Palo Alto Networks Technical Support Engineer Interview Questions & Answers
1. The key components within a computer include the motherboard, CPU, and chipset. Can you discuss each of these, their function, and how they relate to each other?
How to Answer
Being knowledgeable about the components within a computer system is critical to the role of a technical support engineer. Each of these components can fail or cause issues with other components. You need to be intimately familiar with these to quickly diagnose issues and take the appropriate steps to resolve them. Interviewers at Palo Alto Networks will ask these types of questions to confirm your expertise in this area. They may also follow up with a question that provides a scenario in which one of these components fails and then ask you what steps you would take to resolve the issue.
Answer Example
"The motherboard is the largest and most important component within a computer system. It holds all the other key components, including the CPU, the chipset, memory, and expansion cards. It also provides the connection to external components through the USB and other ports or interfaces. The CPU is the next most important component in that it is the brain of the computer. The CPU manages all the computer functions, the relationships between the other components, and the processes executed or managed by the operating system and applications. The chipset is a collection of components that are integrated directly into the motherboard. Each chip provides a specific function, such as communication, graphics, or control of the external components. All of these work together to make the computer function as it is intended to."
2. What are some of the challenges do you expect to encounter in this IT support role here at Palo Alto Networks?
How to Answer
Every job has its challenges. The Palo Alto Networks interviewer will ask you about this to see what challenges you have encountered and gauge whether they are realistic or if you are challenged by minor issues or daily occurrences in this role. When responding to the question, you should identify significant challenges, but ones that you can resolve. You may even want to describe a situation in which you overcame a challenge using your skills and experience in this job.
Answer Example
"While I enjoy this job immensely, I do frequently encounter challenges. I can resolve most of these using the skills I've developed through my experience in this role. These include equipment issues, competing priorities, difficult end-users, and distractions within the workplace. I've developed a set of resources I can use to address these types of challenges. They include technical documentation, coping mechanisms, prioritization, and the support of my peers and our management team. When faced with a new or difficult challenge to overcome, I reach out to the team to see if they have resolved it in the past. This usually provides me the information I need to move forward. I anticipate that I will encounter similar challenges here at Palo Alto Networks and be able to resolve them in a similar manner."
3. Can you discuss the differences between RAM and ROM?
How to Answer
During a technical support engineer interview with Palo Alto Networks, you will be asked various types of questions. Most of these will be technical. The interviewer will use technical questions to determine your qualifications for this role and your knowledge and experience in technical support. Interviewers also use these questions to gauge your ability to present complex technical concepts in simple and easy-to-understand language. This is a critical skill for a technical support engineer.
Answer Example
"Both ROM and RAM are types of memory used by computer systems. The main difference between these is how each one manages the information it stores. ROM, which stands for read-only memory, is permanent and is used to store key information the system uses to operate, such as its Basic Input/Output System or BIOS. RAM or random-access memory is a volatile memory which the system uses to temporarily store information it needs for the programs the user is working with or other information the system needs to operate. ROM is typically included with the basic computer system and cannot be modified. Users can add additional RAM to their systems to increase its capacity and performance."
4. What does it mean when you examine a device manager, and it contains a "˜?' sign?
How to Answer
During a technical support engineer interview at Palo Alto Networks, you may be asked to resolve specific issues which are likely to occur when performing this job. This specific technical question asks you about an issue that can occur within an end-user's system. Since you will not have the typical resources available when actually on the job, you need to provide the best answer possible. If you're unable to resolve the issue using only your knowledge and experience, carefully explain to the interviewer how you would do this and what resources you would typically have available when actually on the job.
Answer Example
"When a ? appears in the device manager description, it indicates that the device is not properly installed. This typically occurs for plug-in cards, memory modules, connection cables, and other devices installed after the system was initially configured. This issue is typically resolved by reinstalling the device and ensuring that it is seated or connected properly."
