On Systems Administration
Reflections on a great career title
Note: Any essay that is titled “On X” is traditionally guaranteed to be arrogant, dismissive, stuffy, and self-absorbed. These types of essays usually portray an opinion as canon, and often leave very little room for spirited debate. I’ll do my best not to buck that trend with this work.
Background
When I was 16 years old, I wanted to be a “systems administrator.” I thought the title sounded cool, and I loved playing with server software and seeing networks come together. I’ll never forget my excitement learning about the very basics of Windows domains. I installed some long-forgotten, GUI-based, OSS domain controller software on an old computer and joined another computer to the domain. I can still remember how I felt watching my network login succeed on a computer connected to that topology.
I was so sold on this systems administration thing that I pursued a degree in “Applied Networking and Systems Administration” within the now-defunct “Networking, Security, and Systems Administration” department at the Rochester Institute of Technology. At some point on this journey, I discovered a passion for layers 1 through 4 of the OSI model, and I pursued networking instead. I landed a job in network operations for a large defense contractor as a “network planning…
