Systems Admin VS UNIX Admin

[chosen1]

My manager recently approached me about an open position in being a UNIX admin/systems analyst. Currently I've been working 5 years doing NT administation, desktop support and maintaining all the NT servers in my single flat domain. Only thing I do not handle is CISCO switches and Exchange Server since it is outsourced. This is my first job out of school. I do think I'm a bit stagnant but I do like my current position a lot. Unfortunately if I become a Unix admin, I will be out of the LAN area and UNIx will be my priority 90% of the time.

I've been debating the pros/cons of such a move against my current position.
The pros are:
- Increase skills/resume builder(I'm good at what I do but I'm not certified. UNIX would be a plus on Resume)
- More $$$

The cons are(from what I seen):
- Less people interaction. I'm a social prude in my home life but I'm a people person at work.
- I become a desk jockey. The unix position requires me to sit in front of my PC more as the hardware maintenance part is outsourced. I don't know if I'm disciplined enough to do command line work all day...
- Less variety. Maybe I'm wrong but I think there are more different things to learn as a LAN admin then UNIX person

I'm welcome to any opinions/enlightnment as to what I should choose. Especially any insight on to what UNIX admins day to day stuff are.

Thanks for your help!
-Phil

 

[AIXSPadmin]

"...I do like my current position a lot..."

What more do you need answered? That alone says it all!

 

[sleipnir214]

I am not going to recommend one way or the other, but I will comment on the cons you have seen in the new position.

Social interaction. This is a nice perk to a job, but not the reason you are there. That said, there is nothing stopping you from maintaining your social contacts on a purely social basis (as opposed to incidental social interation as you chat while you fix someone's system). You'll just have to put in the effort to keep those contacts fresh.

Discipline needed to work a desk. If you don't have it, you need it. Whether in your current job or in the position you have described. As such, I would not weigh this one heavily as a con of the new position.

Less variety. This may be true -- I can't respond because I don't know what your company does with these systems. But if you are going to manage complex services on these systems, you'll probably find that you have as much or more to do than you did before. And you won't have some pretty point-and-click interace to do a lot of it. Besides, you'll have a healthy learning curve to climb just learning your new job. Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[KornGeek]

My feelings on this:
If you have found a job that pays you well enough and that you enjoy, I would cherish it. You can still learn new skills and earn certifications (if those are important to you) on your personal time. Unix does look good on a resume, but only if you're willing to work with it in future jobs. My best piece of advice is find something you love to do, and then find a way to pay the bills doing it.

However, if the only reason you're not pursuing this job is fear of change, then I think you might be making a mistake. Often times, the things I've enjoyed the most are things that I didn't expect to like. This goes for many areas of life including jobs, music, food, etc. I think you have some misconceptions about Unix. It's more than just command line prompts. There is a lot to learn and do. However, it is not for everyone. Find somebody doing the job you're considering, and find out what their average work week consists of. You might find that this is something you'd like more, or you might find that it is completely the wrong fit for you. Either way, it tends to be better to find out in advance.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[AnanthaP]

I don't know.

(1) Unix (and Linux and Novell and all others) run with less problems - and interventions - compared to the Windows family. This should leave you more time to spend interacting.

(2) In the present day, Unix does not mean less LAN admin. Most clients are anyway Windows based and most companies have a good mix. A little less of LAN troubleshooting may be, but whats the content? How repetitive is it? Was it getting you anywhere?

(3) With careful DBA work on a Unix system (which usually runs "core" apps), you van get to know more about the way the company operates.

HTH.

End

 

[chosen1]

A lot of good points here.

Well after spending some time with the guy I would be working with if I took the position and asking various co-workers about it...I'm leaning towards declining.
One thing to note, all the technical people I asked at work seem to have more of a negative feel and all the non-technical people think its a good opportunity.


While the job is a good opportunity as I would learn one of the core apps of our dept, how it operates on the business level, plus a little extra DBA stuff in the long haul added to the UNIX stuff I learn from the beginning.

I find some negatives with the new position

- The core app which runs on UNIX is always in a constant state of change and is 80% stable. When the app is updated to meet the user's needs it tends to break something else that was working. This leads to some work on nights and weekends.

- The work environment is too structured to what I'm used to. Right now I'm pratically my own boss and can do things accordingly to how I see fit. IN the other position, its more team-like because of its nature.

- If there is a problem and I know how to fix it or trying to troubleshoot it. I can't do this on my own even if i know the solution. IF its a hardware issue, our data center is responsible as they have the hardware and know the root password., if its an app issue, the vendor needs to be contacted. In some cases both parties are needed.

- The core app is becoming even more critical as it may become international in reach. So if I plan on staying in my company in the long haul it would be best to take it as it is almost an untouchable position. The problem is I won't have much peace of mind and I just don't foresee myself doing it in the longterm.

-Its more project manager then technical. I won't mind that provided the system is more stable but for the past two years its been somewhat erratic. Plus my work style is like a lone wolf/control freak. I favor operating alone.

- If I do take it, it won't be much of a monetary inrease. Probably something like a raise. So I can't really warrant taking it unless I like stress/pressure. To me peace of mind and enjoying my job is more of a priority as it took me 5 years to get to the calm...



The plus's are with the new position:
- Learn UNIX shell scripting and enviorment
- Extra money, not a whole lot. perhaps 65k a year or less...
- Its probably the only way to move up in the department as there isn't much of a job tier structure. Evrything is somewhat flat.
- The position is untouchable. Unless they get rid of the app, you're guaranteed the job.
- Something different.

So I'm leaning towards declining however I won't rule out helping out here and there with smaller tasks. In the meantime, I'm going to use the time a work when I ahve it to learn new things and work towards certification with my lab environment.

So knowing some of the stuff I layed out what's youre opinions..

Thanks for hearing me out.

 

[AnanthaP]

Yes, I agree.

Somebody knows the root password and some other person (vendor) gets called in when the app needs changing. So what do you guys do? No wonder the tech guys have a negetive feel.

Cheers.

End

 

[drdebit]

"Right now I'm pratically my own boss and can do things accordingly to how I see fit
Plus my work style is like a lone wolf/control freak. I favor operating alone.
To me peace of mind and enjoying my job is more of a priority as it took me 5 years to get to the calm"

I have spent more years than I care to remember being a disgruntled, unhappy, complaining, stressed, etc at company attitudes about my work departments, areas, etc and having no control over purchases of "tools" or "education" that would be useful to me in my work. If you have those things in a job situation that matches your work style, I think you have something very valuable-something you should not lightly discard.

"Extra money, not a whole lot. perhaps 65k a year or less...
If I do take it, it won't be much of a monetary inrease. Probably something like a raise."

I've seen a couple of threads, one something about is the industry coming to $12/hr and the other something like is $100k possible. Based on those, if your current compensation is anywhere near the $65k--and you have a job you like with minimal overtime to boot--again you have got something many others would like and don't have.

If the nt servers means nt4, perhaps there would be a 2000/2003 conversion in your future which would give you 2 additional kinds of experience which might prove valuable.
1 would be planning and managing a large scale conversion, the other would be experience with more current software.

"I do think I'm a bit stagnant"
I also hear that. I know that can be frustrating. I'm on the tail end of things-am not particularly employable and have lost the opportunities to make a "career" and am currently more doing a "job" in order to have some income for my family. For you my thoughts would be to take a look again at your job and see if there are ways in a combination of external educational advancement and possible changes in hardware/software internally (in your current area) that will help deal with this. After some consideration, if you still think a change is appropriate, start a long term plan for it. Think about you, the areas of IT you're finding that you like and start a search for related opportunity.