Web responsibilities and roles: system administration

Optional title or role/descriptor

System Administrator

Responsibilities

Installing and maintaining web server hardware and system software. Ensuring server and site security. Guaranteeing server and site availability. Running regular backups and providing data recovery services.

Configuring and maintaining the web server environment, eg assigning permissions and user groups, setting server-level redirects. Generating statistics and reports for sites and servers.

System support: installing web applications and testing at both application and system levels. Integrating applications with non-local systems (eg for login authentication).

Typical skills required

The following skills would be beneficial to a staff member performing System Administration tasks:

• XHTML 1.0
• Database administration
• Networks/Operating systems- Unix, Linux, Microsoft, Novell, Apple etc
• Web application development
• PHP
• MySQL

System Administration web tasks can be managed across a group of staff or one person. It is recommended that one person be responsible for the overall System Administration of a local site area, for the purpose of centralised management and “point of contact” for troubleshooting, maintenance and support.

Typical current role

In the present University environment, the following positions and/or hybrids of, already have ownership of the above responsibilities:

• LITEs
• Web Developers
• Application Developers
• System Administrators