RE: ISeries System Admin, what do they do?

Paul's reply is pretty thorough.  I'll add just a couple of points:

1. System Administrator != Developer/Programmer Analyst.  While it is
true in smaller shops that the programmer may do the admin work (or vice
versa), they really are separate tasks.  I have been an AS/400 admin
since 1991 and to this day I can't read RPG worth squat.  I've never had
a need to as the admin & development tasks are distinct.  Likewise, our
developers don't know much of anything about system backups or managing
user profiles as it's not part of their job.  As an admin I do code in
CL for utilities needed to automate procedures and make my life easier,
but I wouldn't call it "real" programming (or application programming to
be more accurate) by any stretch.

2. The one task of any sysadmin is to keep the machine available within
your established guidelines.  Most of what Paul mentioned are the main
components of that task, although some things, like coordinating
upgrades, are less concerned with availability as they are with
enhancements to features/performance.

3. IBM has some operations classes; the course descriptions should
provide some basics as to they day-to-day tasks.  Or hit InfoCenter and
look in Systems Management - Basic System Operations for the IBM doc.