End user/admin ratios

How many end users can be supported by one desktop/network administrator? Is there any reference data, research or industrial standard that provides this information?

It can vary from 25 to 500, depending on factors such as the operating systems involved, the level of support provided, and whether the ratio in question involves front-line desktop support personnel or server and network infrastructure support staffing requirements. Each organization is different.

The one consistent industry standard seems to be that there should be at least two qualified administrators on staff for each piece of equipment, so the organization can pass the "Mack truck test." (If one administrator is hit by a truck, you pass if it doesn't eliminate all the system administration expertise at the company.) Here are some Web sites that can help you determine the appropriate ratio:

• How Many Administrators are Enough?
  General guidelines for approaching the problem based on the notion of support 'units,' with two examples of using units to calculate personnel requirements.
• The Case for Manageable Systems: Preparing for Rapid Growth
  Support requirement calculations based on support hours per month, per server.
• The truth about tech support
  Claims the corporate standard is 50 PCs per administrator.

As a network architect at Change at Work in Houston, Blass understands the strain of developing and managing networks. Send your problems to dr.internet@changeatwork.com

Ask Dr. Internet archive
Past columns.