Rouages: “We’re one of the most widely used services, but also one of the least visible”
Ensuring access to the University’s network and the internet at all times, maintaining the IT infrastructure, and ensuring the secure management of our data… These are all tasks essential to the fulfillment of our own missions, which Carine Lavalette and Arnaud Gavara carry out every day within the Information Systems and Digital Technology Department (DSIN). They are system and network administrators, and this month, they talk to us about their jobs in the “Rouages” video series produced by the University.
They are among the unsung heroes at the University. Behind every click of your mouse, behind every keystroke, every time you open your email inbox or access your files, it’s thanks to them. They are the system and network administrators. Within the Information Systems and Digital Technology Division (DSIN), they make up the IT Support Department: the SMI. “The University employs nearly twenty system and network administrators. We’re divided into two teams: the first is in charge of the network, security, and IP telephony, and the second is in charge of the server and storage systems. Paradoxically, we’re one of the most heavily used departments but also one of the least visible atUM notes Arnaud Gavara, network and security administrator.
From Versatility to Greater Specialization
Even if you don’t know them, they know you and work for you. “We serve everyone at the University,” explains Carine Lavalette, a systems administrator. “Whether it’s the 7,600 staff members across all departments, the Professors the labs, or the 48,000 students.” ” From Richter, their base of operations, they manage services for the university’s IT infrastructure—which includes more than 4,000 workstations—and also provide network access for many more devices. “If you add in personal computers, those purchased with lab funds, phones… That’s a lot of people! “We don’t think about it when we log in, but if we can do so, it’s because system and network administrators are working behind the scenes,” notes Arnaud Gavara.
While their responsibilities are varied, they have become significantly more specialized over time. Carine Lavalette, for example, works primarily on the IT system. “My job is to upgrade the infrastructure and keep it running so we can provide users with the best possible service. This includes servers, storage, backups…” All in all, her role includes managing theUM data center, which consists of 870 virtual servers hosted by 60 physical machines known in the industry as “pizza boxes”—because they’re machines that are stacked on top of each other, have neither a keyboard nor a screen, and are accessed remotely.
More recently, the department has focused on a major project: the disaster recovery plan (DRP). This has nothing to do with the public health measures we’ve been experiencing for the past year; rather, it’s about ensuring the University’s IT system is protected in the event of a serious cyberattack, such as the one that occurred last April. “It’s much more than just backing up data, ” explains the administrator. “The goal is to ensure the security of the system that enables that data to function.” “Accidents can always happen, but part of our job is precisely to plan ahead—the seatbelt, the shoulder straps, and the parachute!” adds Arnaud Gavara.
Safety, Support, and Service
While their areas of expertise set them apart, Carine Lavalette and Arnaud Gavara share the same commitment to optimal security. The IT department is, in fact, bound by the obligation to maintain systems in operational condition. This involves ensuring network maintenance without disrupting users—or with as little disruption as possible—and keeping services such as email constantly operational and secure.
In fact, both experts point out: “It’s important to raise awareness and train university staff on security so that, for example, they don’t open fraudulent emails. The consequences can be severe.” They cite the cyberattack suffered byUM last April: “It was the use of an account obtained through phishing that allowed a hacker to take control of certain university servers. Fortunately, we were able to thwart this attack, but it took many days of work and had a noticeable impact onUM operations.”
A Passionate Career
Supporting university staff in designing or responding to a project is another aspect of his role that Arnaud Gavara particularly enjoys: “What I like is when someone comes to see me with a problem to solve or a project to implement, and that sparks a conversation.”
Both also provide user support through the service center. This system runs smoothly thanks to the ticket system, but, according to Carine Lavalette, it also has some drawbacks, since “when they go through the service center, staff members sometimes tend to forget that we’re University employees just like them.” This does not, however, prevent the two administrators from viewing their work as a passion.
It’s a passion they both say they discovered at a very young age. And while this field is certainly still not known for its gender diversity, Carine asserts: “I’ve managed to make a place for myself here, even if I’ve sometimes had to elbow my way in a bit—but that also has its advantages, and I really love this job. ” As for the qualities they believe are necessary to be a good administrator? “Versatility, independence, logical thinking—but above all, attention to detail! Attention to detail and organization. IT is unforgiving, especially when you work in the IT Department and are responsible for managing the entire network and all of the university’s servers,” concludes Arnaud Gavara.