I'm a new sys admin with no prior experience, just transitioning from procurement. I manage tools like Office, Intune, Zoom (all connected to Okta), Adobe, and Jamf. I was thrown into this role and told to learn fast! What are essential things I should be aware of? Any tips on advanced techniques or automation for these tools, especially for cleanup and monitoring?
11 Answers
Honestly, employers expect you to know everything these days! It's wild.
Don't forget to take lots of notes! Documentation is key.
1. Don't trust users—always start troubleshooting with the basics, like checking if it's plugged in.
2. Stay friendly, even when users are frustrated. Just focus on solving their issues.
3. Get to know your managers and understand their work style; being visible and helpful can make you irreplaceable.
4. Take care of yourself outside of work—IT can be draining!
I'm also becoming the go-to person in my office! I appreciate the thanks, especially since I know it's just a job.
A.I. tools are the future! Embrace them.
Learn how to communicate clearly. If you can't solve an issue right away, keep users in the loop on what you're doing. They appreciate transparency.
Make sure to document everything! After meetings, send out a quick recap and keep a personal log of important discussions. This can protect you in case anything goes wrong in the future. You'll want proof of what decisions were made and who made them, just in case things get messy.
Make sure every interaction is logged in your ticketing system. If there's no ticket, don't do the work. Keep everything evidence-based!
If you're looking to explore Linux, it's amazing! Use it for every server and workstation; people will appreciate it. And Samba can fully replace AD.
Learning to research on your own is vital. Utilizing resources like Reddit can give you a ton of insight.
If you're using Intune, get familiar with PowerShell cmdlets. It's a game changer for managing policies and configs! Also, for Jamf, make sure you've got escrow buddy set up and all encryption keys stored safely. Just keep focusing on the business needs, and you'll do great!
For any Macs you're managing, consider joining Mac Admins Slack and check out the main channels there for support.
Totally agree with that! Step 1 is a must.