Stackdriver

Term from Cloud Computing industry explained for recruiters

Stackdriver (now known as Google Cloud Operations or Cloud Monitoring) is a tool that helps companies watch over their cloud-based systems. Think of it like a control room where you can monitor the health and performance of applications running in the cloud. It's primarily used with Google Cloud but can also work with Amazon Web Services (AWS). When developers mention Stackdriver on their resumes, they're showing they know how to keep cloud systems running smoothly and can spot and fix problems before they affect users. This is similar to other monitoring tools like New Relic or Datadog.

Examples in Resumes

Implemented Stackdriver monitoring solutions for critical cloud applications

Reduced system downtime by 40% using Stackdriver alerts and dashboards

Set up Stackdriver (now Google Cloud Operations) monitoring for a fleet of 200+ servers

Typical job title: "Cloud Engineers"

Also try searching for:

Cloud Engineer DevOps Engineer Site Reliability Engineer Cloud Operations Engineer Google Cloud Engineer Cloud Infrastructure Engineer System Administrator

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you set up monitoring for a large-scale application using Stackdriver?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should explain how they would plan monitoring strategies, set up appropriate alerts, create custom dashboards, and establish procedures for incident response. They should also mention cost optimization and team collaboration aspects.

Q: How do you handle incident management using Stackdriver?

Expected Answer: They should describe creating alert policies, setting up notification channels, establishing escalation procedures, and using Stackdriver's features to quickly identify and resolve issues.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What types of metrics would you monitor in a web application?

Expected Answer: They should mention monitoring basic metrics like CPU usage, memory, disk space, response times, and error rates. They should also know how to set up basic alerts.

Q: How do you create custom dashboards in Stackdriver?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain how to select metrics, create visualizations, and organize information in meaningful ways for different audiences like management or technical teams.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is Stackdriver used for?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that it's a monitoring tool for cloud applications, helping track performance, detect problems, and alert teams when issues occur.

Q: How do you view basic metrics in Stackdriver?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe navigating the basic interface, finding common metrics, and reading simple dashboards.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic monitoring and alerting setup
  • Reading and understanding dashboards
  • Basic troubleshooting using logs
  • Understanding of cloud basics

Mid (2-4 years)

  • Custom dashboard creation
  • Alert policy management
  • Performance monitoring
  • Integration with other cloud services

Senior (4+ years)

  • Complex monitoring strategies
  • Incident management
  • Team training and best practices
  • Cross-platform monitoring solutions

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No hands-on experience with cloud platforms
  • Unable to explain basic monitoring concepts
  • No understanding of alerting and incident response
  • Lack of troubleshooting experience