Palo Alto Networks Quality Assurance Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Palo Alto Networks, Inc. interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Can you describe and compare some common types of testing, including stress, load, and volume testing?
How to Answer
Comparing and contrasting different types of quality assurance testing methods demonstrates your knowledge and experience with these and indicates which of the tests you may have a preference for. Palo Alto Networks will also have preferences, and the interviewer may be seeking to understand if your preferences align with theirs. This is also a good way to test your communication skills and your ability to describe testing procedures to someone who may not have a quality assurance background.
Answer Example
"Load testing, stress testing, and volume testing are the most common quality assurance procedures used in software development projects. Each of these has a different methodology and benefits in identifying errors in the code. Load testing places the application under a heavy load near the software's specified limits. This may simulate a large volume of users, data, or transactions. Stress testing is a methodology that exceeds the maximum recommended load to determine the limits of the application. Finally, volume testing verifies how the software will perform when processing standard amounts of data, user requests, and other loads."
2. Can you discuss how the Assert and Verify commands differ in the context of test automation?
How to Answer
Quality assurance engineers use a wide variety of commands to perform their work. Interviewers at Palo Alto Networks will ask you about these commands and expect you to be familiar with them. Your answer should include a definition of the command, what it accomplishes, and how it differs from other similar commands. As with any technical question, keep your answer brief and to the point and be prepared for a follow-up question.
Answer Example
"While these commands are similar in that they both check if the code conditions are true, they differ in their subsequent actions. If you're using the assert command and it fails, it will stop executing the code, and the test will be stopped. The verify command continues to execute the code even after it has identified an error. You can choose the appropriate command depending on the test plan."
3. Can you describe an incident where you missed an error in code and discuss what happened?
How to Answer
Nobody is perfect, even quality assurance engineers. The Palo Alto Networks interviewer knows this and will ask a question like this to ensure that you recognize your imperfections, but more importantly, take actions to correct them. This is a behavioral question, so you can use the STAR format for your response. Describe the Situation, discuss the Task you needed to accomplish, talk about the Actions you took, and then provide the interviewer with a brief description of the Results you achieved.
Answer Example
"During my career, there have only been a small number of instances in which a bug slipped through my quality control process. The most recent one involved a database call. The command was supposed to result in a list of customers over 30 days behind their payments. However, instead of using 30, the programmer entered a value of 3. This was discovered during the test since the dataset I used was small. However, when the program went into production, it resulted in a much larger list of overdue invoices. Once the bug was discovered, we immediately corrected it. What I learned from this and can apply to my work here at Palo Alto Networks was to pay special attention to the values used in specific calls and to increase the size of the data set during quality assurance testing."
4. In your opinion, at what point during the software development process here at Palo Alto Networks should the quality assurance testing begin?
How to Answer
This is an operational question that the Palo Alto Networks interviewer will use to better understand your approach to quality assurance testing. Each organization has a different procedure for quality assurance. The interviewer wants to see if your methodology aligns with the one they use at Palo Alto Networks. The best way to prepare for this type of question is to research the organization before the interview. You can find information on the job posting, their website, and talking with their quality assurance team. This will help you to better align your answers to their current practices.
Answer Example
"In my opinion, quality assurance should begin as soon as possible. This identifies any errors in the code before they can have a greater impact or require more elaborate recoding later in the development process. This will also allow the Palo Alto Networks quality assurance team to engage sooner to better understand the programming team's objectives and proactively help them identify errors in their code. Waiting until the code is fully developed is the absolute worst approach to quality assurance."
5. In your work as a quality assurance engineer, do you use the terms Test Strategies and Test Plans interchangeably?
How to Answer
Different organizations use different terminology in their quality assurance operations. The Palo Alto Networks interviewer is asking you this question to determine your understanding of these two terms. They also want to see if you understand the difference between these. The best way to respond to this question is to define each term and discuss how they differ. In this case, one may be a subset of the other. As with any technical question, keep your answer brief and to the point.
