Cloud Computing Interview Questions and Answers

When preparing for a job in cloud computing, it's essential to be ready for interview questions that test your knowledge and skills. This guide covers the frequently asked top cloud computing questions and answers that both freshers and experienced professionals might encounter.

We have carefully categorized the cloud computing interview questions into 4 categories- Freshers, experienced, scenario-based, and cloud service provider questions. Based on your preparation, you strengthen any aspect using these categorical interview questions in cloud computing.

Whether you are just starting your career or looking to advance, understanding these questions can help you demonstrate your expertise and confidence. Let's explore the important interview questions on cloud computing with their correct answers.

Cloud Computing Interview Questions for Freshers

Beginners who are just entering the field of cloud computing and have less than 2 years of experience in cloud computing should prepare the following questions.

These are the basic cloud based interview questions that are going to be a little bit easier as the interviewers tend to go easy on newbies. But it doesn't mean that they will ask nothing much. 

Here are some basic cloud computing interview questions and answers tailored for freshers: 

1. What is cloud computing? 

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics over the internet (the cloud) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. Users typically pay only for the cloud services they use, helping lower operating costs and scale as business needs change. 

2. What are the main types of cloud computing? 

The main types of cloud computing are: 

 ● Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. 

● Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers hardware and software tools over the internet, typically for application development. 

● Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers software applications over the internet, on a subscription basis. 

3. Can you explain the difference between public, private, and hybrid clouds? 

● Public cloud: Services are delivered over the public internet and shared across multiple organizations (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure). 

● Private cloud: Services are maintained on a private network, dedicated to a single organization. 

● Hybrid cloud: Combines public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them. 

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4. What are some advantages of cloud computing?

Advantages include cost efficiency, scalability, flexibility, disaster recovery, accessibility, and automatic updates. 

5. What is AWS, and what are some of its key services? 

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a comprehensive cloud platform provided by Amazon. Key services include: 

● EC2: Scalable virtual servers. 

● S3: Scalable storage. 

● RDS: Managed relational database service. 

● Lambda: Serverless computing. 

6. What is GCP, and what are some of its key services? 

GCP (Google Cloud Platform) is a suite of cloud computing services by Google. Key services include: 

● Compute Engine: Virtual machines. 

● BigQuery: Data warehousing. 

● Cloud Storage: Object storage. 

● AI Platform: Machine learning services. 

7. What is Azure, and what are some of its key services? 

Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform and service. Key services include: 

● Virtual Machines: Scalable compute resources. 

● Blob Storage: Scalable object storage. 

● Azure SQL Database: Managed SQL database service. 

● Azure DevOps: Development and collaboration tools. 

8. What is serverless computing, and which cloud providers offer it? 

Serverless computing allows you to build and run applications without managing servers. AWS offers Lambda, GCP offers Cloud Functions, and Azure offers Azure Functions. 

9. How do you ensure security in cloud computing? 

Security in cloud computing is ensured through various measures such as encryption, access management, regular security audits, compliance with standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), and using built-in security features provided by cloud providers. 

10. What is a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)? 

A VPC is a private, isolated section of a public cloud where users can launch resources in a virtual network that they define. AWS provides Amazon VPC, GCP offers VPC, and Azure has a Virtual Network (VNet). 

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Cloud Computing Interview Questions and Answers for Experienced 

Cloud based interview questions for experienced professionals are somewhat deep and will be intended to thoroughly check your knowledge on the topic. Here are some of the common questions that may be asked during the interview  

11. What are the different deployment models in cloud computing?

● Public cloud 

● Private Cloud 

● Hybrid cloud 

● Community cloud 

12. Discuss your experience with AWS/GCP/Azure. 

● Specific services used (e.g., EC2, S3, Lambda for AWS) 

● Managing resources using the console, CLI, or SDKs 

● Experience with IAM (Identity and Access Management) 

13. How do you design a fault-tolerant and highly available application in the cloud? 

● Multi-region deployments 

● Auto-scaling 

● Load balancing 

● Data replication 

14. Explain how you ensure security in a cloud environment. 

● Identity and Access Management (IAM) 

