In your opinion, is data a true asset for a business. Why or why not?

"Since acquiring data comes with a significant cost, I believe it is fair to say then that data is an asset. Data can give precious insight into a company's operations, financial strength, future scalability, and more. By properly analyzing data, a company can open itself to millions in growth. For these reasons, I absolutely consider data to be a true business asset."

Many companies still struggle with the idea that their data is a real asset when it comes to their business. The interviewer would like to know that, if a client asked you about the importance of their data, that you would give a well-thought-out and appropriate response. Share with the interviewer why data is indeed an asset.

"It is interesting to me that this idea is still in question with some of the clients with which I work. I recently read a study claiming that 36% of businesses lack the tools needed to extract and analyze the information and data that they have. When a client asks me if their data is valuable, I always reply with a hearty 'yes!' It is expensive to gather data, but also more costly to never analyze your data."

Unexpected issues arise often in the technology industry, and you must be able to quickly adapt. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

"I consider myself a great problem solver and believe my skills are in my emotional intelligence, as well as the depth of my technical knowledge. I can be really in tune with the tone of the group I am working with, and how to best tap into their strengths to overcome a complicated situation. By being keenly aware of who can quickly fix what, I'm able to avoid a project landmine quickly."

Equinix wants to know that you have a systematic approach to problem-solving and that you do not panic when an unexpected issue arises. Consider the skills and qualities that help you successfully face and solve problems. Perhaps you have a keen eye for detail. Maybe you can see opportunity when others can only focus on the issue. Share your strengths as a problem solver, and your ability to come up with innovative solutions.Strong problem solvers are: - Systematic thinkers - Open minded - Okay with being wrong sometimes - Always researching and exploring - Able to identify the core problem - Able to reverse engineer a challenge to avoid future issues - Able to come up with multiple avenues that work well for all stakeholders - Are do-ers and not worriers

"I have been told that I am an excellent problem solver and I believe this is because I have an excellent technical and engineering mind. I can take the issue, work backward to solve it, and then use that resolution as a basis for avoiding similar circumstances in the future. I am also a big-picture thinker which allows me to come up with various resolutions per problem."

How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

"My team is highly efficient, and we rarely miss a deadline. When we do, it's surprising. We had a very challenging client last year who made a significant amount of changes throughout the entire project and implementation. These changes caused us to miss our deadline. I took action after that to ensure a better client onboarding process. This new process made sure we dug deeper with each client at the start which has resulted in fewer mid-project changes. I would be happy to share this process with Equinix, should I be your successful candidate."

Missed deadlines can be critical mistakes in the software and tech industry, and can reflect poorly on you, as a leader. The interviewer would like to understand better how you react to disappointment and plans not going your way. Give an example of a time when your team missed a deadline and walk the interviewer through the action that you took. Your response will help Equinix to better understand if your approach is the right fit for their team.

"Deadlines are reached as a team, and they are missed as a team. I truly believe that. When a deadline is missed, I look at how we could have moved better as a machine, to make the delivery happen on time. I do not react negatively to my team members, but I do use situations like this as learning and coaching opportunities. How does Equinix react with their leaders in the event of a missed deadline or target?"

Equinix fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?

"Last week our company introduced a new module in our SAP system. I could see that our contracted HR assistant was having some troubles with the new module. I was familiar with it already, so I offered to help him learn the module. We spent his lunch hour for the next three days working on it. He perfected the module and our company was so impressed with his dedication to learning that they are now trying to find room to hire him on a full time, permanent basis."

The interviewers at Equinix want to hear that you have experience teaching or mentoring your coworkers. You may have taught a new hire all of your department's standard processes. Perhaps you explained new concepts related to AI and data migration to a more junior employee. You may have mentored an employee who was struggling to meet a project deadline. All of these scenarios are great examples to draw on. Better yet, if you have personally seen someone struggling with workplace skills or knowledge, approached them, and offered to mentor them, it is a shining example of leadership! Whatever your scenario may be, tell the interviewer what you helped the person with, while highlighting the positive outcome of their skills improvement.

