Linux Systems Administrator interview questions

A Linux Systems Administrator is responsible for managing, troubleshooting, and maintaining Linux-based systems and servers, ensuring their smooth operation and optimal performance.

To troubleshoot a non-responding Linux server, check connectivity issues, hardware errors, logs for any critical messages, system resource utilization, and ensure the required services are up and running.

Shell scripting is essential for automating tasks in Linux. I have experience in writing scripts using Bash to automate backups, monitor system health, and manage user accounts.

Ensuring server security involves regular updates, implementing firewalls, intrusion detection systems, adequate permission settings, SSH key management, and regular audits of system logs.

Upgrading a Linux kernel involves downloading the latest stable kernel version, configuring, and compiling it, then updating boot configurations to boot from the new kernel after a reboot.

System performance in Linux can be monitored using tools such as top, htop, vmstat, iostat, and sar. Additionally, setting up monitoring alarms with solutions like Nagios or Prometheus helps in proactive management.

Tools like Ansible, Puppet, and Chef are commonly used for configuration management and automation of repetitive tasks in a Linux environment.

To resolve disk space issues, I analyze usage with tools like df and du, remove unnecessary files or logs, compress or archive old files, and consider extending storage or mounting additional volumes if necessary.

User permissions and access are managed using the chmod, chown, and chgrp commands for setting file permissions, and configuring user and group policies in /etc/passwd and /etc/group files.

LVM, or Logical Volume Manager, allows flexible disk management by creating virtual layers over physical disks. It is beneficial for resizing volumes, easy snapshot management, and better disk space utilization.