The configuration and management of the hardware, software and operating systems also known as our infrastructure used to support users and devices and the applications they rely on to do their job.

is exposed to everything and everyone. Hardware, software, users and devices. Plus, every team in the organization relies on the SysAd to ensure that the infrastructure is operating normally day in and day out.is exposed to everything and everyone. Hardware, software, users and devices. Plus, every team in the organization relies on the SysAd to ensure that the infrastructure is operating normally day in and day out.is exposed to everything and everyone. Hardware, software, users and devices. Plus, every team in the organization relies on the SysAd to ensure that the infrastructure is operating normally day in and day out.

These guys and gals are responsible for the organization’s network infrastructure which consists of routers and switches and the traffic flowing through them.

These folks are responsible for maintaining web servers. Web server is a fancy term for a server, a machine in our data center that hosts websites and web services. They are also responsible for exposing those websites and web services externally to the internet as well as to our internal users.These folks are responsible for maintaining web servers. Web server is a fancy term for a server, a machine in our data center that hosts websites and web services. They are also responsible for exposing those websites and web services externally to the internet as well as to our internal users.

These folks are responsible for securing the organization’s systems and networks. They are also responsible for firewalls. Both hardware firewall living in the inside and outside the network, as well as software firewalls living on the machines. You may think of them as traffic police. Or mall police. Only instead of sitting in malls, they sit on the organization’s networkThese folks are responsible for securing the organization’s systems and networks. They are also responsible for firewalls. Both hardware firewall living in the inside and outside the network, as well as software firewalls living on the machines. You may think of them as traffic police. Or mall police. Only instead of sitting in malls, they sit on the organization’s network

They are the ones responsible for the organization’s database servers. And the database is living on those servers. Databases are used by applications to read and write data. So these folks are responsible for ensuring efficiency and integrity of that data.They are the ones responsible for the organization’s database servers. And the database is living on those servers. Databases are used by applications to read and write data. So these folks are responsible for ensuring efficiency and integrity of that data.

These people are special. And here’s why. All previously discussed roles and other roles not mentioned such as developers, standard users and power users, they all need to go through the system administrator usually to request permissions via their user accounts to perform their configuration and everyday duties. And just to access the system in general.

consists of a single exam and covers configuration, management and troubleshoot of wired and wireless network devices.

covers server architecture, storage, networking and troubleshooting plus disaster recovery.

Covers common task in all the major distributions of Linux.

. If you pass ANY Microsoft Exam, you’re an MCP.

Exams that are vendor specific version of CompTIA+ and CompTIA Network+. They are foundation for whatever role or field in IT you want to get in to.

By far the most popular, most desired certification by employers. These are role-based certifications. There is an MCSA for productivity/office. There is an MCSA for Mobility, for Cloud, for infrastructure. And on the Systems Administrations side. It Actually consists of three (3) exams. One for compute, one for networking, and one for Active Directory.

– You just need to pass a single exam from a list of exams within a role. Those list of exams are known as electives and are usually very specific, focusing on a single technology. You pass one of those, you become an MCSE (for a year). You’d be given a fancy Microsoft Badge.

This has nothing to do with Systems Administration as this targets developers building mobile, web and desktop applications.

Consist of a single exam that covers awareness and knowledge of all the major Linux distribution like Debian, Ubuntu, Suse, CentOS, RedHat. And also a little bit about finding your way around the Linux System through basic command line operations.

This is basic Administration focused on installation and configuration of hardware and the Linux operating system. Packages and package management and a little bit deeper in the command line operations. And some scripting. This consists of 2 exams.

This covers the advance side of Systems Administration. This covers networking services like DNS, DHCP, SSE, Web Servers, File Servers etc. This consist of two (2) exams.

This is vendor specific (RedHat) certification exam for Linux

There are many types of servers in a data center. Rack servers, Tower servers, Blade servers. All these different types of enclosures that houses a server that provides, power, cooling, and a much more efficient usage of space.

to provide network services to its users, to software and applications and to other servers within its environment.

The most popular type of server that you’ll find in every environment and oftentimes multiples in every environment is the blank This type of server is used to store content for everybody. Users store their files.

Which is used to exposed websites externally to the Internet and internally to the organization’s users on the intranet (internal or company network).

Which is primarily used by websites and applications to read and write data into a structured database. This is different from a file server which stores unstructured data.

are used to host the middle-tier components of an application. So the front-end of your application which is a website or the application running on the desktop.

are used to expose printers to the network so everyone can use them. And it also gives the ability to centrally manage the printers, the drivers associated with them and the print jobs that are running on them.

are used to store process and deliver emails.

are used to cut down the amount of hardware in the data center. One Server can host many servers and operating systems

Another very important piece of hardware that Systems Administrator is responsible for are

have been around forever since the 1950s so they are ancient technology. Sixty plus years and still, widely used today. They are also referred to as magnetic or mechanical disk. And that is because they used magnetism to store data on a rotating platter. They are big and slow compared to SSDs. But their major advantage is that they can store large amount of data cheaply.