"I'm proud to say that, even without any official management capacity, I often seize the opportunity to teach others at work. Not only have I helped contribute to the sales team's knowledge base of our software, but also I try to teach our clients on the added features of our software, at every opportunity. It's fun to share and teach others, especially since I am always seeking out learning opportunities for myself."

What are the open-source cloud databases? Are these the best ones to use for our clients?

"Most of the top cloud providers offer databases leveraging both structured and unstructured data. But the open-sourced ones in the market are MongoDB, CouchDB, and Lucid DB, the relational, NoSQL databases that are cloud-friendly. But the truth is more and more developers are turning to native cloud databases such as Amazon DynamoDB, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud because they're offering easy software procurement/access similar to that of the open-source vendors without the headache of the assembly. These cloud databases have superior analytics that open-source databases such as MongoDB cannot achieve due to the level of data types and volume cloud providers have access to. This convenience makes the native cloud databases more appealing to many. With the rise of IoT and edge computing, a distributed database might be something to pay attention to as well."

The interviewer is looking for your knowledge around cloud databases and your ability to understand and discuss the debates around how database model and service should be structured. There is never one right view in these debates so make sure you present more than one. The goal here isn't to memorize all the databases in the market and compare. Focus on topics around the database that would be most relevant to Equinix's clients. Research the latest trends in the cloud database and throw one or two in your answer to demonstrate that you are up to date on this important topic.

What are your primary technical competencies?

"I am a jack of many trades, when it comes to my technical competencies; however, if I had to narrow it down to a few specifics, I would say that the greatest skills I will bring to Equinix include technical project management, product integrations, and customer support."

If you had to summarize your skills and competencies in just a few words, which would you choose? If asked this question, it is likely because you have such a broad skill set that the hiring authority would like to narrow down exactly which area you would want to be known as an expert. Share your top one to three skills, expressing that you look forward to making an impact at Equinix through the use of these competencies.

"My primary technical competency is in Information Systems. I have my CISSP certification and am very confident in the knowledge I will bring to Equinix regarding systems security and diagnostics."

Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your current job. How did you overcome it?

"The most challenging aspect of my current job was mastering the different data models used when I first started with them. Before joining, I did not have a lot of exposure to object-oriented database modeling or hierarchical database models, and they are used a great deal in the organization. To overcome this, I took the lead in my learning and referred to online resources and tutorials. I ended up becoming very well versed in both types of data models, and am now the go-to resource for our new hires."

Equinix wants to know that you will dig in harder, when things are difficult, rather than give up. Sometimes the most significant workplace challenge is a difficult task that puts you outside of your comfort zone. It could be something that requires skills you haven't mastered yet or qualities where you are not the strongest. Explain to the interviewer why it was difficult but be sure to spend more time highlighting the actions you took to overcome the challenge.

"The most challenging aspect of my previous job was the constant need to pivot our attention when it came to trends in the machine learning industry since our product offering relied so heavily on ML. We would gain footing, and then the next greatest update would arrive. Rather than master it all, I started to focus on a few company leaders in the industry and followed some influencers highly knowledgeable in machine learning trends. This targeted focus allowed us to remain zeroed in on what was important."

Which tech blogs do you subscribe to?

"TechCrunch and DigitalTrends are my two go-to resources. In addition to subscribing to these two blogs, I also belong to a couple of software and technology groups on LinkedIn. These groups offer insightful conversations while allowing me to network with those in my area with similar interests."

This question is out of interest, but also to see if your 'likes' are similar to those who work at Equinix. The hiring authority also wants to know that you keep up to date on the software and tech industry by utilizing reputable sources. Discuss the blogs you subscribe to, or the websites you have bookmarked, or even the industry related podcasts to which you subscribe.

"I always have my eyes out for new resources and would love it if you have some suggestions. Currently, I subscribe to Wired and Mashable, but I also round out those resources with Harvard Business and other business based resources. I like to keep my information reputable and well-rounded."

Do you have any technical certifications?

"I recently earned my PMP, and am a Microsoft Certified IT Professional. These courses have done a lot for me in my career. As a Project Management Professional, I feel well equipped in project team leadership and am ready to apply these skills to this role with Equinix."

