Introduction
At IBM Infrastructure & Technology, we design and operate the systems that keep the world running. From high-resiliency mainframes and hybrid cloud platforms to networking, automation, and site reliability. Our teams ensure the performance, security, and scalability that clients and industries depend on every day. Working in Infrastructure & Technology means tackling complex challenges with curiosity and collaboration. You'll work with diverse technologies and colleagues worldwide to deliver resilient, future-ready solutions that power innovation. With continuous learning, career growth, and a supportive culture, IBM provides the opportunities to build expertise and shape the infrastructure that drives progress.
Your Role And Responsibilities
* Deep understanding of IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS) architecture
* NSD servers, quorum nodes, manager roles
* Metadata vs data disks
* Failure groups & declustering
* ESS node roles:
* I/O Server (IOS)
* Management node
* Client nodes (HPC / AI workloads)
* ESS building blocks
* Building block layout (BB, racks, drawers)
* Disk enclosures, NVMe / SSD / HDD tiers
* ESS high availability design
* Node failover
* Disk and enclosure redundancy
* Network path redundancy
Spectrum Scale (GPFS) – Advanced Administration
* Install, configure, and upgrade Spectrum Scale on ESS
* File system lifecycle management:
* Create, modify, extend, and delete GPFS file systems
* Fileset design (dependent/independent)
* Snapshot management
* Advanced GPFS tuning:
* Pagepool tuning
* Token management
* NSD performance optimization
* Quorum & cluster health management
* CES (Cluster Export Services):
* NFS, SMB, Object (if applicable)
* Authentication (AD / LDAP)
* ILM (Information Lifecycle Management):
* Tiering policies
* Placement rules & Policy execution and troubleshooting
* Storage Hardware Expertise (ESS-Specific)
* Disk and enclosure management:
* Drive replacement procedures
* Drawer and enclosure diagnostics
* RAID and declustered array behavior
* Firmware management:
* Disk, enclosure, HBA, NIC firmware
* Non-disruptive firmware updates
* Hardware error interpretation:
* ESS event logs
* Call Home data
* Predictive failure analysis
Understanding of ESS Call Home & SSR workflow
Performance Engineering & Troubleshooting
* Networking (Critical Skill Area)
* ESS networking design:
* Data vs management networks
* High-speed interconnects (25/40/100 GbE)
* VLAN, bonding, LACP configuration
* RDMA / RoCE concepts (for performance-critical deployments)
* Network troubleshooting impacting storage I/O
Linux System Administration (Advanced)
* RHEL administration (ESS-certified versions)
* Kernel parameter tuning
* Systemd services for ESS & GPFS
* Disk, multipathing, and device management
* Log analysis and root cause isolation
* Secure access, sudo, SSH hardening
Availability, DR & Maintenance
* Planned maintenance with zero or minimal downtime
* Rolling upgrades (Spectrum Scale & firmware)
* Backup and restore strategies:
* GPFS snapshots
* Integration with backup tools
* Disaster recovery concepts:
* Multi-cluster ESS
* AFM (Active File Management)
* Replication and failover
* Operational Excellence & IBM Processes
* Deep familiarity with:
* IBM ESS maintenance workflows
* Firmware compatibility matrices
* IBM support engagement (PMRs)
* Root cause analysis documentation
* Change management and risk assessment
* Client advisory and best-practice guidance
Preferred Education
Master's Degree
Role Summary
Required technical and professional expertise
The IBM Elastic Storage System (ESS) System Administrator is responsible for the
design, administration, performance, availability, and lifecycle management
of IBM ESS environments powered by
IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS)
.
This role requires
deep technical expertise
across storage hardware, Spectrum Scale software, Linux, and high-performance networking to support
mission-critical HPC, AI, and enterprise workloads
.
Key Responsibilities
ESS & Spectrum Scale Administration
Storage Hardware & Firmware Management
Performance Engineering & Troubleshooting
Networking & Infrastructure
Linux System Administration
Security, DR & Compliance
Automation & Monitoring
Operational Leadership
Preferred Technical And Professional Experience
Required Technical Skills
* Expert knowledge of IBM ESS architecture
* Advanced administration of IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS)
* Strong Linux (RHEL) system administration skills
* Deep understanding of storage hardware and firmware lifecycle
* Performance tuning and troubleshooting expertise
* Enterprise networking knowledge (Ethernet, RDMA, bonding)