devops-interview-handbook

DevOps Interview Preparation Roadmap

Overview

This roadmap provides structured learning paths for DevOps interview preparation over 30, 60, and 90-day periods. Choose the timeline that fits your schedule and current knowledge level.

30-Day Intensive Sprint

Week 1: Foundations (Days 1-7)

Day 1-2: Linux Fundamentals

• Basic commands (ls, cd, grep, find, awk, sed)
• File permissions and ownership
• Process management (ps, top, kill)
• System administration basics
• Practice: Set up Ubuntu VM, perform common tasks

Day 3-4: Cloud Basics (AWS)

• EC2, S3, VPC fundamentals
• IAM roles and policies
• Security Groups and NACLs
• Hands-on: Launch EC2 instance, create S3 bucket

Day 5-7: Containerization

• Docker fundamentals
• Dockerfile best practices
• Docker Compose
• Hands-on: Containerize a sample application

Resources:

• Linux: Linux Command Line Basics
• AWS: AWS Free Tier, AWS Documentation
• Docker: Docker Getting Started

Week 2: Infrastructure as Code (Days 8-14)

Day 8-10: Terraform

• Terraform basics (resources, providers, state)
• Modules and workspaces
• Remote state (S3 + DynamoDB)
• Hands-on: Create infrastructure with Terraform

Day 11-12: CloudFormation (Optional)

• CloudFormation basics
• Templates and stacks
• Hands-on: Create CloudFormation stack

Day 13-14: Practice

• Build complete infrastructure (VPC, EC2, RDS)
• Use version control (Git)
• Practice: Deploy infrastructure from scratch

Resources:

• Terraform: Terraform Learn
• Practice: Terraform AWS Examples

Week 3: Orchestration & CI/CD (Days 15-21)

Day 15-17: Kubernetes

• Kubernetes fundamentals (pods, services, deployments)
• ConfigMaps and Secrets
• Ingress and networking
• Hands-on: Deploy application to minikube/kind

Day 18-19: CI/CD

• GitLab CI or GitHub Actions
• Pipeline design
• Docker builds in CI/CD
• Hands-on: Create CI/CD pipeline

Day 20-21: Practice

• Deploy application with Kubernetes
• Set up CI/CD pipeline
• Practice: End-to-end deployment

Resources:

• Kubernetes: Kubernetes Basics, Play with Kubernetes
• CI/CD: GitLab CI Docs, GitHub Actions

Week 4: Advanced Topics & Interview Prep (Days 22-30)

Day 22-24: Monitoring & Logging

• CloudWatch, Prometheus, Grafana basics
• Log aggregation (ELK stack)
• Alerting and dashboards
• Hands-on: Set up monitoring

Day 25-26: Security

• Security best practices
• Secrets management
• Network security
• Compliance basics

Day 27-28: Interview Practice

• Review questions in this handbook
• Practice explaining concepts
• Work through scenarios
• Mock interviews

Day 29-30: Final Review

• Review all topics
• Practice architecture design
• Review troubleshooting scenarios
• Prepare questions for interviewer

60-Day Comprehensive Plan

Month 1: Core Skills (Days 1-30)

Weeks 1-2: Linux & Cloud Foundations

• Deep dive into Linux administration
• AWS core services (EC2, S3, VPC, RDS, IAM)
• Hands-on projects: Multi-tier application on AWS

Weeks 3-4: Containers & Orchestration

• Advanced Docker (multi-stage builds, optimization)
• Kubernetes deep dive (advanced concepts, operators)
• Hands-on: Microservices on Kubernetes

Month 2: Advanced & Specialization (Days 31-60)

Week 5: Infrastructure as Code

• Terraform advanced (modules, workspaces, state management)
• Ansible basics (configuration management)
• Hands-on: Complete infrastructure project

Week 6: CI/CD & Automation

• Advanced CI/CD (multi-stage, parallelization, optimization)
• GitOps (ArgoCD/Flux)
• Hands-on: Optimize CI/CD pipeline

Week 7: Monitoring & Observability

• Prometheus + Grafana
• ELK stack
• Distributed tracing
• Hands-on: Complete observability stack

Week 8: Security & Interview Prep

• Security best practices
• Compliance (SOC 2, PCI DSS)
• Interview preparation
• Mock interviews

90-Day Mastery Path

Month 1: Foundations (Days 1-30)

Focus: Build strong fundamentals

• Linux mastery
• Cloud platform expertise (AWS/GCP/Azure)
• Containerization
• Basic networking

Projects:

1. Deploy LAMP stack on AWS
2. Containerize application
3. Set up basic monitoring

Month 2: Intermediate Skills (Days 31-60)

Focus: Infrastructure and automation

• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform)
• Kubernetes orchestration
• CI/CD pipelines
• Configuration management

