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Linux System Administrator Online Test

The System Administration test uses multiple-choice questions to evaluate candidates on their knowledge of system administration concepts and tools, including network administration, server management, security and access control, backup and recovery, troubleshooting, and scripting. The test aims to assess the candidate's ability to manage and maintain computer systems and networks, and ensure their optimal performance, security, and availability.

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Screen candidates with a 35 mins test

Test duration:  ~ 35 mins
Difficulty level:  Moderate
Availability:  Available as custom test
Questions:
  • 5 Linux Administration MCQs
  • 5 Linux MCQs
  • 5 Shell Scripting MCQs
Covered skills:
Linux command line
File management
User and group management
Process management
System monitoring and performance tuning
Network configuration
Security
Shell scripting
Package management
Backup and restore
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Use the Linux System Administrator Test to shortlist qualified candidates

The Linux System Administrator Online Test helps recruiters and hiring managers identify qualified candidates from a pool of resumes, and helps in taking objective hiring decisions. It reduces the administrative overhead of interviewing too many candidates and saves time by filtering out unqualified candidates at the first step of the hiring process.

The test screens for the following skills that hiring managers look for in candidates:

  • Proficient in Linux command line usage
  • Expertise in file management on Linux systems
  • Skilled in user and group management
  • Ability to manage processes effectively
  • Knowledge of system monitoring and performance tuning
  • Experience in configuring network settings
  • Familiarity with security measures on Linux systems
  • Proficiency in shell scripting
  • Understanding of package management
  • Capability to perform backup and restore operations
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Screen candidates with the highest quality questions

We have a very high focus on the quality of questions that test for on-the-job skills. Every question is non-googleable and we have a very high bar for the level of subject matter experts we onboard to create these questions. We have crawlers to check if any of the questions are leaked online. If/ when a question gets leaked, we get an alert. We change the question for you & let you know.

How we design questions

These are just a small sample from our library of 15,000+ questions. The actual questions on this Linux System Administrator Test will be non-googleable.

🧐 Question

Medium

Swap space
Performance Analysis
Solve
A Linux administrator is responsible for monitoring system performance and adjusting memory configurations to ensure optimal resource usage. Consider the following output from the 'top' command:
 image
Which of the following actions would be most appropriate for improving system performance based on the given output?

A) Decrease the nice value of the 'httpd' process
B) Terminate the 'mysqld' process to free up system resources
C) Increase the total amount of RAM
D) Increase the size of the swap partition
E) Increase the nice value of the 'httpd' process to lower its priority

Medium

Debugging Issues
Environment Variables
Debugging
Solve
You are working on a Linux system and have recently installed a new program named myprogram. The executable is located in /opt/myprogram/bin/. You want to be able to run this program from any directory in your shell without specifying the full path.
You executed the following command:
export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin"
However, when you try to run the program using myprogram, you get the following error message:
-bash: myprogram: command not found

Which of the following commands can fix this issue and allow you to run the program?
A: export PATH=$PATH:/opt/myprogram/bin/
B: export PATH="/opt/myprogram:$PATH"
C: export PATH="/opt/myprogram/bin:$PATH"
D: ln -s /opt/myprogram/bin/myprogram /usr/local/bin/myprogram

Easy

File Structure and Navigation
Files
Basic Commands
Solve
Consider the following directory structure:
 image
You start at /home/user and execute the following commands:
 image
What will be the resulting directory structure?
 image

Medium

Fork mellow yellow
Solve
How many times will the following code will print "Mellow Yellow"?
 image

Medium

Remote server connection
SSH
Solve
Our software engineering intern, Wu is looking to use port 4545 on localhost to connect to a remote server called woot.bananas.com on port 80. Which command would you recommend for this?
 image

Easy

Commands
Solve
Which of the following unix commands change the case of first three lines of file “classified” from lowercase to uppercase
 image

