Considering Sys Admin

I just saw the new IT course Google have put out in partnership with Coursera

https://blog.coursera.org/launching-the-google-it-support-professional-certificate/

This has added to some thoughts I’d been having recently about looking into Sys Admin roles. Since working in Node I’ve found I really enjoyed using Linux, servers and Vim. While I also enjoyed the front end track on FCC I’m thinking there might be more opportunities in IT roles near me. I’m nowhere near applying for such roles but for the next 12-18 months it makes sense to dedicate to either something like the Google course or FCC.

Is anyone else living outside big cities like SF or London thinking along these lines? Certainly where I am in the UK I can see a clearer path to entry level IT positions than JS coding roles.

If you think you’d enjoy a sysadmin job more than a javascript development job than go for it - we are still here to support you in that path. I also enjoy working with Linux Severs it’s helped me a lot with learning deployment.

Nowadays, more and more companies are using the cloud for their infrastructure needs.

Today, you can spin up servers and storage on-demand as you need them, without the need for requisitioning and purchasing your own server hardware, making forecasts and predictions, meeting hardware budgets, etc.

I’d suggest get familiar with cloud technology (like AWS or Azure, or some other thing). You can signup and get a free AWS/MS Azure account and play in this huge playground! Lots of things to learn and do.

https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started/

Get some virtual software (VMWare, Parallels) for your computer, and play with networking and setup, setting up servers, NAS, failover environments, simulating drive crashes in an array, etc.

Also, old HP/Compaq/Dell servers and networking equipment can be purchased on eBay for cheap, and let’s you play with real hardware… (nothing beats touching a real server and getting accustomed to the high dB noise levels). :slight_smile: Setup your own home lab. It can become addicting so don’t go overboard.

For starters, build and assemble your own powerful, kick-ass desktop computer that you’ll use to run your VM machines for learning and practice.


I used to be a network admin, but back then things were simpler. When PC workstations have 200MB hard drives, and your server has an 8GB SCSI Raid drive, and DAT or DDS tape backup. We were running Novell Netware 3.12 and Windows NT servers, and everything connected via 10Mbit hubs.

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