Answer Example
"No, test strategies and test plans are separate items within the quality assurance process. Test strategies are used to define the organization's overall approach to testing software. These are typically predetermined by the quality assurance management team and are consistent across the organization. Test plans, on the other hand, are specific to individual software development projects. They outline which test cases will be used, their frequency, and other specifics about the testing process. I'm curious, does Palo Alto Networks use these terms in a similar manner?"
6. Do you believe that quality assurance engineers should be involved in resolving production issues?
How to Answer
This question addresses the scope of a quality assurance engineer's role. Organizations like Palo Alto Networks address this issue differently. Some companies may limit the QA role to simply testing the software and producing reports or recommendations. Others view quality assurance as more strategic to the organization's mission and will involve the QA engineer in a wide variety of activities in addition to software testing. Researching Palo Alto Networks before the interview will indicate which approach they take so you can align your answer to their practices.
Answer Example
"I strongly believe that the quality assurance organization should be involved in resolving production issues. There are several benefits to this. First, quality assurance will have a good perspective on the software since it spent time testing it. This can help to resolve the production issue quicker and with fewer resources. Additionally, by helping to resolve production issues, the quality assurance team will become more familiar with the production environment. This will help them to develop better test cases which will catch errors in the code which may not otherwise be detected until the software goes into production."
7. Please detail the difference between functional and non-functional testing.
How to Answer
Quality assurance professionals use many different testing procedures to ensure that software development projects produce programs that function properly and provide the results the end-users expect. This question asks you to compare two of the procedures. As a QA professional, you should easily answer this question. One way to be prepared for this and other questions is to review the processes and procedures you use before the interview with Palo Alto Networks. Practicing questions like this also will help you better formulate your answers during the interview.
Answer Example
"Functional and non-functional testing are two of the more common processes I use in my quality assurance practices. Functional testing involves specific testing of individual software elements to ensure that each element performs properly and meets the requirements and specifications provided by the software development team. Non-functional testing examines other elements of the software not related to the results it produces. Processes used in this include stress testing, examining load times, and looking at the overall performance of the software."
8. Please describe for me the components of the quality assurance testing life cycle.
How to Answer
The interviewer at Palo Alto Networks will ask this question to confirm that you understand each step in the quality assurance lifecycle. As with other operational questions, they are also curious whether your perception of the quality assurance lifecycle aligns with theirs. Researching the organization, understanding their operations, and being familiar with their processes will help you demonstrate your qualifications and fit for their organization.
Answer Example
"There are several distinct steps within the quality assurance testing lifecycle. These must be performed in the correct order to efficiently move through the process and end up with a valid test plan and usable results. The stages of a life cycle I use in my quality assurance practices are:
Requirements Gathering
Test Planning
Process Design
Execution of the QA Process
Reporting Results & Recommendations
Finalizing the Process"
9. Can you explain the differences between severity and priority?
How to Answer
This question is not directly related to the quality assurance process or practices but can be applied to any job which involves problem-solving. The question addresses your organizational and time management skills. Knowing the difference between severity and priority helps you determine which issues you will address and when you will address them. This is important to the Palo Alto Networks interviewer because they want to ensure that you work well in an environment with minimal oversight.
Answer Example
"The terms severity and priority typically apply to time management. I use them to determine which problems I'm going to work on first. Severity defines how difficult a problem will be to resolve. Priority defines how important the issue is to the organization and the impact of fixing it. A good illustration of this is to create a diagram with four quadrants. On the Y-axis is priority and on the X-axis is severity. My focus is on the upper right quadrant, which contains high priority in high severity issues. I avoid the lower left quadrant in which both of these are low. After resolving high priority and high severity issues, I then address a high priority before resolving high severity."
10. How are test drivers and test stubs used in the software quality assurance process?
How to Answer
As an interview with Palo Alto Networks progresses, the questions you will be asked will be progressively harder. This indicates that the interviewer is gaining confidence in your capabilities and is willing to challenge your qualifications. Even though the questions are more difficult, you should continue to provide answers that are to the point, using simple language that even non-technical individuals can understand. The interviewer will ask follow-up questions if they need additional details or to explore the topic in more depth.
Answer Example
"Test drivers and test stubs are two ways quality assurance engineers can test how different components within a software design interact with each other. These are especially helpful when one of the components has not been developed yet. A test stub is part of the code and is used in a top-down testing approach. On the other hand, the test driver is a piece of code that calls one of the software components and is used in a bottom-up approach. Both of these are important tools used by quality assurance engineers."
