[phil21]

As an interviewer of entry-level technical ops folks (think datacenter tech who we hope to train to become junior sysadmins) I love this question. Hiring a high-end network engineer or developer? I'll only ask if it they are otherwise struggling, as to gauge if the interview should even continue.

> I've now learnt to see such interview questions as a sign of a workplace with little-to-no learning on the job. Most places that actively encourage learning don't try such things.

I strongly disagree with this statement. The folks who we hire starting out in ops nearly always get asked this question, and the responses vary drastically. That 19 year old kid in community college that can nail it down to the TCP level means they are pretty much hired instantly (at least based on technical chops and interest in the field), and many of those types have grown into very senior level roles in the company.

I will make the caveat that this has to be a discussion between a highly technical interviewer and the interviewee. It being asked by an HR type is pointless.

The other reason why I love the question? It's important and extremely relevant to the job in question. When a customer submits a ticket, it's nice for the front-line folks to be able to identify a problem likely to be on the browser, dns, network, or server layer.

You would also be surprised at how many otherwise supposedly "experienced" interviewees have no clue.