SYSTEM

ADMINISTRATION
 OUTLINE

 Introduction
 System Administration duties
 System Administration skills
 System Administration training
 User profiles

 User Management
 Tools and Management console
 User rights
 Permissions
INTRODUCTION

• A System Administrator is a technical person responsible for:

• user management
• system security (access, backup, physical)
• managing computer resources (e.g., software, hardware, network)
• user support

• System Administrators have special privileges that enable them to execute these
responsibilities
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION DUTIES

• Analyze system logs and identify potential issues that need attention.
• Introduce and integrate new technologies.
• Performing backups.
• Updating OSs and applying patches and configuration changes.
• Installing and configuring new hardware and software.
• Configure, monitor and maintain:
• Email applications
• Virus protection software
• Etc.
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION DUTIES (CONT.)

• Adding, removing or updating user accounts.

• Answering technical queries.
• Enforcing and maintaining system security.
• System configuration and documentation.
• Troubleshooting
• System performance tuning.
• Ensure that the network infrastructure is up and running.
DAILY DUTIES OF AN S.A
SYSTEM ADMIN. CHECK LIST
SYSTEM ADMIN SKILLS
KNOWLEDGE AREAS REQUIRED OF A
SYS. ADMIN:
• Operating systems
• Application software
• Software troubleshooting
• Network management
• Hardware
SYSTEM ADMIN TRAINING

• Unlike many other professions, there is no single path;

• Either study a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at NUST, or
• Do a specialization in any of the certifications below:
• Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
• Red Hat Certification Program (RHCP)
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) (Cisco)
• Sun Certified Network Administrator (SCNA)
• A+
• N+
• Etc.
SYSTEM ADMIN RELATED JOBS

• Some large organizations split the job of a System Admin. into different jobs:
• Database Administrator – responsible for the data and performance of the system.
• Network Administrator – maintains network infrastructure.
• Security Administrator – a specialist in computer and network security. Implements security
measures and trains the staff on secure procedures.
• Web Administrator – maintains web services.
• Technical Support Staff – respond to individual user’s difficulties with computer systems.
• Computer Operator – performs routine maintenance and upkeep e.g. changing backup taps or
replacing failed drives in a RAID.
VARIOUS ACCOUNTS

• There are three types of accounts on a Linux system:

1. Root account: This is the account that has complete and unrestricted control of the system. This
user should be assumed as a system administrator.
2. System accounts: Accounts needed for the operation of system-specific components. These
accounts are usually needed for some specific function on your system, and any modifications to
them could badly affect the system.
3. User accounts: User accounts provide interactive access to the system for users and groups of
users. General users are typically assigned to these accounts and usually have limited access to
critical system files and directories.

• Every account would be a part of any group account. Unix groups plays important role in
handling file permissions and process management.
USER PROFILES

• A collection of settings that describes a user’s working environment.

• In Linux the setting files are stored in /etc
• Windows stores the profile in the folder C:\Users
TYPES PROFILES

• Local profile – stored on computer’s local hard disk.

• Changes made to a profile only effected to that user.
• To copy or delete select System => Advanced tab => Settings => User Profile.
• Roaming profile – stored on a server.
• Changes made are synchronized with a copy on the server when the user logs off.
• User can change computers over the network and still maintains the same profile.
• Takes more time to load than a local profile because of its use of network resources
TYPES PROFILES

• Local profile – stored on computer’s local hard disk.

• Changes made to a profile only effected to that user.
• To copy or delete select System => Advanced tab => Settings => User Profile.
• Roaming profile – stored on a server.
• Changes made are sychronised with a copy on the server when the user logs off.
• User can change computers over the network and still maintains the same profile.
• Takes more time to load than a local profile because of its use of network resources
TYPES PROFILES (CONT.)

• Mandatory profile
• Just like roaming profiles, they are stored from a network server and are copied to the user's desktop upon
logon.
• The difference is that when the user logs off, mandatory profiles are not copied back to the server.
• Systems Admin renames the NTuser.dat to NTuser.man, thus making it a read-only profile.
• Used by System Admin’s to specify the settings for users.
• Only modified by System Admins.
• This prevents the user from making any changes to the profile.

• Temporary profile
• Issued when an error happen in loading a user’s profile
• Temporary files deleted each time at log off.