What do Network Admins do on a daily basis?

[Inn3rs3lf]

Hi Hi all.

So, I am just interested in what all you network admins are faced with on a daily basis. Not the crazy encounters that pop up, but the usual day. I'm interested in this field, and really want a view point from someone in the industry. Not the normal write ups you get about Administration.

So, if you are starting out in the field, or have about a year exp, what do you personally run through during the day. And the same applies for all the "go-to-guys"

Thanks guys, this will be MOST WELCOME!!!!!!!!

PS...enjoy the weekend! SHAZAAAAAM!!!!

 

[NeonNinja]

Nice. Also interested. I'm thinking of shrugging the diploma route. Want to do - A+, N+, MSCE, CCNA (CCNP later), Linux and Security+.

 

[rorz0r]

Browse the internet and post on myBB.

 

[thisgeek]

Browse the internet and post on myBB.

That's pretty much what I do too

 

[Elvis007]

Probably depends where you work at, but a lot of places will at least have a daily checklist that needs to be covered before you do anything else.
The list could include:
Check Daily back-ups and do a test restore
Check all server event logs (Hope you have MOM or some other tool that can help you with this, or else you are screwed, depending on the amount of servers you need to check)
Check Disk space (Also use other tools for this, no way of logging into 35 servers do do all that)
Check AV Console for any outbreaks (You should also receive a mail for this... but always good to check and see if everything is up to date etc)
Check Firewall log for any critical events
Check general health of network (network monitoring tool, no way you will ping 164 routers by yourself to see if they are all up...)
Check Mail server and make sure all is 100% there

Might have missed a few but if there are no problems with the above you can space out for the rest of the day, no, only kidding.
Then usually constant monitoring firewall and internet lines, or at least once an hour, and make changes where needed...
And filling in the change requests for any major changes, hate filling in those...
And then attend to any other problems that might come up during the day, which usually does like bad voice quality or routing problem at remote site etc...
And usually have 2 to 3 meetings a day (hate them, biggest waste of time)


Could add more but this might give you some idea I hope...

 

[w1z4rd]

1% server management, 99% stupid user management.

 

[Pooky]

Does it pay well?

Is it quite a relaxed job?

 

[w1z4rd]

Does it pay well?

Depends, but mostly it does if you are good at what you do.

Is it quite a relaxed job?

Its like a war. Mostly inane boring repetitive rubbish interrupted by short bursts of terror, mayhem and confusion.

 

[Elvis007]

Does it pay well?

Is it quite a relaxed job?

Pay is ok, could be better I suppose, but relaxed 80% of the time, unless the **** hits the fan... then I stress a bit... but that's just me...

 

[Elvis007]

Depends, but mostly it does if you are good at what you do.



Its like a war. Mostly inane boring repetitive rubbish interrupted by short bursts of terror, mayhem and confusion.

This is a better answer than mine

 

[Elvis007]

1% server management, 99% stupid user management.

This is also very true, but a Network Admin should have a desktop support oke to order around for this, but at a lot of companies the Network Admin is also the desktop support guy...

 

[Elvis007]

Nice. Also interested. I'm thinking of shrugging the diploma route. Want to do - A+, N+, MSCE, CCNA (CCNP later), Linux and Security+.

Exactly the route I took, except skipped N+ thought, and also did a few other like NetApp SANs and Fortinet courses, still need to do CCNP... hopefully I will get there next year

 

[NeonNinja]

Probably depends where you work at, but a lot of places will at least have a daily checklist that needs to be covered before you do anything else.
The list could include:
Check Daily back-ups and do a test restore
Check all server event logs (Hope you have MOM or some other tool that can help you with this, or else you are screwed, depending on the amount of servers you need to check)
Check Disk space (Also use other tools for this, no way of logging into 35 servers do do all that)
Check AV Console for any outbreaks (You should also receive a mail for this... but always good to check and see if everything is up to date etc)
Check Firewall log for any critical events
Check general health of network (network monitoring tool, no way you will ping 164 routers by yourself to see if they are all up...)
Check Mail server and make sure all is 100% there

Might have missed a few but if there are no problems with the above you can space out for the rest of the day, no, only kidding.
Then usually constant monitoring firewall and internet lines, or at least once an hour, and make changes where needed...
And filling in the change requests for any major changes, hate filling in those...
And then attend to any other problems that might come up during the day, which usually does like bad voice quality or routing problem at remote site etc...
And usually have 2 to 3 meetings a day (hate them, biggest waste of time)


Could add more but this might give you some idea I hope...

Meeting with whom? For what? Are they compulsory?

 

[Elvis007]

Meeting with whom? For what? Are they compulsory?

I suppose it depends where you work
1st meeting to report to tech manager about general heath of network state in the morning, every day.. sucks...
Then another meeting with Risk Management, every day, also sucks (About any risks they came across, or we came across)
Then general meetings with some suppliers, at least 4 a week...

But then we have over 100 stores over SA including botswana and Namibia, so not the smallest of places to work at... always busy, some nights I sit till 01:00 to sort out problems. If I actually got paid overtime I suppose that would not be a problem... but not being paid overtime is not on!!!!

And lets not forget the disaster recovery tests every 3 months where I need to restore all the servers at IBM's premises, just to make sure we can recover from a a full disaster... now those are stressful!!!

 

[Scooby_Doo]

My short days as an admin killed my soul. I am not a data analyst, far more challenging, fun and better pay.

 

[Ry4n]

Generally you start on the help desk with level 1 support to gain a little experience, then you move up to Systems Administrator or Network Admin/Engineer in larger firms.

In my experience UK and SA Systems Admins take care of all the jobs the help desk can't do "escalations" and projects that their managers delegate for example router setups, server builds, ordering of new equipment, monitoring, updating and configuring of firewalls servers, routers all that kind of stuff. Sure you will get that annoying stuff like file restores that some user had deleted by "mistake" and stupid users but generally if you have a good team its a rewarding job with area to expand in the future.

Good Luck Mate.

 

[NeonNinja]

Probably depends where you work at, but a lot of places will at least have a daily checklist that needs to be covered before you do anything else.
The list could include:
Check Daily back-ups and do a test restore
Check all server event logs (Hope you have MOM or some other tool that can help you with this, or else you are screwed, depending on the amount of servers you need to check)
Check Disk space (Also use other tools for this, no way of logging into 35 servers do do all that)
Check AV Console for any outbreaks (You should also receive a mail for this... but always good to check and see if everything is up to date etc)
Check Firewall log for any critical events
Check general health of network (network monitoring tool, no way you will ping 164 routers by yourself to see if they are all up...)
Check Mail server and make sure all is 100% there

Might have missed a few but if there are no problems with the above you can space out for the rest of the day, no, only kidding.
Then usually constant monitoring firewall and internet lines, or at least once an hour, and make changes where needed...
And filling in the change requests for any major changes, hate filling in those...
And then attend to any other problems that might come up during the day, which usually does like bad voice quality or routing problem at remote site etc...
And usually have 2 to 3 meetings a day (hate them, biggest waste of time)


Could add more but this might give you some idea I hope...

Meeting with whom? For what? Are they compulsory?

 

[Elvis007]

Meeting with whom? For what? Are they compulsory?

I did reply, check page 1... forgot to add: yes, they are compulsory...

 

[MartyMarts]

You Administrators are always doing 'stuff'. Lots of 'stuff'. Be honest with us here non-Administrators... with all the monitoring/notification tools available nowadays, you guys are just downloading porn and surfing the net all day innit?

 

[The_Unbeliever]

1% server management, 99% stupid user management

same

except also have moderation on mybb and smoothwall...