What Does a System Administrator Do? Career Guide

System administrators—also known as sysadmins—are information technology (IT) professionals who ensure an organization’s computer systems function and meet its needs. Sysadmins support, troubleshoot, and maintain computer servers and networks.

What is system administration? Tasks and responsibilities

A system administrator’s job description might include: 

• Managing Windows, Linux, or Mac systems

• Upgrading, installing, and configuring application software and computer hardware

• Troubleshooting and providing technical support to employees

• Creating and managing system permissions and user accounts

• Performing regular security tests and security monitoring

• Maintaining networks and network file systems

System administrator salary and job prospects

According to Glassdoor, a system administrator’s average annual base salary in Canada is $72,828 CAD, with the potential to earn an additional $4,336 CAD in bonuses, tips, and profit sharing [1]. Salaries can vary depending on experience and the province or territory you work in. 

Systems administrator employment is expected to grow at a “Moderate” to “Good” rate in most provinces and territories through 2025, according to the Government of Canada Job Bank [2]. 

How to be a system administrator

Depending on the job you want to apply for, you may need to complete a college or similar program in computer science, network administration, web technology, or a related field. You may also need to complete software training. 

You might also need certification from a regulatory authority in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Becoming a system administrator entails learning some specialized skills. Earning a specialized certification can also bring you needed experience and enhance your resume.

System administration vs. network administration

Some organizations use system administrator and network administrator interchangeably. They have many overlapping responsibilities, but there’s technically a difference. System administration focuses on servers and computer systems, while network administrators work more specifically with network-related tasks and equipment, like setting up routing, IP addresses, and maintaining local area networks (LAN).

If you’re in a smaller organization, these responsibilities might be folded into one role, while larger organizations tend to differentiate them. Since systems and networks are often intertwined, it’s not rare to see job descriptions that require knowledge of both.

Skills you need as a system administrator

As a sysadmin, you’ll need to develop a core set of skills that will ensure your organization's computer systems run smoothly. Here are the top skills that you’ll want on your resume:

• In-depth knowledge of operating systems: Whether it’s Windows, Linux, or Mac, hiring managers generally look for competency in administering the operating system used in their company. Windows and Linux operating systems have been widely embraced and are good systems to start with, though it’s a good idea to check if your industry favors one over others.

• Familiarity with hardware: Working physical devices—such as servers or printers—will be essential to a system administrator's job. 

• Cloud computing skills: Familiarity with cloud applications like Office365, Google Cloud Platform, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) can give you a boost in the hiring process.

• Knowledge of networks: Being able to set up and maintain local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN), in addition to setting up network security features like firewalls, are often expected of system administrators. This is often the case at smaller companies, where IT professionals wear many hats.

• Communication and interpersonal skills: In addition to working on a team, sysadmins will often help other employees who don’t have the same technical knowledge through help desk support or other means. Communicating well will be a key part of a system administrator’s successful day-to-day tasks.

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Certifications for system administrators

You can earn several certifications and certificates to gain experience as a systems administrator.

Read more: 10 Essential IT Certifications

1. Windows Server Administration Fundamentals

Knowledge of Windows servers is likely a significant asset as a system administrator. The Windows Server Administration Fundamentals certification will qualify your expertise in Windows servers, networking, Active Directory, account management, and system recovery tools. 

2. Google IT Support Professional Certificate

The Google IT Support Professional Certificate equips you with skills to tackle common sysadmin tasks such as customer support and troubleshooting. It also introduces you to commonly used systems, like Linux and domain name systems and prepares you for the CompTIA A+ exam. The course is not a certification but will earn you an industry-recognized professional certificate and requires no previous experience.

3. Red Hat System Administrator Certification

Getting the Red Hat System Administrator Certification will give you the needed experience with Linux operating systems to help you land an entry-level systems administration job.

4. CompTIA Server+ or A+

CompTIA offers several certifications that prepare you for entry-level positions. The Server+ or A+ certifications provide you with the necessary skills and experience to start applying for entry-level IT jobs. While you’ll gain specialized knowledge around servers with the Server+ certification, the A+ certification covers a broader set of skills applicable to other aspects of IT.

Preparing for the sysadmin interview

Preparing for an interview means anticipating some questions and knowing how to answer them. Here are some basic questions you might encounter when interviewing for a system administrator role.

• Describe your experience with hardware.

• How would you deal with a virus?

• How would you know when to upgrade a server?

• Tell us about a time when you couldn’t solve an issue. What did you do?

• What qualities do you have that make you a good system administrator?

Interviewing for IT jobs

Since IT jobs are highly technical, interviewers will likely ask you several technical questions in addition to personal behavioural questions. Be prepared for both. Refresh your IT skills by mentally walking through several tasks you know how to perform and practise explaining them aloud.

It’s a good idea to think about some stories of when something went well for you and when things didn’t go so well—and what you did to improve it. Having concrete examples at the ready can help you feel mentally prepared and appear more confident to employers.

Getting started as a system administrator

As computers grow in importance in virtually every sector of the economy, system administrators play a vital role in ensuring computer systems run smoothly and securely. They will likely be an important part of the IT sector for the foreseeable future.

Getting started as a system administrator can be as simple as enrolling in a course. Check out the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera to see if it's a fit. The program covers technical support fundamentals, computer networking, operating systems, and more. Upon completion, gain exclusive access to career resources like resume review, interview prep, and career support.