5. On average, how long does it take for you to resolve an end-user service ticket?
How to Answer
A common metric organizations like Palo Alto Networks use to measure the effectiveness of their technical support team is the average amount of time required to resolve a service ticket. Companies have developed complex algorithms that measure this considering the nature of the ticket, the difficulty of the situation, and the resources available to the technical support engineer. Having worked in this role, you should have a pretty good idea of your metrics and be able to provide the interviewer with an answer that demonstrates your ability to quickly resolve service tickets in a reasonable amount of time.
Answer Example
"While situations vary, the average time it takes me to resolve a service ticket involving a hardware issue is 35 minutes. Software tickets usually take longer due to the complexity of application issues and the variety of root causes related to the problems. I've resolved hardware tickets in less than 5 minutes and have worked on some complex software issues for several days. Fortunately, the organizations I have worked for, similar to Palo Alto Networks, document all of their service tickets. This provides the technical support engineers with references, documentation, and procedures they can use to resolve the same issues when they recur."
6. What is the difference between an "ËœA' record and an "ËœMX record'?
How to Answer
Since there is no standardized manual for interviewing a technical support engineer, you're likely to get a wide variety of questions depending on who at Palo Alto Networks is interviewing you. Some of these will be straightforward and relevant to the work you do. Others may be more obscure. Sometimes interviewers like to see if they can trip you up and get you off balance. If you're asked something you are unfamiliar with, acknowledge this, and then describe to the interviewer how you would go about locating the information.
Answer Example
"Both an 'A' record and an 'MX' record are related to network technologies. An 'A' record, also known as a host record, identifies an IP address by its common name. Network administrators use this when assigning IP addresses to specific departments or users. An 'MX' record, also known as a mail exchange record, identifies the location of a mail server. This record is typically found in the DNS or domain name server."
7. Why was the Intel 8085 processor called an 8-bit processor?
How to Answer
Knowing the terminology of the components of a computer system is a critical skill technical support engineers need to have. This question is interesting because it refers to a technology developed roughly 40 years ago and is no longer used. However, a few of these systems may still be in use at Palo Alto Networks, so you need to be familiar with the terminology in what it represents. Additionally, having a historical perspective on the IT industry enhances your skills and makes you more valuable as a technical support engineer.
Answer Example
"Although I have never encountered this technology during my career, I do know that the Intel 8085 processor was called an eight-bit processor because it's an arithmetic logical unit, or ALU used eight bits. This compares to modern processors which typically use either 32 or 64 bits."
8. What is an interrupt in the context of a computer system?
How to Answer
As a technical support engineer, you are expected to be intimately familiar with how a computer system functions. You should know about each component, its purpose, and its relationship to the other components. You should also know about the processes used to operate a computer and the common applications users in your organization employ. Refreshing yourself on these technologies and their functions will help you be better prepared. Practicing interview questions like these will also assist you in formulating answers on the fly during the Palo Alto Networks interview.
Answer Example
"The central processing unit or CPU is the brain of a computer. Each component of the system typically needs to interact with the CPU to complete a task. Since the CPU has a finite capacity, the mechanism used by the components to gain the CPU's attention is called an interrupt. This is a signal sent by the component to the CPU asking for its assistance."
9. What are the tools that will be helpful to you in identifying the problems and solving them if hired by Palo Alto Networks?
How to Answer
Technical support engineers use a variety of tools to perform their job. The Palo Alto Networks interviewer will ask you about these to determine which tools you use and whether they are similar to their technical support team's. You can respond to this question by describing general resources or detailing specific tools. Your answer will depend on how much information you gathered during your research before the interview. You can either align your answer with the technologies Palo Alto Networks currently uses or venture to refer to and recommend different tools and technologies which may improve their operations. While this later strategy is risky, it could distinguish you from the other candidates and enhance your chances of getting the job.
Answer Example
"I use a wide variety of tools to support the end-users in my organization. These include technical manuals, online resources, my knowledge and experience, and the knowledge and experience of my team members. I also develop strong relationships with the vendors of the products we use so I can reach out to them if I am challenged with a complicated issue or something I haven't encountered in the past. Based on the research I did before coming here, these are the same tools the Palo Alto Networks support team employ."
10. During your career as a technical support engineer, what are some of your mistakes, and what did you learn from them?
