Systems Administration

Definition

Systems administration is the operations task during which the major non-network hardware components and associated low-level software components of one or more data centers are administered.

Objectives

The typical objectives of the systems administration task are to:

• Data Center Objectives. The data center environments support all relevant:
  • Operational availability requirements.
  • Performance requirements.
  • Scalability requirements.
• Operating System Objectives.
  • The server operating systems (e.g., UNIX, SunOS, AIX, Linex, VMS, or NT) function correctly.
  • The associated client operating systems (e.g., UNIX, Linex, MS-DOS, Windows, or MacOS) function properly.
  • These multiple, potentially heterogeneous operating systems function properly together.
• System Software Objectives.
  • The infrastructure software (e.g., file systems, print services, e-mail systems, news systems) functions properly.
  • The middleware (e.g., Web server, application server) software functions properly.
  • The browsers function properly.
• Non-Network Hardware Objectives:
  • The non-network data center hardware components (e.g., servers, boards, memory, libraries, devices, and peripherals) function properly.
  • Adequate hardware components (e.g., tape or disk libraries) will be available when needed.
• Coordination Objectives:
  • The work of the database administrators, network administrators, and operators is coordinated.
  • Systems administration steps are properly logged.

Preconditions

The systems administration task can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The usage phase has begun.
• The operations team has been adequately staffed with systems administrators. who are adequately trained and experienced in systems administration.
• Operating systems and system software have been installed in the data center, configured, and tested during the delivery phase.
• Non-network hardware components have been installed in the data center, configured, and tested during the delivery phase.

Completion Criteria

The systems administration task is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• The retirement phase has begun.
• The data center(s) have been retired.

Steps

The systems administration task typically involves the following teams performing the following steps in an interative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Systems Administrator(s) of the Operations Team:
  • Operating System Steps:
    • [Re]install operating systems.
    • Configure operating systems.
    • Monitor operating system status.
    • Update operating systems.
    • Diagnose operating system failures.
    • Repair operating system defects.
    • Maintain (e.g., patch) operating systems.
  • System Software Steps:
    • [Re]install system software (e.g., infrastructure software, middleware, and browsers).
    • Configure system software.
    • Monitor status of system software.
    • Update system software.
    • Maintain (e.g., patch) system software.
  • Hardware Steps:
    • [Re]install non-network data center hardware components (e.g., servers, boards, memory, libraries, devices, and peripherals).
    • Configure non-network data center hardware components.
    • Monitor non-network data center hardware components status.
    • Update non-network data center hardware components.
    • Detect, diagnose, analyze, and report hardware failures (at both the board-level and component-level).
    • Repair non-network data center hardware component defects.
    • Analyze system capacity and scalability trends.
    • Order additional hardware as required.
  • Coordination Steps:
    • Coordinate the database administrators.
    • Coordinate the Network administrators.
    • Coordinate the Operators.

Techniques

The systems administration task can typically be performed using the following techniques:

• Profiling and performance analysis
• Trend analysis

Work Products

The systems administration task typically results in the production of all or part of the following work products:

• Operations Work Products:
  • Operations Log (Systems administration task performances)

Guidelines

• Care should be taken to avoid unnecessary overlap between systems administration and application operations, database administration, and network administration.