Easy

Expressions
Solve
What does this shell script output?
 image

Easy

Loops
Solve
What are fourth and sixth lines output by this script:
 image
🧐 Question🔧 Skill

Medium

Swap space
Performance Analysis

3 mins

Linux Administration
Solve

Medium

Debugging Issues
Environment Variables
Debugging

2 mins

Linux
Solve

Easy

File Structure and Navigation
Files
Basic Commands

2 mins

Linux
Solve

Medium

Fork mellow yellow

2 mins

Linux
Solve

Medium

Remote server connection
SSH

2 mins

Linux
Solve

Easy

Commands

2 mins

Shell Scripting
Solve

Easy

Expressions

2 mins

Shell Scripting
Solve

Easy

Loops

2 mins

Shell Scripting
Solve
🧐 Question🔧 Skill💪 Difficulty⌛ Time
Swap space
Performance Analysis
Linux Administration
Medium3 mins
Solve
Debugging Issues
Environment Variables
Debugging
Linux
Medium2 mins
Solve
File Structure and Navigation
Files
Basic Commands
Linux
Easy2 mins
Solve
Fork mellow yellow
Linux
Medium2 mins
Solve
Remote server connection
SSH
Linux
Medium2 mins
Solve
Commands
Shell Scripting
Easy2 mins
Solve
Expressions
Shell Scripting
Easy2 mins
Solve
Loops
Shell Scripting
Easy2 mins
Solve

Test candidates on core Linux System Administrator Hiring Test topics

Linux command line: The Linux command line refers to the text-based interface used to interact with the operating system. It allows users to execute commands and perform various tasks efficiently and quickly. This skill should be measured in the test to ensure that candidates have a strong understanding of the command line and can effectively navigate and manipulate the Linux environment.

File management: File management involves the organization, manipulation, and maintenance of files in a Linux system. This skill includes creating, deleting, renaming, and moving files, as well as understanding file permissions and ownership. Measuring this skill in the test is essential to assess a candidate's ability to efficiently manage and organize data in a Linux environment.

User and group management: User and group management pertains to the administration and control of user accounts and groups in a Linux system. This skill involves creating and managing user accounts, assigning permissions and access privileges, as well as managing user groups. Assessing this skill in the test is crucial to ensure that candidates possess the necessary knowledge to maintain user accounts and access control in a Linux environment.

Process management: Process management involves monitoring and controlling running processes in a Linux system. This skill includes starting, stopping, and managing processes, as well as understanding process utilization and resource allocation. It is important to measure this skill in the test to evaluate a candidate's ability to handle and optimize system processes effectively.

System monitoring and performance tuning: System monitoring and performance tuning encompass the ability to monitor system resources, identify bottlenecks, and optimize the performance of a Linux system. This skill includes gathering system statistics, analyzing performance data, and implementing appropriate tuning strategies. Measuring this skill in the test is crucial to assess a candidate's ability to maintain the stability and efficiency of a Linux environment.

Network configuration: Network configuration involves setting up and managing network interfaces, IP addresses, routing tables, and other networking parameters in a Linux system. This skill includes configuring both wired and wireless networks, troubleshooting network connectivity issues, and implementing network security measures. Assessing this skill in the test is necessary to ensure that candidates possess the necessary knowledge to configure and troubleshoot network settings in a Linux environment.

Security: Security in a Linux system refers to implementing measures to protect the system and its resources from unauthorized access, attacks, and vulnerabilities. This skill includes configuring user permissions, setting up firewalls, implementing encryption, and managing security patches. Measuring this skill in the test is essential to evaluate a candidate's understanding of Linux security practices and their ability to safeguard the system from potential threats.

Shell scripting: Shell scripting involves writing scripts that automate tasks and processes in a Linux system. This skill includes understanding scripting languages, such as Bash, and using them to create efficient and automated solutions. Assessing this skill in the test is crucial to evaluate a candidate's ability to automate routine tasks, improve workflow efficiency, and troubleshoot common system issues.

