Application administrators are IT professionals responsible for managing software applications within an organization. Application administrators rarely participate in application development; instead, they discover what specific applications are needed to improve business operations and then oversee the installation, updating, and daily maintenance of software applications used by an organization. They interact with people at all levels of an organization and generally work as part of an IT team. Application administrators sometimes manage computers.
All types of businesses require IT software to do their jobs, some of which are developed in-house and others are purchased from an external vendor. The application manager's job is to identify the best software for a company's specific needs. Then they buy the software, prepare the servers, install the software, configure it, upload the data, modify it, update it, and repair it if something goes wrong. Sometimes they also help train and communicate how to use the software throughout the organization. As more and more companies turn to third-party software, the application administrator role will become increasingly important and there will likely be more opportunities for this position.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Application Administrator
To monitor a company's application needs, application administrators are responsible for a variety of functions. An analysis of the job postings for application administrators revealed these core activities that most application administrators are responsible for in their daily work.
Evaluate business process requirements
The application manager analyzes the organization's structure and workflow to identify possible application solutions. They need to be aware of the latest software developments and think about ways the software can be applied to make the business more efficient and successful.
It manages the distribution and updates of system hardware and application software.
Application administrators typically lead a team of IT specialists responsible for implementing and updating system hardware and application software. They make sure the servers are ready before deploying new systems and then closely monitor the deployment process for any problems.
Troubleshoot software problems
Application administrators provide technical support and troubleshooting for commercial application software systems. Whenever there is a problem with the software, the application administrator or a member of their team will investigate the problem and find a solution.
Create processes and protocols for the software
For each new software introduced into the organization, the application manager creates, develops and monitors the protocols and procedures for its use. Once these standards are developed, it may also be necessary to provide training to users.
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