Top Interview Questions for System Administrators (Microsoft)
A system administrator is responsible for managing a multi-user computing environment, such as a local area network (LAN). The responsibilities of the system administrator typically include installing and configuring system hardware and software, establishing and managing user accounts, upgrading software and performing backup and recovery tasks.
* Active Directory management (adding and configuring new workstations and setting up user accounts to provide authorizations)
All of the questions below are very common and must be prepared for before facing any interview for a System-Server Administrator position.
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The questions above are very tricky and important from the standpoint of clearing any interview for a System Administrator (Microsoft) position. It is not possible for anyone to list every possible question, but you can get more frequently asked interview questions for System/Server Administrator (Microsoft) Jobs from the download link posted here. If you find any difficulty in answering any questions, ask me below @ the Comments section.
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Here are 20 of the
most common interview questions for a Microsoft System Administrator, with clear,
practical answers interviewers usually expect. These focus on Windows
Server, Active Directory, networking, security, and troubleshooting.
1. What is Active
Directory?
Answer:
Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft’s directory service used to manage users,
computers, groups, and resources in a Windows domain. It provides
authentication, authorization, and centralized management.
2. What are the main
components of Active Directory?
Answer:
- Domain
- Tree
- Forest
- Organizational Units (OUs)
- Domain Controllers
- Global Catalog
3. What is Group
Policy?
Answer:
Group Policy allows administrators to centrally manage and configure operating
systems, applications, and user settings in an AD environment.
4. What is the
difference between a local user and a domain user?
Answer:
- Local user: Exists only on one machine
- Domain user: Managed by Active Directory and can log in
to any domain-joined computer
5. What is DNS and why
is it important in a Windows domain?
Answer:
DNS resolves hostnames to IP addresses. Active Directory depends heavily on DNS
for locating domain controllers and services.
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6. What is DHCP?
Answer:
DHCP automatically assigns IP addresses and network configuration to devices,
reducing manual configuration and errors.
7. What is the
difference between NTFS and FAT32?
Answer:
NTFS supports file permissions, encryption, compression, and large file sizes,
while FAT32 does not support security features and has file size limits.
8. What are FSMO
roles?
Answer:
FSMO (Flexible Single Master Operations) roles prevent conflicts in AD. They
include:
- Schema Master
- Domain Naming Master
- RID Master
- PDC Emulator
- Infrastructure Master
9. What is a Domain
Controller?
Answer:
A Domain Controller authenticates users, enforces security policies, and
manages access to resources in a domain.
10. How do you
troubleshoot a slow Windows server?
Answer:
Check:
- CPU, RAM, and disk usage
- Event Viewer logs
- Network latency
- Running services
- Recent updates or changes
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11. What is Windows
Server Update Services (WSUS)?
Answer:
WSUS allows administrators to centrally manage and deploy Microsoft updates to
servers and client machines.
12. What is RAID?
Answer:
RAID combines multiple disks for redundancy and performance. Common types:
- RAID 0 – Performance
- RAID 1 – Mirroring
- RAID 5 – Performance + fault tolerance
13. What is
PowerShell?
Answer:
PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management tool used for
scripting and managing Windows systems.
14. How do you reset a
domain user password?
Answer:
Using Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) or via PowerShell:
Set-ADAccountPassword
15. What is Event
Viewer used for?
Answer:
Event Viewer logs system, security, and application events used for
troubleshooting and auditing.
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16. What is a GPO
loopback processing?
Answer:
Loopback processing applies user policies based on the computer they log into,
commonly used in kiosks or shared PCs.
17. What steps do you
take if a user cannot log in to the domain?
Answer:
- Check account lockout
- Verify password
- Check domain connectivity
- Confirm DNS resolution
- Review Event Viewer logs
18. What is Hyper-V?
Answer:
Hyper-V is Microsoft’s virtualization platform used to create and manage
virtual machines.
19. How do you secure
a Windows Server?
Answer:
- Apply regular updates
- Use strong passwords and MFA
- Configure firewall rules
- Limit admin access
- Enable auditing and logging
20. What is the
difference between a Workgroup and a Domain?
Answer:
- Workgroup: Decentralized, no central control
- Domain: Centralized management using Active Directory
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