● Data encryption (at rest and in transit) 

● Security groups and network ACLs 

● Compliance and governance (GDPR, HIPAA) 

15. What is the principle of least privilege, and how do you implement it in cloud environments? 

● Minimizing access rights for users to the bare minimum 

● Using roles and policies effectively 

● Regular audits and reviews 

16. Describe the networking components and services in cloud computing. 

● Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) 

● Subnets, route tables, and gateways 

● VPNs and Direct Connect 

17. How do you configure network security in a cloud environment? 

● Setting up security groups and network ACLs 

● Implementing VPC peering 

● Using Bastion hosts and NAT gateways 

18. How do you handle data storage and databases in the cloud? 

● Using cloud-native databases (e.g., Amazon RDS, Google Cloud SQL) 

● Data backups and snapshots 

● Data lifecycle policies and archiving 

19. What strategies do you use for data migration to the cloud? 

● Lift and shift 

● Refactoring applications for cloud-native architectures 

● Using data transfer services (e.g., AWS Snowball, Azure Data Box) 

20. Explain your experience with DevOps practices in cloud environments. 

● Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) 

● Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Terraform, CloudFormation 

● Monitoring and logging with tools like CloudWatch, Stackdriver 

21. How do you automate cloud infrastructure provisioning and management? 

● Using IaC tools (Terraform, CloudFormation, ARM templates) 

● Writing automation scripts (Python, Bash) 

● Utilizing configuration management tools (Ansible, Chef, Puppet) 

22. How do you monitor and optimize cloud resource usage? 

● Setting up monitoring and alerting 

● Analyzing resource usage and cost reports 

● Implementing cost-saving measures (e.g., Reserved Instances, Spot Instances) 

23. What are some common performance issues in cloud environments, and how do you address them? 

● Network latency and bandwidth 

● Resource contention 

● Scaling issues 

Scenario-based Questions on Cloud Computing 

Scenario-based questions in cloud computing are mainly aimed at measuring one's ability and attitude while managing a catastrophe. This will mainly include a combination of technical and behavioral questions.  

24. How would you approach migrating a legacy application to the cloud? 

● Assess current infrastructure and application dependencies. 

● Choose the appropriate cloud service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). 

● Plan data migration and ensure data integrity. 

● Test the application in the new environment before full migration. 

25. You need to set up a simple web application on AWS. What services would you use? 

● Use Amazon EC2 for hosting the web server. 

● Store static files in Amazon S3. 

● Use Amazon RDS for the database. 

● Set up a security group to control access. 

26. How would you ensure high availability for a critical application in the cloud? 

● Deploy the application across multiple availability zones. 

● Use load balancers to distribute traffic. 

● Implement auto-scaling to handle varying loads. 

● Regularly back up data and set up automated recovery processes. 

27. Your company is concerned about cloud costs. How would you manage and optimize them? 

● Monitor usage with cloud cost management tools. 

● Identify and shut down unused resources. 

● Use Reserved Instances or Spot Instances where applicable. 

● Implement cost allocation tags to track expenses by project. 

28. How would you secure sensitive data stored in the cloud? 

● Encrypt data at rest and in transit. 

● Use IAM to manage access controls. 

● Regularly update security policies and practices. 

● Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments. 

29. Describe the steps to set up a CI/CD pipeline in the cloud. 

● Use a version control system like Git. 

● Configure a CI/CD service (e.g., AWS CodePipeline, Azure DevOps). 

● Automate build, test, and deployment processes. 

● Implement monitoring and logging for the deployed application. 

30. Your application experiences a sudden spike in traffic. How do you ensure it remains available? 

● Ensure auto-scaling is configured to handle increased load. 

● Use load balancers to distribute traffic efficiently. 

● Cache frequently accessed data to reduce load on databases. 

● Monitor system performance and adjust resources as needed. 

31. Your company wants to adopt a multi-cloud strategy. What are the key considerations? 

● Evaluate compatibility and integration between different cloud providers. 

● Plan for data portability and interoperability. 

● Implement consistent security policies across clouds. 