Projects:

1. Complete infrastructure project
2. Microservices on Kubernetes
3. CI/CD pipeline with testing
4. Multi-environment setup

Month 3: Advanced & Specialization (Days 61-90)

Focus: Advanced topics and real-world scenarios

• Advanced Kubernetes (operators, service mesh)
• Disaster recovery
• Security hardening
• Performance optimization
• Interview preparation

Projects:

1. Multi-region setup
2. Disaster recovery plan
3. Security audit and hardening
4. Performance optimization
5. Complete portfolio project

Daily Study Schedule

Recommended Daily Routine (2-3 hours)

Morning (1 hour):

• Read documentation or watch tutorials
• Take notes
• Review previous day’s material

Evening (1-2 hours):

• Hands-on practice
• Work on projects
• Solve problems
• Review questions

Weekly Schedule

Monday-Wednesday: Learn new concepts Thursday: Practice and hands-on Friday: Review and consolidate Weekend: Project work or deep dive

Learning Resources by Topic

Linux

• Books: “The Linux Command Line” by William Shotts
• Courses: Linux Academy, Udemy Linux courses
• Practice: Set up home lab, Linux challenges

Cloud (AWS)

• Certification: AWS Certified Solutions Architect
• Courses: A Cloud Guru, Linux Academy
• Practice: AWS Free Tier, build projects
• Documentation: AWS Well-Architected Framework

Kubernetes

• Certification: CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator)
• Courses: Kubernetes the Hard Way, KodeKloud
• Practice: minikube, kind, Play with Kubernetes
• Documentation: Kubernetes.io official docs

Terraform

• Certification: HashiCorp Terraform Associate
• Courses: Terraform Learn, Udemy courses
• Practice: Build infrastructure projects
• Examples: terraform-aws-modules

CI/CD

• Courses: GitLab CI, GitHub Actions tutorials
• Practice: Set up pipelines for projects
• Documentation: Platform-specific docs

Practice Projects

Beginner Projects

1. Static Website on AWS
   • S3 + CloudFront
   • Route 53
   • SSL certificate
2. Dockerized Application
   • Multi-container app
   • Docker Compose
   • Deploy to cloud
3. Basic CI/CD
   • GitHub Actions/GitLab CI
   • Build and test
   • Deploy to staging

Intermediate Projects

1. Multi-Tier Application
   • VPC with public/private subnets
   • Application servers
   • Database (RDS)
   • Load balancer
2. Kubernetes Deployment
   • Deploy microservices
   • Services and Ingress
   • ConfigMaps and Secrets
   • Monitoring
3. Infrastructure as Code
   • Complete infrastructure in Terraform
   • Multiple environments
   • Remote state
   • Modules

Advanced Projects

1. Multi-Region Setup
   • Active-active architecture
   • Database replication
   • Disaster recovery
2. Complete DevOps Pipeline
   • Source control
   • CI/CD
   • Infrastructure as Code
   • Monitoring
   • Security scanning
3. Production-Ready Application
   • High availability
   • Auto-scaling
   • Monitoring and alerting
   • Security hardening
   • Disaster recovery

Interview Preparation Checklist

Technical Knowledge

• Can explain core concepts clearly
• Understand trade-offs
• Know when to use what
• Can troubleshoot common issues

Hands-on Skills

• Comfortable with command line
• Can write basic scripts
• Can deploy applications
• Can debug issues

Communication

• Can explain technical concepts to non-technical people
• Can discuss trade-offs
• Can ask clarifying questions
• Can think out loud during problem-solving

Portfolio

• GitHub profile with projects
• Documentation of projects
• Can discuss projects in detail
• Can explain design decisions

Tips for Success

1. Consistency: Study regularly, even if just 30 minutes
2. Hands-on: Practice is essential, don’t just read
3. Projects: Build real projects, not just tutorials
4. Documentation: Read official documentation
5. Community: Join DevOps communities, ask questions
6. Mock Interviews: Practice explaining concepts
7. Review: Regularly review previous material
8. Focus: Don’t try to learn everything, focus on fundamentals

Adjusting the Roadmap

If You Have More Time:

• Add more projects
• Deep dive into specific areas
• Get certifications
• Contribute to open source

If You Have Less Time:

• Focus on core topics
• Prioritize hands-on practice
• Use this handbook’s questions as study guide
• Focus on your target role’s requirements

Next Steps

1. Assess Your Level: Review checklists in this handbook
2. Choose Timeline: 30, 60, or 90 days
3. Set Goals: What role are you targeting?
4. Start Learning: Begin with Week 1, Day 1
5. Track Progress: Check off items as you complete them
6. Practice: Build projects, solve problems
7. Review: Regularly review this handbook’s questions
8. Interview: Apply and practice!

Good luck with your preparation! 🚀

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