Should system administrators perform desktop support? [closed]

Even in places with 20+ administrators and 12+ desktop techs the admins end up doing desktop support when things need to be escalated. The person installing the application should expect to understand their whole application and not just how to run the installer and do a few cleanup tasks.

You never completely escape desktop support as an administrator. There will always be new random things that break and require the attention of someone with a better understanding of what is going on.

Generally, yes. Desktops are systems too. If you only have a team of 3-4 people, then you should probably all share desktop support.

Obviously, YMMV depending on the specific needs of your company/industry, but IMO a 3-4 person team is not a big enough deployment to justify a separate "desktop support" person.

Keep in mind that you're using an extremely general term, "system administrator". That can mean anything these days from level one desktop support to head of systems services.

Unless your company is big enough to actually have a separate department for desktop support, expect to do some. As an upper-level admin, you are an escalation point. The people you are supporting are your customers, and you need to be ready to support the entire solution stack.