11. What is Ad Hoc testing, and why would you use this?
How to Answer
As a quality assurance engineer, you should be familiar with every type of quality test available. While you may not use each of these, being familiar with them and describing their use is important, especially during an interview. Whenever you describe something during an interview, you should assume that the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer may not have as much knowledge about the topic, and therefore use plain and simple language. If they need additional information, they will ask a follow-up question.
Answer Example
"Ad hoc testing is any testing that occurs outside of the normal quality assurance schedule and plan. The purpose of ad hoc testing is to randomly try to break the application or verify its functionality. It is sometimes called negative testing. While it does have its benefits, ad hoc testing should be kept to a minimum because it is disruptive and requires modifications to the test plan."
12. Why is configuration management important in the software development and quality assurance process?
How to Answer
By asking why something is important, the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer assumes you have knowledge of the topic and can describe it in detail. The best way to respond to this question is to briefly describe the term you are being asked about and then answer it by detailing its importance. Finally, you may want to give an example of how the concept is used and its impact on the project's outcome.
Answer Example
"Configuration management refers to the process of documenting all the changes made in the software during its development. This is important because it will allow Palo Alto Networks developers to go back to earlier versions of the software if their changes result in problems or cause unintended consequences. It also enables the quality assurance team to identify when the changes were made, and by whom, in case they have questions or need additional information."
13. Do you use thread testing when executing a quality assurance process, and if so, can you describe what it involves?
How to Answer
During the interview for a quality assurance engineer's role at Palo Alto Networks, the interviewer will ask you many different questions about your knowledge, expertise, and experience. These will include questions about specific processes and procedures you use to do your job. You can prepare for these questions and anticipate them by first reviewing the job posting to fully understand the requirements and the description of the responsibilities they provide. You should also review your resume before an interview so you're familiar with what the interviewer knows about your qualifications. In addition to researching Palo Alto Networks, the last suggestion for preparing is reviewing how you go about performing your job and what methodologies you have used in your most recent and former positions.
Answer Example
"Thread testing is a methodology which involves testing the software from the top-down. I examine the progressive integration of each component and how it relates to the previous ones, contributing to their functionality. The process follows the implementation of subsets of the program instead of integrating the components at successively lower levels."
14. Can you describe what a 'USE' case is and what elements it should include?
How to Answer
As a quality assurance engineer, you need to understand the software development process, as well as the programmers and coders do. This will enable you to better identify the root causes of errors and bugs, especially if they recur frequently. This may extend to understanding individual programming languages and the techniques programmers use when developing applications. As with any profession, the better you understand the material you are working with, the more effective you will be at your job with Palo Alto Networks.
Answer Example
"A USE case is a document that describes the action a user will take and how the software is expected to respond for a specific function of the application. Elements of a formal USE case document may include a table of contents, the flow of events, the revision history, any special requirements, pre-conditions, and desired outcomes."
15. While the primary purpose of quality assurance is to identify software errors, it can also prevent these. What recommendations do you have to achieve this?
How to Answer
One of the key responsibilities of a quality assurance engineer is to make recommendations on preventing recurrent problems in the software development cycle. Discussing how you do this, and giving specific examples, will help the interviewer understand how you can reduce the costs and time associated with developing software applications for Palo Alto Networks. You should anticipate this question and have some specific examples prepared before the interview.
Answer Example
"One of the key issues which cause errors in the software development cycle is not having a clear understanding of the requirements for the project. This can be addressed through clear communication and documentation before initiating the project. One other thing I've seen impact the success of software development is an unrealistic schedule that does not provide enough time for the developers to adequately do their job. Not testing early enough and not performing tests at each stage of the cycle also causes problems using the Agile methodology. The biggest problem by far that impacts the success of a software development project is clear and frequent communication between all the stakeholders, including the developers, the management team, and the final customer."
16. Here at Palo Alto Networks, we use both Quality Assurance (QA) processes and software testing. Can you discuss the difference between these?
