Full-Remote SysAdmin On-boarding Process?

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rayskicksnthings@reddit

I got to pick what hardware I wanted. Anything else I needed I just bought with my expense card. Or if they had it they’d ship it to me.

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I just accepted a full Remote job at a state University hospital to support a local Emergency Department and clinic (sole IT guy for any onsite needs) and was told I’d receive: Laptop, 2x monitors, iPad, iPhone w/ plan, Conf phone, webcam and headset.

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Jawshee_pdx@reddit

Enable RDP on your new laptop. Remote into it from your existing desk setup.

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bewsii@reddit

That's a good idea, actually.

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trimalchio-worktime@reddit

Or get a KVM switch; if it's right there having network lag is annoying and not necessary.

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kweiske@reddit

I used to RDP into my work laptop from my home desktop until our security team disabled that. I bought a new monitor with 2 HDMI ports and switch between my work laptop and home desktop. I bought a Logitech MX mouse and keyboard. They both have multi-device dongles, and I and use two dongles to switch between systems. It works relatively well.

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Jawshee_pdx@reddit

We got permission from our security team, but I could see how many would dispute that.

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drosmi@reddit

We actually used to do something similar for remote work. We created esxi vms with all the work stuff on them and then We could vpn in with rdp and be ready to go.

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NuArcher@reddit

Note. This may be obvious but watch out for fully remote jobs that say they will send you a cheque and ask you to purchase starting equipment from a specific site. Those jobs are pure 'Advance Fee' scams. As stated by others, reputable companies will supply the equipment themselves.

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notauthorised@reddit

They provided these before I started.p - business internet - laptop - 2x 32” monitor - misc stuff such as keyboard, mice, desk, chair, foot stool, YubiKey - mobile phone - Cisco VPN VOIP phone. Onboarding, you have a f2f call with line manager. I have my username. The first thing it asks to do is to change laptop. Then, the welcome email tells you to go to a page where there is a checklist of training todo such as reading the cybersecurity policies, sensitivity training, the wiki page etc. then you get briefing on how the team works and what your responsibilities are or what your priorities will be.

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Happy_Kale888@reddit

So the Sysadmin owns the laptop that all the keys to the kingdom are stored on? Not a good plan...  They provide laptop, monitors, desk phone, cell phone but WFH I have my own dock and monitors (USB C rules). I could use and device I asked for but I like to use the same as the common folk to show it is good and fast. I use Windows 11 same as the environment.

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ExPorkie15@reddit

Any company that makes you provide your own hardware is a joke run. All other things will vary based on the company.

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jaredearle@reddit

I’m a contractor. My main client gave me a laptop but they don’t expect me to use it. Another client gave me a laptop and they expect me to use it on their vpn. If I were an employee, I’d expect a laptop.

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disposeable1200@reddit

In the UK it's only done when you want someone to be a contractor and you're trying to avoid IR35. Definitely weird to ask a sysadmin to use their own kit, I'd be expecting full security controls as it'll likely be a privileged workstation.

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ExPorkie15@reddit

Yeah I feel the company should provide regardless of the position. But as you say it’s even more crazy that for a admin they wouldn’t.

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wolfcrowned@reddit

So VDI or RDP is a bad thing?

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ExPorkie15@reddit

If they are making you use your personal device then yes.

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wolfcrowned@reddit

I work it and contract for the us government, and they often make either contractors or interns only use vdi. I thought it was odd, but as you know, the government runs on a short budget annually so often we are out of stock in equipment. So vdi is best case scenario for most workers in order to get started for the first few months.

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ExPorkie15@reddit

External contractor I could understand but a direct employee like a intern should get a device.

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oreo3387@reddit

I worked at a MSP and we used to have a ton of clients that used Azure Virtual Desktop, or RDS Gateway to a terminal server. Every single one of them also supplied a device to access that, like a laptop or desktop.

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SuperQue@reddit

My last job onboarding looked like this: * A company laptop (Macboook Pro) was shipped to me. Pre-configured with company MDM (Jamf). * My Google Workspace account was setup via sending a password reset invite to a personal email account. Once established with 2FA, I could access other internal company stuff via Okta (HR software, Slack, etc) * I attended a number of onboarding video training calls for things like HR, IT, IT security, and other policy stuff. Once I was onboarded to the team, I was slowly added to various groups to grant me access to production systems as needed.

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drosmi@reddit

Mine was all done in a week

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uptimefordays@reddit

I’ve onboard a few new colleagues. Biggest thing for sysadmins is always access—we’ve got well defined roles which made provisioning access easy. Shipping hardware is always something of a pain, especially if they’re across the country. The biggest thing is always getting folks acclimated to your environment, we spend a fair amount of time during first couple weeks walking folks through everything. Dovetails nicely into the projects they end up working on and builds camaraderie.

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progenyofeniac@reddit

I’m full remote, have been for over a year, and was onboarded remotely. Haven’t even met my boss in person yet. I was told I’d receive a laptop, monitor, and dock. I asked if I could get a second monitor and my boss said sure, so I had it all by my start date. On my first day, helpdesk had a Zoom scheduled which I joined from my phone. They gave me my initial password for the laptop, walked me through changing it, got me on the MFA, helped me log in to a few systems I’d need, and I had a call with my boss a few hours later to explain the specifics of what he wanted me to do.

