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Frustrations with being a Sysadmin?
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Frustrations with being a Sysadmin?

I've recently come to realize how frustrating it can be being a Sysadmin. I often run into times where there are issues getting specific software installed and configured in a production server environment. I really wished I could easily install everything with the click of a button.

What are some of the problems you guys run into? Can anyone relate?

Comments

  • Like what sort of software install?
    What about a control panel? Why not code a small shell script to do the install of the software for you on new machines? (or pay someone a small fee to have it done for you, since itll will be worth your investment in yourself...)

  • @Brandon said:
    What are some of the problems you guys run into? Can anyone relate?

    Users. My job would be so much easier without all those pesky users!

    Seriously though, it's coordinating and managing disparate systems.

    Thanked by 2vRozenSch00n netomx
  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    That frustration is what challenges you to learn more, to do better. Every day as a sysadmin I am forcefully humbled and I learn something new. The more you know, the more you're worth. It's an extremely rewarding field.

  • 40 centimetre error really gets me :(

  • perennateperennate Member, Host Rep
    edited November 2014

    You debug it for two hours, then realize you fixed the same issue before but forgot to document it.

  • What the OP described is one of the joys of being a system administrator :]

    Thanked by 2Profforg netomx
  • k0nsl said: What the OP described is one of the joys of being a system administrator :]

    This.

    If @Brandon don't like it, then i think he choosed his profession incorrectly.

  • AnthonySmithAnthonySmith Member, Patron Provider

    My single biggest frustration apart from the one @perennate mentioned is encountering a new bug that really is not new at all, stick with me my story gets better, the last example was with doing some updates to a group of Xen servers, all patched up to date latest kernel/ Xen version running, happy days........ until.......

    Server hangs on reboot due to unloading modules in iptables, excellent, first reported upstream 5 years ago and now its back just ti piss on my chips and give me a bad day, never mind this was the first server the fix is simple enough and I do have it documented.

    Second error after reboot is Xen specific and again was documented 4 years ago and reported upstream, and then again 3 years ago, and again 2 years ago, and again 1 year ago..... and it is back to give me a bad day...

    That sort of thing really pisses me off, ancient issues coming back years later because no one ever really did a real root cause analysis.

    Thanked by 1vRozenSch00n
  • Solution

    Thanked by 10xdragon
  • @bofh said:

    Solution

    Ahh, the good old percussive maintenance tool. Works good on users ass wel.

  • @jbarr said:
    Seriously though, it's coordinating and managing disparate systems.

    How disparate are these systems? Are these all for work or clients?

  • @perennate said:
    You debug it for two hours, then realize you fixed the same issue before but forgot to document it.

    What do you use for documentation?

  • perennateperennate Member, Host Rep

    Brandon said: What do you use for documentation?

    Trac/MediaWiki/text files, depending on nature of project (if it's just me I usually just put whatever I need in text file).

  • I find that problem solving is the attraction of being a system admin. It's a giant puzzle that never ends. :)

    Thanked by 2Maounique Zen
  • @perennate said:
    Trac/MediaWiki/text files, depending on nature of project (if it's just me I usually just put whatever I need in text file).

    Do you ever try to automate any of that?

  • perennateperennate Member, Host Rep
    edited November 2014

    Brandon said: Do you ever try to automate any of that?

    How do you mean? Like the solutions to various problems? I think automating is hard for some things, like if you have three servers and some of them have nginx+php5-fpm, others apache+php5-fpm, others pound+varnish+something, and then you encounter common error after upgrading fpm or something, how do you automate resolving that? Or do you mean automating documentation?

  • Did someone already mention the stupid people? You know, the ones that have no idea about the project and just want to change the color of the text every three seconds.

    Thanked by 1netomx
  • @Pwner said:
    Did someone already mention the stupid people? You know, the ones that have no idea about the project and just want to change the color of the text every three seconds.

    I like the ones that give me a low quality photo (VGA camera) say, "zoom in, in that center. I want that color on my text." That's the best part of being sysadmin/developer.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    @Gadelhas said:
    I like the ones that give me a low quality photo (VGA camera) say, "zoom in, in that center. I want that color on my text." That's the best part of being sysadmin/developer.

    I can top that with an email printed, faxed, scanned, and uploaded as a PDF.

    Thanked by 2Gadelhas Maounique
  • Trying to explain things to end users.

  • The paradox for me is that if I do the job fast and well the client thinks it was too easy and why should they pay me so much. If I do it not so well, or take longer to do it, they think it is hard, and have no problem with the billing.

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran

    FrankZ said: The paradox for me is that if I do the job fast and well the client thinks it was too easy and why should they pay me so much. If I do it not so well, or take longer to do it, they think it is hard, and have no problem with the billing.

    You are lucky. I only met bosses that wanted it done fast, explained to them even though had no training to understand and be free if possible.
    But it helped me, now I can explain anything to a 2 yo which barely speaks. It does not work so easy the other end, though, I find it difficult to document stuff for the real geeks which tell me "wtf? you think I am stupid?" Some are even saying I got it wrong because of some detail I overexplain and it makes them question my competence and at times my sanity.

  • FrankZFrankZ Veteran
    edited November 2014

    Maounique said: You are lucky.

    So very true. And good looking as well ...

  • edited November 2014

    "Hey, my Internet connection is slow, can you inbox me the files so I can copy paste them onto my folder?"

    "What the..."

    Thanked by 1upfreak
  • @FrankZ said:
    The paradox for me is that if I do the job fast and well the client thinks it was too easy and why should they pay me so much. If I do it not so well, or take longer to do it, they think it is hard, and have no problem with the billing.

    this used to be an issue for me a decade back. Now most clients do understand the idea of modular programming and the notion of licensing pre-made software compoments.

  • mikhomikho Member, Host Rep

    @FrankZ said:
    The paradox for me is that if I do the job fast and well the client thinks it was too easy and why should they pay me so much. If I do it not so well, or take longer to do it, they think it is hard, and have no problem with the billing.

    I've had this talk with alot of customers who calls me and while on the phone I fix their issue. To the point is that most contracts with local customers says that I only invoice in full hours so anything between minute 1 and 60 == invoice for a full hour.

    Every time the customer argues about the invoice I tell them to do it themself, they are not only paying for my time, they are paying for my knowledge.

    Maounique said: I find it difficult to document stuff for the real geeks which tell me "wtf? you think I am stupid?" Some are even saying I got it wrong because of some detail I overexplain and it makes them question my competence and at times my sanity.

    I'd take documentation that is "overexplained" every day. I've more then a handful of times taken over customers from other consultant companys and the one thing that is always lacking is the documentation. Usually only explaining half the system/application or missing vital steps in a flowchart.

    Thanked by 1FrankZ
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