What are the most important system administration tasks to automate?

One thing I've found helpful for automating backup and restore process is using Veeam tool that can be integrated with Linux and Windows OSs, and it can be also connected with VMware. Additionally, it's important to choose the retention policy and the backup type as Full, Incremental, and Differential based on the business need.

In my experience, in any job, the thing you should focus on is your 80%. Whatever you spend 80% of your time doing you should really just spend 100% of your time doing in sales, retail, customer service... In technology and "think" type jobs it's inverted... script and automate your 80% and spend the 80% of your time now free scripting the other 20% until you work yourself out of a job doing whatever that was and into a job maintaining your scripts. This is otherwise known as DevOps. I guess my "final answer" on this is that it's all already been solved in the cloud as far as log management and backups it's a click of a button. But to your original question, an TL/DR; begin with a time-study and it will tell you what to automate.

It's important to regularly monitor the updates to maintain the security and integrity of the systems with the hosted applications. Also, It's crucial staying up to date with security updates and in order to ensuring systems protection from potential vulnerabilities and avoiding threats.

In the Linux ecosystem, tools like yum, apt, or cron are pivotal for configuring automatic updates. Likewise, in Windows environments, updates are efficiently managed through utilities like Windows Update or WSUS. These tools not only streamline the update process but also grant system administrators precise control over the timing and content of crucial security enhancements.

As a starting point for implement an automatic monitoring and alerting, it's imperative to set specific performance metrics, health indicators, and status checks that can help with analyzing the relevant data like establishing thresholds for performance metrics and triggers.

Log management is vital for system administrators to collect and store system activity records. Automating this task is crucial for optimizing disk space, improving troubleshooting, and meeting regulatory standards. Utilize tools like logrotate, syslog, or rsyslog in Linux, and Event Log, Log Parser, or PowerShell in Windows for automatic rotation, compression, archiving, and log transfer. This automation streamlines operations, ensuring efficient resource use and compliance with best practices.

False security creates a deceptive sense of protection, potentially leading to complacency and overlooking genuine vulnerabilities. When individuals or systems believe they are adequately secured, there may be a tendency to neglect ongoing vigilance and updates. This overconfidence can leave them susceptible to emerging threats that might exploit overlooked weaknesses.In contrast, having no security measures prompts a more vigilant and proactive mindset. In the absence of assumed protection, there is a heightened awareness of potential risks, prompting a continuous effort to identify and address vulnerabilities.

In my IT automation work, SCCM with MDT is essential for efficient, zero-touch software and OS deployments. WDS aids in network-based hardware installations. My top SCCM features include a self-service portal for user software requests ensuring compliance, managerial approval workflow for aligning software distribution with company policies, automated notifications to involve relevant departments, and integrated antivirus management for centralized policy and update management, enhancing network security. Together, SCCM, MDT, and WDS form a robust, automated zero touch deployment solution, balancing user needs with organizational control and security.