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phamilyguy@reddit

This is pretty much the process I use to onboard remote new hires from the IT side. I have their hardware delivered before day one, at the very least the laptop anyway. Sometimes the peripherals show up a day or two later. First time login instructions are included with the laptop, which is usually enough to get most of them up and running on their own. I always offer to do a Google Meet with them if they prefer or have any issues with the instructions.

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progenyofeniac@reddit

I’m assuming you don’t ship the password with the laptop. Otherwise I think it’s pretty standard for remote onboarding.

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phamilyguy@reddit

Correct

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oreo3387@reddit

I was provided a laptop, configured with autopilot with my username waiting for me to sign in. It didn't arrive til midway through my first day, so they sent some PDFs and stuff I could review for regular employee training on a personal device. I got a dock, mouse, keyboard, 2 screens, laptop is an X1 Carbon which is the only laptop the company gives to employees, Yubikey. No choice when it came to this stuff. No desk phone because we use a softphone, oh I was also provided a Galaxy S21 smartphone, but I could have chosen whatever the latest iPhone was at the time.

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c_smo@reddit

If a larger company, they would ship you a laptop with peripherals, docking station and monitor(s). Unless you are in a phone queue or something you would just use the company's collaboration software for phone calls (Teams, Zoom, etc). If you have on-call responsibilities then you would get a company mobile phone or a monthly stipend for personal phone use.

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phamilyguy@reddit

I am IT support\\admin for \~300 fully remote users. I ship all new hires a configured laptop and whatever peripheral hardware they may need. We offer them a few standard options for monitor, printer, kb\\mouse etc. They don't just get to request whatever they want. All these harwdare costs get charged to their business segment's cost center. We don't issue IP desk phones. They get a company smartphone if the hiring manager requests one, which they do in most cases.

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Timely_Old_Man45@reddit

I did this at the beginning of COVID. Mailed out laptops with monitors, accessories, and instructions. New employees would have their machines ready to go and prompted to change password at next login. Bitlocker pins, mobile pins, everything was emailed directly to the new employee at the time of shipping.

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xiongchiamiov@reddit

Generally computers are shipped out. Things like monitors might be shipped, but often you get a reimbursement budget to spend on whichever desk stuff you need (monitor, stand, desk, chair, etc). The only company I've worked at that allowed people to choose hardware (beyond "do you want the small MBP or the big one?") didn't have any IT folks yet; once they were there, they put the squash on trying to support infinitely many hardware configurations. That's also the only job where anyone has had desktops. Desk phones? What is this, the 80s? Almost everything is over Slack, and situations where you need to talk in audio, including with outside folks, all use Zoom or similar.

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12_nick_12@reddit

I was the first person to be hired remote for my company. They had me use my personal machine for a week until my company laptop and monitors showed up. Now we are no longer allowed to use personal devices, it's been 3 years since then so we've learned. My team has added 2 other fully remote people.

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fishypianist@reddit

I am currently with a remote-first company, since I have been here they have shut down several offices and data centers so almost no chance to be forced to return to office. The company has twice a month onboarding for new employees. laptop(mac or windows) dock, mouse/keyboard, headset, monitor, backpack, stickers, and water bottle all arrived a couple of days before the start date. No desk phones. Everyone gets an email from the HR team with teams link for the onboarding. During onboarding Service Desk is available to help with any initial setup issues and password format given. There are also a number of meetings over the first few months to make sure you are getting familiar with the company culture and where to go for things.

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HearthCore@reddit

Initial Hardware, depending on if the employee needs gear: Docking-Station for 3 Monitors + Keyboard, Mouse + Monitors + Company Headset - Wireless Dongles on all fronts Company Phone for 2FA Apps and Dataplan for Situation X. Employee is expected to have possible to lock office space. Anything less and you look elsewhere. The devices are on "load" from the company obviously, no takeover until 3\~5 years served.

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Lammtarra95@reddit

Went into office for day one induction and set-up. Given work laptop and phone. I think there was an option to get a docking station but I did not. Needed to set up various accounts, set email options and signatures to the company-mandated style. Get photographed for company pass (which, working from home, was rarely used). Work laptop and phone were controlled and updated from central IT (no usb drives allowed, and so on).

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zrad603@reddit (OP)

out of curiosity, how far away was "the office"?

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Lammtarra95@reddit

For me, about an hour and a half across London; for colleagues from outside London, further or much further.

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TheNastyNarwhal@reddit

Full remote Linux admin here. I was shipped a laptop and docking station that arrived on day 1. I was offered monitors but have 3 monitor setup that I use already so I just opted for a dock. Laptop came with paper for getting everything setup. I have only been to my corporate office 5 hours away once but I work for a bigger company that already onboards people all over the country so the process wasn't anything new for them.

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Cooleb09@reddit

When we have consutlants/secondments in they nromal get access to our PAM systems and git repos via a clientless zero trust access service and we tell them to do whatever for a device. Staff get sent a Dell laptop and dock, Autopilot onboards the laptop and they get to work.

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g00gleb00gle@reddit

I got everything I needed. Laptop. Screens. Keyboard mice camera phones headsets etc. and a chair

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Full-Plenty661@reddit

It really depends on experience and job requirements so your question is a little ambiguous.

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Full-Plenty661@reddit

If I'm not provided with all of the above I'm not taking the job. Cell phone and plan included. Windows is expected. No VOIP no, but headset etc yes.

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