The role of the system administrator is to install, maintain, and support the shared hardware and software resources of an organization. Areas of responsibility typically include:

• Setup and configuration of servers
• System administration: setting up and maintaining accounts, access control, and the user interface
• Installation of shared software and hardware
• System documentation
• Troubleshooting / Problem determination
• Problem management
• System performance analysis
• Change management
• Operations management
• Execution of back-up and recovery procedures
• System monitoring and maintenance of system logs
• User support