Backup administrator vs unix systems administrator

The differences between backup administrators and unix systems administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a backup administrator and a unix systems administrator. Additionally, a backup administrator has an average salary of $92,866, which is higher than the $87,936 average annual salary of a unix systems administrator.

The top three skills for a backup administrator include linux, SAN and unix. The most important skills for a unix systems administrator are production servers, solaris, and database.

Backup administrator vs unix systems administrator overview

	Backup Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$92,866	$87,936
Hourly rate	$44.65	$42.28
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	70,421	110,185
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a backup administrator do?

A backup administrator usually works at a company's information technology department, where they are in charge of developing and overseeing backup systems to protect company data. They create and implement backup plans, develop recovery strategies and protocols, set objectives and guidelines, and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the systems' efficiency. They also train new members of the workforce and supervise staff, providing them with technical support and guidance. Moreover, a backup administrator encourages team members to reach goals while implementing the company's standards and regulations.

What does a unix systems administrator do?

UNIX system administrators install, configure, and maintain the UNIX systems of organizations. The administrators are in charge of the troubleshooting of server errors. They install new system hardware for their respective organizations and respond to the issues raised by the users. It is part of their job to monitor the network's performance. Usually, they are working in an office using UNIX multiuser operating system. They supervise the execution of data conversion projects such as database hardware replacements.

Backup administrator vs unix systems administrator salary

Backup administrators and unix systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Backup Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Average salary	$92,866	$87,936
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $139,000	Between $64,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	Philadelphia, PA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	California
Best paying company	Cedars-Sinai	PayPal
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between backup administrator and unix systems administrator education

There are a few differences between a backup administrator and a unix systems administrator in terms of educational background:

	Backup Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Backup administrator vs unix systems administrator demographics

Here are the differences between backup administrators' and unix systems administrators' demographics:

	Backup Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8%	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 12.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between backup administrator and unix systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Backup administrator example responsibilities.

Monitor and manage Cisco routers and switches management.
Create several Unix bash scripts to automate the environment.
Manage all network infrastructure including firewall, routers, switches, network storage, wireless AP s and CAT5e management.
Manage the preventative maintenance of all critical infrastructure which includes HVAC, generator, security system, and fire suppression.
Manage SnapMirror relationships, troubleshooting replication job failures, SnapVault and other archive solutions.
Ensure AIX data integrity by evaluating, implementing and managing appropriate software and hardware solutions.

Unix systems administrator example responsibilities.

Manage LUN assignments from Shark/Hitachi SAN through the fiber switches.
Manage system kernel settings to boost performance base on root cause analysis for performance issues.
Manage and maintain local area network (TCP/IP), consisting of 2 NCR 3430 servers and 130+ client workstations.
Help automate server and storage provisioning.
Manage resources for zones using Solaris 10container technology.
Manage AWS services and provide redundancy for internal corporate systems.

Backup administrator vs unix systems administrator skills

Common backup administrator skills

Linux, 8%
SAN, 8%
Unix, 6%
Disk, 6%
Windows Server, 6%
Disaster Recovery, 5%

Common unix systems administrator skills

Production Servers, 8%
Solaris, 5%
Database, 4%
SAN, 4%
System Administration, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%

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Backup Administrator vs Unix Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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