Department of Computer Science

System Administration Competency Checklist

The Computer Network and Systems Adminstration track requires that each student have practical experience performing tasks that demonstrate the competency expected of a professional in this area. This requirement cannot be satisfied by course-work alone, but must involve actual work as administrator of a networked computer system with real users. It is a condition of admission to the track that each student agree to take responsibility for obtaining the required experience, and demonstrate that the requirement has been satisfied, before graduation. In some cases, a student may enter the program with qualifying prior experience. In other cases, students must seek out opportunities (voluntary or paid) to gain system administration experience between the time of admission and graduation.

For admission to the Computer Network and Systems Adminstration track, each student is required to agree to demonstrate at least one of the skills specified in each category of the list below to an authorized representative of the Oversight Committee some time before graduation.

  • Booting
    • Modify boot behavior under various UNIX/Linux platforms and Windows
  • File Systems
    • Installation
      • Create different types of file systems under various operating systems and put them into work.
    • Sharing
      • Set up shared filesystems on UNIX/Linux and on Windows generations machines.
      • Set up shared printing on UNIX/Linux and on Windows generations machines.
    • Disk Space Management
      • Increase available disk space on UNIX/Linux and on Windows generations.
      • Set file/directory permissions on UNIX/Linux and on Windows generations.
  • Systems Programming
    • Write, modify, and interpret various UNIX/Linux scripts in BASH, Perl, Python, and Lua.
    • Write, modify, and interpret C or C++ code of system utilities.
    • Write, modify, and interpret registry settings used to manage Windows-based systems programs.
  • Mail Services
    • Mail Transport Agents
      • Install and configure spam-fighting solutions.
      • Install and configure a master mail server and subsidiary machines.
      • Install and configure IMAP services.
    • Mail Client Software
      • Install and configure popular mail readers.
  • Networking
    • Software
      • Manage the contents of /etc/xinetd.conf and similar systems.
      • Install and configure a webserver.
      • Install and configure a major web-based application, such as a CMS.
    • Hardware
      • Configure and install an Ethernet-based network.
      • Install and configure TCP/IP-based networks & routers
      • Install and configure a wireless system.
  • Application Software
    • Install and configure popular UNIX/Linux software packages and anything else that typically resides in a software repository.
    • Install and configure UNIX/Linux software packages that require installation from source.
    • Install and configure Windows or Macintosh based public domain and third-party purchased software, including license management.
  • Peripheral Management
    • Disks
      • Add a SATA drive to a machine.
      • Format and prepare a disk drive for use by the operating system (be it UNIX, a Windows variant, or a Macintosh).
    • Printers
      • Install CUPS, BSD-style, or SVR4-style client and server print software on UNIX.
      • Physically manage a printer (know how to add paper, unjam, change toner, and so forth).
      • Install and configure printer drivers on Windows variants.
    • Other Devices
      • Install and configure network interfaces, scanners, real-time equipment, audio & video capture cards, and so forth.
  • Name services
    • Domain Name Service
      • Set up DNS on a UNIX/Linux box as either a caching-only server, secondary server, or primary server.
      • Configure a UNIX/Windows/Macintosh machine to connect to a name server.
    • Local & Cluster Name Service
      • Set up a domain controller on Windows NT
  • Managing Users
    • User Accounts
      • Add and remove a user on UNIX/Windows variants/Macintosh.
      • Change a password for a user.
    • System Policies
      • Establishing policies and enforcing policies for a variety of areas (password creation rules, management of public-use facilities, how to handle misuse of system resources, etc.)
  • Security
    • Accounting
      • Set up resource monitoring system, such as Cacti.
    • Backups
      • Install and configure custom file backup/recovery system for UNIX/Windows/Macintosh
    • Security Tools/Monitoring
      • Install and configure vendor-supplied, public-domain, & third-party security tools.
  • Performance Analysis
    • Operating System Tuning
      • Modify UNIX/Linux kernel behavior.
    • Network Analysis and Monitoring
      • Use software to manage the network.
    • I/O Analysis
      • Use UNIX system tools to monitor local and network disk performance
  • Administrative Duties
    • Draw up system design and upgrade proposals
    • Train user population
    • Be on call