Not sure if you'll like my metaphor, but here goes anyway...
As a software developer, I've always felt like a race car driver, trying to win for my customer. I need lots of help. I pretty much maintain my own car, but I need help with the course. That's where sys admins come in.
You provide the pavement. You should be proud of what you do. Without good smooth high quality pavement, not much could happen very quickly. I get frustrated when my Corvette has to run down a dirt road. Just like you get frustrated when someone's horse and buggy clogs up your beautiful race course.
Every time a customer has asked me to do sys admin work, I describe our respective responsibilities with this example. That's about the only way they understand that not everybody in IT does everything in IT.
As a software developer, I've always felt like a race car driver, trying to win for my customer. I need lots of help. I pretty much maintain my own car, but I need help with the course. That's where sys admins come in.
You provide the pavement. You should be proud of what you do. Without good smooth high quality pavement, not much could happen very quickly. I get frustrated when my Corvette has to run down a dirt road. Just like you get frustrated when someone's horse and buggy clogs up your beautiful race course.
Every time a customer has asked me to do sys admin work, I describe our respective responsibilities with this example. That's about the only way they understand that not everybody in IT does everything in IT.