How to Answer
This is a general question the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer is likely to ask early in the interview. The purpose of this question is to begin the conversation, explore your background and knowledge, and collect information the interviewer can use throughout the interview. Knowing the difference between the QA process and software testing is integral to this role. Any qualified quality assurance engineer should have no trouble answering this question.
Answer Example
"The key difference between quality assurance and software testing involves the timing and what is being monitored. Quality assurance monitors the quality of the process used to develop the software. This occurs continuously during the creation of the software. Software testing is the process of ensuring the functionality of the final product meets the user's requirements. This normally occurs at the end of the software development lifecycle and acts as a final check before the product is released."
17. What are some of the tools you plan to use as a Palo Alto Networks' quality assurance engineer?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask you about the tools you use to see if they are the same tools that Palo Alto Networks uses. Hopefully, you have done your research and learned about the company's processes and procedures before the interview. This should allow you to learn about what tools they use and whether the ones you are familiar with are the same. If the tools you use are different, this may be an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to improve the Palo Alto Networks' operations. You should ask the interviewer a clarifying question before suggesting any improvements to see if they are open to this.
Answer Example
"During my career, I have used several different tools to test and validate software development projects. Which tools I use often depends on the organization I am working with. Some of the common tools I use include QCDB, Adaptive Compliance Engine, also known as ACE, QT9 QMS, MasterControl Quality Excellence, Arena QMS, Qualtrax, and Cority. The tools all have common elements including audit management, compliance management, corrective and preventive actions, or CAPA, defect tracking, document control, and supplier quality control."
18. How do you go about developing a quality assurance automated test plan?
How to Answer
This is an example of an operational question. Operational questions are similar to technical questions, but they specifically address the processes and procedures you use to perform your job. A Palo Alto Networks interviewer will ask you an operational question to ensure that you know how to do the job and see if your processes align with their organization's. As with technical questions, you should keep your answers to operational questions brief and to the point. You may sometimes need to break the operation down into distinct steps, describing these in simple, non-technical language. As with technical questions, you should be prepared for follow-ups.
Answer Example
"My approach to creating a quality assurance automated test plan begins with defining the strategy and specific goals for the plan. I then create the individual elements, which include how the testing will be performed and the results recorded, processes for handling errors, identifying the scripts which will need to be created, creating, testing, and debugging the scripts, and designing reports which will detail the results the scripts produce. Once this is completed, I run the automation on sample code to verify that it produces the results defined in the strategy and goals. Only after verifying this will I put the plan into production."
19. Can you define a Test case and describe how it is used in the quality assurance process?
How to Answer
This is an example of a technical question. Technical questions ask you to define the terminology, concepts, or other elements of the profession and describe how they impact the job you are interviewing for. The best way to answer a technical question is direct and to the point. Keep your answer brief and anticipate that the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer will ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into the topic. This indicates that the subject of the question is important to the interviewer and the organization's operations.
Answer Example
"A test case is a specific condition to which the quality assurance is required to check against when examining the software being developed. The information it contains includes the test steps, prerequisites, the test environment, and the required outputs or reports."
20. What is Agile testing, and how does it relate to the Agile development process?
How to Answer
Agile development is one of the key methodologies used in the software development process. Virtually every organization incorporates the Agile methodology in some way. Any quality assurance engineer needs to be aware of the process and how it impacts their work. You should anticipate being asked about Agile during an interview for the role of a quality assurance engineer.
Answer Example
"Agile testing is software testing using the Agile methodology. The key to this is performing the quality assurance tests at each stage of the software development lifecycle. This identifies any issues or bugs and allows them to be corrected before moving on to the next stage. Some people argue that this may slow down the development life cycle. However, it results in a better product that requires less testing and debugging in the final stages. It has been proven that the Agile methodology actually accelerates the software development lifecycle and results in better quality products."
21. Can you discuss some of the elements which make up test plans?
How to Answer
When you provide an answer to the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer's question, you should be prepared to dig deeper into the topic. Interviewers will ask questions ranging from very casual to very in-depth. These depend on the specific topic and how important it is to the operations of Palo Alto Networks. The best way to prepare for an interview is to review the job posting to completely understand the requirements and duties you are expected to perform. You should also research the organization and learn as much as you can about its operations. Sources for this information include the Palo Alto Networks' website, current and former employees, and industry publications. The more you know about the organization, the better prepared you will be for the interview.
