110 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
110 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
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## Senior System Administrator
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#### Brendan Golden
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The purpose of this document is to assist the incoming Senior System Administrator for the upcoming year 2025/26.
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### Duties
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- Oversee the Skynet computer cluster.
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- Maintaining existing hardware.
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- Sourcing new hardware.
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- Improving the software.
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- Promote the cluster's use
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- Oversee development of Skynet.
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- Oversee the Root team.
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- Oversee training for junior members of the Root team.
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- Oversee communications with ITD.
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- Help develop server related skills in the general membership.
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- Manages:
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* Linux Webhost for members
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* LDAP
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* DNS
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* [Gitlab][0]
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* [Nextcloud][1] (Selfhosted Google)
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* [VaultWarden][2] (password manager)
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### Guide
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#### Baseline
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1. Dont be a dick.
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2. You are a society committee member, so you have a basic responsibility to look after society members and other committee members and make sure events are a fun and safe environment.
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3. The core goal of the Skynet cluster is to provide services for the society.
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* These are the more visible services like the linux host/gitlab/nextcloud/....
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* It also includes training for anyone who wants to get more hands on, both administration/hardware.
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* Its not your fiefdom, everything must improve it for others, even if it takes you out of your comfort zone.
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#### Onboarding
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##### New Committee
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1. Ensure that each committee member has a skynet account
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* If they dont then assist them through the process.
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2. Add their chosen usernames to the [nixos][3] under ``committee``
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3. Run them through the process of gaining access to the password manager: [pw.skynet.ie][2]
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* Separate but linked account is security feature, unavoidable.
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* They will gain access to the ``Compsoc`` collection of passwords.
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4. They will automatically gain access to the ``Compsoc`` folder on [nextcloud][1]
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##### Root team - Trainee
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1. Ensure that each root member has a skynet account
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* If they dont then assist them through the process.
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2. Add their chosen usernames to the [nixos][3] under ``trainee``
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3. They will automatically gain access to the ``Skynet`` folder on [nextcloud][1]
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4. Provide training
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##### Root team - Admin
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1. They will already have a skynet account.
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2. Add their chosen usernames to the [nixos][3] under ``admin``
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3. They will automatically gain access to the ``Skynet_Admin`` folder on [nextcloud][1]
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4. Run them through the process of gaining access to the password manager: [pw.skynet.ie][2]
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* Separate but linked account is security feature, unavoidable.
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* They will gain access to the ``Skynet`` collection of passwords.
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5. Contact ITD to get them added to the VPN.
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6. Provide training
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##### Sr Sysadmin
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Need to figure out this process.
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My FYP next year will be primarily about this aspect.
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#### Annual Events
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##### Sign up Fair
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{link to event guide/write up}
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##### Renew Domains
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We have two domains, both with Blacknight.
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* ``skynet.ie`` is sponsored to us.
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* ``ulcompsoc.ie`` we have to pay for, renew for two years but check yearly.
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##### Inform ITD that servers are up-to-date and patched
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Part of the agreement with ITD is to show them every semester that the server are patched and up to date.
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#### Regular Events
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##### Email
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I generally check all the email accounts for new mail once a day or so.
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There is a good chunk of spam but we do get a fair few mails from alumni trying to reactivate accounts.
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##### Reactivate old accounts
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Alumni regularly get in contact to re-activate their skynet accounts.
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Be polite and respectful when dealing with them.
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Much of this process is covered by [renew][5] and [recovery][6] however more documentation needs to be added on how to verify users.
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### Summary
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This has been mostly a managerial role, involving organisation and mentorship.
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The role looks really good on a CV/LinkedIn.
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The roles that Skynet has played over the years has changed dramatically (as outlined in the [old history][7]).
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One of the main draws for it was the email and cloud storage.
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At one point it employed 5 admins, each in charge of their own servers.
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Now in this era of DevOps each admin can do so much more while also requiring more diverse knowledge.
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This change is exciting, stressful and rewarding.
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Brendan Golden.
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[0]: https://forgejo.skynet.ie
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[1]: https://nextcloud.skynet.ie
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[2]: https://pw.skynet.ie
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[3]: https://forgejo.skynet.ie/Skynet/nixos/src/branch/main/config/users.nix#L51
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[5]: https://renew.skynet.ie/
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[6]: https://renew.skynet.ie/recovery/
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[7]: https://2016.skynet.ie/history.html
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