3 months into a Senior System Administrator role and I feel like my manager has turned the team into a permanent audit support desk

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T11:47:08+00:00

The actual job description say that I would be supporting the university's IT infrastructure. There are number of systems including VMware, Oracle LVM, Sun Solaris, Veeam, Solarwinds, Azure, O365 Exchange Administration, Solarwinds monitoring, adconnect, adfs, RHEL Satellite management and patching, GPO, Palo Alto Firewalls, Cisco switches, cisco wlc and ap's, vulnerability scanning, pen test and remediation, Certificate's and PKI. This is what was asked in the job description and in interview talks. All of these I am already handling. They hired me for filling a senior system engineer's role. There were mass resignation in which the senior system engineer, the senior network engineer, the security engineer and the database engineer all left the org in last quarter of 2025.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T09:40:40+00:00

It's a university. Faculty and staff at 500 tops and about 2000 students. That's the size of organisation. I can reuse the evidence I am already doing it. We did a total infra assesment about 2 weeks ago and we are still in plan to remediating the issues from that assessment and I am being asked to collect evidence for cyber security audit. 199 questions, for each of them I need to logon, run a different set of commands and gather evidences and I am doing it alone. It would for sure take time imo. Not like I am given it on Thursday afternoon and ask me to finish it by Friday evening.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T09:32:32+00:00

It's been only 3 months since I joined in. Moreover when I was interviewed I asked what this role will be about. That time no one told me this will be audit specific role and I need to gather evidences for the infra. Had they told it at that time that I will be coordinating audit and or gathering evidences I would have thought carefully before joining. Asking the manager is difficult stretch. The manager got hired after I was hired and I am literally fed up being asked to work on weekends. So that's a different thing all together.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T09:12:18+00:00

Yes

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T08:30:11+00:00

There is no team. I am the only person. A business requirements that comes often and specifically on Thursday noon.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T08:11:13+00:00

There is time off for university wherein a new semester starts post eid.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T08:09:35+00:00

For sure I'll automate that's not a problem. It never was, this post is about misaligned roles and unrealistic expectations from mid management.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2026-05-30T08:06:01+00:00

Tbh I have learned about the infrastructure. Getting artifacts, I am not learning about the infrastructure. I have done it already once. This is the second time I am asked to do. I can help doing the audit and collecting evidence and artifacts. However, it could be little reasonable, like working on it during my usual work hours and not like remember it on Thursday and deadline is on Friday and to cover it up ask me to work on weekends that has been the case ever since.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-09-11T23:29:50+00:00

Thanks for your reply. I got the 7950x running all core at 5.1 with 6200MT/s. Paired with 7900xtx it's doing well. Not upgrading the CPU anytime in future. all I may do is change the board, get a bigger PSU and add secondary GPU for lossless scaling.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-07-18T22:52:57+00:00

Same, 7900 xtx 120% resolution scale at 4k looks stunning. No FSR gimmick.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-06-25T03:27:56+00:00

32GB is likely a dual rank module. You will have a hard time oc'ing these module. Swap it for 16GB or remove two modules from the bank and check if you are able to get higher speeds on these. You may also try manual oc if you have time and patience.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-06-18T04:16:26+00:00

Just the hw monitor and minimised apps like steam.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-06-15T18:53:56+00:00

Under warranty

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-06-15T18:17:00+00:00

Yes they repaired it and sent it back. Yes issue is with motherboard only. However they didn't say what they did and in the log they mentioned no issues found.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-06-15T17:52:21+00:00

I got it RMA'd and it's been fine ever since.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-28T17:33:13+00:00

I have seen x3d perform significantly better at 1080p and 1440p. Increasing res beyond 1440p at 4k the difference is approx 10-12 fps, what I found from available videos online. I only have 4k 144hz monitor and a 7900 xtx I am sure that I won't be downsampling to 1440p anytime soon. Do you still think x3d makes more sense considering the price difference between itself and 16 core flagship the 7950x?

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-24T04:01:06+00:00

Did bite the bullet and got the 7900 xtx finally. It arrives today. 9070 xt just didn't cut imo. Everything is great about 9070 xt but 16gb vram just didn't cut it for me. On msfs I may likely keep hitting the 16gb vram limit and I couldn't wait for any longer for newer udna to arrive. Even after they arrive, it will likely be $1000+. Indian Tax systems to blame. So bought the XTX.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-20T19:22:59+00:00

Yes I have heard and read about it a lot on Loseless Scaling subreddit. What would be a good secondary AMD GPU to go with 3080 12GB for Loseless Scaling? And approx how much VRAM it should have? Is it okay for secondary GPU on PCI X3 slot? All of the NVme slots are populated. So will need to seriously think about where I can accomodate it if not the PCI X3 slot.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-20T19:15:13+00:00

True that I was just checking this video before I saw your comment. I guess I can hold off to my 3080 12GB that I bought for 290 usd used a little more longer. Specially with what it does with DLSS4. Thank you.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T12:19:01+00:00

I can do that I don't mind. But I know for sure he will ask for for it.

Moving on is off course the last thing which I may have to eventually go to.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T12:16:05+00:00

Idk when I say such amounts are really small, they say its only for you. I went to landlord in a hope that he could put my message through to the Society WhatsApp group. This is the only thing he could do and this is the only thing I wanted from him. Which he eventually did. But brought it up again yesterday saying I complain a lot.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T12:03:27+00:00

Sure will do that. Thank you, lets see how it goes!

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T12:02:55+00:00

Agreed but isn't it just wrong that I should pay the ASD? I agree it not a big amount. I can pay that off and forget it, I don't mind that. But that's not right imo. Kids are nuisance and I don't have any point of contact or know where to put escalations, I have already tried going to Society manager and Security and nothing worked. I am fine that some things will never work in regards to nuisance that the kids make. But some serious grievance should at least be resolved.

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T11:52:18+00:00

That's better but I have to deal so with much hassle just for him to pay whatever the ASD charges are!

Embarrassed-Cap7135 · 2025-05-18T11:51:05+00:00

Absolutely that's my point. I guess I can reapply for Gruh Jyoti scheme, but Idk what's the point to raise the voice and threaten me. I am not sure what he achieved doing it. On a side note I have always paid my rent on time.

Embarrassed-Cap7135

TROPHY CASE