Answer Example
"While every quality assurance test plan is unique and contains different elements, some of the ones common to most plans include: the reason for testing, the test environment, the QA objectives, the scope of the testing, triggers for testing, the deliverables the quality assurance organization is committing to, and any risk factors the QA team needs to be aware of. Detailing these items in the test plan prepares the quality assurance team and enables them to deliver the results Palo Alto Networks expects."
22. Can you discuss what branch testing and boundary testing are and how these apply to the quality assurance process?
How to Answer
This is an example of a follow-up question. Follow-up questions have two purposes. One is to explore a topic in more detail when you have already provided the interviewer an answer to their question. These usually occur immediately after you've answered the interviewer's question about the same topic. Another is to determine if you're consistent with your answers throughout the interview. In this case, the follow-up question will be asked much later in the interview. You should always be prepared for follow-up questions during an interview.
Answer Example
"Branch testing involves testing all of the individual branches of the software code. This confirms that each branch is functioning properly and that the dependencies between each branch have been correctly written. Boundary testing focuses on the conditions which limit the functionality or scope of the software. These may be related to the software's tasks, the variables it can address, or other items that the software either can or can't deal with."
23. Can you list some of the common quality assurance tests performed during the software development process?
How to Answer
Quality assurance processes for software development projects differ between organizations. They are also dependent on the type of software being developed. Software to be used internally by organizations may have fewer quality assurance requirements, whereas those to be released for commercial purposes, such as the ones Palo Alto Networks produces, may be put through more stringent testing procedures. Knowing the variety of tests available to a quality assurance engineer and discussing how each one is executed is critical for this role. If you are not already familiar with these, you should review and be able to discuss them before going into the interview.
Answer Example
"There are several different quality assurance test procedures which can be used to validate the performance of a software product or identify any bugs or issues it may have. These are used depending on the type of software, its intended use, and other factors. Some organizations utilize most, if not all, of these procedures, while others will only use a few. Some of the more common quality assurance tests for software development projects include:
- Unit Testing
- Integration Testing
- Regression Testing
- Stress Testing
- Shakeout Testing
- White Box Testing
- Black Box Testing
- Load Testing
- Functional Testing
- Performance Testing
- Alpha & Beta Testing
- System Testing
- Release Testing
- Final Testing"
24. What are some of the elements of a quality assurance test strategy?
How to Answer
As a quality assurance engineer, you should be able to identify the elements of a QA strategy quickly and easily. The assumption is that you've created these strategies yourself or have executed strategies created by other QA personnel. Providing an answer to this question will confirm to the Palo Alto Networks interviewer that you have experience in this area and have performed this job in the past. Not being able to do this will be a red flag which the interviewer will use to disqualify candidates.
Answer Example
"A quality assurance test strategy includes several different elements. These include the purpose, a list of necessary resources, the scope of the testing, a schedule for test activities, the tools and test artifacts to be used in the QA process, a definition of which tests will take priority and can nullify other tests, and a comprehensive list of the types of tests to be performed. It will also include the steps to be taken when the tests identify deficiencies and contingencies if the tests cannot be performed or may impact the delivery schedule for the software."
25. Can you walk me through the steps for the bug identification and resolution cycle you will use if hired by Palo Alto Networks?
How to Answer
When a Palo Alto Networks interviewer asks you to walk them through a process, they are trying to determine your knowledge of the specific process and whether you have executed this before. The best way to respond to these questions is to briefly discuss each step in the process using clear and non-technical language. You should be prepared for follow-up questions which the interviewer will use to expand on the topic or collect more information about a particular step in the process.
Answer Example
" There are several steps for identifying and resolving bugs or issues in software during the development cycle. These may include the following:
- A bug or issue is identified by the QA engineer and assigned an ID indicating its open status.
- The development team reviews the bug to determine if it is a valid issue.
- If deemed to be a valid defect, the development team will take steps to fix it. If not, it is marked as rejected.
