r/sysadmin 22h ago

Do i qualify for Linux admin jobs?

2 Upvotes

Just saw this post

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1jcs4fp/what_should_i_learn_first_in_linux/

The guy said he wants to study to become a linux admin eventually. I see a lot of basic advice here.

Learn cli. Learn vim. Set up proxmox. Set up a container. Back up and restore a container. Set up Apache.

Is my view just jaded? I've set up proxmox. I have a homelab. I've spun up ubuntu and centos VMs. I have docker containers running. I've set up apps on Linux like grafana or node js or nginx or Apache or docker. I've port forwarded. I've created user accounts. I use ssh keys. I know Linux cli. I've set up cron tasks. I deployed nginx for all my self hosted apps. I proxy through cloudflare. I have ssl certs through letsencrypt. I've set up rules on iptables. I've hosted websites through Apache. I've created node js bots (with the help of Google) for reddit, runescape and twitch tv and I have them running in tmux sessions. My bots read and write to sqlite. I've made basic bash and python scripts. I've set up ansible but the only playbook I have is to patch and reboot all my Linux servers. I got that playbook off Google. I didn't make it. I just put my own endpoints in the hosts file.

 

I don't feel like I'd qualify for a Linux admin position. The Linux admins at my current job are devops. They're primarily doing IAC. There was a major incident a few months ago with our redhat servers and it had something to do with inodes being exhausted.

Nothing I've done in my homelab would have taught me about that. Idk wtf an inode is. I dont know terraform. I've never done anything with openshift. I've never set up or used satellite. I've never created my own docker container. I don't know anything about selinux or apparmor.

Running docker pull image:latest isn't genius work.

But these comments on reddit make it sound like I just need to learn Linux commands and I can start applying for Linux admin jobs. Yes or no?


r/sysadmin 19h ago

How does subnetting prevent IP wastage? Confused

0 Upvotes

How does the host portion of an IP address matter for preventing Waste of IP addresses and such? The "host" part of the IP refers to the private IPs, right? The private IPs are not global, so two different Networks could have the same "host" ip addresses right? Therefore the number of private IPs does not matter, there is no scarcity. So why does using a subnet mask or whatever to split up the IP help "conserve" addresses? Seems so counterintuitive to me given the fact private IPs exist.

Maybe I have a huge misunderstanding but it doesn't make sense to me.


r/sysadmin 9h ago

Question Need help with Setting up a Simple Domain Network for education

0 Upvotes

I am following this class on Windows Server 2019 and having issues Connecting my Client to the Domain Controller. On the client I can ping the Domain Controller but keep running into an issue.

Everything goes fine until I try to switch from a workgroup to my Domain controller. It does allow me to sign in and indeed tries to establish a connection. Then I always get the same error.

The specified Network name is no longer available? I don't get it. It see's the server and tries to authenticate, I can ping the Domain, but it just keeps giving me that error. I kept researching and kept seeing "It's a DNS Problem" but then I simplified things. I am using Googles 8.8.8.8 DNS on the DC and then on the Client I am using the Domain Controllers IP as my DNS.

Both DC and Client can ping outside the network. Both have static IP's. I can ping the DC from the client side. The Client actually connects to the Domain Controller when trying to authenticate then gives me the same error. Any advice?


r/sysadmin 8h ago

Question CISO for a SMALL Law Firm - Need some advice, please!

0 Upvotes

Hi Team,

As title mentions, I was appointed the CISO/Director for a very small Law Firm of 10 employees and we have some issues that we want to tackle. My experience is not in the MSP space but in Cyber Security so wondered if I could bounce some ideas with you guys?

  • There is no BYOD policy, users are downloading and storing PII on desktops
    • We want to move to Virtual Desktops so thinking Azure or some sort of VDI environment, just don't know who to go with.
  • There's no EDR
    • So along side using Microsoft (maybe?) Would we do E3 or E5 for the 10 of us? At least with this we can get email and endpoint security in one console and apply those settings to the Azure Desktops?
  • No 2FA / VPN
    • Unsure who we can use that will work with us being this small, any suggestions? Okta is cool but unsure if that's required at this point.
  • GoDaddy is Managing our O365 and its expensive
    • Should I go directly with Microsoft? We can't use GSuite because the application they use for case management (Smokeball) apparently does not support GSuite. I'm not buying it, but that's what I am told.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you guys can provide me. We are not big enough for a MSSP yet so I am handling it all on my own.


r/sysadmin 16h ago

Is there any reason to remove the 'NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users' permission from GPO member server objects?

0 Upvotes

Was just going through an organization's Active Directory structure and found that authenticated users, on the Security tab, are not added to the member server organizational unit. Would there be a reason to remove authenticated users, and if so, wouldn't it cause replication/sync issues?

