What I need to know to become a System admin in hosting company

Started by troll22, Dec 06, 2022, 09:39 AM

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troll22Topic starter

Hi there,

As someone who is new to the world of system administration, I'm eager to break into the field of hosting web resources. I've already gained a year of experience working with Linux both at home and in the office, where I've been experimenting with configuring my own web server using apache2-nginx. I'm especially curious about the way hosting providers organize their web servers into a hierarchy.

Could you provide me with some guidance on what skills and knowledge are most essential for becoming a successful system administrator?

Thank you kindly!
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nisha03

As previously noted, the fundamental technologies to master include Apache, Nginx, Mysql, and PHP. In addition, it's essential to have experience setting up mail services with exim, postfix, cyrus, and dovecot, as well as the ability to detect and respond to DDoS attacks.

Knowledge of Zabbix, Nagios, and MRTG is also vital, as well as proficiency in Puppet, Chef, Git, and SVN.

Moreover, it is equally important to be familiar with various hosting panels like cPanel, ISPmanager, Plesk, DirectAdmin, and know how to efficiently operate and interact with them. Additionally, you should have a good understanding of popular CMS applications, such as WordPress, Joomla, Bitrix, and be able to resolve common issues that arise during their operation.

As a side note, mastering these skills will undoubtedly make you a valuable asset in the hosting industry and pave the way for more significant career opportunities
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kevin66

In the realm of hosting, it's essential to have a working knowledge of Apache, Nginx, Mysql, PHP, PostgreSQL, Redis, and node. It's also vital to have an understanding of fundamental concepts like HA, CDN, routing, firewalls, virtualization, and common hypervisors.

Of course, practical experience is also incredibly valuable, as the responsibilities can vary widely across different hosting environments. Some tasks may include network management, server maintenance, security management, architecture and development planning, and monitoring protocols.

To get a true sense of what the job entails, it's often helpful to take a more hands-on approach, such as applying for entry-level positions with hosting providers or doing some experimentation with building and managing your own servers. With diligent effort and a curious mindset, you'll be sure to pick up the skills you need to excel in this field.
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langergrp

For those interested in pursuing a career in network administration, numerous training programs and other educational opportunities are available. These include access to over 1500 active network devices, mainframes, SUN servers, and HP-UX platforms that offer valuable hands-on experience.

It's true that building a successful career in this field can be challenging, as some organizations may not fully appreciate the value of professional expertise. However, by gaining practical experience and seeking employment opportunities with more progressive companies, you can start to build a more promising future for yourself. In the long run, there's plenty of room to expand your skills and take on more significant responsibilities, provided you're willing to put in the effort.
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himachaldesk

To become a successful system administrator, there are several essential skills and knowledge areas you should focus on:

1. Operating Systems: Gain a deep understanding of operating systems such as Linux, Unix, or Windows. Learn how to perform system installations, configure network settings, manage file systems, and troubleshoot common problems.

2. Networking: Familiarize yourself with networking concepts including IP addressing, DNS, routing, firewalls, and load balancing. Understand how different protocols like TCP/IP and HTTP work together.

3. Virtualization and Containerization: Learn about virtualization technologies like VMware, KVM, or Hyper-V, and containerization platforms like Docker. These tools allow you to create isolated environments for running applications efficiently.

4. Scripting and Automation: Acquire scripting skills in languages like Bash, Python, or PowerShell. Automation is crucial for managing large-scale infrastructure and repetitive tasks.

5. Web Servers and Services: Gain expertise in popular web servers like Apache HTTP Server or Nginx. Understand how to install, configure, and secure them. Familiarize yourself with additional services such as databases (e.g., MySQL or PostgreSQL) and caching (e.g., Redis or Memcached).

6. Security: Develop a strong understanding of system security practices, including user management, access control, encryption, and firewalls. Stay updated on the latest security threats and best practices for securing systems and networks.

7. Monitoring and Performance: Learn how to monitor system performance, set up alerts, and analyze logs using tools like Nagios, Zabbix, or Prometheus. Troubleshoot performance issues and optimize system resource usage.

8. Backup and Disaster Recovery: Familiarize yourself with backup strategies and tools to ensure data integrity. Understand disaster recovery planning and how to restore systems from backups.

9. Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication and collaboration skills are essential for working with team members, stakeholders, and clients. Being able to clearly convey technical information is crucial.

10. Continuous Learning: The field of system administration constantly evolves, so commit yourself to continuous learning. Stay updated with new technologies, tools, and best practices through blogs, forums, and industry events.

11. Configuration Management: Familiarize yourself with configuration management tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef. These tools help automate the management and deployment of software configurations across multiple systems.

12. Cloud Technologies: Gain experience with cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Understand how to provision, manage, and secure virtual instances in the cloud.

13. Troubleshooting and Problem Solving: Develop strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. Learn how to diagnose and resolve system issues efficiently, using various tools and techniques.

14. Performance Tuning: Gain expertise in optimizing system performance by analyzing resource usage, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing necessary changes.

15. Incident Management and Response: Understand incident response methodologies and best practices. Learn how to handle incidents, perform root cause analysis, and implement preventive measures.

16. Storage and Data Management: Acquire knowledge of storage technologies such as RAID, SAN, NAS, and file systems like ext4 or NTFS. Understand data backup and recovery strategies.

17. Disaster Recovery Planning: Learn how to create disaster recovery plans and implement strategies to minimize data loss and downtime during critical events.

18. ITIL Framework: Familiarize yourself with the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, which provides best practices for IT service management. Understand concepts like incident management, change management, and service-level agreements (SLAs).

19. Documentation: Develop strong documentation skills. Documenting system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps is crucial for maintaining efficient and scalable systems.

20. Soft Skills: In addition to technical skills, cultivate soft skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and time management. These skills are vital for collaborating with colleagues and handling client interactions.

21. Database Management: Gain expertise in database administration, including installation, configuration, performance tuning, backup and recovery, and security of popular databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle.

22. Network Security: Understand network security principles and best practices, including firewall configurations, intrusion detection systems (IDS), virtual private networks (VPNs), and secure remote access protocols.

23. Automation Tools: Familiarize yourself with automation tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI/CD to set up continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines. Automate software builds, testing, and deployments.

24. Compliance and Regulatory Standards: Gain knowledge of compliance requirements and regulations specific to your industry, such as PCI-DSS for handling sensitive credit card information or GDPR for data privacy. Understand how to implement necessary controls.

25. Disaster Recovery Testing: Learn how to conduct regular disaster recovery testing exercises to ensure that backup systems and procedures function effectively during critical events.

26. DevOps Practices: Understand the DevOps culture and methodologies, which emphasize collaboration between development and operations teams. Gain knowledge of tools and practices like version control, infrastructure-as-code, and agile development.

27. Cloud Security: Develop expertise in securing cloud environments by understanding security groups, access control lists, encryption, identity and access management (IAM), and other cloud-specific security features.

28. Serverless Computing: Explore serverless computing concepts, such as AWS Lambda or Azure Functions, which allow running code without managing server infrastructure. Understand how to deploy and scale applications using serverless architectures.

29. Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Gain proficiency in monitoring and optimizing system performance using tools like Grafana, New Relic, or Datadog. Use metrics and logs to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks.

30. Soft Skills Development: Continually work on developing your soft skills, such as effective communication, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and the ability to work under pressure. These skills are crucial for collaborating with colleagues and managing technical projects.
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