The role of the storage administrator is evolving rapidly. Gone are the days when admins focused only on storage hardware and infrastructure.
Today’s storage experts must be skilled in data management in the cloud, on the edge, in hyperconverged environments and combinations in between. Their roles won’t go away as long as organizations need to store, tier and access data efficiently and securely. It just might be different from the way they’re used to doing it.
Storage admins will have plenty of opportunities to find new roles as organizations transition from managing infrastructure to managing data. Those who adapt well to the new technologies can provide value to their employers.
If you’re looking for a new role at your current employer or want to move on to a new one, preparing in advance for your job interview is key. Here are some of the top questions admins must answer.
Data storage interview questions and answers
1. How have you used storage performance metrics for troubleshooting issues?
Automation within modern storage systems offers many benefits for enterprise data storage. Rising interest in software-defined storage, AI-driven infrastructure and adoption of predictive analytics makes knowing how to use storage metrics vital.
Storage admins with knowledge of storage systems should be able to discuss their ability to identify potential problems with storage before they occur. Talk about how you use metrics to fix hardware issues, optimize resources for all workloads and develop storage plans so capacity is readily available.
Weave in any experience you have with AI-based storage systems and other automation tools to demonstrate you know how to integrate them into your workflow. Explain that, while you understand AI-based storage systems can flag and solve problems in real time and predictive analytics can forecast future problems, you know admins are ultimately responsible to ensure data is not lost and storage systems run smoothly.
2. How would you adapt to new technology and manage it in your daily operations?
Questions like these might get more specific based on the required technical skills and what the potential employer is seeking. At a high level, however, candidates should prepare to answer these types of behavioral job interview questions to demonstrate adaptability and willingness to learn new skills.
Organizations may also use questions like these to assess the technological competency of a candidate. Many former storage admins go on to adopt more generalized knowledge and move away from specialized storage expertise in their careers. As a result, hiring organizations want to learn more about you and your unique expertise.
Check job listings for the organization’s requirements to see how your skills and expertise match up and if you should highlight certain information in your interview.
3. What’s your approach to budgeting for storage?
Candidates should be familiar with the various approaches to storage budgeting at a high level. While storage roles have become more diverse in their responsibilities, it’s important to understand how to maximize budgets.
The way organizations budget storage has also changed. Storage as a service, cloud storage, software-defined storage, HCI and disaggregated storage have introduced a deeper range of options for an organization’s needs. Some workloads may require specific storage criteria, so any given IT department may — and likely will — have more than just an on-premises system.
Admins with contextual expertise should be able to identify storage opportunities for data based on business requirements. For example, data for AI workloads may require high-performance storage devices, such as NVMe SSDs, while other data can be tiered to more cost-effective storage. Organizations with different workloads want candidates who manage storage to understand how to create storage plans to maximize budgets.
4. What storage systems are you familiar with, and do you have any certifications?
Storage admins who have worked with on-premises storage may have worked with hardware from different vendors. It’s a similar story with admins who have worked with cloud storage options. Some organizations look for candidates who have experience with hardware from a specific vendor, and many vendors offer certificate courses for their products. Certifications provide cost-controlled exposure to a vendor’s hardware and can bolster a candidate’s resume.
Consider investing in one of the following certificate courses for your next storage admin role:
5. How do you implement and manage data protection strategies across diverse storage environments?
With cybersecurity top of mind for organizations, a prospective employer might ask this question to evaluate your ability to secure data across platforms and technologies. Candidates should highlight their experience with multiple storage devices and environments. They should discuss specific data protection techniques that work well in those environments, such as replication, encryption, access controls, and backup and disaster recovery strategies.
A strong answer also should emphasize a holistic approach to security that considers compliance requirements, business continuity and other industry-specific perspectives relevant to the prospective employer.
6. What strategies would you use for data migration among different storage systems or to the cloud?
Storage migrations — sometimes major ones — are common. With this question, prospective employers assess a candidate’s ability to plan and execute complex data migrations — for example, during a digital transformation project or a data archiving initiative.
A good answer outlines a structured migration process, addresses potential challenges and mitigation strategies, and demonstrates knowledge of tools and best practices. Be sure to include any tools or infrastructure specifics mentioned in the job posting because they’re likely looking for your experience with their situation.
7. How do you stay updated with emerging storage technologies and industry trends?
The sign of a good employer is the commitment to professional development through relevant training and a healthy reimbursement budget for role-specific certifications or courses. The sign of a good candidate is someone who already did a lot of this work because it shows a healthy curiosity and a willingness to do the work of staying updated.
Mention specific sources of information and training you read and follow, such as industry publications and conferences you attend. Demonstrate active engagement in learning by citing any relevant books you’ve read and authors you follow. Then, be sure to show how you apply the knowledge in your work as a data storage administrator with examples and scenarios relevant to the employer.
Tips on preparing for a data storage administrator interview
Now that you know some of the top questions you might be asked, here are a few other tips to get you ready so you nail the interview and secure the job:
- Review and discuss your resume. Employers want to hear about your past and how it relates to your prospective role. Demonstrate self-awareness and communication skills by discussing your strengths, challenges you faced and the skills you used. Describing specific projects from past roles can do all of this at once, so practice a few before the big day.
- Prepare for technical questions. Some organizations do panel interviews with both business and technical leaders asking the questions. Be sure to review information related to requirements unique to this organization in the job posting so you can answer them intelligently. For example, if it’s an AWS shop, study up on AWS storage needs.
- Know how to explain technical concepts simply. As a storage admin, you often need to communicate with nontechnical stakeholders, so demonstrating you can do that in the job interview might set you apart. Choose a few key storage concepts, like various RAID levels and storage containerization, and practice explaining these to a friend or family member who doesn’t have a technical background. Focus on clear, concise explanations using real-world examples and simple concepts.
- Prepare an answer related to cross-team collaboration. Demonstrating your approach and showcasing your ability to collaborate well with others are key for many business and IT leaders. Prepare a few scenarios or case studies that illustrate how you work effectively with diverse teams. It shows off your communication and teamwork skills and shines a positive light on your problem-solving abilities when faced with the challenges that invariably crop up when working with others.
Editor’s note: This article was updated in December 2024 to add new questions and more guidance and improve the reader experience.
Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter, content marketer, content strategist and geek. She writes about B2B tech, SaaS, DevOps, the cloud and other tech topics.
Ryan Arel is a former TechTarget associate site editor.
