Application Support Interview Questions

Application Support focuses on ensuring that the system and software run without a problem. When you are interviewing for this position, an interviewer may pose questions related to installing updates, debugging operations, and improving application performance. Understanding how to respond to questions pertaining to application support in advance helps you to perform well in an interview.

MindMajix offers curated Application Support Interview Questions and Answers in detail.  Utilize them to the max for your next Application Support job interview.

• Freshers
• Experienced
• FAQs
• Tips

Top 10 Application Support Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Kind of Strategies does this Application Support role need?
2. What does an Application Support Engineer do?
3. What are the differences between VarChar and VarChar2?
4. Who is an Application Support Engineer?
5. If the application isn't Working, how can you Troubleshoot the Problem?
6. Describe the Value of Unix in the Context of Application Support.
7. How do you Change from one User account to another in Unix?
8. Describe the Regular Duties Performed by Application Support Engineer.
9. How are Comments represented in Oracle?
10. How can you Extract matching data from two Tables in a Simple Way?

Application Support Interview Questions For Freshers

1. What Skills do Application Support Engineers Need?

An Application Support Engineer needs the following Technical and Soft Skills

Human Skills: Application Support Engineers must have strong interpersonal skills in order to communicate with a variety of stakeholders (like top management, departments, and customers). Employers place high importance on the following abilities

• Both written and verbal communication
• Administration Customer service
• Multi-tasking
• Diagnostics
• critically analyzing
• tranquilly and endurance.
• Relationship control

Technical Knowledge: The following Technical abilities are necessary for an Application Support Engineer

• Knowledge in front-end and back-end programming in languages like C++, Javascript, Python, and Ruby.
• The ability to use Structured Query Language (SQL).
• ability to oversee code transfer, record configuration changes, and keep track of performance.
• current expertise in scripting and software coding.
• knowledge of common IT hardware and software.
• possesses strong front-end expertise and supports internal departments and web-based clients.
• vast experience in identifying and resolving application issues.
• Advanced Encryption Standards knowledge (AES).
• capable of designing apps that are flexible to new technology.
• understanding of management and monitoring methods for concerns.

If you want to enrich your career and become a professional in Application Support Certification Courses, then enroll in "PMP Training". This course will help you to achieve excellence in this domain.

2. What is the most crucial area that an Application Support Engineer needs to focus on?

Making sure the system functions properly and users can perform their regular chores is one of the major duties of the application support engineer. Additionally, they emphasize data integrity because having correct and trustworthy data is the only way to ensure the health of an application system.

3. What Kind of Strategies does this Application Support Role Need?

The most crucial tactic in the field of application support is teamwork. In the majority of programs, the issue appears suddenly, necessitating collaboration from practically every IT department employee if a speedy fix is to be found. Therefore, the application support engineer must be able to collaborate with different experts. When it comes to mindset, someone who is enthusiastic about aiding others ought to be a suitable fit for this position. Application support typically comprises responding to inquiries and helping users with their application-related issues.

4. What does an Application Support Engineer do?

Applications Support Engineers may have a variety of roles and tasks, depending on their business or Industry. Application Support Engineers frequently examine messages, monitor the system or apps, and enhance current processes. An application support engineer may also be required to:

• These experts are knowledgeable about how systems work, have the know-how to diagnose systems and applications and can deal with technical challenges. They must alert their superiors, such as the senior engineer, for help if they are unable to fix the problem.
• Application support engineers serve as a point of contact for customer issues. These experts evaluate client issues in order to identify certain issues that the company should address.
• Their responsibility is to coordinate activities among several corporate departments.
• They create timetables for system maintenance and upgrades for the company.
• They continue to have positive working relationships with the engineering and customer service departments in spite of their busy schedules.
• They regularly prepare and install the tools required for the effective use of software programs and systems.
• They plan and carry out small to medium-sized projects under the supervision of senior engineers and support all procedures.

5. What are the Differences between VarChar and VarChar2?

Varchar is a character string with a variable length. The data types Varchar and Varchar2 are both used to store character strings.

VarChar	VarChar2
Up to 2000 bytes of character data can be stored in a VarChar object.	Up to 4000 bytes of character data can be stored in a VarChar2 variable.
This also takes up space for null values.	This leaves room open for null values.
Varchar complies with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) requirements.	Varchar2 complies with Oracle requirements.
Regardless of the input, a fixed amount of data is allocated. As an illustration, if we define varchar (10), but only enter 5, varchar allocates space for the full (10), not just 5.	It distributes data of varying sizes according on input. For instance, if we declare varchar2 (10), and only input 5, varchar2 only allots space for 5, not for the entire 10, characters.
Varchar data has extra spaces that are padded to the right.	Extra spaces will be truncated by VarChar2.
It recognizes the difference between NULL and empty strings in accordance with the ANSI standard.	It does not discriminate between an empty string and a NULL value. Both are handled equally.

6. Which Command shows the Current Working Directory?

Print Working Directory is a shorthand for this. The current working directory can be printed using the PWD command in the Linux Operating System.

