[PLUG] To Hire a SysAdmin

[Bill Thoen]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for advice, salary surveys, requirements, etc.  for hiring a 
Systems Administrator for a new company I'm involved with. What we're 
planning to build is a business information service that supports our 
research analysts with information and infographics presentation tools. 
The database will be approximately 5 Tb, so it's big, but not 
unmanageable, and we're aiming to achieve facebook size numbers. Behind 
the curtain are a couple of built-from-scratch Linux servers optimized 
for reliability and network speed. Unfortunately, it seems that the only 
way I'll get the other founders to put a Linux workstation in their 
hands is if I can first  pry their cold, dead fingers off their Windows 
keyboards, so the new SA may be required to know something about Windows 
networks and security.

I've been doing this job for now, but mostly just the donkey work ( 
triage the logs, feed, groom, exercise, and sometimes muck out, etc. ) 
The stuff that goes beyond me I contract with a friend to keep the disk 
drives in the RAID10 all spinning in harmony like so many Nepalese 
prayer wheels. But he's got  a full-time job (the good ones aren't 
lacking for work these days) So he's available only at certain times.

This group seems to have a lot of experience with Linux system 
administration,and even though I'm in the Denver Metro Area you all seem 
to collectively have the broadest and deepest knowledge, so that's why 
I've come all this distance to the well ;-) I'm going to do some on-line 
searching, but I would appreciate any guidance so I don't get off on the 
wrong foot.

Thank you in advance!

- Bill Thoen