Many technical certifications are valuable in the software and technology industry. Some of the most commonly requested certifications include: - Project Management Professional (PMP) - Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) - Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) - Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) - A+ from CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) - Network + from CompTIA - Security + from CompTIA - Linux + from CompTIA - Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCiE) - Apple Certified Support Specialist (ACSP) - Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC) - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)You likely have these certifications listed on your resume, but the interviewer would like for you to walk them through your certifications, discussing where your knowledge is most in-depth when you completed the certification, and perhaps any areas where you shone the most. If you have an interest in gaining additional certifications, you can discuss those as well.

"I recently applied to the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert course and will know in the next few weeks if I can move forward with that option. Regarding completed certifications, I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, having earned that certification two years ago. Are there any other certifications you would like to see from me? I am very interested in continued education opportunities."

What are the latest trends in cloud computing?

"The industry itself is growing rapidly and cloud services become like a general purpose technology for businesses. It is used not only as the IT architecture to manage the back-end of their systems but as an operating structure to build comprehensive, efficient processes on across all business units with tools to connect groups online and offline in ways not feasible before. That's why we're seeing 22% CAGR in the public cloud market and why half of global IT spending is cloud-based. The ones I find most interesting are the rise of FaaS (Function as a Service) with serverless codes and cloud AIs (connecting with other Industry 4.0 technologies)."

There are many trends in cloud computing and in adjacent tech sectors that may be relevant. Consider the trends most relevant to the top services at Equinix and highlight them to the interviewer. You can use sources such as Medium or Hackernoon to find unique trends. It's also always helpful to have some general trends/stats (global cloud spending, % of companies planning to migrate to the public cloud in the next 3 years, etc.) in your back pocket.

"I believe one of the most critical trends is the rise of security vulnerabilities. We've hit the new record high of data breaches in the US in 2017 with the most famous example being Equifax. There are new and promising operating models being proposed by companies such as Lacework that I'd love to look further into. As IoT and edge computing become more popular additions to cloud computing, the issue of security will only be heightened."

How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?

"Technology allows for so much these days. I believe you can quickly make a connection with someone, even if you are across the world from them, by embracing the right tools. I would also suggest incorporating multiple contests or team-based goals, where team members still have to collaborate, to get to the end goal."

Depending on a few factors, Equinix may offer you the opportunity to work from a home-based office. With technology taking over, many workplaces are offering remote opportunities. The interviewer would like to know that you can handle that type of set up while still building great coworker relationships - even under the absence of face-to-face interaction.Here are a few ways that you can develop trust among your team members in a virtual setting:- Building relationships: You might share how you have everyone introduce themselves, share their professional background, personal interests, and even a little about their interests in each meeting.- FaceTime or Go-To-Meeting: Talk about how you ensure that you have video conferencing capabilities. Discuss that being able to see each other, even virtually, allows you to build camaraderie and creates trust among your team.- Creating a Transparent Culture: Tell the interviewer how you open up the door for trust with your team by being an open and transparent leader or co-worker. You might share that you have open conversations about how the group will hold each other accountable. You may also share other ideas that have worked for you such as: holding one-on-one meetings with each member of the team, providing recognition for things well done, holding fun contests, or allowing team members to understand each other better by utilizing a personality assessment.

"I have worked in remote IT teams in the past and what I found worked very well were regular video calls through Google Hangout. These calls worked so that everyone had a turn running the meeting, giving their ideas on an area in which they were considered a subject matter expert. This strategy established each team member as an influencer in their own right. The results were an incredible team environment, despite many of us never meeting each other in person."

If Equinix hired you for this position, what are the first changes you would implement?

"It's important to first understand the company culture, dynamics, values, and individual players, not to mention the short and long-term goals of the organization before making changes. That said, I would wait for my onboarding process to complete, then shadow the key players on my team, as well as across the organization, to understand how the pieces fit together. Also, I think it's essential not only to observe but also listen to the team that predates me and hears what they think is or is not working. Only after active learning, watching, and evaluating period would I begin to effect change."

Many organizations want to avoid on-boarding leaders who will make immediately jarring changes. Significant changes are hard on employees and usually, result in knee-jerk reactions such as mass turnover. It's always best to explain to the interviewer that you plan first to observe to gain a better understanding of the organization's culture and team dynamics. Focus your discussion on building a strong rapport with the staff. If you are applying for a promotion within your current organization, you may already know what changes you would like to make upon receiving this position. Share with the interviewer what you have observed while in your current job, the changes you would make, and why you would make those changes.