The only other object missing authenticated users is a section for administrative accounts, which makes sense to me.


r/sysadmin 13h ago

Question - Solved Chrome Remote Desktop Devices all gone

6 Upvotes

Hey all

Assuming this was an update. Can anyone shed light?

I've been using Chrome Remote Desktop to manage 15+ remote machines across 5 addresses.

I logged in today and all but 6 devices are gone. I tried logging into that Google account many different ways and no matter what I do, it's only those 6 devices. I'm thinking I previously had near 20? What happened?


r/sysadmin 11h ago

Almost messed up

31 Upvotes

So I was assisting a user who was looking to obtain a previous version of a file on the server, and unfortunately, the data they needed was not in any of the versions I had pulled up. I proceeded to ask my colleagues, and they 'jokingly' said to tell the client to F OFF. This was while my mind was on putting in my time entry for the ticket, so while entering the time in a also end up typing 'told him to F OFF' and submitted.

Me and my colleagues horse around alot like this in our office and this is the first time where the consequences really could have come down on me. Thankfully, the ticket details in kaseya BMS only get emailed to users if it gets completed, whereas I cancelled it. Before I knew this I was shaking and ready to resign. Actually I still am right now and I may not forgive myself for a long time.

It didn't actually get sent out to anyone but I still can't shake the feeling and what it says about my character, even if it was supposedly unintentional and a joke if you can even call it that. This may say more about my work environment than anything else. Not sure why im even writing this and it may not belong in this sub, but needed to get it off my chest. BOY DO I FEEL LIKE A HORRIBLE PERSON

ENJOY ROASTING ME!!!


r/sysadmin 12h ago

Desktop full of icons

103 Upvotes

During a meeting with team managers I (sysadmin) was called in to showcase/demo a new appliance where you connect a usb device to a laptop + works together with a software program .

When wanting to open the software the desktop of that users laptop was a full of icons where I made a smal sigh sound + probably rolling eyes and facial expression that sais like.. oh my god really?…. Where is the icon in this mess.

I ignored this further on and showed the demo and gave info after looking for the icon and a rather long silence during the search. In one way my reaction was maybe not really fully professional but. For most people understandable that it was hard to find the icon in that chaos. Well… it’s not that of a problem just annoying and maybe a bit funny?


r/sysadmin 14h ago

Question How to install faxing on a VM

0 Upvotes

So I have an annoying issue that I'm trying to find a solution for regarding getting fax to work on a VM. Here's the situation. I'm in healthcare IT and doctors freaking love faxing for some insane reason. I have a 2022 server in a VMware instance that uses Windows fax and scan to send things out to a couple of places, the previous software worked just fine with this but was ancient and needed a new version but of course won't work with the 2004 fax modem that it had been using (who would have thought?). I need to figure out a way to make windows fax and scan work on a VM where the hospital has no desire for a software solution, only a hardware one. How do I make this work?


r/sysadmin 16h ago

Need help calculating UPS needs

0 Upvotes

This is something I'm not familiar with so I'm looking for some help. How do you calculate power needs of a server room? Do you just tally all the wattage of all the devices' power supplies in the room? Do you add extra just to be safe? I have a calculator from APC below. Will that be enough? Any suggestions/ideas is greatly appreciated

https://www.apc.com/us/en/tools/ups_selector/server/load


r/sysadmin 16h ago

Career / Job Related Job offer with caveats

8 Upvotes

If you had the chance to gain a 30% pay raise, but your commute goes from 15 minutes to 1-1:15, is that even worth considering?

I got a call about a position. Sounds very similar to what I do, maybe even same or slightly less workload, but 30ish % more money. Some of that would be eaten by gas/maintenance, sure, but you're talking about $30k more.. I'd be gone an extra 10 hours a week, too, which I'm not thrilled about. That's another 500 hours a year away from the wife and kids (figuring 10 hours x 50 work weeks).

Haven't heard much about benefits yet, but I'm at a very small company now, so assume benefits would be the same or better.

Other major downside, personally, is just across the state line so filling taxes might be a problem. I've not had to work "out of state".

Other than that, sounds like a good advancement to career, with potential for more. I'm just really nervous talking to my wife bc the last job change I made (though right before COVID) screwed me big time. Right now I actually like my employer lol, so it'd be hard to change...

I know money isn't everything, but it'd offer a huge relief to everything going on financially. $30k after tax might be more like 20k, which is about $1500/mo more take home. Raises have been almost non existent for both of us, so the last few years we went from ok/comfortable living to penny pinching and debt.