How to Answer
Everyone makes mistakes in their career. Successful people learn from their mistakes and turn failures into lessons. An interviewer will ask this question to test your honesty and see if you are willing to admit to having made mistakes. They are interested to see if you can turn a negative situation into a positive one and thereby increase your ability to do your job going forward. In anticipation of this question, you should have several brief stories prepared which demonstrate your ability to learn from your mistakes and the benefit this provides to an employer.
Answer Example
"Unfortunately, during my career, I've made many mistakes. However, I make sure I learn from these so I would not repeat them here at Palo Alto Networks. An example of this occurred early in my career when I was required to assist a user with a problem I was unfamiliar with. Rather than acknowledge this and seek assistance or research the issue, I plowed ahead and tried to guess at the answer. This not only exasperated the situation, making the problem worse and frustrating the user, but it resulted in me having to seek assistance anyway. What I learned from this is that when I encounter a situation I'm not familiar with, I immediately acknowledge this, seek help, and document the solution to the problem so I will be able to resolve it myself next time."
11. The user contacts you and says that their Windows 10 has a blank screen, but they can see the cursor. This happens every time they log in. What would you recommend they do to fix this?
How to Answer
Being able to walk end-users through resolving a problem is a typical task performed by technical support engineers. An interviewer at Palo Alto Networks will ask questions like this to understand your communication skills and how you work with end-users who may not be familiar with technical issues to resolve problems. When responding to this type of question, describe each step you would take, making sure to use nontechnical terms and providing specific instructions any end-user can easily follow.
Answer Example
"The instructions I would provide to the end-user, once I confirmed the problem and that they have access to their computer, would be as follows:
Press Windows Key along with P to launch the project menu.
Make sure the display settings accurately reflect the configuration for your computer.
Press up and down arrows a few times and hit enter.
If it works, you will be able to see your screen. If not, repeat this step a few times.
If you have a password-protected account to log in, press CTRL or space enter the password and hit enter. It might take you a few trials before you succeed.
If this process doesn't work, then they may have to uninstall the graphic card driver. At this point, I would remotely log in to their computer so that I could execute the updating of the graphic card driver since most users do not have the background required to perform this process."
12. What would you recommend I do if my printer images are of poor quality or it leaves extra ink on the paper?
How to Answer
In addition to solving problems involving computer systems, operating systems, application software, and networks, you need to be familiar with the peripheral devices typically used in a business setting similar to Palo Alto Networks. These include various input and output devices, including mice, tablets, scanners, printers, projectors, and display systems. While it is impossible to know each of these systems intimately, you should generally know how they work, the problems they may encounter, and how to resolve these. As in any support role, you should also be able to quickly describe how you would research the information needed to resolve an issue you are not familiar with.
Answer Example
"First, I would recommend that you have selected the right driver and settings for the media and paper you are using. Once you confirm this, try manually cleaning the print heads or adjusting the fuser, depending on the type of printer you are using. If these steps don't resolve the issue, then the chances are the problem may be due to a more serious issue with the hardware or the need to replace the supplies."
13. Can you describe the different types of firewalls you may find in a typical network topology?
How to Answer
This question presupposes two things. The first is that you are familiar with networking and the systems and components it contains. The second is that your knowledge is sufficient to describe the different types of firewalls used within a network topology. As a Palo Alto Networks' technical support engineer, you are expected to know a broad range of computer systems, software, and technology. Since networks are a critical component of any organization's IT infrastructure, you need to be intimately familiar with the technology they employ and any issues that may occur that you will need to address. Suppose you don't already have this knowledge. In that case, it is highly recommended that you augment your expertise and experience by taking courses in networking, either online or at a certified training facility. Obtaining network certifications, such as those offered by Cisco, will further enhance your qualifications and ability to find a job.
Answer Example
"I am familiar with eight different types of firewalls. They all vary in their general structure and functions. These include:
Hardware Firewalls
Software Firewalls
Cloud Firewalls
Packet-filtering Firewalls
Circuit-level gateways
Stateful Inspection Firewalls
Proxy Firewalls
Next-gen Firewalls"
14. What other causes would you consider if a user contacted you stating that they can't see the display on their system?