"Being the newest person at Equinix, I would be wary of making any big changes off the bat, such as software implementations or established client processes. That said, I'd look at what has happened to the previous years' calendar for marketing initiatives and how they impacted sales. I would sit down with the team to understand the goals for next year so that I can make my best recommendation on how to be impactful in the coming year."

Explain to me the concept of hyper-converged infrastructure.

"Hyperconverged infrastructure, or HCI, differs greatly from traditional three-tier architecture. It allows a data center to move away from the conventional storage, server, networking silo to a more all-in-one option. The benefits include better automation, simplification, and a more flexible structure."

Hyper-converged infrastructure refers to the streamlining of data center resources, preparing information for the cloud, allowing businesses to more easily scale. The interviewer would like to see that you understand this concept. Give a brief overview of your HCI knowledge. If you are unsure, there are many resources online where you can gain a better understanding. Some of the benefits of HCI are:- Flexible structure, allowing companies to scale much easier - Lower costs, due to being more efficient, amounting to less IT overhead - Automation, simplification, and better support - Increased data production

"Hyper-converged infrastructure is best explained as a method of streamlining a traditional data center setup. When a data center moves to HCI, as opposed to a traditional three-tier structure, they can ensure the integrity of data while maintaining high performance. Essentially, it's servers and storage compacted into one."

How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

"I aim to be as effective and efficient as possible and make sure I can use all minutes of a day for a project. I have a few things going at once most of the time. I am the lead on some, the delegator on others, and the reviewer on another, for instance. This way, by splitting up the work to the appropriate parties, both my team and I can be the most efficient with our time."

When working for Equinix, you will need to take on multiple projects or clients at a time. They are a busy organization and need to know that you can keep up with their pace. Prioritizing is a skill that requires practice. There are many approaches you can take. Here are some suggestions:1) Make a list. By thinking through and writing down each item that needs completion, you can better visualize your approach. 2) Mark what is urgent or essential. Take into account deadlines and meetings. If a project management tool is available to you, like Trello or Asana, utilize its features to keep yourself organized. 3) Order each task based on effort and estimated value. 4) Consider due dates and how long it will take to do each item.When answering this question, show the interviewer that you have a system in place that helps you to think through what needs to happen, and when. The better you can prioritize, the more productive you will be, making you an asset to Equinix!

"I love to keep running lists of everything that I need to do, big or small. Mostly because I love crossing things off of the to-do list, but also because it helps me keep track of everything. Lately, I've started utilizing a free project management software that I use to make those lists, categorize the tasks, and mark them by the level of urgency. I take care of the most time-sensitive issues first and then move along to the equally important, but perhaps less time-sensitive to-dos. I also estimate how long each task will take, so if I have a few minutes in between projects, I can tackle the quick to dos and use that time effectively, rather than use it to figure out 'what's next.'"

According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), how many tiers of data centers are there?

"As a data center engineer, I understand there to be four tiers of data centers, all with a range of capacity and capabilities. The bulk of my experience is with Tier 4 data centers where there is 99.995% availability, two independent utility paths, and significant power outage sustainability."

Not all data centers are created equal. The interviewer would like to see that you have a solid understanding of data centers and the differences between them. - Tier 1 which is usually for small business, guaranteeing 99.671% availability. - Tier 2 is best for medium-sized business, with 99.749% availability. - Tier 3 offers 99.982% availability, making it an excellent option for large companies. These data centers can also sustain up to 72 hours of power outage. - Tier 4 has sustainability up to 96 hours of a power outage, offers 99.995% availability, making it the best choice for enterprise businesses. Explain to the interviewer how many data center tiers there are, and how they differ. Depending on the position for which you are interviewing, you may want to dig deeper into the technical differences between each.

"There are four tiers of data centers, all offering different levels of service depending on the size and needs of a company. A tier one center would be best for small business, while tier four is best for multi-million dollar companies."

Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.

