Sys Admins are kind of like gods, aren't they?

[yeehi]

I hope you won't mind - I posted this elsewhere, but wanted to see here, too, as it is one of my favourite forums.

A systems administrator has root access to the entire system. There is nothing they cannot do. They are omnipotent. Their power is absolute. Nothing dan stand before them. Like Sauron, the Dark Lord, they do not share power. There can be but one root. Else contradiction at the most fundamental level is possible, and that can not be tolerated. The sys admin's power is unconditional and non-negotiable. To be a sys admin is like being a god. (And if they are a god, what is the religion?)

There is an old saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I wonder whether being a sys admin has ended up warping an individual. Perhaps a sys admin has become crazed or even gone berserk?

Surely sys admins must need to be very level headed people.

For example, imagine being 'the' sys admin for the NSA. (What an awesome job that would be!) Think about the access to data, the encryption keys, the secrets... Perhaps one day a sys admin might go bonkers, turn up for work and 'uninstall the entire NSA'! But you would have the same sorts of responsibilities working at a bank or other organization.

I wonder whether much emphasis is put on ensuring that sys admins are level headed in the first place and kept sweet in the second. Do they get paid well? I am sure they do not receive half of what they are worth, considering all the hard earned knowledge they have had to gain and the massive responsibility they have.

[Grenage]

While pay is dependent on company, there is indeed a high degree of responsibility and trust; a somewhat far cry from a deity.

[Paqman]

For example, imagine being 'the' sys admin for the NSA. (What an awesome job that would be!) Think about the access to data, the encryption keys, the secrets...

I would imagine any security-conscious organisation would take strenuous steps to compartmentalise to a high degree. Individual sysadmins would not have access to any information that wasn't critical to their role.

[wyliecoyoteuk]

You are of course correct.
Sysadmins are omnipotent and omniscient.
You should all worship their lofty magnificence.

(Did I mention that I am a Sysadmin?)

[mips]

Position comes with a LOT of responsibility and accountability.

[angryfirelord]

While pay is dependent on company, there is indeed a high degree of responsibility and trust; a somewhat far cry from a deity.

Plus, if something gets screwed up, it all goes on the system administrator's head. They're also the ones that are on-call a lot if the facility needs to be running 24/7.

[Grenage]

Plus, if something gets screwed up, it all goes on the system administrator's head. They're also the ones that are on-call a lot if the facility needs to be running 24/7.

Yes, unfortunately the buck has to stop somewhere. Depending on what your systems are doing, it has the capability of being an immensely stressful job; how well you can deal with it is often a big factor in suitability.

[matt_symes]

I wonder whether being a sys admin has ended up warping an individual. Perhaps a sys admin has become crazed or even gone berserk?

That is not good for a sysadmins continued career prospects

[thatguruguy]

Here ya go: Linky.

[CharlesA]

I would imagine any security-conscious organisation would take strenuous steps to compartmentalise to a high degree. Individual sysadmins would not have access to any information that wasn't critical to their role.

This. At least that is how it is supposed to be setup, whether it actually is or not is a different matter.