Package management: Package management refers to the installation, updating, and removal of software packages in a Linux system. This skill involves using package managers, such as apt or yum, to manage software dependencies and maintain the system's software repository. Measuring this skill in the test is important to assess a candidate's familiarity with package management techniques and their ability to handle software installation and updates effectively.

Backup and restore: Backup and restore involves creating and managing data backups to ensure the availability and integrity of important files and system configurations. This skill includes choosing backup strategies, executing backup processes, and restoring data from backups. Assessing this skill in the test is necessary to evaluate a candidate's understanding of backup principles and their ability to implement reliable backup and restore procedures in a Linux environment.

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Have questions about the Linux System Administrator Hiring Test?

What roles can I use the Linux System Administrator Test for?

Here are few roles for which we recommend this test:

  • Linux System Administrator
  • DevOps Engineer
  • Network Administrator
  • Cloud Engineer
  • Security Engineer
  • IT Support Engineer
  • SysOps Administrator
Can I combine Linux System Administrator Test with Shell Scripting questions?

Yes, recruiters can request a customized test that combines Linux System Administrator Test with Shell Scripting questions. To learn more about our Shell Online Assessment Test, visit Shell Online Assessment Test.

How to use the Linux System Administrator Test in my hiring process?

Use this test as a pre-screening tool in the early stages of recruitment. Add a link to the assessment in your job post or invite candidates via email. This helps identify skilled candidates faster.

What are the main System Administration tests?
Do you have any anti-cheating or proctoring features in place?

We have the following anti-cheating features in place:

  • Non-googleable questions
  • IP proctoring
  • Screen proctoring
  • Web proctoring
  • Webcam proctoring
  • Plagiarism detection
  • Secure browser
  • Copy paste protection

Read more about the proctoring features.

What experience level can I use this test for?

Each Adaface assessment is customized to your job description/ ideal candidate persona (our subject matter experts will pick the right questions for your assessment from our library of 10000+ questions). This assessment can be customized for any experience level.

I'm a candidate. Can I try a practice test?

No. Unfortunately, we do not support practice tests at the moment. However, you can use our sample questions for practice.

Can I get a free trial?

Yes, you can sign up for free and preview this test.

What is the Linux System Administrator Test?

The Linux System Administrator Test is designed to assess the skills and knowledge of candidates in various aspects of Linux system administration. It is used by recruiters to identify individuals who are capable of managing and maintaining Linux systems effectively.

What skills are evaluated in the Linux System Administrator Test?

The test evaluates skills in Linux command line, file management, user and group management, process management, system monitoring, performance tuning, network configuration, security, shell scripting, package management, and backup and restore.

Can I test Linux and Python together in a test?

Yes, you can combine Linux and Python skills in a single test. This is beneficial for roles requiring both skills. Check out our Python and Linux Test for more details.

Can I combine multiple skills into one custom assessment?

Yes, absolutely. Custom assessments are set up based on your job description, and will include questions on all must-have skills you specify. Here's a quick guide on how you can request a custom test.

How do I interpret test scores?

The primary thing to keep in mind is that an assessment is an elimination tool, not a selection tool. A skills assessment is optimized to help you eliminate candidates who are not technically qualified for the role, it is not optimized to help you find the best candidate for the role. So the ideal way to use an assessment is to decide a threshold score (typically 55%, we help you benchmark) and invite all candidates who score above the threshold for the next rounds of interview.

Does every candidate get the same questions?

Yes, it makes it much easier for you to compare candidates. Options for MCQ questions and the order of questions are randomized. We have anti-cheating/ proctoring features in place. In our enterprise plan, we also have the option to create multiple versions of the same assessment with questions of similar difficulty levels.

What is the cost of using this test?

You can check out our pricing plans.

I just moved to a paid plan. How can I request a custom assessment?

Here is a quick guide on how to request a custom assessment on Adaface.

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