What does a storage administrator do?
A storage administrator is typically in charge of managing and storing company data, ensuring its safety and accuracy. Their responsibilities typically revolve around devising strategies for data storage, developing and installing storage systems and back-ups, identifying errors and inconsistencies, troubleshooting, and performing regular maintenance checks to ensure the efficiency and security of storage systems. Furthermore, as a storage administrator, it is essential to produce progress reports and maintain records of all transactions, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Storage administrator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real storage administrator resumes:
- Accomplish using mediums such as: FICON, SNA, ESCON, IP, FC, & ISCSI.
- Manage, and deploy LUNS from EMC storage frames to multiple servers using the UNISHERE for VNX and VMAX.
- Support teams which manage CentOS.
- Manage and support SRDF replications between DR data centers.
- Create CIFS, setting up permissions as per customer requirements and manage DFS.
- Manage users and groups on a large scale in NIS and LDAP environments.
- Design and plan disaster recovery and backup solutions using NetApp SRM software and VMware software.
- Participate in backup and virtualization projects (TSM backup, Veeam backup for ESX).
- Provide system security, and Unix system process system automation with PERL and shell scripting.
- Administer, configure, install, and support for HP-UX servers and standard Unix applications.
- Experience in the migration of storage technology from the NetApp NAS environment to the 3par environment.
- Configure, test and deploy DNS using F5 Linux DNS appliances, FTP and SFTP servers.
- Work closely with Cisco and EMC on switch relate bug issues and find the best possible upgrades on the switches.
- Involve in troubleshooting NFS, SAN and CIFS issues on NetApp filers and fine tune the filers for optimal performance.
- Forward facing direct contact with customer base to facilitate requirements and design of NetApp NAS storage environment to meet the demand.
Storage administrator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Storage Administrators are proficient in Linux, Switches, and NAS. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Storage Administrators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Linux, 7%
Transitioned to Storage Administration from Linux Administration and rapidly became familiar with the environment.
- Switches, 6%
Configured Brocade 4100, 4900, 48k switches using Brocade CLI, Web Tools by creating aliases, zones and configurations.
- NAS, 5%
Handled migration of CIFS file shares between NAS (7-Mode & Cluster Mode) filers with or without NTFS permissions.
- Troubleshoot, 5%
Provided operational support by communicating with Hitachi Support to troubleshoot and resolve performance issues and executed proposed solution and fixes.
- Isilon, 4%
Administered ISILON storage systems by configuring Smart Connect, Active Directory, NIS, and LDAP authentication.
- VNX, 4%
Involved in configuring various VNX business continuity solutions.
Most storage administrators use their skills in "linux," "switches," and "nas" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential storage administrator responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a storage administrator to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what storage administrators do because "administrators need to evaluate networks and systems to make sure that they perform reliably and to anticipate new requirements as customers’ needs change." Additionally, a storage administrator resume shows how storage administrators use analytical skills: "conducted implementation and configuration of tsm and data domain as required. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling storage administrator duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "administrators must describe problems and their solutions to non-it workers." According to a storage administrator resume, here's how storage administrators can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "design and planning, co-ordination and communication of data migration. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of storage administrators is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday storage administrator duties, as "administrators must quickly resolve problems that arise with computer networks." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "implement both legato and tsm backup solutions from startup across multiple network and server environments supporting over eight hundred unique servers. "
The three companies that hire the most storage administrators are:
- Arrow Electronics52 storage administrators jobs
- Highmark45 storage administrators jobs
- Peraton9 storage administrators jobs
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Compare different storage administrators
Storage administrator vs. Senior unix systems administrator
A clinic administrator is primarily in charge of overseeing the daily operations in a clinic or similar establishment, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include setting objectives, managing the budgets and schedules, supervising insurance procedures, spearheading new programs and treatments, and developing strategies to optimize clinic operations. They must also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a clinic administrator, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, storage administrator responsibilities require skills like "linux," "isilon," "vnx," and "provisioning." Meanwhile a typical senior unix systems administrator has skills in areas such as "production servers," "vmware," "windows," and "red hat." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Senior unix systems administrators really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $126,771. Comparatively, storage administrators tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $105,117.senior unix systems administrators tend to reach similar levels of education than storage administrators. In fact, senior unix systems administrators are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Storage administrator vs. Clinic administrator
A Windows System Administrator maintains the systems and servers of a Windows operating system. They evaluate and modify the system's performance.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that storage administrator responsibilities requires skills like "linux," "switches," "nas," and "troubleshoot." But a clinic administrator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "healthcare," "patient care," and "oversight."
Clinic administrators may earn a lower salary than storage administrators, but clinic administrators earn the most pay in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $96,715. On the other hand, storage administrators receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $105,117.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Clinic administrators tend to reach similar levels of education than storage administrators. In fact, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Storage administrator vs. Windows system administrator
A business administrator is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of daily business functions, ensuring the timely submission of project deliverables, and supervising project management procedures. Business administrators coordinate with existing and potential clients for business offers and updates, negotiating contracts, and identifying business opportunities from the market trends to generate more revenues and increase profitability. They work closely with other department heads to meet clients' demands and public interests, as well as hiring and training new staff to maximize the company's productivity and boost best efforts.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from storage administrator resumes include skills like "isilon," "vnx," "storage systems," and "manage change," whereas a windows system administrator is more likely to list skills in "infrastructure," "powershell," "sccm," and "dns. "
Windows system administrators earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $93,089. Storage administrators earn the highest pay from the health care industry, with an average salary of $105,117.windows system administrators typically earn similar educational levels compared to storage administrators. Specifically, they're 3.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Storage administrator vs. Business administrator
Even though a few skill sets overlap between storage administrators and business administrators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a storage administrator might have more use for skills like "linux," "switches," "nas," and "troubleshoot." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of business administrators require skills like "customer service," "powerpoint," "payroll," and "team support. "
The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for business administrators, with average annual pay of $94,044. Comparatively, the highest storage administrator annual salary comes from the health care industry.business administrators reach similar levels of education compared to storage administrators, in general. The difference is that they're 1.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of storage administrator
Updated January 8, 2025