Use flash storage that contains no moving parts whatsoever as data is stored on a microchip in the drive.

Is a low-cost, low maintenance solution, where a storage subsystem is either a part of or, directly attached to, the servers. This could be anything from a stack of HDDs and SSDs inside of the machine or in its own enclosure externally connected to the machine. It is great for small businesses that do not have the I.T. staff or the budget to handle the more complex storage solutions.

When the storage sub-system moves to the network itself and connected directly to the network switch.

NAS

SAN

gives us the best of both worlds. The performance of a DAS with the scalability of a NAS. In this architecture, the storage devices are still directly connected to a switch. But they are connected to a special high-speed switch known as a fiber channel switch. And that gives them their own high speed network known as a

is a storage architecture that separates storage software from its hardware. Unlike traditional network-attached storage (NAS) or storage area network (SAN) systems, SDS is generally designed to perform on any industry-standard or x86 system, removing the software’s dependence on proprietary hardware. For example Microsoft has Storage Spaces (desktop) and Storage Spaces Direct (enterprise and data center) which is built into every version of Windows

allows us to create a huge pool from our physical disks.

There is a good amount of _____ between the Systems Administrator’s role and the Network Administrator’s role.

is a traffic related networking device that allow us to extend the reach of our local network to support mobile devices.

monitor incoming and outgoing traffic. We configure security rules on these firewalls to allow or block specific kinds of traffic. In home networks, the firewall is usually built into the router.

Its job is to provide automatic assignment of IP addresses and allows a System Administrator to centrally administer of IP addresses across all the devices on our network.Its job is to provide automatic assignment of IP addresses and allows a System Administrator to centrally administer of IP addresses across all the devices on our network.

is responsible for translating IP addresses to host names and host names into IP addresses.

is a command line (or terminal) utility to test connectivity between machines on the local network and even out to the internet.

A ___ is what facilitates communication between a local network. All of our devices are connected to a switch and all that traffic goes through the switch to get to its destination from its source.

are a lot like switches and they connect multiple networks together and have the ability to forward traffic outside of the local network.

are malicious actions or activities that target computer systems, networks, and data, with the intent to compromise their integrity, availability, or confidentiality.

a broad category of malicious software designed to harm, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems. Common forms of malware include viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, and ransomware.

are programs that attach themselves to legitimate files and replicate when those files are executed. They can spread from one computer to another through infected files or email attachments.

are self-replicating programs that can spread across networks and systems without any user intervention. They can consume network bandwidth and degrade system performance.

appear to be legitimate software but contain malicious code. They can create backdoors for hackers, steal sensitive data, or carry out other harmful actions.

encrypts a user's files or entire system, making them inaccessible. Attackers demand a ransom from the victim to provide the decryption key.

is designed to secretly collect information about a user's activities, such as browsing habits, keystrokes, and login credentials. This information is then sent to third parties without the user's consent.

displays unwanted advertisements to users and often comes bundled with legitimate software. While not as malicious as other threats, it can be annoying and impact system performance.

attacks involve tricking users into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data by posing as a trustworthy entity via email, websites, or other means.

attacks manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. These attacks often exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities.

attacks overload a system or network to make it unavailable to users.

attacks involve multiple compromised systems attacking a target simultaneously to overwhelm it.

These are attacks that target vulnerabilities in software or hardware that are not yet known to the vendor or have not been patched.

occur when individuals within an organization misuse their access to compromise systems, steal data, or engage in other malicious activities.

are networks of compromised computers, known as "bots" or "zombies," controlled by a central entity. They are often used for activities such as spam distribution, DDoS attacks, or cryptocurrency mining.

are stealthy forms of malware that gain unauthorized access to a system and modify its operating system to hide their presence. They are difficult to detect and remove.

These attacks occur when a user unintentionally downloads malicious software while visiting a compromised website or clicking on a deceptive link.

record a user's keystrokes on their keyboard, capturing sensitive data like passwords and credit card numbers. Cybercriminals can then use this information for fraudulent purposes.

are hidden entry points into a system, allowing unauthorized access. They are often created by malware or malicious actors to maintain access to a compromised system.

operates in memory and doesn't rely on traditional files or executables. This makes it harder to detect using traditional antivirus methods.

can change its code or appearance each time it infects a new system, making it difficult for antivirus programs to identify and remove.

involves writing scripts in the batch file format to automate tasks in Windows operating systems

Adds a comment.

Turns off command echoing, useful for cleaner

Displays messages or turns on/off command echoing.

Pauses the script and displays "Press any key to continue...".

Prompts for confirmation before deleting each file.

Force deletes read-only files.

Deletes specified files from all subdirectories.

Quiet mode, does not ask for confirmation.

Selects files to delete based on attributes.