"When doing annual reviews with my clients, I analyze the past year's ROIs, trends, and overall data. I then make recommendations for improved efficiencies for the upcoming year. I will make recommendations based on resources and pricing, but also make suggestions on new ways in which we can be creative, like consolidating resources, to save cost when possible. I managed two of the most significant accounts in the office, so my recommendations were fundamental to our bottom line, and I'm happy to report that they were consistently adopted, resulting in more business."

In the tech industry, you will often be looking at data, analyzing it, and making recommendations based on what you see. Equinix needs to hire those who can easily take on sets of data, large or small, and make educated recommendations based on what they see. You can talk about your attention to detail and sharp focus when it comes to data and analytics.

"My current employer wanted to know the exact impact our social media campaigns were making. I gathered our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter data for him and created a short PowerPoint presentation from the data. My recommendation was to increase our keywords in the geographical areas where our ads received the highest click-through rates. My research and recommendations certainly helped as our social reach grew exponentially in the following months."

What steps do you take when you have to make an immediate decision without all the relevant information?

"I am a strong believer in following my intuition, and that approach has not steered me wrong. I try to gather as much information and data as possible, but when all of the pieces are not accessible, I assess the situation using my prior knowledge of similar situations, and I follow my intuition. If I'm not certain or feel conflicted, I don't hesitate to bring in another person to help me. Rest assured, I will always do my best to come to the best decision for Equinix."

Your industry may be all about data management, analytics, and information; however, situations will arise where you may not have all of the information available to you, for split-second decision. The interviewer wants to know that you are capable of taking educated guesses that are good for Equinix, if needed. Show that you are confident enough in your abilities that you can make a firm decision without all pieces of the problem being present.

"Immediate decisions are required of me on a daily basis. For instance, what do I do when a system network goes down? How do I react when a key data set becomes corrupted? I find that the most effective method for making immediate decisions is to forget about what you don't know and focus on what you do know. That's the best anyone can do, and there is no sense wasting time on the what ifs, especially in the software and technology industry when the integrity of a significant project could be at risk."

How would you convince your client to migrate over to true/public cloud from on-premise?

"First of all, migration to cloud guarantees IT cost savings as you don't need to manage all the hardware and also wouldn't need the resources dedicated to hardware management. Data backup and storage will be more real-time and reliable which directly improve user access and system performance. If you have offices located in disaster-prone areas, you don't have to worry about losing data and connectivity when your basement data centers get flooded. Collaboration is made easier since documents can be shared and accessed by multiple parties from multiple locations at the same time. It'll be much easier to collect and evaluate operational and financial metrics using cloud analytics. I know you may be concerned about data security but at this stage, it is safer to store data on the cloud with dedicated resources from the cloud platform and your IT service provider, rather than trying to build and maintain security walls on your own."

Many clients across verticals still have reservations about moving to the cloud. At Equinix, our clients' concerns are related to data security risks, so the interviewer would like to see your understanding of the risks and mitigations steps as well as how good you'd be at easing our clients' concerns. 1) Start by outlining the strongest advantages cloud platform offers over on-prem. 2) If you know the industries of our clients, highlight one or two of them as examples and describe what their concerns would be (healthcare would be a great example as data security compliance, HIPPA, is critical in the industry). Show off your knowledge about what the clients of certain industries might say to Equinix. 3) Then mention different capabilities of the cloud platforms and (if possible) services Equinix offers that could help minimize those risks. 4) For bonus points, you could bring up how you'd convince someone who wants to do 'hosted cloud' into migrating over to 'true' cloud. Research a case study about a company that benefited significantly by switching to multi-cloud.

Tell me about the deployment/business models we could offer to our clients.

"The clients can obviously decide on using the private, public or hybrid cloud as a basis. We can offer IaaS, Infrastructure as a Service, which only manages the foundational infrastructure functionalities such as computing, networking and storage. PaaS, Platform as a Service, offers additional application-building layer on top of IaaS. Software as a Service offers off-the-shelf systems/solutions/software running on the cloud with the vendor being responsible for all aspects of deployment and implementation (and often even training). There are secondary services such as Database as a Service (DBaaS) where the vendor helps manage the types, quality and usage of data feeding into the clients' applications & distributed to users."