Syntax

$ pwd [ -options]

Options for PWD define how it should act. The following are a few of the choices

• The logical path of the active working directory is shown by the option -L (Logical).
• -P (Physical) shows the actual or physical path to the currently active working directory.
• --Help exits after displaying a help message.

7. What Challenges must Application Support Experts Overcome?

Application crashes are among the most frequent issues that technical support professionals deal with. Application crashes are typically caused by unhandled exceptions. Additionally, angry consumers frequently lash out with nasty language; in these instances, the application support engineer should maintain composure and demonstrate empathy for the client. Two of the most crucial characteristics of an application support engineer are patience and composure.

8. Which Command is useful to find Current User Information in Linux/Unix?

To find out which users are currently logged in to your server or system, use the who command. The who command provides the following information:

• Last system boot time
• Current system run-level
• List of users logged in, etc.

Syntax

$ $ who [options] [filename]

Related Article: Linux vs Unix

9. How do you Fix or Troubleshoot an Application that Crashes?

Among the most frequent occurrences for technical support engineers are application crashes. Unhandled exceptions and various looping structures in the application are frequently the cause of an application crash. The following are some of the most typical approaches that can be used to overcome this issue.

• Consider doing an Unhandled exception check. The application support engineer should add the error code and the error description for any unhandled exceptions.
• For unhandled exceptions, make sure to run a complete stack trace to see what is occurring at the application end.
• Once you have permission, restart the Unix server and check to see if the application is functional.

10. Who is an Application Support Engineer?

Application Support Engineers (ASEs) are IT specialists who support businesses with software application and system troubleshooting and quick resolution of help desk requests. They install, manage, and troubleshoot software programs as part of their duties. They are in charge of making sure applications are up to date, running at their best, and troubleshooting any problems that could crop up. While an Application Support Engineer (ASE) at a small or medium organization may support a select few client-facing software programs, an ASE at a large enterprise may act as a subject matter expert for particular software stacks. High-level technology is familiar to these experts, who can also analyze user feedback and take care of additional problems as they arise.

11. If the application isn't Working, how can you Troubleshoot the Problem?

The application may crash due to a variety of reasons. Here are some methods you can do to solve the application's own problem.

• Make sure you can connect to the application server first. Applications typically stop functioning if the server is down. In the event of a server issue, instruct the server staff to investigate the matter.
• Look into the application's deployment architecture if any more issues occur.
• Alternatively, examine the application's setup and correct the issue if necessary.

12. Under Unix/Linux Operating Systems, how would you verify if a Directory exists in a Shell Script?

Conditional expressions are evaluated using the test command. The test command evaluates the expression parameter, returning 0 (True) if the expression is True and a nonzero (False) exit value otherwise. If no parameters are provided, a nonzero exit value is likewise returned. To determine whether a directory exists, use the test command with the -d argument.

Example: If you wanted to verify the existence of the directory which is stored in a variable $mydir, you could use the following Command Expression:

if[ -d "$mydir"]
then
      echo "$mydir exists."
else
      echo "Error:  $mydir does not exist."
fi

Application Support Interview Questions For Experienced

13. Describe the Value of Unix in the Context of Application Support.

Unix is one of the most widely used and secure operating systems for creating and deploying applications. Due to its security, UNIX servers host 90% of all applications. It is utilized in many types of computing systems, including desktops, laptops, and servers. It is straightforward, reliable, better scalable, and enables multi-user and multi-tasking capabilities. Consequently, having a solid understanding of Unix would be beneficial.

14. How do you Change from one User account to another in Unix?

The SU (Substitute User or Superuser) command is used to switch between user accounts. You can run commands or functions under another user's privileges or as a different user—by default, the root user—by using the su command. You must input the password of the user you want to switch to when you run su.

Syntax

su  [OPTIONS] [USER  [ARGUMENT...]]

• Su will launch an interactive shell as a superuser if no options are given (root).
• Su will request the target user's password before running. It will allow access to the target user's account and any files and directories that the target user has access to if it is authenticated.

15. Is it Possible to remove Numerous Files at once under Unix? If so, how?

In fact, Unix allows us to remove many files at once. In Unix and Unix-like systems, the rm command (short for remove) is used to delete or remove files, directories, or symbolic links from file systems. Rm includes options that define how it should function, just as other commands. The following are a few of the choices:

• When using the rm -i command, a file deletion request is made.
• With rm -f, nonexistent files are disregarded, and all confirmation requests are ignored.
• rm -r: It recursively deletes or eliminates folders and all of their contents.

Syntax for simultaneously Deleting Several Files

$ rm filename1 filename2 filename3

16. What resources do you Draw on to carry out your Responsibilities as an application Support Specialist Effectively?

An Application Support Engineer must possess in-depth knowledge of the various tools used in application support as they are used for tracking and managing issues. These tools could consist of:

• IT management applications
• sophisticated computer systems
• systems for telecommunication
• printing devices and photocopiers

17. What UNIX Command lists files and directories in Alphabetical Order?

You can view a list of the files and folders in the current directory by using the ls command.