How to Answer
During an interview for a technical support engineer's position, it is common to be provided with specific scenarios or problems you're likely to encounter and asked how you would go about solving these. While there is no way to prepare for every single scenario you may be presented, you should have a general knowledge of the types of problems you will encounter in this role and how you resolve them. If you do not know, the best response is to acknowledge this and then describe how you would go about researching the information needed to solve the issue.
Answer Example
"There may be several reasons that a user's display is blank. Some of these include:
The power cord or monitor cord to the display is not connected.
The display is not working and needs to be replaced.
The computer system has not yet completely booted.
One of the display's internal components could be an issue, such as the heat sink.
There could be issues with a jumper setting on the computer.
A problem in BIOS settings.
An electrical short or other power-related issues."
15. One of the issues we're struggling with here at Palo Alto Networks is overclocking our systems' CPUs. Do you use overclocking in the systems that you manage? If so, why?
How to Answer
During an interview, the Palo Alto Networks' interviewer may ask you about the processes you employ to manage an information technology infrastructure. These questions help them understand your expertise level and gives them information about how you manage systems. They are interested in learning if your methodologies align with the organization's or if you have innovative ideas that could help them improve their operations. By researching the job posting and the organization's processes before the interview, you will have some insight into whether your practices will fit those of the organization or if there is something incremental you can contribute.
Answer Example
"As I'm sure you are aware, overclocking is making the CPU run at a higher speed than the default. I am not a fan of this practice for several reasons. The first is that overclocking the CPU voids the manufacturer's warranty, thereby putting the system at risk if it were to fail. Another reason is that the price of CPUs has come down to a point where you can purchase faster CPUs for the systems and applications which would benefit from them. The last reason I do not believe in overclocking is that it increases the temperature of the CPU and requires more cooling, which is one of the more expensive costs related to maintaining a data center. For example: "
16. In your own terms, can you describe the role of a Technical Support Engineer?
How to Answer
This is a general opening question the interviewer will ask early in the interview at Palo Alto Networks. The purpose of this question is to begin the conversation, learn more about your background, and collect information they can use later in the interview. Ideally, before the interview, you researched the company and the position and are aware of the requirements for this job. Your answer should align with these requirements, so the interviewer begins to picture you in this role.
Answer Example
"The job of a technical support engineer is to monitor and maintain the IT equipment of an organization like Palo Alto Networks. They are also expected to assist users with issues that arise on their systems. Specific responsibilities include installing and configuring the hardware, operating systems, and applications, analyzing and resolving IT issues, performing preventative maintenance tasks to avoid outages, evaluating new technologies and making recommendations for system updates, and backing up data in case of an outage."
17. What is a gateway, and what is its role in a network topology?
How to Answer
Computer networks used to be considered separate systems from the hardware infrastructure, which normally included servers, storage, and user workstations. However, they are now integral to an organization's technology infrastructure. Technical support engineers working at Palo Alto Networks need to be well versed in network technology, especially since these are the type of products the company produces, to support the equipment and understand how it integrates with other hardware and software systems.
Answer Example
"A gateway is a network device similar to a firewall, server, or router. Its function is to act as a gate between independent networks. It enables traffic to flow between networks. A gateway also protects the other nodes in a network by only allowing authorized traffic to flow between networks. All the data flows through the gateway before coming in or going out of the network. The gateway's final function is to convert data coming from the outside network into a protocol or a format that is compatible with the network devices in the internal network."
18. Is it possible to manually edit the BOOT.INI file? If so, how do you do this?
How to Answer
This is a follow-up question to the one you may have been asked earlier in the interview. The interviewer will ask follow-up questions to either explore a topic in more detail or ensure that you answer their questions consistently throughout the interview. If the follow-up question immediately follows the original question, they need more information. If it comes later in the interview, they are checking to see that your answers are consistent. As long as you don't fabricate answers, you should have no trouble with this.
