IT People: What should I focus on to become a system admin

[dpodblood]

Hey; looking for some advice from our resident IT/sysadmin/network experts.

So I graduated from college ~4 years ago where I studied IT, networking, and system administration. Specifically I studied MS Server 2003, Linux, hardware (A+ type stuff), database (oracle), Visual Basic, and networking (Cisco material).

So far I have only landed jobs in support. I did a work term for a drug manufacturing doing desk side support. Once I graduated I worked a contract position for the health authority where I also did general IT/desk side support. Once my contract ended there I moved onto doing application specific support for a medical software company, and have been here for ~3 years.

As time goes on I find myself getting bored with this work, and would like to get more into the system admin side of things. It would also be nice to get a bump in pay. Problem is I haven't been using the skills I learned in school, and so the stuff I learned is starting to fade away.

Long story short, I'd like to know what areas I should focus on in order to progress my career in IT. What things should I study/practice, and what certifications are most important to a career in system administration/networking?

I am thinking I will start off with getting my A+, and then move on to Network +, and MCP/MCSA certifications (again not sure which specific certs are important). Then I could follow up with getting my CCNA. I've also heard that ITIL is good to have.

IT professionals, please let me know what you think!

 

[Cal166]

Learn MS Exchange & Active Direcotry, many of the job description requires it.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

IT is a very broad field.

what do you want to do?
windows admin? unix admin? NOC? DBA?

 

[LookBehindYou]

For me, I started as help desk, and attached myself to the network admins/server admins as much as I could, helping them out. My help desk boss hated it, but it paid off. When someone on the network team left, I was able to convince them to give me a shot, picked up my ccna in 3 months after starting that. After i left there, i took a job at the SSA as a sysadmin.

You just have to be patient and realize a lot of places will hire from within. I had my security + and mcse, and a+, but all those did really was put me infront of everyone else for the help desk job.

 

[Platypus]

Getting a ton of certs and having only helpdesk experience is not going to do you any favors in my personal opinion. You need to work your way up into a junior admin type role somewhere where you can learn and grow. It is going to be challenging to jump into an admin job without prior experience, so it is to your benefit to try and grow into it somewhere.

That said, I'm a UNIX/SAN engineer and I cannot recommend that enough. You have to be passionate about it though.. it can't be about trying to progress your career alone. You really have to love the stuff to stick it out long term.

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me whenever you like.

 

[dpodblood]

IT is a very broad field.

what do you want to do?
windows admin? unix admin? NOC? DBA?

I'd like to get into Windows server administration. AD, Exchange, backup plans, networking, that sort of thing. I wouldn't mind getting into Linux/Unix, but I would have a lot to learn in this area.

 

[ViviTheMage]

right place, right time.

 

[dpodblood]

Getting a ton of certs and having only helpdesk experience is not going to do you any favors in my personal opinion. You need to work your way up into a junior admin type role somewhere where you can learn and grow. It is going to be challenging to jump into an admin job without prior experience, so it is to your benefit to try and grow into it somewhere.

That said, I'm a UNIX/SAN engineer and I cannot recommend that enough. You have to be passionate about it though.. it can't be about trying to progress your career alone. You really have to love the stuff to stick it out long term.

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me whenever you like.

Thanks! I guess chances are low that I would be able to jump into a sysadmin position without experience, just certifications. I guess I should start trying to get more involved with our IT department, and help out where I can. That said I have down time as well which I could use to study, and practice sysadmin stuff on my own. I have vmware workstation on my work PC, and it should be possible for me to set up my own little network/domain to play around with. Also if anyone can recommend any specific books that would be great.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

right place, right time.

very much this.
you need a manager who trusts you and is willing to groom you.

 

[dpodblood]

very much this.
you need a manager who trusts you and is willing to groom you.

When I started this job it began as a mix of application specific support, and IT (check the broken printer, create a new image, simple things like that). Over the years though the IT and customer support departments have moved further apart, and I have been give less IT related duties. So things have been moving very much in the wrong direction . Maybe I should talk to my manager and let him know I am interested in getting more involved in the IT side of things.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I am thinking I will start off with getting my A+, and then move on to Network +, and MCP/MCSA certifications (again not sure which specific certs are important). Then I could follow up with getting my CCNA. I've also heard that ITIL is good to have.

Skip the A+ -- it is next to worthless. I'd pursue some education/certs in Exchange, AD, Sharepoint, and virtualization and try to land at a small company where you do the servers, support, etc. Once you have experience as a network admin, you'll be able to move on to bigger and better things. Until you get that experience, you might be stuck in a support role unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time and move up.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

right place, right time.

This, and experience.


Know that the system admin is a 'pillar' of the company. Generally the higher ups have to blindly trust them since they know nothing about what is going on 'behind the curtain'.


Many places have been burned by people with lots of certs and schooling, it's gotten to where you won't get hired into a decent IT position without a good bit of history.

 

[dpodblood]

Skip the A+ -- it is next to worthless. I'd pursue some education/certs in Exchange, AD, Sharepoint, and virtualization and try to land at a small company where you do the servers, support, etc. Once you have experience as a network admin, you'll be able to move on to bigger and better things. Until you get that experience, you might be stuck in a support role unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time and move up.

Thanks! What specific certifications should I look into. I find the whole MSCE thing quite confusing. I have looked into it several times, but I never know what exams I should take, or what kind of certifications/qualifications I will end up with as a result.

