Top Microsoft Azure Interview Questions

This section covers a wide range of Microsoft Azure interview questions, encompassing core concepts, services, and deployment strategies.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is storing and accessing data and resources (like applications and servers) over the internet instead of on local devices. This provides flexibility, scalability, and accessibility.

Azure Cloud Services

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform offering various services (compute, storage, networking, databases, etc.) for building, deploying, and managing applications. Launched in 2010, Azure provides a flexible and scalable environment.

Managing Azure Resources

Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is a tool for managing resources in Azure. It uses JSON templates to deploy, update, and delete resources in a consistent and automated way.

Deploying Web Applications to Azure

Microsoft provides Software Development Kits (SDKs) for various programming languages (like Java and Ruby) to interact with the Azure platform's APIs for deploying web applications. Azure App Service is a popular choice for hosting web apps.

Roles in Azure Cloud Services

In Azure Cloud Services (an older model, generally replaced by more modern alternatives), roles represent virtual machines:

  • Web Role: Hosts web applications (using IIS).
  • Worker Role: Runs background tasks.
  • VM Role: Provides a fully customizable virtual machine.

Virtual Machine Scale Sets

Virtual Machine Scale Sets are used to deploy and manage multiple identical virtual machines. This simplifies scaling applications to handle varying workloads.

Principal Segments of the Windows Azure Platform

(Note: Azure Cloud Services, mentioned below, is a largely superseded model. Modern Azure uses a more resource-centric model.)

  • Compute: Provides virtual machines (Web, Worker, VM Roles).
  • Storage: Offers various storage options (blobs, queues, tables).
  • AppFabric: (largely deprecated) Provided services like Service Bus, Access Control, Caching, and Integration.

Autoscaling in Azure

Azure autoscaling automatically adjusts the number of resources (like virtual machines) based on demand, ensuring your applications can handle fluctuating workloads without manual intervention.

Storage Keys

Storage keys provide authentication for accessing Azure storage accounts. Having a primary and secondary key provides redundancy in case one key is compromised.

SQL Azure Database

Azure SQL Database is a cloud-based relational database service. It offers similar functionality to SQL Server but is managed by Microsoft in the cloud.

Cmdlets in Azure PowerShell

Cmdlets are lightweight commands used in Azure PowerShell for automating tasks. They're used to manage and control Azure resources and services.

Azure Migration Assistant

The Azure Migration Assistant helps migrate on-premises servers and applications to Azure. It assesses compatibility and assists in the migration process.

Azure SLA (Service Level Agreement)

Azure's SLA guarantees a certain level of uptime and availability for its services.

Availability Sets

Availability sets group virtual machines to provide redundancy and high availability. If one virtual machine fails, Azure can automatically start another instance.

Handling Drive Failure

  1. Unmount the failed drive.
  2. Replace the drive.
  3. Format and remount the replacement drive.

Virtual Networks (VNets)

VNets are used to create isolated virtual networks within Azure. They provide network segmentation and security.

Network Security Groups

Network security groups (NSGs) control inbound and outbound network traffic to Azure resources (virtual machines, subnets, etc.).

Cspack

cspack is a command-line tool for creating deployment packages for Azure Cloud Services.

Types of Azure Blobs

  • Block blobs: Best for unstructured data (like text or images).
  • Page blobs: Suitable for random access to data.

Adding Existing VMs to Availability Sets

You can't add existing VMs to an availability set. VMs must be created *within* an availability set.

Virtual Machine Storage

Azure Managed Disks provide persistent storage for VMs; each disk can be up to 1 TB, and you can attach multiple disks per VM.

Creating a VM with Azure CLI

Command

az vm create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myVM --image ...

Azure Search

Azure Search is a managed search service. It's easy to use and doesn't require you to manage search infrastructure.

Stateful vs. Stateless Microservices in Service Fabric

  • Stateless: Doesn't maintain state between requests.
  • Stateful: Maintains state (data) across requests.

Web Roles in Azure Cloud Services

A web role in Azure Cloud Services hosts web applications using IIS. (Cloud Services is a relatively older model compared to more modern Azure services like App Service.)

Deploying VMs Across Different Deployment Models

You cannot deploy a virtual machine using the Azure Resource Manager model into a virtual network created using the classic deployment model.

Azure Data Storage Options

  • Azure Files
  • Operating System Disk
  • Temporary Drive
  • Azure Disk Storage
  • Data Lake Storage
  • Azure SQL Database
  • Cosmos DB
  • Other services

Azure Redis Cache

Azure Redis Cache provides a managed Redis service in the cloud.

Redis Databases

Redis is an in-memory data store, often used as a database, cache, or message broker.

Creating a VM with PowerShell

PowerShell Script

$cred = Get-Credential
$vmConfig = New-AzureRmVMConfig -VMName myVM -VMSize ...
# ... rest of the script ...

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