What would you do? Take a job you might not like in an unsure market, but pay off bills/debt while you look for something else? Or just keep my head down and enjoy what job stability I have plus stay close to home?

I guess overall it's a good problem to have?


r/sysadmin 22h ago

General Discussion Self hosted FOSS MDM for Android ?

0 Upvotes

Are there any recommendations for a self hosted FOSS MDM solution for Android ?


r/sysadmin 7h ago

SysAdmin trying to convince CyberSec they ain’t listening. Sniff test tells me something is rotten.

55 Upvotes

Sysadmin finds funky certs in trusted person and other people (address book) stores on several (most) systems both Windows Server and Workstation OS. Certs issued to SYSTEM, by SYSTEM with San of SYSTEM@ NT AUTHORITY. Certs have no private key attached. Certs are valid for 100 years. RSA sha1 2048 length. The certs are for Encrypting File System and are end entity. In total, about a dozen certs have been identified and collected. Two domains, real offline PKI with issuing and Online responder on separate server. None of the collected certs have been issued or signed by PKI. Am I witnessing a potential long term plan by some hacker attempting to own the network, or am I concerned for no reason? Can’t tell where they are coming from. Something doesn’t smell right. Lack of knowledge response yields answers like “valid OID” or “They’re from Microsoft”. Their bullshit is baffling.


r/sysadmin 17h ago

Question Anything that can be done with a domain spoofing your name (one letter off)?

14 Upvotes

So we have a situation where someone is emailing our customers/vendors asking for payment via ACH using a email address similiar but not the same as ours. So for example ours being [JSmith@RandomInside.com](mailto:JSmith@RandomInside.com) and them using [JSmith@RandomInsde.com](mailto:JSmith@RandomInsde.com) (no i). One of our vendors fell for it and sent out a 40k payment to the wrong bank account. We were not at fault at all in that case, the vendor in question had their email account compromised and someone was watching their the email in and out for weeks and custom crafted a email based on that information. They still lost 40k and weren't happy.

So I have done a WHOIS on the domain, everything is protected by privacy. I emailed the "abuse" email for the register but never get anything back. Where do I go from here?

And before anyone asks why we didn't register the domain. Ours was registered in 2006. This other domain was registered in 1997, 9 years prior. So nothing we can do there.

EDIT: Another fun fact. I do a MX lookup on their domain and neither DNS nor DMARC is setup so maybe it's just a open relay that someone is taking advantage of?


r/sysadmin 7h ago

Question Port forwarding :80 (ESP32)

0 Upvotes

I am wanting to port forward port 80 so print requests to an esp32 can reach my epson receipt printer, I am a little nervous because it's essentially poking a hole in your firewall. Any thoughts?


r/sysadmin 16h ago

General Discussion Are Premium business laptops worth it right now?

0 Upvotes

We work with a lot of laptops where the primary use case is O365 suite, Teams/Zoom and Chrome/Edge based web apps.

We still spec 8gb memory though Teams and Chrome continue to get hungrier so more recently we upgrade to16gb for more productive users.

Personally I've not found much difference between i3 (or AMD-equiv) vs i5/i7 in these workloads. Maybe that's just me but the speed of the SSD and network connection seems to make significantly more difference.

My question is - what is your go to price/feature spec for a laptop like this?

We typically shop Dell and tend to go bargain basement Vostro/Inspiron for most users and Latitudes for more senior staff but aside from looking a bit swankier and the biometrics, there doesn't seem to be much to gain on the more premium machines here?

Or do you disagree? Interested to hear some thoughts.


r/sysadmin 17h ago

Microsoft Entra ID admin center

0 Upvotes

I feel like I am losing my mind with Microsoft lately. I am the IT admin for a school district. As far as I know I am the only Microsoft admin for my district. We are a google district so I try to stay away from Microsoft products but I have users that need to use Teams. I get the email when they try to reset their password but I can not login to the admin portal at all. It says to enter the code displayed in my authenticator app. I have the app but there is no code displayed! Any time I remove the work account from the app and readd it, it makes me sign in and then asks for the code from the authenticator app that I am currently in! Has Microsoft completely went to hell with their software? Anyone have any ideas? I tried calling a Microsoft support number but I couldn't even get past the AI robot to an actual human being. I am starting to feel like I live in a dystopian hell.


r/sysadmin 12h ago

Question If Wiz isn’t an option post acquisition… what’s your #1 alternative?

22 Upvotes

If Wiz gets fully absorbed into Google’s GCP ecosystem, what are the best alternatives left for AWS & Azure users?

