Top Cloud Computing Interview Questions

Nowadays, cloud computing has become more popular as most businesses across different sectors, including education, retail, banking, and many others, are migrating to the cloud for business operations and to store their business data and access it from anywhere. We know how quickly technology is advancing, but there is a need for more experienced professionals in the cloud computing field. Businesses require professionals who can aid in the transition to cloud computing or maintain and enhance their existing cloud computing technology. Therefore, professionals in the field of cloud computing, such as Cloud Engineers, Cloud Architects, DevOps Engineers, and Cloud Support Engineers, are always in demand.

In this article, we will cover the top 50 cloud computing interview questions and answers 2023 that are asked in almost every cloud computing job interview. These questions range from basic to advanced.

Cloud Computing Interview Questions

Let’s look at some of the most important cloud computing interview questions.

Basic Questions on Cloud Computing

1. Explain a cloud.

A vast global network of remote servers is known as the cloud. These servers operate different applications, handle and store data, and distribute content. It consists of interfaces, networks, hardware, services, and storage that assist in providing computing as a service. It has three main categories of users: end users, corporate management users, and cloud service providers.

2. What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the on-demand distribution of computing services, such as storage, databases, servers, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence. It provides pay-as-you-go services that enable you to reduce operational costs and manage your infrastructure effectively.

3. What are a cloud service’s key features?

Cloud services offer a wide range of features to companies of all sizes.

• Security
• Flexibility
• Resiliency
• Compatibility
• Disaster recovery
• Easy maintenance
• Broad network access
• On-demand self-service
• Elasticity
• Scalability

 4. What are the different types of cloud deployment models?

There are four primary types of cloud deployment models:

1. Public cloud
2. Private cloud
3. Community cloud
4. Hybrid cloud

5. What are some typical applications for cloud computing?

Some of them are mentioned below:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Platform as a Service (PaaS)
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Web and mobile app development
• Data analytics and big data processing
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
• Data storage and backup
• Disaster recovery

6. What is a hybrid cloud? What are its benefits?

The term “hybrid cloud” is a computing environment that combines private and public cloud services, allowing organizations to store and manage data across both platforms while maintaining control over sensitive information.

Benefits:

• Secure and flexible
• Effective application governance
• Reduced latency and enhanced performance
• Enhanced ROI (Return on Investment)

7. What are some popular examples of cloud computing service providers?

The most well-known providers of cloud computing services are:

• Google Cloud
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Alibaba Cloud
• Microsoft Azure

8. How to migrate an application to the cloud?

Migrating an application to the cloud involves:

• Assessing the current application
• Planning the migration
• Configuring the target cloud environment
• Transferring data and testing
• Deploying the application

9. What is elasticity in cloud computing? 

In cloud computing, the term “elasticity” refers to the ability to quickly and dynamically scale up or down resources, like compute and storage, based on demand without manual intervention or service disruption.

10. What distinguishes public, private, and hybrid clouds from one another?

Characteristic	Public Cloud	Private Cloud	Hybrid Cloud
Scalability	Very high	Limited	Very high
Performance	Low to medium	Very good	Good
Reliability	Medium	High	Medium to high
Security	Good	Most secure	Very secure

Cloud Computing Interview Questions for Associate level

11. What do you mean by big data?

Big data refers to enormous and complex datasets that arise from various sources such as social media, e-commerce, IoT devices, and more. This data is stored and processed on cloud computing platforms that offer scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional data storage systems. It is defined by three Vs, which are:

• Volume (amount of data)
• Variety (current format of data)
• Velocity (speed of data generation and transmission)

12. What distinguishes cloud computing from mobile computing?

Mobile computing utilizes the concept of cloud computing. Mobile computing makes use of applications that are hosted on a remote server, and it allows users to access data and information using a mobile device. In contrast, cloud computing gives users access to the needed data and enables them to store and manage it.

13. What are microservices and their benefits in the cloud?

Microservices are an architectural approach used to create cloud applications and software. Each consists of a small group of independent services that can function independently of one another and connect via APIs.

The following are the benefits of using microservices in the cloud:

• Flexibility and liberty
• Scalability and adaptability
• Simple to deploy
• Enhanced productivity

14. What do serverless components in cloud computing entail?

Serverless components allow you to deploy applications and use cases on auto-scaling, pay-per-request, and serverless cloud infrastructure without worrying about managing the infrastructure.

15. What does “on-demand functionality” mean?

On-demand functionality is the most useful feature of cloud computing, and it provides resources when consumers need them and takes only a minute or a few clicks to start up. It could include servers, networks, speed, storage capacity, software applications, and other comparable factors.

16. What are the advantages and disadvantages of serverless computing?

Advantages of serverless computing:

• Development effectiveness
• Adaptive scaling
• Faster deployment
• Cost-effective

Disadvantages of serverless computing:

• Can cause delayed responses
• Not the best for high-computing operations
• More vulnerable in terms of security
• Difficulties in testing and debugging

 17. What is the cloud usage monitor?

The cloud usage monitor oversees and manages operational activities in the cloud infrastructure. This is accomplished through automated monitoring software, which offers centralized access to the cloud infrastructure and permits control over it.

 18. What types of environments are present in hybrid clouds?

In hybrid cloud architecture, there are different types of cloud environments present.

• Public cloud: It describes an IT configuration where a third party, such as OpenStack, handles the infrastructure and computing.
• On-premises private cloud: On-premises private clouds allow internal cloud hosting, requiring an internal data center to host your cloud server. With an on-premise private cloud solution, you will get control of server security, scalability, and configuration.
• Hosted private cloud: A hosted private cloud is off-premises, which implies that the cloud servers are not physically located on the premises of the enterprise employing them. Instead, the cloud is managed and hosted remotely by a third party from a different region.