- The next step involves checking whether the defect is in scope. If not the part of the current release, then addressing it will be postponed.
- The defect is then assigned a status. If it is a known bug, it will be assigned as being duplicate. If it is being addressed, the status will be noted as in progress. If the issue has been resolved, the bug is assigned a closed status.
- The quality assurance team then retests the software to confirm that the defect has been addressed and removed."
26. What do the terms bug leakage and bug release mean, and how do they impact the quality assurance process for software development projects?
How to Answer
During an interview for a quality assurance engineer role at Palo Alto Networks, most of the questions you will be asked will be technical or operational. Technical questions address the terms and other aspects of this job you should be familiar with. Operational questions are related to the processes and procedures used in this role. The best way to prepare for these types of questions is to review the job posting to thoroughly understand the requirements and job description. You should also review the terms, processes, and procedures commonly used in your job. Practicing questions like this will help you to be better prepared for the interview.
Answer Example
"Both of these terms involve problems with the software. A bug release is when the software is sent to the final testing team knowing that one or more defects are present in the release. The assumption is that the severity of the issues is low and can be removed before the software's final release. Bug leakage refers to when the final customer discovers an issue. It indicates the problem was not detected by the testing team while testing the software. Bug leakage is not anticipated and indicates a problem with the quality assurance process."
27. In your experience, what are the challenges related to automating the quality assurance process?
How to Answer
The software development quality assurance process is highly dependent on automation. This allows quality assurance processes to run in the background with little to no intervention from the QA team. It also standardizes the process and removes any bias based on the individual quality assurance engineer preferences. Knowing the challenges related to this will demonstrate your qualifications for this role at Palo Alto Networks and confirm that you've participated in quality assurance projects in the past.
Answer Example
"There are several challenges when automating quality assurance processes. Some of these include mastering the automation tools, creating automation scripts that can be reused, developing test cases adapted to different software development projects, and automating the quality assurance processes for complex test cases. These can be overcome by applying the best practices and documenting the automation once it is verified to be accurate."
28. What are the differences between the build and the release identifications of a software development lifecycle?
How to Answer
The software development lifecycle has several different phases. It begins with a statement of requirements and includes design, build, testing, and release. Software development projects can cycle through each of these phases repeatedly before releasing the product into production. The quality assurance process occurs throughout each phase to ensure the product is being developed correctly and to identify any problems before they impact the later stages of development. Each product has a number that identifies it. This number changes as the product moves through the development lifecycle.
Answer Example
"Software development projects have unique identifiers as the software moves through the development lifecycle. These identifiers evolve at each stage of the development process. Toward the end of the cycle, the software is assigned a build number given to installable software that is handed off to the final testing team by the development team. Once the final testing is complete, a release number is assigned to production software that is handed over to the customer."
29. What is Testware, and how does that contribute to the quality assurance process?
How to Answer
As with any job, several terms and phrases are used in this role that the quality assurance engineer should be familiar with. The Palo Alto Networks' interviewer is likely to ask you about these throughout the interview. These questions normally are in the form of requesting a definition of the term and then describing how it is used in this role. It will help if you review the general terms and phrases used for the job before the interview.
Answer Example
"Testware is anything used when conducting the quality assurance process. It can include test artifacts, such as test cases, data, testing plans, and other documentation needed to develop and execute a quality assurance process."
30. In your opinion, what are the key functions a software quality assurance engineer performs here at Palo Alto Networks?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask you this type of question to better understand your perception of this role and how you perform the job. Most applicants will rattle off what they've done in the past or what they think the job involves. A better approach to answering this question would be to carefully review the Palo Alto Networks job posting to be familiar with the requirements and the functions it describes. You can even bring this document to the interview with you with these key elements highlighted. You may also want to contact current or former employees who perform the same job to learn more about what they did and gain some insight into the company, the job, and possibly even the person you are interviewing with.
Answer Example
"Based on my research, a software quality assurance engineer here at Palo Alto Networks performs a wide variety of different tasks. Depending on the particular job, these may include participating in the design of the software, control of the source code, code review, change management, documentation, testing the functionality of the application, recommending bug fixes and functional improvements in the code, and managing the process for releasing the application to the final customer."