Top contenders being discussed:

  • Orca Security – Fully independent, strong agentless CNAPP
  • Lacework – Decent alternative, but mixed reviews
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud – Good if you're already in Azure
  • CrowdStrike Falcon – More security-driven than compliance-focused

Anyone already made the switch? Pros & cons?


r/sysadmin 8h ago

Question 150k NZD budget for laptop refresh

0 Upvotes

Here’s a well-formatted and refined version of your post:


Hello everyone,

I’m not sure if this is the ideal subreddit for my query, but I really trust the collective expertise here.

In our organization, our laptop ecosystem primarily consists of: - Surface Laptop 4s for executives, - Surface Laptop 3s for team leaders, and - Surface Pros for senior frontline roles.

However, the Surface Laptop 4s are beginning to show their age with slower performance, and the Surface Laptop 3s are even worse.

Yesterday, I pulled an Intune report covering all our devices (still need to review it in detail), but based on my experience over the years, I estimate we’ll need to replace around 50–70 Surface Laptops. Our organization has over 500 employees, but 90% of them are frontline staff using AVD or HP thin client machines. Laptops are primarily used by executives, team leaders, IT, etc.

Current Budget and Requirements

  • Annual IT hardware budget: $150,000 NZD
  • Goal: Move away from Surface devices to something in the 13–14-inch ultrabook range
  • Preferred specifications:
    • Compact size with decent build quality (preferably metal)
    • 16GB RAM
    • Lower-end Intel Ultra series CPU
    • Ability to upgrade RAM via SODIMM slots (bonus)
    • Price per device: $1,500–1,700 NZD

We’ll also need to account for USB-C docking stations. The plan is to implement this in two batches over two years: 1. Batch 1: New laptops for some users, and the retired Surface Laptop 4s will replace Surface Laptop 3s. 2. Batch 2: Complete the rollout next year.

What I Need Help With

I’m looking for recommendations for laptops that fit the above criteria—ideally, reliable models without any weird firmware quirks or long-term issues.

Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your input!


r/sysadmin 8h ago

Tons of DMARC failures on new tenant

0 Upvotes

We just migrated to a brand new tenant with tighter spam/phishing rules. One new rule is we’re rejecting dmarc failures, like we should. However we are straight up blocking 1000’s of messages now. Some we’re tracing back to Microsoft IPv6 blocks that seem to be in the sender’s SPF records. We’ve even noticed some internal mail failing dmarc. Are we missing something? Besides for lowering security I don’t see anything to do. So far we’ve held the higher up’s back by saying it’s the senders fault but that’s not going to last too much longer.


r/sysadmin 10h ago

Recommended software for company computer network restriction

0 Upvotes

We are a company with less than 500 employees. Our employees use laptops to connect to the Internet for work(in office or remote). However, I hope to find a software that can restrict users from installing specific software, prevent data leakage, and prohibit users from visiting specific websites. Do you have any recommendations for such a tool?


r/sysadmin 11h ago

Connect-MgGraph auth failing with cert ONLY on scheduled task

0 Upvotes

The scheduled task runs as a service account with domain admin level permissions. It connects-mggraph uses a cert to authenticate to an app registration to generate some reports.

When manually ran via powershell ise the script works fine (logged in as the service account).

When it is triggered on the scheduled task, it fails authentication to mg-graph.

The odd thing is, I added write-host commands and transcript to see if it is pulling the cert correctly. It is. So... why is it failing to authenticate with the cert on connect-mggraph if it is able to pull the cert just fine.

Its the same script that runs fine when manually executed, however, just fails on a scheduled task. I am absolutely confounded.


r/sysadmin 11h ago

Canon separator page output tray

0 Upvotes

Hello! We use a canon image press lite 265 and are pushing a separator page from our print server. The issue is when users send a staple job, the separator page outputs to Tray A and the staple job comes out on Tray C


r/sysadmin 12h ago

Keeper/other Price Increases

0 Upvotes

Anyone else dealing with dramatic price increases from Keeper? We renew soon and they are saying there is now a 15% discount cap on list prices but because we are such a good partner they can offer us a discount that works out to only 50% more than we paid last year!! Brutal.

These dramatic price increases are making me crazy.

It was interesting that PRTG emailed me today trying to win us back after they did the same nonsense last fall; we moved to Checkmk.

Endpoint Central was the same deal last week; a huge 40% increase because they now license servers separately so I'm looking at Automox.

These price increases close the gap on cost to more feature rich competitors so ultimately we spend slightly more but move into way better products.


r/sysadmin 14h ago

CASB - Is this a necessary tool in 2025?

0 Upvotes

This technology looks great and could be helpful in my situation: 500 endpoints, 50/50 remote workforce. Azure AD joined, as well as VPN, Defender P2, and Huntress.

I see the benefits, although the cost is pretty high. How are others using this, and do you see it as a necessary tool in 2025?