AdvancedScenario
15 min
Kernel Panic and Node Reboot Loop
LinuxKernelReliability
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Interview Question
A production node repeatedly reboots due to kernel panics under load. Outline your triage and containment steps.
Key Points to Cover
- Isolate node from schedulers and drain workloads
- Collect crash dumps/kdump and kernel logs for signatures
- Check recent kernel/driver updates and hardware errors
- Test with alternative kernel or disable problematic drivers/modules
- Plan staged rollout/rollback and add health automation
Evaluation Rubric
Safely isolates/cordons the node30% weight
Captures crash evidence for RCA30% weight
Proposes kernel/driver mitigations20% weight
Rolls changes safely with automation20% weight
Hints
- 💡Look for hardware ECC/machine check events.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Failing to isolate the node before attempting diagnosis, leading to continued instability or data corruption.
- ⚠️Not enabling or verifying kdump configuration, resulting in a missed opportunity to capture vital crash information.
- ⚠️Ignoring recent system changes (kernel, driver, application) as a potential trigger for the panic.
- ⚠️Overlooking hardware-related issues and focusing solely on software causes.
- ⚠️Jumping to conclusions without thoroughly analyzing crash dumps and kernel logs.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓How do you automate node quarantine?
- ❓What’s your rollback strategy?
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