Answer Example
"Yes, you can manually edit the BOOT.INI file. However, before doing this, you should save a copy of the original file in case there is a problem. The process used to edit the file is to first open the control panel and select the 'System' option. You then open the 'Advanced' tab in the 'Properties' window. In the 'Startup and Recovery option are the settings. You then select the edit option for editing BOOT.INI. Once you have finished editing the file, you save and close it. Click on OK twice and exit the Control Panel. Note that this should only be done by engineers who are familiar with the structure of the BOOT.INI file and the commands it uses."
19. Can you describe the BOOT.INI file in Microsoft Windows and discuss what it is used for?
How to Answer
This question seeks to understand your knowledge of older operating systems. Many technical support engineers, especially those who recently graduated from a formal education or tech school, are more familiar with the most recent operating systems, hardware, and applications than older versions of these. However, many organizations like Palo Alto Networks still use legacy systems and software in their IT infrastructure. A technical support engineer needs to be familiar with a wide variety of IT assets. As with any question, if you're not familiar with this, admit it and then describe how you would go about acquiring the information you need to answer the question.
Answer Example
"BOOT.INI is a Microsoft initialization file containing the boot options for the older versions of Microsoft Windows, including NT, 2000, and XP. It is always located on the primary hard drive's root directory, known as the 'C' drive. BOOT.INI has two sections. The first is the boot loader section, which contains option settings applicable to all boot entries for the system. These include default, timeout, and others. The second section contains boot entries for each bootable program or the computer's operating system."
20. Can you explain what the BIOS is and what function it performs in a computer system?
How to Answer
During an interview with Palo Alto Networks, you will be asked to describe the different components of a computer system, operating systems, software applications, or network hardware. The interviewer will request this to test your technical expertise and get a feel for how well you understand the IT systems you will be supporting. This particular question is relatively basic, and every technical support engineer should be able to respond to it. Other questions may be more complex or deal with components that you are unfamiliar with or don't have experience with. It would be best if you never tried to fake an answer or ad-lib. If you are not familiar with something, admit this to the interviewer, and then describe how you would gain the knowledge needed to support a particular piece of equipment.
Answer Example
"BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System. It is contained in the read-only memory, or ROM chip found on the motherboard. The main function of the BIOS is to set up and access the computer system at its most basic level. The four functions the BIOS performs include checking the hardware for errors before loading the operating system or OS, loading the correct OS if there are several available, loading the appropriate drivers needed for the system and its components to work properly, and configuring the user settings specific to the system."
21. Here at Palo Alto Networks we use ghost imaging to replicate systems,. Do you use this, and if so, can you describe the process?
How to Answer
The Palo Alto Networks' interviewer asks this question to determine if you are familiar with the process they currently use and know how to execute it. This tests your technical expertise and understanding of processes and procedures that technical support engineers use. You should be able to describe this in detail. However, if you can't, you should readily admit this and then describe how you learn the process. You can also suggest an alternative if that is applicable.
Answer Example
"Whenever I need to clone a system, ghost imaging is one of the processes I use. I use several applications to do this, including SmartDeploy, Quest, and Carbonite. The process for ghost imaging involves copying the contents of a disk to another computer in a single compressed file. The file can then be restored to its original form on another computer or disk drive. This is handy for tasks such as installing an operating system on many computers. It is also a good backup and restore procedure. I'm happy to hear that Palo Alto Networks uses this same process."
22. Can you discuss disk partitioning? Also, how many partitions can a hard drive have?
How to Answer
This question addresses a topic that any qualified technical support engineer qualified to work at Palo Alto Networks should be familiar with. During the interview for this role, you will be asked a great number of technical questions. These will range from very basic and easy to questions that are more complex and detailed. The interviewer will usually start with easy questions and progress to the more difficult ones. This indicates that they are gaining confidence in your capabilities and are willing to challenge you more. As with any technical question, keep your answer direct and to the point. The interviewer may ask you a follow-up question if they need more information or want to explore the topic in more detail.
Answer Example
"A disk partition is used to define space used for storage on a hard drive. It helps in organizing data efficiently and effectively so it can be retrieved faster. This also maximizes the amount of data that can be stored on a drive. The typical strategy for this partitioning strategy is to place the applications and OS data in one disk partition and data in another. This enables the partition with OS to be reformatted and reinstalled if it becomes corrupted without any data loss. A disk may have up to four primary partitions, but only one can be active at any time. It can also have three primary partitions and one extended partition, which allows you to create a larger logical partition."
