Palo Alto Networks Senior Staff Engineer Mock Interview
Master 30 Senior Staff Engineer interview questions covering distributed systems, security architecture, and technical leadership at Palo Alto Networks.
Question 21 of 30
How would you justify the cost and disruption of upgrading to a newer version of the software Palo Alto Networks is currently using?
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William Swansen has worked in the employment assistance realm since 2007. He is an author, job search strategist, and career advisor who helps individuals worldwide and in various professions to find their ideal careers.
Hiring managers at Palo Alto Networks know that people who work with technology have a bias for the latest and greatest. It's easy to build a case for upgrading to a manufacturer's most recent products, noting the additional features and improvements the new product's performance likely delivers. However, upgrading software requires additional investment and is disruptive to the organization during the upgrade process. Senior staff engineers need to know when an upgrade is applicable, and if it is, how to present it to the business unit managers so they understand the benefits and how they outweigh the costs.
William Swansen has worked in the employment assistance realm since 2007. He is an author, job search strategist, and career advisor who helps individuals worldwide and in various professions to find their ideal careers.
"One of my jobs is to stay current on developing technology, especially those the organization currently uses. I maintained good relationships with my vendors to receive timely notifications of upcoming upgrades, the features and benefits they will include, and whether they apply to my organization. If I feel the organization would benefit from upgrading an application, I carefully build a case using the benefits the upgrade would deliver. I focus on gains in productivity, process improvements, and long-term cost savings. I also develop a table which demonstrates the breakeven for the upgrade, taking into account the initial investment, the cost to implement the upgrade, and any disruption in productivity the upgrade process will involve."
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