From: JOSEPH KREMBLAS (jkremblas@REDHEARTGIFTS.COM)
Date: Thu Feb 26 2004 - 21:23:38 EST
I don't think you or your boss needs documentation to determine the
number of system administrators to boxes ratio. Let's think about this
for a moment. One S/A = SPOF (single point of failure), which equals
high risk environment. Legal and insurance companies would have a heart
attack if they heard that only one system administrator was managing one
or thousands of boxes. Two is minimum regardless of number of boxes to
satisfy risk management, legal, and insurance policies and/or
requirements. I would always have three (3) S/A's at a minimum, because
you never know who's going to be sick and who's going on vacation. If
only one S/A is there, who will cover for you when you're on vacation or
if you get sick.
A nice reminder of the risk with system administrator's goes back to the
late 1990's when three system administrator's used to ride to work
together and all got killed in a fatal car crash. Never do the buddy
system with such valuable assets. This is a huge lesson even if you do
hire two or three system administrators. Also, not all of them should be
on-site at the same time. If you do this, then you put the company at
risk again in case of a major disaster. Don't believe me? I watch twin
towers go down from my office in Jersey City and heard reports of the
entire S/A team on site which put a particular firm at high risk.
I think you get the idea. In summary:
a) What if a S/A gets sick?
b) What if a S/A wants to go on vacation?
c) Don't put all your marbles in one basket.
d) What about insurance policies?
e) What about legal requirements?
f) Two S/A's minimum; three is the right answer.
Most companies would be wise to insure all their system administrator's
if they choose to only hire and retain one S/A regardless of the number
of boxes.
My two cents.
-----Original Message-----
From: IBM AIX Discussion List [mailto:aix-l@Princeton.EDU] On Behalf Of
Patrick B. O'Brien
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 4:44 PM
To: aix-l@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Admins to Boxes ratio
Anybody have any IBM Documentation defining the AIX Admins to Boxes
ratio?
I'm an AIX Admin supporting some 14 AIX Boxes and a few RH Boxes; I
think I could use some help. My boss wants to see if IBM agrees.
Thank you.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Wed Apr 09 2008 - 22:17:38 EDT