Hi everyone! I'm preparing for a technical interview for a Linux sysadmin position, and I'll need to showcase my skills in scripting, both with Python and Bash. While I have experience with Bash from previous work, my Python knowledge is mostly limited to personal projects. We used Ansible in my last job, which was great! I'm eager to learn more about what specific tasks people automate using Python in a sysadmin role. Any advice on common Python projects or exercises I should focus on for my interview preparation would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
7 Answers
One cool project I have is a Flask app that listens for updates in a directory and automatically uploads files to SharePoint. It also triggers notifications in Teams when new documents are added. Python is great for handling continuous automation like that.
I created a script to check the expiration of SSL certificates for our domains and send me an email notification before they expired. Also, automating API interactions, like with Commvault, has been a game changer for streamlining processes.
If you're into networking, check out Kirk Byers' py.net. It's a good resource for network engineers looking to get into Python.
In interviews, I mentioned the personal Python projects I’ve worked on, like a quirky Wordle clone I made or a controls scheme for a small robot. They weren’t related to the job but displayed my skills! If you have any personal projects, showing them can really impress the interviewers.
First things first, identify what you actually want to automate. Once you know that, you can dive into writing Python scripts to handle those tasks. Remember, testing in production can be risky, but some folks do it just to show off their speed!
We automate the provisioning and deprovisioning of AWS workspaces with Python scripts. Even though our dev started with PowerShell, they found Python worked better with the API, making the process way smoother.
I once automated ordering my lunch with a Python script! It sounds simple, but automating mundane tasks can save so much time in the long run.
Definitely, just make sure you're really confident before pushing anything live. It's always good to have a backup plan!