Syntax

1s [OPTIONS] [FILES]

18. Describe the Regular Duties Performed by Application Support Engineer?

An Application Support Engineer's Regular Duties Include

• Attend regularly planned meetings with other IT professionals to discuss issues that have come up and those that require attention.
• addressing application difficulties and resolving system issues.
• Technical problems should be fixed as quickly as possible.
• Track the triage of issues as troubleshooting develops.
• Various teams inside the corporation with training.
• Create and maintain service reports.

19. What do (.) and (..) in Unix Mean?

• (.) Current directory: The current directory is indicated by (.) in Unix. You can stay put by using the command "cd." (with a space between cd and dot).
• (..) Parent directory (..): Parent directory in Unix refers to the current directory's parent. You can return the directory to one directory by using the command "cd.." or "cd.." (with a space). Moving to the parent directory is another name for this action.

20. How are Comments represented in Oracle?

A comment can be put in a SQL query in between keywords, parameters, and punctuation. There are two ways to add a comment to your SQL statement in Oracle/PLSQL.

• Single Line Comment (--): You can start a single line comment in your SQL statement by adding two hyphens (--) to the end of the line before starting the comment content. Comment text is limited to one line. A line break must be used to end the comment.

Syntax

-- CommentText

• Multi-line comment (/* */): In your SQL statement, you can start a comment by inserting a slash, followed by an asterisk (/*), and then continue with the comment content. Text in comments may extend beyond one line and onto many lines. The remark must end with a slash (/) and an asterisk (*). The beginning and closing characters don't require a line break or a space to be placed between them.

Syntax

/* Comment text

Related Article: Oracle PL SQL Interview Questions

21. What actions did you take to deal with the challenging Client requests?

Prioritizing work according to its influence on the business is primarily the responsibility of support analysts. Customer requests that have a substantial influence on our business must be given the utmost priority. Prior to logging the problem into the issue management system, we should try to fix it.

22. What will be your approach when the Customer requests to Handle an Urgent issue? How will you resolve it in time?

Customer Satisfaction is paramount in every business. Therefore, it is necessary to set aside some time to address client concerns. You can never predict what a customer will ask you. It might be a one-time problem. But before logging it into the issue management system, we should fix the problem. It will demonstrate the time and effort you invested in customer concerns.

23. How can you Extract matching data from two Tables in a Simple Way?

An Inner Join is the most effective method for obtaining matching rows from two tables. Records with the same value in both tables will be returned.

Syntax

SELECT columns
FROM table1
INNER JOIN table2
ON table1.column =table2.column;

24. Is it Possible to fix the P1 Problem? What Steps should we take if there are Concurrent P1 Issues?

The P1 status indicates a full outage or considerable traffic impact. It involves any IT service failure that has rapid and severe repercussions on a company's reputation, financial losses, or loss of accreditation. For instance, a complete website could be unavailable, a crucial piece of infrastructure could be down, or its performance could be suffering.

The names and phone numbers of dependent services must always be readily available so that they can be reached immediately in the event of a P1 emergency. You must review all setups and databases and conduct the necessary troubleshooting to resolve any issues. You must give priority to the two P1 situations if they arise at the same time. If both of these situations have the potential to have an impact on business operations, you should alert top management and request prompt resource allocation.

Most Common Application Support FAQs

1. What is L1 and L2 Application Support?

L2 handles the tickets that L1 forwards. This support team can also create tickets for any issue. L2 support specialists can help L1 support staff with troubleshooting since they are more knowledgeable and experienced in handling situations of similar complexity.

2. What are the Types of Application Support?

The Different Types of Application Support are

• First-level support.
• Second-level support.
• Third-level support.
• Continuous testing 
• Problem management 
• Information security.
• Monitoring.

3. What is SLA in Application Support?

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an agreement that specifies the services needed and the expected quality of service between a service provider and a customer.

4. Does Application Support require coding?

Programming skills are not always required for application support jobs.

Tips to Clear Application Support Interview

Here are some tips to keep in mind before you head for the Application Support Interview

• Be confident and clear: Make sure that any response you make during the interview is very clear.
• Be honest about your knowledge: During the interview, be honest about any information you have or while explaining points that are listed on your resume.
• Provide detailed answers: Basic questions could be asked by the interviewer. However, you must make sure that they recognize that you possess an in-depth understanding of the specific topic for which they are looking for solutions.
• Describe your multi-skills: Be sure to include any valuable skills you may have already earned. In addition, your multi-skills will provide you an advantage over other applicants, giving the interviewer confidence that you are a suitable candidate for the job.
• Be enthusiastic: You should constantly be enthusiastic during the interview. You want the interviewer to believe that you are enthusiastic and full of energy to take on any kind of task.

Conclusion

We hope these application Support Interview Questions are helpful for your preparation. Do you have any questions for us? If you do, or you have questions about our Application Support certification courses, leave a comment below. Our experts will be happy to address them on your behalf and respond to them at the earliest.