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Interview Question
What is the difference between ping and traceroute, and when would you use each?
Key Points to Cover
- Ping tests reachability and latency (ICMP echo)
- Traceroute maps the path/hops (TTL manipulation)
- Use ping for connectivity; traceroute for path issues
Evaluation Rubric
Explains ping purpose34% weight
Explains traceroute mechanics33% weight
Gives correct usage scenarios33% weight
Hints
- 💡Think: reachability vs path diagnostics.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Confusing the underlying protocols or mechanisms (e.g., stating traceroute exclusively uses ICMP on all operating systems without acknowledging UDP for Windows).
- ⚠️Failing to explain the critical role of Time-To-Live (TTL) manipulation in how traceroute discovers hops.
- ⚠️Not clearly articulating the practical use cases for *when* to use each tool, beyond just defining them.
- ⚠️Omitting key metrics that ping provides, such as packet loss and latency, focusing only on basic reachability.
- ⚠️Providing overly superficial definitions without delving into the 'how' or 'why' behind each tool's operation.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓Why does traceroute use UDP/ICMP/TCP variants?
- ❓What if ICMP is blocked?
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