The first commandment of system administration

As system and network administrators, we play many roles. We are the ones who provide stable and secure environments for electronic business in all of its forms, from email to accounting systems to mission-critical Web applications. However, despite our best efforts, disaster will occasionally strike. In this series, I'll present what I feel are the 10 most important steps a systems administrator can take to ensure that when that dreaded 3 a.m. page hits, you're prepared to react quickly, assess the situation, and make everything right again. I call these the Ten Commandments of system administration.