 

[Riverhound777]

Honestly I don't think your tech skills matter as much as your people skills. There are tons of IT people who know there shit, but fewer who are enjoyable to be around. I honestly don't know everything, and have no certs, but I have good people skills. People want to help me out and be around me. It doesn't take a whole lot of computer skills to solve the majority of IT problems, but building a quick rapport with people and being confident goes a long ways.

 

[FDF12389]

Make yourself confident in your ability to do the job you want, and then make others confident in you ability to do that job.

Sorry to oversimplify but that's all that's required.

 

[poopaskoopa]

I'd like to get into Windows server administration. AD, Exchange, backup plans, networking, that sort of thing. I wouldn't mind getting into Linux/Unix, but I would have a lot to learn in this area.

Windows server administration. AD, Exchange, backup plans, networking, that sort of thing. I wouldn't mind getting into Linux/Unix.

At this stage in your career I'd be willing to work in any group(as you are), but keep in mind that, many big companies will have a dedicated group for every item you listed above(therefore when you apply for a job there, they don't much care about all else that you know).

I'd go work for a smaller company where you'll get to do a wide variety of things, and then move on to do bigger/better/$$$er things.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Thanks! What specific certifications should I look into. I find the whole MSCE thing quite confusing. I have looked into it several times, but I never know what exams I should take, or what kind of certifications/qualifications I will end up with as a result.

I haven't kept up with the various MS certs -- once you get the experience, the certs aren't as important or necessary. You're in a "which came first -- the chicken or the egg?" situation, so a cert or two may give you the edge and help you move up. I'd recommend also looking at the CCNA certification and for virtualization, the VCP. Be forewarned, though, that you must take an authorized VMWare course in order to sit for the VCP and that can be expensive.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Skip the A+ -- it is next to worthless. I'd pursue some education/certs in Exchange, AD, Sharepoint, and virtualization and try to land at a small company where you do the servers, support, etc. Once you have experience as a network admin, you'll be able to move on to bigger and better things. Until you get that experience, you might be stuck in a support role unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time and move up.

Certs are better than no certs, but they are worthless without real world experience.

Anyone can study a book that's geared towards helping you pass an exam.
The same goes for setting up an environment at home on VM.
Unless you're working at an extremely small shop, your practice environment at home is in no way going to mimic an enterprise infrastructure, especially if you're new and have no idea what you're doing in the first place.

Having a mentor at work who will teach you how and more importantly WHY something is done a particular way is the best way to learn and get your foot in the door.

Get to know the guy responsible for managing systems at work. Show him you're a willing and capable learner.

 

[rudder]

As time goes on I find myself getting bored with this work, and would like to get more into the system admin side of things. It would also be nice to get a bump in pay. Problem is I haven't been using the skills I learned in school, and so the stuff I learned is starting to fade away.

System admin work is just as boring. Plus it is dead-end. there are high paying gigs out there... but to be honest our network keeps growing and growing... but we really need less people to manage it.

But if you want skills.. gotta figure if you want to focus on a windows based domain or not. If it was microsoft, I would get technet and start loading all their stuff to test. Exchange, hyper-v, scom, sccm.. well tons more.

Other handy skills include being able to understand network traffic (packet monitoring). Saves a lot of trouble shooting time.

 

[corwin]

It's been said but people skills are really the most important, knowing how to talk to people is a rare asset in IT. Also working your way up to get practical experience in the company you work for...I started way low in support at my company 11 years ago and now am one of the most respected admins in the company and travel all over the US, hell I've tried to quit twice in the last 5 years and been promoted each time instead...I also have no certifications, no college, and only a GED, experience and people skills will take you far.

 

[dpodblood]

Well people skills I have. I have been working in customer/user support for the last 5 years, and have a good rapport with my clients. I tend to be the "go-to guy."

 

[trmiv]

Right place right time as mentioned definitely helps. I worked in software support for 2 years and desktop support for 6 years before becoming a sys admin. I was in desktop support for 3 years at my current company and a sys admin opening came up. I applied, and got the job. It helped obviously that I knew a few people on the server side and they put in a good word for me. Because of my reputation at the company and my good technical background they were willing to train me on the stuff I didn't know. Been sys admin for about a year now. It can get boring at times, but I enjoy it more than desktop support.

 

[rasczak]

It really is right place at the right time. I don't have any formal schooling, went to a vocational school but did not get any certs. I had a contact in a school district here in SD that got me in as a student attendant before I thought about IT, then my wife got pregnant, I went to Microskills (now defunct) and was able to procure a job assignment at the school district as a computer lab tech/instructor. I also did tech calls on the school site. from there I got my first Helpdesk job, but this was important because it helped me secure a clearance. after that i was able to land this job (sys admin) and have been here for 4 years now. I've touched a a few systems in the past four years, from cisco and juniper appliances to windows, linux, unix and openVMS.

 

[JimmiG]

I'm nearly in the same situation. MCITP Server Administrator or Enterprise Administrator and CCNA are the ones I'm planning on taking, maybe CCNP. CCNP is a bit harder and takes more time to prepare for, but it's definitely worth it.

 

[dpodblood]

Thanks guys. I think I will spend some time refreshing myself on AD, Exchange, and learning about Sharepoint. Once I feel a bit more confident with my knowledge and abilities, I will approach my manager about becoming more involved with the IT department, and see if I can get some real experience under my belt. Once that happens I will start looking at Microsoft certs, and who knows maybe my company will even help pay for them!