What Does a System Administrator Assistant Do?

A system administrator assistant helps to manage company computer systems and usually reports to a head system administrator. These individuals are experts in computer hardware and software and are responsible for keeping the system functional at all times. Generally speaking, a person must have at least a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related subject to get into this field. Some typical duties of a system administrator assistant include helping to assess a company's computing needs, installing hardware and software, instructing employees, performing troubleshooting and evaluating system performance.

In most cases, a system administrator assistant will make an initial assessment of a company's information technology needs. He will usually work alongside the head system administrator to determine which types of hardware, software and other equipment are necessary. To accomplish this, he will often communicate with company leaders or department heads.

Once he has a clear understanding of a company's needs, a system administrator assistant will help to install the system. This typically involves installing and setting up software programs, hardware and routers so that the computers within a system are connected. After the initial set up, he may perform some testing to make sure that everything is working correctly. Besides this, he will often take security precautions by installing antivirus software and setting up firewalls. Throughout this process, he will report his progress to the main system administrator.

Often, it's also necessary for the system administrator assistant to instruct employees on the specifics of using a system. For example, he may walk employees through the log in process and demonstrate how to navigate a software program. Along with this, he may provide one-on-one instruction for employees experiencing difficulties throughout the initial phases. Consequently, it's helpful for an individual in this position to be an effective communicator and be able to provide clear instruction for others.

Another key role of a system administrator assistant is troubleshooting a variety of computer errors. This could involve helping an employee with correcting a technical problem or glitch. It could also mean performing backup recovery in the event of data loss. In most cases, he will be responsible for documenting each problem he solves to the primary system administrator.

In addition, he may conduct periodic evaluations of a computer system's performance. Basically, his goal is to make sure a computer system runs as efficiently as possible and experiences minimal interruptions or glitches. He may make modifications to an existing system when needed, based on the evaluation results. Besides this, a system administrator assistant might also upgrade a system and install updated software.