For a company’s infrastructure to run smoothly, all the components; hardware, software, data management and network departments must be well managed. These infrastructure components require system administrators and network managers to run effectively and efficiently. The two personnel play great roles in managing the infrastructure that provides platforms for supporting all information systems.
A system administrator is one who takes charge of setting up and sustaining a system. Every organization, big or small, requires a system administrator to operate its systems. A system is hardware, software, and all the peripheral devices that ensure the proper running of the computer. A network manager works to ensure an operational network connection is accessible without failure at all times. The ultimate goal of a network manager is to ensure configurations and setups in the network are as effortless and sure as possible. He works in a bid to ensure appropriate network connectivity. Network managers take charge of the designing, implementation and administration of computer network systems ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. A computer network is a series of computers that use a fair amount of information transversely across wireless technology. A protocol and the hardware component are the two main components that are a prerequisite in computer networking (Hollberg 34).
However, the two personnel; a system administrator and network manager play different roles. While system administrators are solely responsible for maintaining all the computer systems of an organization or company, a network manager works to ensure an active and running network all the time. A network manager administers a network. System administrators are wholly responsible for server supervision and management. Systems administration entails the smooth running of the operations of the different components that form the computer system. These include a network system, other IT systems, or technical systems.
System administrators put up, maintain, modify and upgrade servers. Network managers work effortlessly to ensure networking setups and configurations work without failure or difficulty (Zucker 78). System administrators not only manage servers, but they also ensure backing up of servers and data within them secure from any unlawful access by unauthorized persons. They will once in a while perform fair programming which entails scripting-writing programs to computerize tasks. Network managers are obliged to the maintenance of only network-related servers. They ensure accurate connectivity to all the personnel within an organization. System administrators’ responsibilities entail setting up, supporting, and upholding servers and other computer systems. They also plan for solutions when problems arise. Network managers restore default routes, attain Internet Protocol addresses and amend name servers if need be.
System administrators manage jobs that are running by either viewing or canceling them. They generate create, view, amend and delete role definitions. Schedules offer guidelines to processes at work. These schedules are laid down by the system administrators who supervise the whole systems’ roles, responsibilities and tasks relationships. Network managers ensure uninterrupted connectivity of the network. The users should never notice that connections have been managed by the network manager as its connectivity should flow smoothly from the moment they plug in the wired network connection.
The system administrator ensures server security and the proper functioning of the entire structure while the network managers work to ensure the network functions fully and are as well secured. Security by the system administrators is reinforced at the servers, exchanges for mail, files and databases. Network managers reinforce security between servers, control traffic, intranet and internet. They also supervise and maintain firewalls for web pages. However, they are closely knit as they work hand in hand to ensure an accurate infrastructure.
System administrators mount (install) and configure software and hardware and their components. They apply updates in the operating systems and apply changes as required. Network managers install and configure routing procedures. They also assign Internet Protocol addresses to the devices interlinked in the network. The ultimate role of a system administrator is problem-solving. The technical know-how is paramount in diagnosing and resolving the problems that arise in the workstations and servers. They also answer technical queries, troubleshoot reported issues, tune the system performance and keep the systems up and running. Network managers provide debug solutions for problems that arise at the network level (Burges 53). They plan the network, make resources available at the network, customize it and ensure it runs smoothly.
The two complement each other despite their differences. While a system administrator manages the server infrastructure, the network manager takes charge of the network infrastructure. The system administrator’s roles are more wide-ranging as compared to those of the network manager although the two are closely knit as they combine forces to ensure accuracy and perfection of the entire infrastructure. Network management is seen as one of the many aspects of system administration.
Generally, network management is a narrow segment while system administration is broad and encompasses other functions that go beyond technical system support and networking. Depending on the different companies, the tasks handled by the two may be taken over by either of them.
Works Cited
Burges Mark. Analytical networking and system administration. West Sussex, UK: John Willey and Sons Ltd, 2004. Print.
Hollberg Bruce. Networking: A beginner’s guide. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill & Sons Companies Ltd, 2010. Print.
Zucker Craig. Networking: The complete reference. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill & Sons Companies Ltd, 2001. Print.