The Role
This is your study guide for the Desktop Support / Network Management / Server Administration position. Read it top to bottom, then work through the labs.
What the job description is actually telling you
The posting is written by a recruiter, not an engineer. Decoded, it describes an L1/L2 IT support engineer — someone who takes tickets, fixes user-reported problems methodically, and escalates the things they can't reach.
| Section | Real meaning |
|---|---|
| Desktop Support | Break/fix hardware, Windows OS, printers, peripherals |
| Network Management | LAN/Wi-Fi, VLANs, IP, switches, connectivity |
| Server Administration | Windows/Linux servers, AD, DNS, DHCP, patching, virtualisation |
| Port testing | The diagnostic core of the job — see Port Testing |
"Configure", "maintain", "manage", "monitor", "troubleshoot". There is no "design" and no "architect". This is an operational role, and the interview will test process and tool fluency, not deep design ability.
Where you actually stand
I read your resume before writing this. Honest assessment:
| JD requirement | Your position |
|---|---|
| Linux server administration | Strong — self-hosting, systemd, Docker, Nginx, Oracle VM |
| Monitoring | Strong — you built SysMon telemetry widgets |
| Service administration | Strong — TerraDash server lifecycle control, Emby-RPC |
| Virtualisation | Partial — Oracle VM, but no VMware/Hyper-V |
| TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLAN | Gap — the largest risk area |
| Windows Server, AD, Group Policy | Gap |
| Port testing, nmap, Wireshark | Gap |
| Printers, peripherals, hardware | Gap |
You are strong where it is hardest to hire, and blank exactly where this JD greps. Every module here closes one of those rows. The labs close them with evidence you can point at.
Your strongest story
You already run production infrastructure. Frame it correctly:
- "I self-host multiple services on Linux" → you administer servers
- "I wrote systemd unit files and deployment scripts" → you script
- "I built real-time telemetry for CPU, memory, disk, temperature, network traffic" → you monitor
- "I built a dashboard controlling server lifecycle and player allowlisting" → you administer access
The gap is Windows and switched networking — not general competence.
What the interview will look like
Indian IT services and GCC-support hiring usually runs:
| Stage | What it tests |
|---|---|
| 1. Written MCQ | Subnetting, OSI/TCP-IP, ports, protocols |
| 2. Technical interview | Scenario questions, tool fluency, fundamentals |
| 3. Troubleshooting round | Narrated hands-on fix on a broken machine or VM |
| 4. HR | Notice period, salary expectation, location |
Some companies hand you a deliberately broken VM and watch you fix it while narrating. You must be comfortable using tools blind — Notepad to look up commands, no browser. Practise the narration: say what you are checking and why, then interpret the result.
How to use this site
| Module | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 02 — Networking | OSI, TCP/IP, subnetting, DNS, DHCP |
| 02 — Port Testing | netstat, telnet, Test-NetConnection, nmap, PowerShell |
| 03 — Windows | OS, PowerShell, Windows Server roles |
| 03 — Active Directory | Domains, OUs, Group Policy, auth |
| 04 — Troubleshooting | The methodology and the common scenarios |
| 05 — Security | Firewalls, VPN, EDR, backups |
| 06 — Virtualisation | Hyper-V/VMware and building your lab |
| 07 — Interview | Questions, STAR stories, resume, salary |
| Labs | Five hands-on labs |
| Reference | Port table, command reference, glossary |
One week, in order
- Day 1–2 — Networking and subnetting. Drill the calculator until /24→/26 is automatic.
- Day 3 — Port testing until you can run any check without notes.
- Day 4 — Windows and AD.
- Day 5 — Troubleshooting scenarios, out loud, timed.
- Day 6 — Build the lab and start Lab 2.
- Day 7 — Interview questions, resume rewrite, salary prep.
Subnetting on paper. It is the most commonly tested, most commonly failed, and most cheaply mastered topic in the entire process.