Couple of IT interview questions..

rz30

rz30

rz30

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Question: Do you have experience of setting up, maintaining and troubleshooting Windows® NT and peer-to-peer based networks?


Does Windows NT differ much from any other Windows version it's been ages since i've used it?

P2P is just file transfer and bit torrent software right, configuring all the settings and all that, that's really as far as you can go unless you are actually coding the application right?

I am just double checking this, any ideas?
 
[TW]Fox;12986122 said:
You've failed the interview already. Seriously. I know this is harsh but if you need to ask these two questions then don't even bother attending as you won't get the job. This is BASIC stuff. Very, very basic stuff. You don't need to have 'used' NT to realise its the basis for every subsequent Windows operating system.

And if you think peer to peer network configuration is setting up bit-torrent...

wait, is this thread actually a joke?
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There are hundreds if IT topics, these are not ones i've covered for a while.
 
I know how to set up networks, routers, IP's address, submaks address, Ethernet, USB, Wireless, cabling, network wizards etc,

Forsome reason i never really called this Peer-to-Peer, that is where i was going wrong, doh.
 
msm722 said:
First thing you should have done is googled 'peer-to-peer' which have given you at least a clue as to what it actually is.
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I know what it is but i would have called it LAN networking, or just general networking which was one of the other questions?
 
msm722 said:
It's not looking good for you. I wouldn't fancy your chances in an IT interview to be honest. Don't take this the wrong way, but from your posts you don't strike me as the sharpest tool in the box.
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Ok, that will really sway me.
 
palmy said:
No really dont. The last thing we need is more idiots in the IT industry. Its people who blag their way in that causes the problems and affect peoples opinion of IT in general.

We really need better regulation of this industry. Too many cowboys, with something like Charted status from the BCS being more widely asked for in senior jobs a lot of this perception would go away. Those who were cowboys and mucked up would lose their charted status.

Back to the OP. This is the reason I asked him to tell us about his job. If he is going for a Servicedesk/Field/Possibly a desktop role then he has plenty of time to work his way up and I'd welcome him to the IT industry with open arms. If he is trying to blag a more technical role then :/

Enterprise level IT is a million miles away from Home/Small office computing.
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It's entry level, it's not a massive mistake to make. I know the process of settings up networks and have been more involved in programming up till now so this is really a crash course in some terminology. And it has been too long since i've used Windows NT.

If i was too say to you, can you code me up a simple xml parser in C++, you wouldn't have a clue what i was talking about...

The main problem was that they already ask if you can set up wireless networking and then peer-to-peer later on. I now understand that peer-to-peer is what i would regard as setting up a LAN.
 
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These comments are actually quite helpful. I should have looked it up beforehand, the critism doesn't bother me, a few hours doing some reading will get me up to date with a few things. And at the end of the day i will be the one with the PC engineers job.
 
[TW]Fox;12986678 said:
He's applying for a job where he's expected to know this stuff and would get paid to know it, it's not as if he's just posted for a bit of help fixing his own computer and got a load of abuse from the elitist nerd squad?
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Actually the question states, (Not required knowledge: an answer is optional)

I wasn't even going to bother with an answer hence why i didin't bother too much with it, it was a mismatch in terminology rather than a lack of understanding about networking.

Ok you have server based networking and peer-to-peer.

Also, who has never learned their job as they go along, i appreciate that this is pretty basic knowledge but i have now cleared up what i need to know.

Peer-to-peer: No dedicated file server, Mac, Windows and Linux system compatible, read/write permission, shares etc...

What i meant was that the principle is the same as p2p software whereas there is no central server, it's direct connection between systems. Essentially each client is a server and visa versa.
 
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I am looking into doing the CCNP which is, from what i can, one of the only recognised certs in networking, who isn't largely self taught as a PC tech?
 
tbh it was probably laziness on my behalf rather than anything, expecting you guys to answer my question. It's kind of woken me up a bit though.
 
They are just general questions requiring a brief answer for a start-up role, they said training will be provided but are still checking your basic knowledge, that's one reason i wasn't going academically in depth about the internals of networking. I have some gaps in my knowledge with regard to networking, nothing that can't be learned in a couple of hours.