There are business/deployment layers that are offered by most cloud service providers and/or IT vendors - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and SaaS (Software as a Service). There are less common ones such as Communication as a Service (CaaS), Database as a Service (DaaS), etc. that may be relevant to Equinix or its clients. Based on the role/group, do your research into more niche models which could or should be considered.

What is pervasive business intelligence, and what does it mean to you?

"To me, pervasive business intelligence means that information is widely spread through a group of employees, allowing them to have access to business data and intelligence, freely. I believe that PBI is an excellent practice as it fosters a positive workplace culture and helps employees to feel empowered."

Pervasive business intelligence, or Pervasive BI as it's often referred to, is a business' practice of empowering employees by allowing open access to information, and essential responsibilities around decision making. This practice is known to generate beneficial results for companies and also supports a positive company culture. Equinix knows that by making it easy for you to find information, the better you will be able to do your job. Talk about the term Pervasive BI, and what it means to you.

"I was recently reading an article on pervasive business intelligence, where a popular survey showed that over 80% of senior employees and leaders wanted data and business information to be more accessible to them, in the workplace. The concept may be a new conversation to many, but it's an important one."

Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.

"My employer asked me to lead the training of 15 employees on our new client management software. I was already a subject matter expert on the software so it wasn't difficult for me to plan the lesson. The challenge was making the content entertaining enough to keep the employees engaged. I created a PowerPoint presentation that included pop quiz questions throughout the training. The presentation was a success, and my employer asked me to lead a follow up meeting a few weeks later. Now, I am confident in my ability to jump in and lead software-based training for Equinix; whether that be on the client or employee side."

Equinix has many job opportunities, and through these, will come chances to manage projects. The interviewer would like to know that you have the confidence to lead a project successfully. Think about a time when you have taken control of a task - big or small. Begin with an overview of the project, who was involved, and what approach you took to ensure smooth execution. Next, discuss something that you feel you could have done better. You do not want to dwell on the negative, so be sure to end on why you felt the project was a success! What did you do to create a productive and positive outcome?

"In my previous software sales position, I would often collaborate with the marketing department when it came to selling strategies and new product launches. The marketing director was not the type to take control of a meeting, especially when there was a heavily technical topic at hand. So, rather than go around in circles, I stepped up to take charge of the weekly meetings we had throughout one particular project. I am certain that this contributed heavily to the successful outcome of the project, as all team members had clear directives. That particular project had the highest ROI to date; however, if I were to do that again, I would ensure tighter timelines. I look forward to delivering solid successes like this to Equinix, should I be the successful candidate."

In your opinion, what does the future bring for data centers?

"We depend on the internet a great deal to run our businesses. In my opinion, data centers are underestimated and undervalued when it comes to storing and distributing data. Data centers are not going anywhere, but I do see a trend to build green and eco-friendly operations. I read an article recently on how some data centers are working on lowering their energy consumption."

Some people speculate that the future of data centers is grim, while others expect the purpose of a data center to take a shift, and become even more significant. The interviewer would like to know your thoughts on data centers, and what you believe the future holds. Your response should be positive in nature and well researched.

"I read recently how data centers are shifting to better meet the needs of the finance and telecommunication industries, through the use of edge computing and microdata centers. I would like to research this further, but it sounds like a very good shift for the future of data centers."

In your opinion, what is the most exciting collaboration between data analysis and artificial intelligence in the past year?

"I have taken a keen interest in how artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms have been working together to optimize business workflows. The result appears to be better strategies for enterprises surrounding people management, effective operations, as well as culture and engagement."

If you are up to date on the trends and happenings between data analysis and AI, you should have no problem answering this question. Discuss an exciting collaboration, project, or product release that you have heard of recently. Because this is an open-ended question, be careful not to ramble on.

"I recently read an article in Forbes on the top machine learning programs to watch. I was especially intrigued with a company called DataVisor which uses machine learning to uncover financial data issues, helping to protect against bank fraud, and other financial based criminal activity."

What are the platforms used for cloud computing? How do they compare?

