Hi there /g/ I'm currently in my second semester in college

>>52643551
Is that your end goal? Cuz you don't need any school to do that

>>52643574
Not really, I plan on doing something more specialised later on. I just haven't had any prior experience dealing with computer networks, and I learn a lot better in a classroom environment.

>>52643615
You are now aware that you only learn about 15% of what you need in the real world.

>>52643551
"Computer system technician"? Meaning a network admin?
If so I'm the same major. Just graduated with my associates in it actually. Going to 4 year next for bachelors in forensics/security.
Anyhow, for advice and tips, get very familiar with windows 7, 10, and windows Server 2008/2012. Associated with the server OS's, become familiar with active directory, setting up, running, and other wise maintaining virtual machines.
Learn the ins and outs of the various hardware involved in higher end servers. Hard drive differences, SCSI vs Sata raid controllers. The various hot swapping possibilities.
How to make local backups, network backups. How to image a PC and/or install an image to many PCs simultaneously over the network using WIM.
Know the difference between a switch and a router. The speed and distance limitations of different network cables. (Cat5, cat5e, cat6, etc)
If you feel confident with all that already, THEN start looking into linux in the server environment. As much as /g/ shills linux being God tier for servers, 9/10 places that I applied to/were hiring were using Windows Server based systems with heavy reliance on active directory.
Overall you have to be interested just a little in this stuff to pursue a career in it.

>>52643806
On what planet is a tech the same thing as an admin?

>>52643835
Well OP mentioned networks so I assumed admin.

What is a "computer systems admin" then?

>>52643878
Computer systems technician*. Whoops

Does he mean IT support? I.e. geeksquad?.

>>52643878
Architect > Engineer => Analyst > Admin => specialist > technician

>>52643806
Actual sysadmin here.

Firstly for desktop infrastructure, LDAP, yes windows is huge, same with mail.

That being said, if you have a datacenter with anything more than 10 physical hosts, you will have endless amounts of linux machines.

The difference is linux admins don't typically leave their job, they setup an environment that ends up being rock solid and never ever ever leave.

>>52643970
No shit. The more you know.

What degree(s) do you have? Certs? Time in your field? Youre mostly self taught I assume too right? Teach me oh senpai

>>52644150
5 years experience, got my BS during my first 4 years.

First 2 years I worked as a desktop support tech.

about 40% self taught, 40% mentorship from work, 20% from cert training.

>Notice that 0% came from my BS in information systems

I have done a bunch of cert training (MCSE, CCNA, VCP, LPIC, RHCE) but I haven't gotten a cert.

I am finally going back and getting the MCSE since I don't want to do networking, don't feel like spending the 3k for the vmware class, certs are not that important for linux. literally leaves me with MCSE actually.

I did all my training at pluralsight. Set aside 30 minutes a day at work and 30 minutes a day outside of work.

>>52644313
The 40% self taught was my home lab and some vms at work.

>>52644313
>>52644349
Soinds like you have a sweer deal going on. Good on you anon. Thanks for the insight. Good to know hands on experience is actually still worth something today.

My degree program is rather lack luster. 90% of what I know is from having computers as a hobby so I know what you're talking about. Im essentially in school for the piece of paper that says I went to school. Cant tell you the number of idiots with a master's in "xx" in the IT field that is a bumbling fucking idiot.

Do more math.

>>52644530
np anon


I started off as a contractor working at a firm that filled desktop support positions for the huge tech companies in silicon valley.

A lot of these companies would need 10+ techs for a short 1-6 month span for projects, no point in hiring them full time.

I started differentiating myself in the interviews by bringing up the home lab. A lot of these places like vmware and netapp would hold a group interview, where they would decide to rank and place the techs.

Literally no one else has a lab.

I started off with a ubuntu 10.04 lts server with vmware server 2. Talked about in an interview, one of the senior sysadmins, during the interview, started telling me about freenas and why it was better than what I was using. The hiring manager cut us off with "hey if you guys want to chat do it after this interview", not in an irritated way, but he wanted to get shit done.

After the project they decided they wanted to keep me (and only me) on.

>>52644673
Thats awesome. Yea I currently work a non IT related job albeit very well paying with great benefits but they pay for my schooling so I figured fuck it, go for a degree in what interests me as a backup plan.

What do you mean by lab? Computer(s) dedicated just to fucking around with? What was your setup? Surprised they actually cared about personal projects like that.

>>52644766
Personal projects show that this is what you love.

Well my first home lab was an athlon x2 5600+ with 4GB of ram and a 500GB disk. Ran ubuntu 10.04lts with vmware server 2. Had about 4-5 vms at any one point.

My current lab is a esx 6 box with a xeon e5 2680 with 128 GB of ram. it has 2TB of local storage, 1 isci connection on my nas and one nfs mount on my nas.

Your lab can be something like an old laptop, doesn't have to be much. The only reason my new lap is this monster is because I have a ton of money now.

btw I switched careers too, I was an early childhood educator for 7 years.