Guidance for system administrators

first published:
Apr 20, 2026
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A few times in recent years, I’ve found myself wanting to write advice for other, perhaps more junior, systems administrators to try to capture the principles and values that I think are important for people in my line of work.

Here’s what I’ve got so far, with thanks to all the wise friends and colleagues I’ve had over the decades.

The integrity of system administrators is of paramount importance.
You are in a very strongly trusted position; people need to be able to have confidence in you and so it is vital that you conduct yourself with integrity. You may be called upon to justify any action you take. Be scrupulous, be accountable, declare conflicts of interest, keep notes, follow the rules, and seek permission if you’re not sure.
Be kind and look after your colleagues.
We have a good department here. Look out for yourself and your colleagues, both within IT and the wider organisation; quite apart from being a nicer way to live, pragmatically, engineering is a team sport. We are developing a reputation for being approachable and supportive, which is immensely precious. Nurture and protect that reputation, and model the standard that you would want others to meet. The culture of a place is determined by what behaviours its members allow without challenge.
Think before you type.
People are relying on the systems and services that we provide. Be judicious; while it might be appropriate to “Move fast and risk breaking things”, more usually it’s not. Build systems that enable you to make changes with confidence, in part by making sure you can undo or fix a change quickly if it turned out to be a bad idea. If it’s not possible to give yourself the ability to undo a potentially risky change, test it on an inconspicuous corner first.
Be open and honest.
Communicate clearly and well. If there isn’t a reason to keep something confidential, then making things open makes things better. It is particularly vital to communicate changes to those affected by them. Consider that, sometimes, the greatest barrier to effective communication is the illusion that it has already happened.
There is always more to learn.
It’s okay, even expected, not to know everything, and to say so. One of the challenges and joys of IT is that it’s a constantly changing field. Try to build up your understanding, and share the expertise you gain. Experiments are useful when you learn from them, especially when you learn that you were wrong. Try to prove the correctness of your work incrementally as you go.
Writing things down is important.
Details matter, and the act of trying to put your ideas into words helps you ensure your reasoning is sound. Invest time thinking through a problem before you act, as this helps avoid expensive retrofitting and trying to fix breakages. Document why you are making a change, against the day we need to revisit why something is the way it is. Don’t wait for thoughts to be finished before starting to write them down.
Perfection is nice, but not expected.
Be kind to yourself; things will, at some point, go wrong. It is good to admit errors, and to be humble and gracious when your errors are pointed out to you. Seek help, minimise harms, and try to learn from your mistakes. Experience is what you get right after you needed it.
If you’re thinking it, control for it.
If you think something bad might be happening, or may happen in the future, do what you can to control for that risk; investigate further, raise concerns with others, or deploy safety features. If a worrying signal turns out to be a false alarm, then it was a useful fire drill; if it turns out to be a real emergency, then prompt action can prevent a great deal of damage. Every day is backup awareness day.
Have fun and don’t break.
We build, craft, and operate systems that help people do virtuous work. While there are challenging things in this job, it’s important that we find the fun, too. Heroic efforts are a sign that something has gone badly wrong and must never become the norm. Make sure you have a life outside of work, and take your holiday; it makes life more fun and makes you more resilient. Consider that, if exercise were available in pill form, it would be considered a miracle drug several times over. Find a form you enjoy and make it a regular part of your day.