"The biggest market share goes to AWS (Amazon Web Services), which is the most powerful and flexible solution since it first introduced the concept of Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS) in 2004. It offers two main categories of service umbrellas - EC2, the virtual machine service, and S3, the storage system. EC2 comes with most of the attributes of an actual computer including hardware such as CPUs & GPUs, hard-disk/SSD for storage & memory RAM with many pre-loaded apps like web-servers. Then there are Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft's Azure and IBM's Bluemix. With AWS and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), you also can do cloud computing for certain mobile and web apps. Azure enables deployment of Windows apps with remote app service which is a fairly unique advantage. I believe that Google has been winning at the analytics with services like MapReduce and Genomics but AWS is catching up with QuickInsight that's very good at synthesizing big data and articulating the meanings in simple terms to businesses. IBM Bluemix supports a wider range of the languages preferred by the developers."

The interviewer would like to test your basic knowledge around top cloud platforms and their capabilities. Many employees of Equinix would likely hold certification from at least one of the platforms. First start with a quick overview of the top platforms and focus a little more on the advantage of a platform you believe clients of Equinix might prefer. It might help set you apart if you research some latest trends in the industry and see if there are any up-and-comers that may be of interest to Equinix. Depending on the role, you may also want to be more specific about the development models/environment each platform supports.

"There's Rackspace which partners up with some of these main players but offers a more personalized customer service to clients. They provide hands-on, long-term guidance for firms who want to implement a long-term migration strategy from on-prem to cloud. Similar to IBM, Rackspace also offers more customized 'hosted' or 'on-prem cloud' solutions for customers who are concerned about data security risks associated with virtual, public cloud environment."

What are the benefits of leasing a private data center vs. building one from scratch?

"I believe there are benefits to each, and the choice would depend greatly on budget and how much control a company would like to have. If leasing, you can reduce expenditure significantly. If building one from scratch, you would have full control. In my opinion, there are pros and cons to each side."

There are many benefits to either leasing a data center as opposed to building one and vice versa. The interviewer would like to see that you understand the expenditure and risk that comes with either option. When it comes to leasing a private data center the benefits include: - Fewer upfront costs - More predictable expenditure - Ability to scale more easily - Option to contract the experts as opposed to hiring them full time If a company built their own data center the benefits could be: - Ownership and complete control of all operations - More control over your location - Ability to lease out extra space to other businesses Discuss with the interviewer the benefits of each, without swaying too far when it comes to your opinion.

"I have worked for data centers that lease their space, and data centers who own their space. From the leasing side, it is more challenging to scale; however, the costs are much lower. From the ownership side, there are more headaches when it comes to IT staffing; however, there is more control over space, location, and operations."

How does data drive a business' success?

"When I take a hard look at the many uses of data, I see that data can be collected in a plethora of ways to determine the success of a new product launch, competitive analysis, or patterns that occur, which may not be seen by the human eye. In my career, I have the most experience using data to help drive employee productivity and onboarding solutions which can save a company thousands of dollars."

Data-driven decision making is becoming a more significant topic every year. Companies can leverage data analytics to determine: - Productivity - Competitive analysis - How, when, and where products are used - Customer demographics - Pattern analysis - Business growth Talk to the interviewer about the ways that you feel companies can best use data to drive the success of their business.

"Data can drive every aspect of a business' success if approached and utilized correctly. In my experience, I have seen that companies underutilize what a full data analysis approach can do for them. Analytics programs should be set up for marketing, sales, employee productivity, product efficiency, competitive analysis and more."

Please list three Linux server monitoring commands.

"The commands I use most often include pmap, to determine the amount of memory that your server's processes are using; strace as a debugging tool, and vmstat to monitor virtual memory. I know many others, and am very familiar with Linux."

Linux networking commands are used when troubleshooting network issues. Depending on the role you are applying to with Equinix, you will need to know a variety of these commands. Some Linux commands include: - iostat - meminfo - mpstat - netstat - nmonShare your knowledge with the interviewer, giving a brief review of each command.

"I use many Linux commands on a daily basis with the three most common being iostat to see storage subsystem details; mpstat for reports on available CPUs on the multi-processor server; and nmon for overall performance information."

Tell me how the Internet of Things (IoT), AI and blockchain will impact cloud computing.