● Monitor and manage costs across multiple platforms. 

Cloud Computing Interview Questions on Cloud Service Providers

Here are some of the interview questions on cloud service providers like Azure, GCP, and AWS that you must know as a cloud engineer.

32. What are the key differences between AWS, Azure, and GCP?

AWS offers a vast range of services and has the largest market share. Azure integrates well with Microsoft products and is favored by enterprises. GCP is known for its data analytics and machine learning capabilities.

33. How do you manage access control in AWS?

Access control in AWS is managed using Identity and Access Management (IAM), which allows you to create users, groups, roles, and policies to define permissions for accessing AWS resources.

34. Can you explain the concept of Azure Resource Manager (ARM)?

Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is a management framework that enables users to deploy, manage, and organize Azure resources through templates, providing a consistent management layer.

35. What is the purpose of Google Cloud Storage classes?

Google Cloud Storage offers different storage classes (e.g., Standard, Nearline, Coldline) to optimize costs based on data access frequency and retention needs, allowing users to choose the most cost-effective option.

36. How do you implement auto-scaling in AWS?

Auto-scaling in AWS is implemented using Auto Scaling Groups (ASGs) that automatically adjust the number of EC2 instances based on defined policies related to CPU utilization or other metrics.

37. What are Azure Functions and how do they work?

Azure Functions is a serverless computing service that allows you to run code on-demand without managing infrastructure. It automatically scales based on demand and charges only for execution time.

38. Explain the concept of VPC in AWS.

A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in AWS is a logically isolated section of the cloud where you can launch AWS resources in a virtual network that you define, allowing control over IP address ranges, subnets, and security settings.

39. What tools does GCP provide for monitoring and logging?

GCP provides tools like Stackdriver Monitoring for performance monitoring and Stackdriver Logging for log management, enabling users to gain insights into application performance and troubleshoot issues.

40. How does Azure handle disaster recovery?

Azure provides disaster recovery solutions through services like Azure Site Recovery, which replicates workloads running on physical and virtual machines from a primary site to a secondary location.

41. What are some best practices for securing cloud resources across AWS, Azure, and GCP?

Best practices include implementing IAM policies with the principle of least privilege, using encryption for data at rest and in transit, regularly auditing security configurations, and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA).

These questions cover fundamental concepts related to major cloud service providers and can help assess a candidate's knowledge and readiness for a cloud engineer position.

If you want to master any one of the cloud service providers and clear their certification exam, check out our courses on:

1. GCP Training Courses for Certifications

2. Azure Training Course for Certifications

3. AWS Training Courses for Certifications

Cloud Computing Interview Preparation Tips

● Understand Cloud Service Models: Familiarize yourself with IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, including their use cases.

● Get Hands-On Experience: Practice using AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud by setting up VMs and deploying applications.

● Stay Updated on Trends: Keep abreast of trends like serverless architecture, containerization, and multi-cloud strategies.

● Learn About Major CSPs: Study the offerings and features of AWS, Azure, and GCP to discuss their strengths and weaknesses.

● Review Security Best Practices: Understand IAM, data encryption, and compliance standards to secure cloud environments effectively.

● Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions: Practice designing solutions and troubleshooting issues in cloud scenarios.

● Familiarize Yourself with APIs: Learn about RESTful APIs and their role in integrating cloud services with applications.

● Know Cost Management Strategies: Understand pricing models and tools for monitoring and optimizing cloud costs.

● Practice Common Interview Questions: Prepare answers for questions related to service models and specific technologies.

● Highlight Soft Skills: Emphasize communication, teamwork, and adaptability as essential skills for a cloud engineer role.

Summing Up!

In preparing for cloud computing interviews, it's important to cover a range of topics. We discussed questions suitable for beginners and experienced professionals, including scenario-based questions that test problem-solving skills.

Additionally, we explored specific questions related to cloud service providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Understanding key concepts, practical applications, and current trends in cloud computing will help you demonstrate your knowledge and readiness for a cloud engineer role.

With this preparation, you can confidently answer cloud computing interview questions and showcase your skills effectively.