Azure Interview Questions and Answers for 10 years experience

1. What are the core Azure services you've extensively worked with?

   • Answer: Over the past 10 years, I've worked extensively with Azure Compute (Virtual Machines, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure App Service), Storage (Blob storage, Azure Files, Azure Queues, Azure Cosmos DB), Networking (Virtual Networks, Load Balancers, Azure Firewall, VPN Gateway), Databases (Azure SQL Database, Azure MySQL, Azure PostgreSQL), and Security (Azure Active Directory, Azure Security Center, Azure Key Vault). I also have experience with DevOps services like Azure DevOps, Azure Monitor, and Azure Automation.

2. Explain the difference between Azure Resource Manager (ARM) and classic deployment models.

   • Answer: ARM is the current and recommended deployment model. It uses JSON templates for defining and managing resources, allowing for declarative infrastructure-as-code. Classic deployment is the older model, using a portal-based approach, less organized, and lacks the automation and scalability of ARM. ARM offers better resource organization, dependency management, and version control.

3. Describe your experience with Azure Virtual Machines (VMs).

   • Answer: I have extensive experience provisioning, configuring, and managing VMs across various operating systems (Windows and Linux). This includes optimizing VM sizes for performance and cost, implementing high availability using availability sets and virtual machine scale sets, configuring networking (NICs, subnets), and managing storage (disks, snapshots). I've also used VM extensions for automation and configuration management.

4. How do you ensure high availability and scalability in Azure?

   • Answer: High availability and scalability are achieved through various strategies. For VMs, this includes using availability sets and virtual machine scale sets. For databases, it involves using read replicas, geo-replication, and elastic pools. Load balancers distribute traffic across multiple instances. Azure App Service provides auto-scaling capabilities. Properly designed architecture, including redundancy and fault tolerance, is crucial.

5. Explain your experience with Azure Storage accounts. What types have you used?

   • Answer: I've extensively utilized various Azure storage account types, including Blob storage (for unstructured data like images and videos), Azure Files (for file shares accessible via SMB), Queue storage (for message queuing), and Table storage (for NoSQL data). I understand the nuances of each type, including performance characteristics, pricing models, and appropriate use cases. I've implemented access control using shared access signatures (SAS) and managed identities.

6. How have you used Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) in your projects?

   • Answer: I've leveraged Azure AD for identity and access management (IAM), including user and group management, single sign-on (SSO) integration with various applications, multi-factor authentication (MFA) implementation, and conditional access policies to enhance security. I've used Azure AD roles and permissions to control access to Azure resources and integrated it with other Azure services.

7. Describe your experience with Azure networking services.

   • Answer: My experience encompasses designing and implementing virtual networks (VNets), subnets, network security groups (NSGs), route tables, and virtual network peering. I've configured load balancers (both internal and external) to distribute traffic efficiently. I've also worked with VPN gateways to establish secure connections between on-premises networks and Azure, and implemented Azure Firewall for network security.

8. How have you used Azure DevOps in your workflow?

   • Answer: I've utilized Azure DevOps for source code management (using Git), build automation, continuous integration (CI), and continuous deployment (CD). I've defined pipelines for automating the build, testing, and deployment processes, using tools like Jenkins or Azure DevOps pipelines. I've also used Azure Boards for task management and agile project planning.

9. Explain your experience with Azure SQL Database.

   • Answer: I have extensive experience managing and optimizing Azure SQL Databases. This includes database design, performance tuning (query optimization, indexing), high availability configuration (read replicas, failover groups), security implementation (firewall rules, auditing), and backup and recovery strategies. I'm familiar with different service tiers and their implications on performance and cost.

10. What is Azure Cosmos DB and when would you use it?

    • Answer: Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database service. I would use it when needing a highly scalable, high-performance database solution with global distribution capabilities. It's ideal for applications requiring low latency and high throughput, handling large volumes of data and supporting various data models (document, key-value, graph, column-family).

11. Explain Azure Functions and their use cases.

    • Answer: Azure Functions are serverless compute services that allow you to run code without managing servers. Use cases include processing events from various sources (queues, blob storage), handling API requests, and automating tasks. They are cost-effective for event-driven architectures and microservices.

12. What are Azure Logic Apps and how have you used them?

    • Answer: Azure Logic Apps are a low-code platform for building automated workflows by connecting different services and applications. I've used them to integrate various systems, automate business processes, and create custom workflows for tasks like data integration and file processing.

13. Describe your experience with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

    • Answer: I have experience deploying and managing containerized applications on AKS. This includes configuring clusters, deploying applications using YAML manifests, managing nodes and pods, scaling applications, and implementing monitoring and logging. I understand concepts like deployments, services, and ingress controllers.

14. How do you monitor and troubleshoot Azure resources?

    • Answer: Azure Monitor provides comprehensive monitoring capabilities. I use Azure Monitor logs and metrics to track resource performance, identify issues, and analyze trends. I also utilize Azure Alerts to receive notifications on critical events. For troubleshooting, I use diagnostic logs, activity logs, and various Azure portal tools.

15. Explain your understanding of Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates.

    • Answer: ARM templates are JSON files that define the infrastructure and configurations of Azure resources. I'm proficient in creating, deploying, and managing these templates, using parameters, variables, and loops to create reusable and scalable infrastructure. I understand concepts like resource dependencies and template nesting.

16. How do you manage costs in Azure?

    • Answer: Cost management is crucial. I utilize Azure Cost Management + Billing to track spending, set budgets and alerts, and analyze cost trends. Right-sizing VMs, using reserved instances, and optimizing resource utilization are key strategies. I also leverage Azure Advisor for recommendations on cost optimization.

17. What are Azure Security best practices you follow?

    • Answer: I adhere to the principle of least privilege, implementing strong passwords and MFA. I utilize Azure Security Center for threat detection and vulnerability management. Regular security assessments and penetration testing are important. I also leverage Azure Key Vault for secure storage of sensitive information.

18. Explain your experience with Azure Backup and Disaster Recovery.

    • Answer: I've implemented backup and disaster recovery strategies using Azure Backup service for VMs, databases, and other resources. I've configured recovery services vaults and recovery plans to ensure business continuity and data protection. I understand different recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).

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