Principal System Administrator - Linux/Unix

PRINCIPAL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR - LINUX/UNIX

Our client is a successful market leading IT organisation with an amazing portfolio of products and services. A true global player.

GENERAL SUMMARY

Ensures optimum information access and server/network infrastructure performance and integrity. Ensures consistency and synchronization across server platform and integrates other infrastructure components (storage/network). Ensures server/network performance optimization, maintenance by developing, writing and following operational procedures for maintaining and upgrading server platforms. Involved in supporting new and existing applications. Works closely with other IT groups and business units, and interacts with SaaSOps management. Troubleshoots and resolves complex technical problems and is regarded as highly knowledgeable in one or more system platforms. Supervises less experienced system administrators and prioritizes project and day-to-day workload assignments across the team. Coordinates with remote management to insure consistent delivery of services and on-time delivery on commitments.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

- Provides expertise in cross-functional and intra-departmental efforts, interfacing with consultants and architects.
- Identify system performance issues and oversee the development and correct use of tools to resolve these problems.
- Analyzes data critical to capacity forecasting, asset management and procurement.
- Ensure that the technical environment is properly monitored and correctly used in the timely resolution of problems.
- Leads the design of the computing infrastructure, working closely with architects on project design and technical direction.
- Provides hands-on expertise in installing and managing enterprise class data center equipment. (EMC VMAX/VNX, Cisco x86 Servers/networking gear, F5 LB, Solaris SPARC)
- Provide 1st level communication to technical CoLo operations staff (power, cooling, security)
- Identify system performance issues and oversee the development and correct use of tools to resolve these problems.
- Analyzes data critical to capacity forecasting, asset management and procurement.
- Ensure that the technical environment is properly monitored and correctly used in the timely resolution of problems.
- Leads the design/operation of the computing/networking infrastructure, working closely with architects on project design and technical direction.
- Assist IT managers and IT senior management with service planning, service delivery and reporting.
- Assist management in development of corrective action plans and Root Cause Analysis documents for both internal and client distribution.
- Understands business priorities and executes management and business plans with minimal supervision.
- Communicates any risks to planned/committed dates in a timely fashion.

GENERAL SKILLS

- Problem solving skills in complex technical environments.
- Communication skills (both technical and customer facing).
- Project management and prioritization skills.
- Must be detail oriented and able to multi-task
- Ability to work/lead in a team environment.
- Possesses strong product/technology/industry knowledge.
- Ability to work effectively with remote peers and senior management.
- Results driven.
- Basic understanding of SaaS Delivery Model.
- Ability to travel Internationally
- Ability to lift and manage heavy data center objects
- Self-motivated and driven

TECHNICAL SKILLS

- 7+ years' experience building and managing Data Center environments both onsite and in Colocation facilities
- Comfort implementing new hardware, cabling, and rack solutions within the data center.
- Expert Linux skills (RHEL preferred)
- UNIX skills (Solaris)
- MS Active Directory/LDAP skills
- Demonstrated Networking experience in Load Balancers, Routers, Firewalls, TCP/IP, BGP, DNS.
- Strong VMWare skills. (ESXi - Clustering, HA, DRS, vMotion, svMotion)
- Hands-on experience with EMC (or similar) SAN/NAS environments.
- Familiarity with Cisco Server technologies (Cisco UCS standalone/blades a plus).
- Familiarity with Systems Management disciplines and ITIL processes.
- Familiarity with maintaining high performance/highly available client facing data center environments.
- Familiarity with handling highly secure/sensitive client data.
- Experience managing vendors

FURTHER INSIGHT ON THE ROLE:

The role is very much hands-on. Both physically building and maintaining the Servers, racks, circuits, etc., as well as day to day administration. MUST HAVE CO-LOCATION DATACENTER EXPERIENCE. They should be excited about working in a datacenter Full time and be experienced in new data center build outs and migrations.

The skillsets are wide.
Linux, Solaris, VMware, EMC Storage, Cisco/F5 Networking, VMware, Cisco UCS Servers/blades, backup/DR technologies.

Keywords: unix, linux, administrator, Solaris, networking, data centre, datacentre, datacenter, redhat, cabling, racking, co-location.