How Long Does it Take to Learn Server Administration?

Like many aspiring cybersecurity professionals, you might want to learn server administration but worry that it will take too much time. Server Administrators need to have skills in cybersecurity, computer science, programming languages, and updating hardware and software. Professional courses in server administration take anywhere from three to six months, depending on a full or part-time learning schedule. Learning server administration on your own is also possible, but your pace will likely vary. Of course, this depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn about how you can learn server administration and some resources to help speed the process along.

What is Server Administration?

Server administration involves the management of computer servers. It includes several tasks, such as upgrading software and hardware, storing and organizing data, and developing processes and protocols. Server Administrators work with end-users to access information, recover lost passwords, and troubleshoot technical problems with both hardware and software. Server Administrators also play an important role in cybersecurity. They are responsible for updating database security, including setting up antivirus and firewall programs. They work closely with the IT team to update protocols and processes and educate end-users on security best practices. 

Server Administrators play a crucial role in managing and securing company data and information. Individuals interested in a career as a Server Administrator require coding knowledge in programming languages such as Java, C++, and Python. They also need to know how to set up and create custom databases. Server Administrators make an average salary in the US of $70,000 a year, though this may swing heavily in either direction depending on your area. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for server administrators is expected to grow by 4% from 2019 to 2029. 

Read more about what server administration is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Server Administration?

Server administration can be an exciting and fulfilling career. Server Administrators play a vital role in maintaining company information and troubleshooting end-user issues. In this way, Server Administrators know their services are always needed to help the company and its employees flourish. Serving in an essential role can lead to a sense of fulfillment with seeing that one’s job duties have a daily impact. Every company needs ways to manage its data and keep information secure in today's digital world. Thus, Server Administrators can impact virtually any industry of their choosing.

Server administration is an excellent role for individuals who enjoy problem-solving. Whether troubleshooting hardware, identifying needed systems patches or analyzing system logs, Server Administrators face daily challenges and get to flex their intellectual muscles. Server Administrators also experience the thrill of working with new technologies. Over the past few decades, Server Administrators have moved from physical servers to cloud servers. Cybersecurity threats also continue to grow and involve. For individuals who like learning new things, Server administration possesses opportunities for gaining new skills and talents. 

Server Administrators learn various cybersecurity and database management skills and programming languages. Professionals who learn server administration skills can pursue other careers by further focusing on cybersecurity, database management, or computer science skills. Server Administrators can pursue positions in IT, Cybersecurity, or Web Development, to name a few.

Average Time it Takes to Learn Server Administration

Comprehensive bootcamps and certificate courses that offer a deep understanding of server administration last around three months on full-time schedules and six months for part-time learning. These courses are usually designed to teach you the ins and outs of a topic and assist you in starting a new career. For example, Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp teaches cybersecurity concepts and offers a resume workshop and mock interviews. For job seekers, the time commitment for one of the courses could be well worth it.

Without professional instruction, learning server administration could take much longer. You’ll be working via your motivation and with whatever free tutorials and guides you can find online. While self-learning can be an excellent tool to begin your journey in a new career field, self-guided tools are rarely enough to teach comprehensive or industry-leading techniques. Free online tutorials are also frequently outdated and possess errors. Thus, professional instruction is recommended for job seekers or those looking to become experts.

Other Factors

How long it takes to learn server administration depends on several factors. These include whether you attend professional classes or learn on your own and if you seek to learn beginner or expert skills. Your schedule and your experience with computer science concepts will also play a role.

Self-Guided or Instructor-Led Learning 

Instructor-led learning is always faster than self-guided learning. An instructor provides structure to the learning process through guided teaching and assigned lessons. They are also available to answer any questions and guide students through roadblocks. On the flip side, successful self-guided learning relies on an individual’s motivation, finding the right tutorials, and creatively troubleshooting issues. This search takes up time that individuals could dedicate to learning. And lack of motivation can drastically slow down progress. Thus, self-guided learning almost always takes much longer.

Beginner or Expert Skills

Most people can acquire basic skills in server administration reasonably quickly. Beginner tutorials on fundamental concepts are easy to find online, making learning simple to obtain even for self-learners. However, finding advanced or expert resources online for free will prove more difficult. Thus, professional classes are recommended for learning expert skills and making the most of your time. Though gaining expert skills will take longer than the fundamentals, it will be necessary to start a new career. 