23. What is the function of cache memory?
How to Answer
There are many individual components within a computer system. Being familiar with each of these, their function, and their interdependence is critical for this job. The interviewer will ask you several questions about the internal components of hardware, software features, the functions of applications, and other questions related to the IT technology infrastructure. Since these can be the root cause of failures or issues within the systems, you need to be familiar with them. It would be best to address how you would research each component using tech manuals, vendor sites, and online resources.
Answer Example
"The function of cache memory is to act as a buffer between the CPU and random access memory, or RAM. It is a high-speed type of memory that provides quick access to the most frequently requested instructions and data. There are three levels of cache memory, designated as L1, L2, and L3. L1 is generally found in the processor chip. It is the smallest and the fastest for the CPU to read. It ranges from 8 to 64KB. L2 and L3 cache memories are larger than L1 and can hold more information, but these take longer to access."
24. A user tells you they need to access a file on a shared drive, but they are unable to. How would you resolve this?
How to Answer
When an interviewer asks this type of question, they are not interested in a specific answer to the problem. They're really looking to learn more about the approach you use to solve the problem. By presenting a specific scenario, they expect you to walk them through the process you use to solve the issue they described. The best way to do this is to present an organized approach to problem-solving, briefly describing each step, its purpose, and the anticipated outcome.
Answer Example
"When presented with this type of issue if hired by Palo Alto Networks, the first thing I would check is whether the system that is sharing the drive is turned on. If it is, I'd then check the other files that the user has permission to access to see if the issue is global or specific to the single file. I then would verify the user's permissions to ensure they have the right to access that particular file. If all of this checks out, I'd start checking their file-sharing programs to see if they are working and able to copy that file to their local drive. Finally, I would make sure that the file is not currently being used by someone else or is unavailable for some other reason. One of these steps usually resolves the issue."
25. Can you describe the differences between SDK and an API?
How to Answer
The interviewer will ask you this type of question to test your technical knowledge. During an interview for a technical support engineer role with Palo Alto Networks, you can anticipate that most of the questions will be technical in nature. The interviewer wants to ensure that you can handle a wide range of problems and have in-depth technical knowledge about the type of systems and software their organization uses. When responding to technical questions, keep your answers direct and to the point.
Answer Example
"SDK, which is an acronym for software development kit, is a kit that offers tools, code samples, libraries, processes, guides, or relevant documents for creating software applications on specific platforms. API, which stands for application programming interface, is an interface that allows hardware and software to interact with each other. SDKs are the origin point of almost every program in use today. An SDK will sometimes contain the APIs needed for the software to interact with other applications. APIs are smaller pieces of code and are made available to software developers at no cost to encourage them to develop programs compatible with the hardware and software of other vendors. An API's role on the internet is to facilitate interaction between disparate systems, browsers, and other applications."
26. Can you discuss the pros and cons of using imaging software to duplicate disk drives?
How to Answer
On the surface, this question appears to be asking your opinion on a specific topic. However, the interviewer is probably trying to determine your knowledge of the subject and your preferences and whether they align with those of Palo Alto Networks. Researching the company and the job before the interview will help you determine the correct response to this type of question and be prepared to answer them. It is OK if your preferences are different from those of the organization, as long as you can support them. Some organizations like Palo Alto Networks may be interested in whether you'll be able to improve their current processes.
Answer Example
"I often use imaging software to replicate the contents of a disk drive. One of the advantages of using this process is that imaging software creates an exact copy of the contents of one disk on another. It can also simultaneously deliver hard drive images to multiple systems over the network, saving time and ensuring that each disk is an exact copy of the original one. Finally, if the imaging software can identify the individual partitions of file systems, it can resize them for multiple file systems. If it is unable to do this, it must copy the contents of the source drive into the destination images block by block, which takes a long time for larger disks. Another disadvantage of using imaging software to duplicate disk drives is that they offer limited opportunities to identify and recover from errors that occur during the copying and writing of the image. Additionally, good imaging software can be expensive."