I mean it not exactly difficult, but can i be bothered reading thorugh a whole wiki as opposed to having an actual pc tech giving an answer ?
 
Incorrect

Interviewer: Can you tell me a bit about peer-to-peer networking

me: Well, ok, you have torrents and MSN messenger, oh and Yahoo!

messenger.

Inteviewer:hmmmm ok, so that is your in-depth knowledge on the subject.

me: Well i find that bit-tornado is the best, pretty fast at downloading , better than the original BT client and only needs a couple of clicks to install it, whereas MSN and Yahoo! are about the same.

Correct (in my own words)

Interviewer: Can you tell me a bit about peer-to-peer networking.

me: Is the networking of multiple computers usually via a 10Base-T category 5 ethernet cable. This network system uses no server or client as in a pure P2P network both client and server are equal. P2P networks have essentially the same purpose as server/client networks with the goal to transfer data from one computer to another the main advantages of the P2P network being that of faster, or more consistent data transfer speeds at increasing loads and the ability to localise problems at a particular peer without it affecting the other peers on the network. P2P networks are commonly classed in various serverless topological arrangements such as the Bus, Ring and Star layouts.

Pure P2P networks are rare as most incorporate non-peer elements.

hybrid P2P
multiple protocols

etc etc

I can pick up this network stuff in 20 mins, coders should be payed 10 x what network guys are being paid.
 
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whitecrook said:
Dude. to be honest, your first answer is better. It's better when somebody at least doesn't realise they don't understand (ignorance/naivety), than someone who is pretending to understand (BSing, big style)

0.02
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I am hardly going to spew that out at an interview it would be put in laymans terms. Anyway this is obvioulsy not the place to be asking about networking, or any IT topic in general, will need to find a dedicated IT forum.
 
Trifid said:
That shows you have no idea what you are talking about. A networking job is a lot more in depth than plugging in a network cable and checking google loads OK. Configuration of network switches, routers and IPT is as indepth as your coding. Except for we have a lot of responsibility for what we do which counts for a lot.
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Serioulsy though once you learn it that's it..........?

LANS, MANS, WANS and GANS
Chosing the right cables and plugging them in
Switching on the router
Assigning IP's to each PC on the network if manual assiging is needed
Setting up the firewall
Monitoring the logs(might be a different role)
Sorting out any potential issues, dead router or dead router, maybe even some conflicts here and there, chuck router out, order a new one.
* managing email, anti spam and virus protection; * LOL
analysing and resolving faults, ranging from a major system crash to a forgotten password
Most of the monitoring an engineer does is with software.
Peer-to-peer, Hybrid combinations and server/client sytems
Understanding protocols

You tell me where it gets complicated?
 
Red and White said:
see your opening post for evidence
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Point being that beacuase of this post i have now learned a fair amount over the last few hours. I think i have a good vision of the whole thing, yes i can learn a lot of things yet but i could pick this all up properly by reading and on the job experience with a month or two.

Also i should thank those who contributed as it has been very useful for me to realise the level i am actually at.
 
paradigm said:
Ok, you go learn the ins and outs of EVERY config for every scenario, for every peice of Cisco CatOS and IOS hardware, learn how to use the various levels of encapsulation, encryption, trunking, VLANs, and then know how to troubleshoot all of the above, without reference.

But wait, you probably couldn't even make a console cable. Let alone get into enable mode of the CLI. God help you if you had to drop to ROMMON mode to reset the memory register where the encrypted secret password is stored.

YOU WON'T GET ANYWHERE WITH YOUR ATTITUDE. WHAT YOU SEE AS NETWORKING, A TRUE NETWORKING GURU SEES AS PLAYSCHOOL. ITS LIKE SAYING YOU WOULD MAKE AN AWESOME ASTRO PHYSICIST AFTER GETTING A GRADE E GSCE IN PHYSICS.
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I have a degree in Physics from Glasgow Uni and it is a hell of a lot of intense than networking, i do admit that although i had the talent i definately could have attended a few more lectures than i did.

Nevertheless, WHY can you not use reference, is it some kind of competition that you can't have a laptop of some kind of PDA on hand, i understand that there will be a lot of configuration involved but the job is not one of memory skill rather it's a manual labour job like that of an electrian or plumber.
 
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