IT system administrator
What does an IT system administrator do, what skills do they need and what International career opportunities are there?
System administrators plan, install, configure and maintain IT systems and networks in companies. They are needed in all companies and organizations that work with IT systems. In order to be able to work as an IT system administrator , an apprenticeship or a degree in a computer science subject is usually required. Related job titles for the system administrator are network administrator, network administrator, admin, sysadmin, system administrator, operator, system operator or system manager.
What does a system administrator do?
The tasks of an IT system administrator range from the administration, monitoring and further development of networks and IT structures of a company to the administration of network servers and workstation computers. An IT system administrator takes care of the correct connection and ensures that the system runs smoothly. The system administrator ensures that hardware and software are always up to date and is responsible for IT security. He finds solutions to problems with e-mail and other communication services and trains employees in dealing with hardware and software.
What hard skills should an IT system administrator have?
The technical requirements for an IT system administrator are diverse. An IT system administrator should have knowledge of clients and servers as well as database systems. Unix servers, Linux servers or Microsoft servers should not be foreign words to the IT system administrator and they should also be familiar with database systems such as MySQL, DB2, Oracle or ADABAS. Knowledge of network architectures such as VPN and cloud storage systems is also an advantage. In addition, knowledge of scripting languages such as PHP, Python or Perl is often required.
What soft skills should an IT system administrator have?
One of the most important soft skills an IT system administrator should have is the willingness to continuously develop. This has to do with the constant change in IT and with the fact that new programs and IT solutions are constantly being developed that replace previous applications. For this reason, IT system administrators should always be up to date on new developments in the industry and continuously develop. In addition, IT system administrators should have communication skills, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking and creativity.
Communication skills
:In addition to planning, configuring and maintaining IT networks, it is the responsibility of the IT system administrator to train colleagues in the use of networks or hardware. The IT system administrator must therefore be able to translate technical topics into simple and understandable language so that they can also be understood by colleagues who are not in the field.
Problem-solving ability
If there is a fault, the IT system administrator must be able to find a solution to the problem under pressure of time. After a detailed error analysis, it is the responsibility of the IT system administrator to weigh up which solution is the best for the problem at hand and then to implement it.
Analytical thinking
In order to have a network always up to date, the network administrator must be able to analyze network data, identify weak points at an early stage and eliminate them with suitable solutions. In this context, the IT system administrator should always keep an eye on current trends and apply them to the existing network if necessary.
Creativity
Network problems can be extremely complex. If this is the case, the IT system administrator is required to think outside the box in order to find a suitable solution to the problem at hand.
How do you become an IT system administrator?
There are many ways to become an IT system administrator. Both an apprenticeship and a degree can qualify for the tasks of IT system administrator. An education or course of study with the same name does not yet exist. However, starting with an apprenticeship as IT specialist, business IT specialist, IT technician, IT systems clerk, IT clerk or technical assistant IT is conceivable. In addition, courses with a computer science component qualify for the job of IT system administrator. These include, for example, general computer science or subjects such as computer science and information technology. However, it is also possible to start with a successfully completed degree in a MINT subject.
Many training providers meanwhile also offer certificate courses of the same name, which last for several months and prepare interested parties specifically for the job as an IT system administrator.