Dive Brief:
- System administrators are split on whether a lack of AI skills will impact their job security and cause them to fall behind their peers, according to an annual Action1 report published Thursday.
- Despite mixed views on the technology's impact, more than 7 in 10 systems administrators are looking for AI integration training, up from 63% last year, the survey of 450 SysAdmins found. Three in 5 professionals said they don’t know how to implement AI to improve their current processes.
- Adding AI to workflows is still rare, with just 1 in 5 companies incorporating the technology. However, admins said the technology was most often used in log analysis, troubleshooting and detecting and remediating incidents. More than 1 in 10 said AI made errors that led to disruptions.
Dive Insight:
The last Friday in July marks the 25th annual System Administrator Appreciation Day. The occasion comes at the tail end of a widespread IT outage that kept tech workers in an all-hands-on-deck mode and highlighted the critical role of IT support employees.
The defective software upgrade in Crowdstrike’s Falcon platform was far reaching, impacting businesses across industries globally. Around 8.5 million Windows devices were affected, leaving customers in an endless reboot loop. Parametrix estimated the disruption will directly cost Fortune 500 businesses around $5.4 billion.
“SysAdmins generally enjoy the work they do, but when there is a disaster or business-impacting event, the pressure to resolve the issue and restore services is intense and very stressful,” Mark Tauschek, VP of research fellowships and distinguished analyst at Info-Tech Research, said in an email.
System administrators manage computer systems, keep servers running and handle IT support. Tasked with finding and fixing problems quickly, these IT workers are typically the first line of defense when something goes wrong.
“Friday's massive outage due to CrowdStrike, affecting millions of computers and businesses, is a stark reminder of the immense pressure and critical role that SysAdmins and IT professionals play,” Josh Aaron, CEO at Aiden Technologies, said in an email. “Many have been working around the clock, sacrificing their weekends to ensure that businesses can continue to operate.“
IT leaders can support SysAdmins during a crisis by communicating effectively, exercising patience, trusting their judgment and recognizing their efforts, according to Spiceworks.
“After service is restored, it is important to recognize their heroic efforts to the entire organization and reward them with a dinner out or a get-together to unwind and have some fun,” Tauschek said. “Make sure they get the recognition they deserve.”
Like other job roles, IT admins are also contending with the potential impacts of generative AI. IT support and systems administration jobs in the U.S. are only expected to grow slightly between 2022 and 2032, from 1.25 million to 1.31 million, according to Spiceworks analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.
“SysAdmins are adapting to the influx of AI technologies and the heightened risk of cyber events in the same way most IT professionals are — trying to stay current on what can help them do their jobs,” Tauschek said.
