftentimes, you can get a third-party web part, for example, for the same or less than the amount it would cost you to code it and you will also get support by purchasing the product.

As I mentioned earlier, the architect who reports to me does not know how to code, but she has exceptional knowledge of the product and years of experience consulting and designing enterprise information systems, so she is an extremely valuable resource. A year or two ago, I asked another Sharepoint contractor I hired about his knowledge and he admitted that InfoPath and Designer were the tools he used and if something else was required, he would give it to another contractor.