If you're not a sysadmin then the odds are you deal with one. But makes a good sysadmin, and why are there so few great ones?
For me, an end user, what distinguishes a great sysadmin from a merely
competent one is attitude. Technical skills are easy, problem solving
ability is harder, but it's great attitude that's truly rare.
It is the rare personality that can protect the system, but keep users needs as the paramount goal.