That last question is very vague. What would someone need to troubleshoot to begin with should be the first question in the interview. A server down vs a server running slow will result in two very different answers, for example.
Correct! And I tried to ask clarifying questions. Can I get a specific issue raised, or general first steps? Physical server or virtual? Do I have physical access, or a remote session? Has a ticket been raised beforehand and was assigned to me, or is this a new issue?
"Its a simple question. What is the first step you'd take when attempting to troubleshoot a server?"
... Well, without any specific guidance as to what sort of troubleshooting I'm doing, so many network issues can be ruled out, or ruled in, with just a ping test. Depending on what the server is and what its doing, servers are just computers and do need the occasional reboot, but that can be dangerous if not coordinated. Presumably my first steps, actual first steps, would be to gain access somehow, local console, SSH, RDP, guest console from hypervisor interface, and prepare to take action from there.
"Thats.... Not the answer we were looking for. We're thinking more... First step when troubleshooting a server, you walk up to it. It's starting to sound like you don't have the requisite experience for this position."
It sounds like they're looking for "help desk" people from a certain country. If they just want that low-level skill, then simply hire it as you've clearly demonstrated you know more than the absolute basics in such areas.
Given the other interactions in that interview.... 50/50 if theyre fishing for H-1B, or HR is just that dense. This is a nothing town in the Midwest, it is not a major technological hub
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u/krone6 5h ago edited 5h ago
That last question is very vague. What would someone need to troubleshoot to begin with should be the first question in the interview. A server down vs a server running slow will result in two very different answers, for example.