Question on Active Directory anyone?

**corturbra** · October 7th, 2004, 06:04 AM

Recently in a job interview I was subjected to the following questions, wondered if anyone would know the answer, WITHOUT asking microsoft.....

1. Name the 5 master roles on a domain and how many there are per domain and per forest

2. List the essential differences between a domain and a forest

I have to say I struggled to answer both questions effectively, and my questions are (I didn't ask these in the interview!)

1. Who cares?
2. Do I really need to know the above to be a network administrator?

Thoughts and comments always appreciated.....

**confus-ed** · October 7th, 2004, 07:25 AM

Network admin is one of those things that means one thing one place & quite a lot different elsewhere ..

Generally I'd say there's no way you need to know this, you are there to administer the damn thing, not set it up - its if you are planning or fitting you might need to know all this guff ..

I had a think about the direct questions & the only way I can answer them completely is by looking it up & I fit & plan networks all the time, but I think in English, not Billy Boy speak - which is just his skewed perspective of how it all should work - if they want that, they want a trained monkey with his raft of I can quote Billy qualifications & should make that clear by making a pre-requisit for interview.

In the real world you get to look it up - infact its prudent to check, if somebody could reel it off, I might be vaguely impressed,but I also might be equally concerned I was just getting someone with a memory & no real tech skill ..

**corturbra** · October 7th, 2004, 07:50 AM

Thing is I do plan and install networks/servers and have never felt the need to know all the Billy Boy speak....

I did get the impression (after the interview) that they wanted an MCSE qualified person, but they never stated that in the pre-interview correspondence. They said they wanted a network engineer with experience of 2000/2003 including SBS with knowledge of IP and DNS.

Why do people get so hung up on MCSE qualified? I don't have any plans for it and I never have any issues arise that I can't deal with/find an answer for. I guess it's like being a Formula 1 racing driver pootling around in a 1.0 mini, all that stuff you know about tyres/weather conditions/racing line etc don't mean squat when you're in the real world running down to the shops for a loaf of bread....

If someone did reel off the answers without batting an eyelid, I'd think 'you need to get out more sunny'

so obviously you get out often enough

**confus-ed** · October 7th, 2004, 08:07 AM

So when will you get to know ? - or do you think you 'blew' this one ..

As far as 'paperwork' goes - qualifications only make a good man better, not a good man do they make..

**corturbra** · October 7th, 2004, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

So when will you get to know ? - or do you think you 'blew' this one ..

As far as 'paperwork' goes - qualifications only make a good man better, not a good man do they make..

Monday they said they'd get in touch, I feel as though I may not get the position.... shame as the benefits are good along with an Audi A3 as a company motor, beats my crabby old Astra with the dodgy ABS!

**amyb** · October 7th, 2004, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by corturbra

Recently in a job interview I was subjected to the following questions, wondered if anyone would know the answer, WITHOUT asking microsoft.....

1. Name the 5 master roles on a domain and how many there are per domain and per forest

2. List the essential differences between a domain and a forest

I have to say I struggled to answer both questions effectively, and my questions are (I didn't ask these in the interview!)

1. Who cares?
2. Do I really need to know the above to be a network administrator?

Thoughts and comments always appreciated.....

Oh my goodness, really? No, I don't think you have to know that. Especially after you set AD up, who cares?

**thirdfey** · October 7th, 2004, 04:18 PM

The first question i can see as relavent to a domain admin but is something you really need to know? You do need to know the roles if you replace the global catalog server on a 2k network and probably 2k3 which is typically something you prepare for in advanced so you would have looked up all that information before the switchout.

The questions remind me of an interview I went on a couple years ago and could tell them what all the tech abbreviations stood for. I simply replied back with the function of each abbreviated item was and told them that is all I need to know. Knowing what they stand is not going to fix the problem any faster then knowing what the actual function is.

**rgharper** · October 7th, 2004, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by corturbra

I have to say I struggled to answer both questions effectively, and my questions are (I didn't ask these in the interview!)

1. Who cares?
2. Do I really need to know the above to be a network administrator?

Thoughts and comments always appreciated.....

(1) I know - but I'm a special case.

(2) You don't need to know until you need to know, then you need to know yesterday. So yes, you need to know.