Network Engineer Interview Questions
Network engineers design and build computer networks. Employers are looking for strongly skilled individuals to design their networks on a high level, leaving support and maintenance to network administrators. During the interview process be prepared for many technical questions encompassing all of network theory.
Top Network Engineer Interview Questions & How To Answer
Here are three top network engineer interview questions and how to answer them:
Question #1: What are your strengths as a network engineer?
How to answer: The hiring manager is analyzing whether your attitude and aptitudes match the job requirements. To speak about yourself effectively, talk about your qualities, education, and experience related to the employer's expectations. For example, you can describe personality traits, such as accuracy and communication; education, such as a CompTIA Network+ Certification; and work experience, such as two years of work experience, that make you a high-performing employee.
Question #2: Can you provide us with a summary of your work experience in network engineering?
How to answer:The interviewer uses this question to assess your expertise with network engineering. Provide examples of your expertise by identifying your experience-based achievements that best showcase the skills the hiring manager seeks. For example, discuss an event that conveys your TC/IP and Linux expertise or highlights your attention to detail.
Question #3: What roles or functions have you performed in collaborative networking projects with others?
How to answer: This question focuses on whether you're an effective team player. Teamwork skills are essential since a network engineer works with senior workers, such as a network administrator, and professionals from various departments who use computer networks to complete job duties, such as accountants, researchers, engineers, and marketers. Summarize your group projects, highlighting your successes and providing examples of interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
How do you handle irate clients that are having technical trobules and need to work immediately.
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You tell them, you understand the frustration and you will immediately send someone to fix the issue. You do basic troubleshooting and if it doesn’t work, send tech support. Less
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Approach the situation with 'we' working on the issue. Know that your are there to help solve this and act towards that, being calm and accurate towards solution. Even if the solution is that you will have to find out more and have to return to solve this issue. Less
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Ask for the ip address, then ask if it is an on or near-air emergency. Ask for the symptoms and if others are experiencing the same problem. If no one else is then have them jump on another pc if possible/feasible. Remote into the pc or tx the ip to the relevant trouble-shooter. Less
What's the difference between block code and convolution code?
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Block code code information in blocks while convolutional codes convolve information bit sequence Less
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In block codes, information bits are followed by parity bits. In convolution codes, information bits are spread along the sequence. Block codes are memoryless whereas Convolution codes have memory. Convolution codes use small codewords in comparison to block codes, both achieving the same quality. Less
Given a very large existing network with thousands of external connections, how would you add an additional few hundred connections?
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someone building networks with thousands of external connections considering anything but 10G, 1G at minimum... doesn't understand COGS.... the name of the game is $0.000xxx/Mbps.. which you are not going to get with anything but ethernet. Less
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Think it through, out loud. Walk through your options- don't just pick one. DS3, metro-E, SONET, etc. Less
How long do you plan to work here?
34 Answers
All questions are mentions in the review and practice following coding questions for sure on leetcode.
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3. convert the sentence to the modified pig-latin/goat-latin language. Complexity Time: O(n) + O(5) + O(k(k+1)/2) Considering total n characters in sentence. m characters/word O(n): Reading compelete sentence O(2): For vowel. Append ma O(3): For consonant. Append ma and 1st character 1+2+3+... k words = k(k+1)/2 Space: O(n) + 2O(m) + O(5) O(5): unordered_set of vowels 2O(m): Storing 2 word O(n): Storing complete sentence Code #include #include #include void AppendA(std::string& strWord, int& count){ int i = 0; strWord += "ma"; while(i++ us = {'a','e','i','o','u'}; //1st Letter is Vowel if (us.find(std::tolower(strParsed.at(0))) != us.end()) { strWord = strParsed; AppendA(strWord, ++count); } else //consonant { strWord = strParsed.substr(1,strParsed.size()); strWord += strParsed[0]; AppendA(strWord, ++count); } } int main(){ std::string strInput = "Adam wants to go to the university"; std::string strOutput, strWord, strParsed; int count = 0; for (auto& i:strInput){ if (i == ' '){ Process(strParsed, strWord, count); strOutput += strWord + ' '; strWord = ""; strParsed = ""; } else //Store word in strParsed { strParsed += i; } } Process(strParsed, strWord, count); strOutput += strWord ; std::cout<<"Converted string="< Less