Your Personal Schedule

Every individual has commitments and limited time they can devote to learning. Full-time bootcamps in server administration take around two to three months to complete, while part-time bootcamps last around six months. Some people may find it challenging to commit to part-time learning, so that self-guided learning could be a better fit. Yet, self-guided learning will take longer than professional classes, and the speed at which you learn will depend mainly on your motivation. Ultimately, everyone learns at their own pace, and there’s no shame in needing to take longer than someone else. But it’s important to set realistic expectations on how quickly you can learn server administration when considering how much you can devote to it. 

Familiarity with Computer Science Concepts

Computer science serves as the basis of server administration. Tenets of computer science that Server Administrators need to know ten computer science basics: hardware and software, networks and databases, cybersecurity, and programming languages. How easily you can pick up the basics of these concepts will aid you in learning server administration. Learning the foundations of computer science may prove more difficult for individuals who are creatively minded or otherwise disinterested in computer science or problem-solving. 

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost 

Server administration on its own is relatively easy to learn. However, it requires computer science basics, such as hardware and software management, network management, cybersecurity, database management, and programming languages. Individuals who are more creatively inclined or aren’t interested in computer science will struggle more to learn server administration.

There are no knowledge prerequisites to beginning your learning journey in server administration or attending professional classes other than basic computer comprehension skills. Individuals who know a little about computer science fundamentals will feel more comfortable with server administration concepts. Server administration also involves a healthy amount of troubleshooting and end-user assistance. Problem solvers and individuals who enjoy helping others would be best suited to the profession.

There are no upfront costs to begin learning server administration since free resources and seminars are available online and through skill-sharing websites. However, those who wish to master server administration concepts to start a new career must attend professional classes. Comprehensive courses that teach server administration cost from $8,000-$14,000. Outside of class, coding languages the Server Administrators use, such as Python and SQL, are open source, have robust communities, and can be learned for free. Tools that Server Administrators may use, depending on their specialization or company, such as Amazon Web Services or Windows Admin Center, are also available for free and offer free training resources. 

Read about how difficult it is to learn server administration.

Watch a Free Server Administration Online Course

Not ready to dive into a complete course on server administration? You can start learning server administration for free online. Free online courses teach necessary server administration skills, such as Linux for server management and security, SQL for server management, Windows server administration, database administration, IT support, and cybersecurity fundamentals. You can find these courses through skill-sharing websites such as Youtube, Coursera, or Udemy. 

Free online courses are ideal for beginner learners as they embark on their journey. Free courses can be helpful since they often feature overviews of a skill or program. While these classes can be valuable and cost-effective for beginners, most provide only basics. Free courses also often feature outdated programs or industry standards. Individuals looking to learn server administration to jumpstart a new career likely need to attend professionally-led classes. 

Read about more free server administration videos and online tutorials.

Learn Cybersecurity & Tech Skills with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Server Administrators require cloud computing, cybersecurity, and database administration skills. Individuals can learn all of these skills through Noble Desktop. Their small class sizes feature industry-expert instructors with free retake options. Courses can be taken in-person in NYC or online from anywhere.

Cloud Computing with AWS focuses on Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the most popular cloud computing platforms. Students learn how to build and secure enterprise-level cloud environments with AWS. 

Python is a coding language commonly used by Server Administrators. Noble Desktop offers Python for Network Security, where students learn how to use Python for network monitoring and security. Students must be comfortable coding with Python or have attended Noble Desktop’s Python Programming Bootcamp. 

The previously mentioned courses are available through Noble Desktop’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. In this extensive course, students learn cybersecurity threats and prevention practices and how to use Python for cybersecurity, Linux for cybersecurity, digital forensics, and cloud computing. Individuals can also view all of Noble Desktop’s cybersecurity courses should they wish to take them individually. 

An additional course not included in the Cybersecurity Bootcamp that Server Administrators may be interested in is the SQL Server Bootcamp. Students learn the coding language SQL for managing databases, querying information, and extracting insights.

Key Insights

• Server administration takes around three to six months to learn, depending on whether you choose to take full-time or part-time classes.
• Professional training is the fastest method to master the concepts of server administration.
• Individuals with busy schedules can learn server administration fundamentals through self-guided learning. Still, it could take much longer than professional training, and it will be challenging to learn expert techniques.
• Expert skills always take longer to learn than basic skills but are worthwhile for job seekers.
• Familiarizing yourself with the basics of computer science can give you a jump start on learning and give you more confidence in the classroom. 
• You can receive comprehensive server administration training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.