Linux/UNIX Sysadmin Job/Career

Nulty

I am interested in becoming a linux/UNIX systems administrator and I want to get an idea of what is required in terms of experience and skills. I am doing a conversion masters in CompSci at UCD, finished in December. I'm currently learning about Active Directory and Server 2008 but I want to get involved in the Linux side of things.

Where should I be looking to get qualified for this type of job? What kind of jobs are there out there? Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I'm guessing this is the place to ask.

EDIT:
I found some interesting links in funk-you's thread of links. Especially this book on sysadmin job description.

Still interested to know about job prospects and applications in Dublin, Ireland or elsewhere for a graduate.

druidhill

In terms of jobs as sysadmin, there seems to be jobs in Dublin for those who are well experienced, and not just middle of the road. You will probably look to get in somewhere in a junior role and get your experience on the job. A good work ethic and a willingness to learn will certainly help with getting a good sysadmin to take you under your wing, and that's when you'll really start to learn. They will guide you in the right direction without holding your hand.

Sorry to take rather than give from the thread, but can you provide a bit more details on that course (as a current student). Sounds a bit more practical and real-world that I would have thought.

Nulty

We cover

• html and web tools module,
• Programming I & II(C) module,
• Database relational algebra with Access,
• Hardware/Software (CompTIA A+ manual),
• Programming III(C++) module,
• SQL Prog (Oracle with PL/SQL),
• Active Directory and Win 7 configuration,
• Software Engineering Project (meta search engine)
• Final Module is a selection of 5 and 10 credit modules to make up 30 credits.

18 month full-time course

feylya

Not to discourage you but you won't walk into a sys admin job with a Masters. Education is great but for linux adminning, experience is king.

In terms of jobs, there is no shortage of them out there at the moment. Facebook, Google, Amazon, DemonWare and loads more are all constantly hiring. You need to have about 5 years experience in high availability systems (websites and the like) to even get an interview.

To get that experience, start setting up your own systems, either on your home machine or sign up for Amazon's cloud service (they have a free offering for a year). This will give you experience adminning Linux at scale. It should also give you some real world experience with things you may not have worked with before - load balancers, network segments, authentication.

If you're based in Dublin, go to tech meetups. In the next two weeks, there are Node JS, MongoDB and Amazon developer meetups. Go and talk to the folks that go. Ask questions and get contacts. Join tech groups like Irish Linux User Group and DevOps Ireland, follow the conversations, look up Google or ask questions about technologies mentioned.

It's a tough career - being woken at 4am for the 10th time in a month will push you to the edge but if you can deal with that, it can be hugely rewarding.

Nulty

Thank you for taking the time Feylya. Really appreciate it.

I don't expect to walk into any job right now but I can see I've got a lot of work to do. Gotta get the education out of the way first. The course isn't exactly easy in itself.

Any one else with tips are more than welcome!

Heres a link to the final semester modules. Maybe someone could recommend some modules that might steer me towards a career in Linux admin.

http://www.csi.ucd.ie/content/module-offerings

Nulty

Is it worth starting with RedHat or would any server do for beginners? Obviously the principles are all the same but RedHat is the eminent distribution in industry right?

thorn in the side

I'd say cross-certify as much as possible. There's a whole lotta stuff that you'll have learned that's common to all OS's, networks, TCP/IP, protocols, Security, all that palaver, etc. Perhaps take a look at LPI and / or BSD certifications - there's a huge amount of free resources out there - even from the likes of IBM.

Red Hat may be the eminent distribution at the moment, but also take a look at the free alternatives like openSUSE, (which has always been rock-solid), Ubuntu, (maybe a live flavour - just to see if you like Unity), Mint (seems good, haven't tried it yet).

I have 3 M$ OS's, 3 Linuxes n 1 BSD flavour on the pc at the moment n it's mighty. Have tried them all, from AtheOS, BeOS, Corel ... to Xandros (when it was known as Turbo Linux).

Quite apart from the academics, etc, you'll have to read Linus Torvald's autobiography "Just for Fun" and "Rebel Code".

Nulty

thorn in the side wrote: »

I'd say cross-certify as much as possible. There's a whole lotta stuff that you'll have learned that's common to all OS's, networks, TCP/IP, protocols, Security, all that palaver, etc. Perhaps take a look at LPI and / or BSD certifications - there's a huge amount of free resources out there - even from the likes of IBM.

Red Hat may be the eminent distribution at the moment, but also take a look at the free alternatives like openSUSE, (which has always been rock-solid), Ubuntu, (maybe a live flavour - just to see if you like Unity), Mint (seems good, haven't tried it yet).

I have 3 M$ OS's, 3 Linuxes n 1 BSD flavour on the pc at the moment n it's mighty. Have tried them all, from AtheOS, BeOS, Corel ... to Xandros (when it was known as Turbo Linux).

Quite apart from the academics, etc, you'll have to read Linus Torvald's autobiography "Just for Fun" and "Rebel Code".

Thanks man, I found loads of useful links, resources and material following up your suggestions. Really appreciate it!

Here's something for any one else interested in starting on this career path.

http://www.nongnu.org/lpi-manuals/

piddif

Nulty wrote: »

I am interested in becoming a linux/UNIX systems administrator and I want to get an idea of what is required in terms of experience and skills. I am doing a conversion masters in CompSci at UCD, finished in December. I'm currently learning about Active Directory and Server 2008 but I want to get involved in the Linux side of things.

Where should I be looking to get qualified for this type of job? What kind of jobs are there out there? Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I'm guessing this is the place to ask.

EDIT:
I found some interesting links in funk-you's thread of links. Especially this book on sysadmin job description.

Still interested to know about job prospects and applications in Dublin, Ireland or elsewhere for a graduate.

I came here to ask the exact same question....I too am enquiring about this career path, but I have a year out to start things off myself (amazon server etc) before committing to a conversion course.

I'm currently messing around with Arch linux and while it's tough it's really cool to do everything from the bottom up and through bash. I've been reccomended it as a way to fully understand the Linux file system and how packages work etc...I've only just begun so some of what I'm saying could be wrong....:o


How is the MA in UCD? I was thinking of doing that or the hDip in Maynooth after my year out.

How did you come to consider this career path? Why linux? Do you have a keen interest in linux/unix or did you identify an area of the IT market with good career prospects?

I probably have a mixture of both Good thread btw, very interested

TouchingVirus

There are jobs around at graduate level, even Boards.ie is on the look out for Graduate System Admins with an obvious leaning to web infrastructure as opposed to business/enterprise stacks.

What's already said for experience is definitely correct, it is king and education will only get you so far. But as far as your modules go there are a few that may be of some assistance that are listed with Semester 2:

Operating Systems I (COMP30090) [Possibly OS2 if there is one?]
SQL Programming (COMP41090)
Info Securityand case studies (COMP41250)
Introduction to Information Security (COMP41280)
Information Security Management II (COMP41270)

If you've got a web slant then I'd also go for:

Cloud Computing (COMP41110)
Advanced Web Info. Systems (COMP41080)