The Future of SysAdmins' Positions

prostoalex writes "With automated upgrade tools and self-updating software, will sysadmins be in such high demand that they enjoy today? Lisa Valentine from NewsFactor provides the answer - and it's a definitive yes. Wireless systems and GPS devices are the new area where sysadmins are expected to have some expertise, although lately companies have been upping their demands for more hands-on experience. This opinion seems to corroborate US Department of Labor forecast on system administrator and computer support specialist employment."

Comments

Salary estimates seem a bit low...

[tcopeland]

> An experienced systems administrator
> can expect to earn a salary in the
> US$50,000 to mid- to upper-$60,000 range.

Hm, the _average_ in the SAGE survey in 2002 was $67,600. But I guess that's more or less in the ballpark.

Re:Yeah, but...

[raddan]

For someone that wants to remain on the technical side of things rather than the business side, where do you go?

Back to school, for ECE. It will kinda suck to be an undergrad all over again, but I'd like to think that I have a bit more focus this time around.

Being a systems administrator is neat with regard to some things; there's a lot of equipment I wouldn't have ordinarily gotten my hands on, a lot of problems I wouldn't have ordinarily confronted. But there's not much thinking to the job and I feel a little starved for a challenge...

where is this booming trade?

[RabidMonkey]

As a systems admin with 5 years experience currently working on a helpdesk to make ends meet, I'd like to ask, where is this glut of jobs that the poster implies is out there? I know in the Toronto area, there are quite a few out of work sys admins and any job I find gets 100's of applications.

Things aren't so peachy keen here in sys admin land ...

Re:Thriving Profession

[bonius_rex]

Marriage is the highest form of prostitition. The progression goes something like this:

Level 1: Crack Whore; is paid in drugs
Level 2: Escort Service; is paid in cash, per client.
Level 3: Wife; is paid in security, property, etc, but she also has a golden parachute plan! When she finds a better client, she takes at least 50% of all the shit you own! Sometimes, you still have to pay her a salary (spousal support), just so she can afford to continue her whoring with somebody else!

Thank god Taco sold Slashdot BEFORE he got married... I can just imagine divorce attorneys arguing over the cash value of a first post...

:-)

What the Future Holds...

[ErichTheRed]

Sysadmin jobs for smart people who know a wide range of systems will still be around. However, expect some changes, including the following:

• Very few sysadmins can afford to be the geek hiding behind the server racks. You'll be expected to interact with users, understand their needs and generally function as part of the business. If you're the _one guy_ who knows absolutely everything about the main system that your company uses to make its money, then you're the exception. Otherwise, those social skills are going to come in handy!
• The outsourcing thing is going to hurt for the forseeable future. If your job doesn't get sent overseas, it's pretty likely that permanent IT staff positions will be transferred to third parties. This leads to wage compression as the outsourcer tries to squeeze every last profit dollar out of their deals.
• Knowing one OS isn't going to cut it anymore. I'm a Windows sysadmin by trade, but know Linux relatively well (the problem is getting into a Linux shop after working in Microsoft shops...I swear I must have a big red "M" tattooed to my forehead. :-)
• The days of the paper MCSE are numbered, and it's a small number. Lots of Microsoft sysadmins aren't bothering to learn things like scripting, task automation, etc. that are essential on every other platform in the world. That's what separates the paper MCSE from the qualified windows admins.
• There's very little opportunity to "break in" like there was in the 90s. IT employers are becoming much more impatient with new hire ramp-up time, and it's getting harder to find entry-level IT work that doesn't involve fixing computers at Best Buy.

Back in the day, systems were extremely complex and needed an army of people to look after the basic functionality. Now that's changing...sysadmins will be around, but adaptation is required.

The other thing that I see happening is formation of a common set of procedures. Civil engineers rarely design faulty bridges, airports, train stations, etc. The reason is that they use tested methods, and "new cool stuff" goes through complete peer review before becoming generally accepted. Systems people, OTOH, build stuff that routinely crashes and fails to work as advertised. Once companies get out of the "outsource everything and pay the absolute minimum for the work" phase, I think it will be time to form a real governing body similar to the professional engineering organizations.