From 1ed5453bdd2437be88d46e0dab6074b5e459cd3e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nico Schottelius Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:43:22 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] sysadmin bootstrap #2 Signed-off-by: Nico Schottelius --- blog/sysadmin-bootstrap-2.mdwn | 102 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 102 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blog/sysadmin-bootstrap-2.mdwn diff --git a/blog/sysadmin-bootstrap-2.mdwn b/blog/sysadmin-bootstrap-2.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 00000000..71ec48e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/sysadmin-bootstrap-2.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +[[!meta title="Sysadmin bootstrap - seek for information"]] + +After [[having setup the sysadmin console|sysadmin-bootstrap-1]], +it's now time to find out + + Where to start? + +## Background + +When I start a new jobs somewhere, the biggest challenge in the beginning +is to find out, what, where, when and how to do. In most companies this +becomes clear after a few days. In ETH, it's a bit different: There are +many internal service providers with very different focus. To find out +which are the machines I have to take care of, where they are located +and which services are running on them took me about a year. + + +## Step one: My bosses and the local sysadmins + +The ones who hired me should best know, what needs to be done. +After getting some basic information, the next +information centre here in ETH is the ISG, the +"IT Service Group", which takes care of general IT issues +in the department. In my case this is the the +[isginf](http://www.isg.inf.ethz.ch/). + +### Your local ISG + +So, what's about that ISG thingy? Why is it needed if I am hired +as a sysadmin? Aren't we competing against each other? The simple +answer is: **No.** While the ISG is also doing sysadmin related +stuff, their focus is on a broader view than the one of a dedicated +sysadmin. To quote from +[their site](http://www.isg.inf.ethz.ch/AboutUs): + + ...purchasing and repairing hardware.... + ...operating various central services... + ...administration of several hundreds of workstations... + ...allow the users...to concentrate on their main tasks... + +So as a sysadmin, maintaining hundreds of server and cluster machines, +focussing on the groups demands, the sysadmin is mostly working in +a different area. On the other hand, a sysadmin can have the ISG +maintain stuff in the group, which they can do good +and the sysadmin probably does not want to do (like Windows workstations). + + +## Step two: Retrieve information from newly know sources + +After the initial contact with the local folks, I'm ready to +dig into other sources I am know aware of. In this case: + + * [The Systems Group wiki](https://wiki.systems.ethz.ch/) + * [The Sysadmin wiki](https://trac.systems.inf.ethz.ch/trac/systems/ns/) + * [/sans/: sysadmins home](http://sans.ethz.ch/) + * [Informatikdienste](https://www1.ethz.ch/id/services/a_z) + +### Systems Group in detail + +Most of the information related to the sysadmin job for the Systems +Group can be found in the wiki. Though the wiki is probably always +a little bit behind the reality, it is heavily used and gives pointers +to the right places. + +### /sans/: Sysadmins home + +This is still a pretty youg project, but unique at ETH: It is a +regular sysadmin meeting and information exchange, without the formal +stuff or the the borders of departements. You may find a lot of +sysadmin related information directly on the website or find out more +in one of the meetings. + +### ID: Informatikdienste + +The ID are offering basic IT services for the whole ETH. Most of the +network stuff and things like the [Blog service](http://blogs.ethz.ch/) +is made by them. Although as a sysadmin you're mostly just using their +services without interacting with the people behind them, it's a good thought +to get in contact with them: In case the network is not working anymore, +they are the right ones to ask for help. + +There's a "little" trap though: The ID combine a lot of "smaller" +departements, of which one has to find the right one for the right problem. + + +## Step three: Not offering your own services + +While after some time a sysadmin will find out that a particular service +is missing in the group, it is probably worth *not* to offer it yourself: +Although one may get the impression that this particular service is not +available at ETH, you may almost always be wrong: + + Almost every service is already being provided somewhere at ETH. + +## Step four: Offering your own services + +After one has tried out the various services, you may still be unsatisfied: +Either because the service is not being offered they way you require or it +takes you a lot of time and energy to use it. While it may be worth and useful +to run your own service, always triple check step three! + +[[!tag eth sysadmin]]