27. Can you walk me through the steps you use to troubleshoot an issue?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask this question to check your process for identifying a problem and resolving it. Additionally, they want to better understand your attitude towards problem-solving. When describing the process you use to troubleshoot an issue, the most important thing is to collect the facts first. This will help you to quickly identify the problem. You then go through the steps needed to solve the problem. Describe a detailed troubleshooting plan that is comprehensive and flexible. The goal is to resolve the user's issue as quickly as possible and return them to productivity.
Answer Example
"As you're probably aware, every IT issue is unique, but the process for resolving them is similar. The first thing I do is query the user about the nature of the issue and what they are experiencing. Based on some general questions, I can narrow the issue down and ask specific questions that will help me identify the root cause of the problem. Once I feel comfortable that I am aware of the issue, I begin walking the end-user through steps to help resolve it. If necessary, I remotely log into their system to learn more about the problem or issue commands to help resolve it. If I determine that I cannot resolve the issue in a reasonable amount of time, I open a trouble ticket, take steps to replace the user's system with something temporary, then schedule a time to exchange the system. This gets the user back to productivity and enables either another technician or me to work on the system in the shop."
28. What are some of the most common processors in the latest models of business computers?
How to Answer
By asking this question, the Palo Alto Networks interviewer is testing your technical expertise and knowledge. They want to make sure that you maintain the current understanding of the latest technological developments in the IT industry and are capable of supporting recently released systems. You should be aware of the latest processors, and if asked, you should be able to talk about them in detail, including describing the differences between them.
Answer Example
"Most business computer systems contain the Intel Pentium Quad Core i3, i5, or i7. All of these have multiple cores, which means they can run several processes at a time. The difference between these is the speed of the CPU, its clock rate, and the amount of data it can process. Another differentiator between each of these is their cost. For most applications, the i3 is more than sufficient. For users such as software developers or financial analysts, the i7 may be required."
29. In your opinion, what are some of the characteristics a Technical Support Engineer should possess?
How to Answer
An interviewer will ask you this type of question, typically early in the interview, for several reasons. First, it helps them understand your perception of what this job requires. They also expect you to describe characteristics that you possess. The final reason is that it gives them the information they can explore through additional questions. The best way to be prepared for this question is to carefully review the job description before going to the interview and read your resume in detail, so you are familiar with the skills and experience you have described and provided to the Palo Alto Networks interviewer. Your answer should contain the elements of both of these.
Answer Example
"I believe that some of the key skills a technical support engineer should possess include:
Having a detailed knowledge of computer systems, including hardware, software, and network topology.
Having good problem-solving skills and methodologies to work through an issue to find a resolution quickly and efficiently.
Being aware of the latest trends in information technology and how to integrate these into the organization's technology strategy.
Being attentive to details and able to concentrate when trying to solve an issue.
Enjoy working with people and having strong communication skills.
Being curious and having a passion for continuous learning.
Being flexible and adaptable, and willing to work at nontraditional times."
30. Can you describe the specific duties a Technical Support Engineer performs?
How to Answer
When an interviewer at Palo Alto Networks asks this type of question, they are interested in learning more about your background, experience, and knowledge for this job. They also want to make sure that your perception of the tasks you will be performing aligns with the organization's. Make sure to research Palo Alto Networks and the processes and procedures it uses to support and maintain its IT infrastructure. You can obtain this information from the job posting, their website, and from speaking with current and former employees who perform this same job.
Answer Example
"Based on my experience and the research I performed about this opportunity, a technical support engineer in your organization has a wide range of duties. These include:
Installing and configuring systems including computer and networking hardware, scanners, printers, and the system software and applications they use.
Performing regular maintenance to prevent downtime.
Diagnosing system problems and resolving them.
Upgrading and repairing computer systems and other IT equipment.
Setting up user accounts for employees and helping them with their initial login.
Maintaining a log of the organization's software licenses and updating them when needed.
Managing the inventory of spare equipment, supplies, replacement parts, and other IT items."