"I believe the role of cloud platforms and capabilities would inevitably increase in all of the Industry 4.0 technologies such as IoT and AI. Connecting all the devices and sharing data naturally would rely on the cloud to store, communicate and access the data on behalf of all authorized/relevant parties. We already saw how cloud computing evolved to deal with increasing required capacity for IoT - Cisco introduced fog computing to expand cloud infrastructure and capabilities to meet the user-centric needs of businesses. Clients and the public are increasingly expecting machine learning and AI to be part of the cloud services. It's a differentiator for sure - as more systems, devices and data sources are connected in higher capacity and at a faster speed, the ability to automatically analyze and act upon many of those data points is critical. For blockchain, while I don't doubt that the cloud would be instrumental in implementing killer blockchain apps and a requirement in driving mass adoption of blockchain, I think it's too premature to determine exactly how blockchain will be incorporated or partner with Cloud. Due to blockchain's decentralized nature, using a cloud platform (AWS, for instance) as the infrastructure layer upon which to build blockchain app might present complications."

At Equinix, the interviewer wants to assess your ability to analyze rising trends and articulate your opinions/views. The key here is to not get too specific about small details about the technologies. It's best if you start with some facts that are generally agreed on in the industry and objectively highlight the benefits and risks of these technologies present to cloud services professionals. It's always good to mention a recent case study/news to support your points, especially relevant to the industry/sector you are interviewing for.

Equinix Interview Questions

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1. In your opinion, is data a true asset for a business. Why or why not?
2. Unexpected issues arise often in the technology industry, and you must be able to quickly adapt. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?
3. How do you react when your team misses a deadline?
4. Equinix fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?
5. What are the open-source cloud databases? Are these the best ones to use for our clients?
6. What are your primary technical competencies?
7. Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your current job. How did you overcome it?
8. Which tech blogs do you subscribe to?
9. Do you have any technical certifications?
10. What are the latest trends in cloud computing?
11. How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?
12. If Equinix hired you for this position, what are the first changes you would implement?
13. Explain to me the concept of hyper-converged infrastructure.
14. How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?
15. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), how many tiers of data centers are there?
16. Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.
17. What steps do you take when you have to make an immediate decision without all the relevant information?
18. How would you convince your client to migrate over to true/public cloud from on-premise?
19. Tell me about the deployment/business models we could offer to our clients.
20. What is pervasive business intelligence, and what does it mean to you?
21. Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.
22. In your opinion, what does the future bring for data centers?
23. In your opinion, what is the most exciting collaboration between data analysis and artificial intelligence in the past year?
24. What are the platforms used for cloud computing? How do they compare?
25. What are the benefits of leasing a private data center vs. building one from scratch?
26. How does data drive a business' success?
27. Please list three Linux server monitoring commands.
28. Tell me how the Internet of Things (IoT), AI and blockchain will impact cloud computing.

Equinix Interview Questions

1. In your opinion, is data a true asset for a business. Why or why not?

2. Unexpected issues arise often in the technology industry, and you must be able to quickly adapt. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

3. How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

4. Equinix fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?

5. What are the open-source cloud databases? Are these the best ones to use for our clients?

6. What are your primary technical competencies?

7. Tell me about the most challenging aspect of your current job. How did you overcome it?

8. Which tech blogs do you subscribe to?

9. Do you have any technical certifications?

10. What are the latest trends in cloud computing?

11. How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?

12. If Equinix hired you for this position, what are the first changes you would implement?

13. Explain to me the concept of hyper-converged infrastructure.

14. How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

15. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), how many tiers of data centers are there?

16. Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.

17. What steps do you take when you have to make an immediate decision without all the relevant information?

18. How would you convince your client to migrate over to true/public cloud from on-premise?

19. Tell me about the deployment/business models we could offer to our clients.

20. What is pervasive business intelligence, and what does it mean to you?

21. Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.

22. In your opinion, what does the future bring for data centers?

23. In your opinion, what is the most exciting collaboration between data analysis and artificial intelligence in the past year?

24. What are the platforms used for cloud computing? How do they compare?

25. What are the benefits of leasing a private data center vs. building one from scratch?

26. How does data drive a business' success?

27. Please list three Linux server monitoring commands.

28. Tell me how the Internet of Things (IoT), AI and blockchain will impact cloud computing.