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1. You receive a vector/ array and 2 numbers, eg 2 and 5. Between those 2 positions in the vector (2 and 5) you have to reverse the order of the elements. Code #include #include #include using vec = std::vector; using itr = std::vector::iterator; int main(){ vec v = {1,2,9,8,4,5,23,5,252,445,677,5}; //Find position of 2 itr it1 = std::find(v.begin(), v.end(), 2); //O(n) //Find position of 5 itr it2 = std::find(v.begin(), v.end(), 5); //O(n) std::reverse(it1+1, it2); //O(n) for (auto i:v) std::cout< Less
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2. Count words and output top n Complexity n: number of words Space map=O(n), priority_queue = O(k). Since we only create queue of size=k, output vector = O(k) Time Creation of map=O(n), Creation of priority Queue=O(n), Creation of output vector=O(k) Code #include #include #include #include using VS = std::vector; using mypair = std::pair; class Solution { public: VS topKFrequent(VS& vsWords, int k) { VS vsOut; std::priority_queue pq; std::unordered_map um; // for(const auto i : vsWords) //1 um[i]++; //um[key]=value; //um[i] = um[i]+1 for(const auto i:um){ //2 pq.push(make_pair(-i.second,i.first)); if (pq.size() > k) pq.pop(); } while(not pq.empty()){ //3 vsOut.push_back(pq.top().second); pq.pop(); } for(int i = 0; i < vsOut.size()/2; i++) //4 std::swap(vsOut[i], vsOut[vsOut.size()-i - 1]); return vsOut; } }; Less
a detailed troubleshooting scenario for VPN was asked. a site-to-site VPN, user from one site cannot get to a resource on another site.
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There was no one answer for this, and since I didn't know much about vpns, the interviewer guided me through the possible answers! Less
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Hello, Can anyone tell me the best link to study troubleshooting scenarios from?
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#sh vlan brief
How does STP work...how does it know who will control everything?
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It disables redundant paths and only leaves one broadcast path in a mesh network. It then enables a previous blocked path if one of the primary links becomes disconnected. This creates a network that won't cause broadcast storms but still provide redundancy. Less
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STP operates at the Data Link layer of the OSI model which prevents traffic loops. STP chooses only one root switch/bridge, out of which all data paths span out logically getting the data to the target the quickest and detect and correct link failures when a switch/bridge fails...STP stands for Spanning Tree Protocol. The root is chosen based on its BID( Bridge ID) which is the combination of a 2 byte priority field and the bridge/switch MAC address....Since all switch/bridges on the network start out with the same priority, the one with the lowest MAC address becomes the root bridge. Less
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STP is basically used for loop prevention and to prodive redundancy. Devices participating in STP perform a root bridge election process. Device having the lowest priority will be choosen as the root bridge. If every device participating in STP have the same priority value, device with the lowest mac-address becomes the root bridge. The root bridge will be responsible to make th overall traffic flow decision on the LAN. Non-root bridges use a lowest cost path to reach the root bridge. This cost is dependent on the interface speed. Topological changes downstream from the root bridge is communicated to the root bridge. Less
Q: Vlans-- The interviewer asked me the following Scenario. a. Two Switches are connected. b. There are Two Vlans. Vlan 10 & Vlan 20. c. Vlan 10 IP: 192.168.1.0 /24 | Vlan 20: 192.168.2.0 /24 d. Users in Vlan 10 can communicate with users in Vlan20.
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My Response: I asked him a return query stating that is there any L3 Device as he mentioned the IP address. He answered No. I was confident that the Users in Vlan 10 will not able to communicate with Users in Vlan20 until and unless if there is a L3 device such as Router or a L3 Switch or multi layer Switch. I explained him the same but still he said that its communicating. He also informed that there are only Two Switches which are L2 Switches. 2. Another Question: What is you Favourite Routing Protocol? Answered: EIGRP. 3. What is FC condition? Ans: FD > AD (Feasible Condition > Advertising Distance). Instead of Saying Advertising Distance, I said Administrative Distance (which is 90 for EIGRP). 4. What are the Requirements for an EIGRP Router to form the Neighbors? Ans: Hello Packets | AS number should be same | K values must match. Mentioned Hold timers which is not a required. Cheers, Raja. Less
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Yes it can communicate through access link between switches
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Yes this is possible through inter-vlan routing. 1st need to take 2 MLS switch, connect them, create vlans and configure IP addresses for both vlan. Less
