Today marks the 20th anniversary of System Administrator Appreciation day! We want to encourage everyone to thank your sysadmins for all the work they do to keep all the new technology in the office, well, operational.

System Administrator Appreciation Day (SysAdmin Day) was created to recognize all System Administrators on the last Friday of July each year. It’s nice to have a dedicated day where we can shower our sysadmins with the appreciation they deserve.

Whether it’s setting you up with a fancy new laptop with all of the applications you requested (and then some), or making sure new conference room tech is ready to go for your next meeting – sysadmins make work life easier for all of us.

Today, we want to thank Chris Greer and Donald Norman for all the work they do for the SolarWinds Service Desk team.

Whether it’s helping employees with everything from onboarding to application support, and maybe even streaming the occasional golf tournament on an office TV – these guys have you covered.

I first sat down with Chris Greer who serves as Manager, IT Service Delivery at SolarWinds Service Desk.

What have you found to be a few keys to success in working in a sysadmin role?

“There are a couple of key components to being a successful sysadmin…You’ve got to have a killer beard and wildish hair. But seriously, having an outgoing personality is an important and perhaps often overlooked trait of a good sysadmin. 

The knowledge of technology and how it works in your environment is obviously a key component to your every day, but if your users aren’t comfortable approaching you for help, maybe a sysadmin role isn’t for you.”

With technology constantly changing, what is one of the most common challenges you face on the job?

“One of the most common challenges we face everyday is constantly changing software and applications. As a SaaS company, we live in cloud applications day to day. Keeping up with the latest enhancements in our current tech stack as well as looking for software that will enable our teams to better do their jobs is crucial.”

Donald Norman also helps keep things operational for SolarWinds Service Desk employees every day, and he works alongside Chris as IT Support Specialist.  

As a sysadmin, what’s an area that you’ve found takes quite a bit of time to understand or become a pro at?

“Reading and understanding complex material on your own as well as having the ability to write well is vital to your career as a sysadmin.

You need to know how to find Primary Sources and do extensive research. You may not always immediately know the answer – and that’s okay. The key is to do whatever you can to find the answer and show that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and done right.”

What advice do you have for someone looking to enter this field? Any keys to success?

“You need to know how to find primary sources and do extensive research. You may not always immediately know the answer – and that’s okay. The key is to do whatever you can to find the answer and show that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done and done right.

One of the most important elements of being a sysadmin is having good soft skills: meeting people, being friendly, making time for users, and keeping a lid on your frustrations. This will carry you far, not only in this field but in life as well.”

Stop by and show your appreciation for all the hard work your sysadmins do today and every day! You can also shout your appreciation from the digital mountaintops by posting on social media using the official #SysAdminDay hashtag.