New resource for IT Administrators is being built

I just got some exciting news yesterday. My editor, Michael Francis, just let me know about a project that he has apparently been spending a lot of time on.

The Sysadmin Network is a new social networking site designed specifically for systems administrators and the like to discuss not just technical subjects, but to really concentrate on the social aspect of being an admin.

It might sound hokey, but this is an aspect to IT administration that hasn't been touched on nearly enough. People out there feel pressure. They take abuse. Nearly everyone feels unappreciated and taken for granted, and because of the nature of our positions and personalities, we go through it in relative silence. I touched on this in my burnout post, and there aren't many days that go by that someone doesn't hit that blog entry from a google search about being tired of doing their job.

Of course, that is not to say that we are all just martyrs for our cause. There is a lot of joy in being a sysadmin, too. The feeling of accomplishment as you bring order from chaos. When you build something new and it works, and people enjoy using it, that's a tremendous feeling, and very important. I also think we all get that sort of exhilaration from learning new things, too. Learning, implementing, relearning, and reimplementing is so much of our job, and so rewarding that it probably releases endorphin in our brains like eating hot chili peppers.

I am hoping that this will be an excellent site for sysadmins to discuss topics relevant to our lives. I've already signed up to join, and I think you should too.

Sharing information is what this blog is about, and it speaks to me that the sub-title of The Sysadmin Network is "No more hiding in the server room". Band together for mutual improvement and you will grow more than you thought possible.