19. What distinguishes elasticity from scalability in the cloud?

Elasticity is the ability of a cloud system to automatically provision and deprovision resources in response to changes in demand, while scalability refers to the ability to add or remove resources to meet changing demand. Elasticity is a subset of scalability, which involves the ability to scale resources up or down dynamically.

20. How is security maintained in the cloud?

Security is maintained in the cloud in the followings ways:

• Identity management
• Access control
• Authentication
• Authorization

21. What security vulnerabilities exist in cloud computing?

Some of the security vulnerabilities that exist in cloud computing are:

• Data breaches
• Malicious insiders
• Insecure APIs
• Account hijacking
• Loss or theft of intellectual property
• Misconfigured cloud services

22. What services does Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider provide?

The IaaS provider provides the following services:

• Virtual Machines (VMs)
• Storage (e.g., block, file, object)
• Networking (e.g., load balancers, firewalls, VPN)
• Security (e.g., IAM, encryption)
• Monitoring and logging
• Automation and orchestration tools (e.g., APIs, scripting languages, templates)
• High availability and disaster recovery

23. What are the different components that are required in cloud architecture?

There are five components that are required in cloud architecture:

• Cloud ingress
• Processor speed
• Cloud storage services
• Cloud provided services
• Intra-cloud communications

24. What is edge computing?

Edge computing is a distributed information technology framework that combines cloud computing with data storage to address the infrastructure’s latency issues.

25. What distinguishes RTO and RPO in cloud computing services?

Recovery Time Objective (RTO): RTO is the maximum time that an organization is willing to wait for its system or application to be restored after a disruption.

Recovery Point Object (RPO): RPO is the maximum amount of data loss that an organization is willing to tolerate in the event of a disaster or disruption to its system or application.

26. What are grid computing and its essential components?

Grid computing is a distributed computing method that links a network of computers from multiple geographical locations to work toward a shared goal. Grid computing has five important components, including:

• User interface
• Security
• Scheduler
• Data management
• Workload and resource management

27. What are the requirements needed to switch to a cloud platform?

The following are the requirements needed to switch to a cloud platform:

• Continuity in business
• Data integrity maintenance
• Data storage types
• Reduction of downtime
• Ensure accessibility and availability
• Backup plan in case of data loss

28. What is multi-cloud?

Multi-cloud refers to the use of multiple computing platforms or services from different providers, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP, and others. It allows organizations to leverage the strengths of each cloud provider and avoid vendor lock-in, and reduce the risk of downtime or service disruptions.

29. What is the foundation of cloud architecture?

The foundation of cloud architecture includes:

• Technical architecture
• Reference architecture
• Deployment operation architecture

30. What are the benefits and drawbacks of the SaaS cloud computing layer?

Advantages:

• Cost reduction
• Easily accessible
• Effortless scalability
• Easily upgradation

Disadvantages:

• Lack of Data Security
• Latency issue
• Regulations Compliance is Complicated
• Troublesome application integration

31. What are cloud computing operations?

Following is a list of cloud computing operations:

• Electronic mail (E-mail)
• Content management
• Accounting services
• Online marketplace
• Systemwide reporting
• Security
• Human Resource (HR) management

Cloud Computing Interview Questions for Professional level

32. What are the various data center deployments of cloud computing?

Various data centers are used in cloud computing deployment, including:

• Containerized data centers
• Low-density data centers

33. In cloud computing, what is load balancing?

Load balancing distributes the workloads, traffic, and computing resources in a cloud computing environment. It ensures that no server or system is overloaded or underloaded. It is used to increase the speed and performance of each device and to safeguard individual devices from reaching their performance limits by reducing them.

34. What are the benefits of cloud computing when it comes to security?

Security benefits of cloud computing:

• Protection against DDoS: DDoS attacks are increasingly focusing on the cloud data of enterprises. Cloud computing security solutions detect, monitor, and analyze DDoS attacks. It guarantees to limit server traffic and prevent traffic that could compromise the business and its data.
• Data security: A strong cloud security solution protects sensitive information from unauthorized access using encryption, strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and verified backups.
• Regulatory compliance: A reliable cloud security solution offers an improved infrastructure that supports regulatory compliance and safeguards users’ personal and financial information.

 35. In cloud computing, what types of security risks are present?

Below are some of the most prevalent security risks associated with cloud computing:

• Data loss
• Vendor lock-in
• Data breach
• Limited visibility into network operations
• Compliance issues
• Account hijacking
• Insecure integration and APIs
• Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

36. What is the difference between a cloud data center and a traditional data center?

Cloud data center	Traditional data center
It is comparatively inexpensive.	It is expensive.
It is easy to manage and requires minimal maintenance.	It requires a lot of maintenance.
Off-premise, remotely located.	On-premise, physically present.
It is easy to scale as per needed.	Several challenges occur in scaling.

37. What are the advantages of cloud-native applications?

The advantages of the cloud-native application are:

• Adaptability
• Scalability
• Portability
• Serverless platforms
• Enhanced security
• Cost-effective
• Automation and flexibility

38. Describe the layers of cloud computing architecture.

Here are the most common layers of cloud computing architecture:

• Infrastructure layer: The CSP’s Infrastructure layer manages the physical infrastructure that hosts the cloud services, such as servers, storage, and networking equipment.
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The IaaS layer provides customers with virtualized infrastructure resources, such as virtual machines, storage, and network components.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): The PaaS layer provides a complete development and deployment environment for customers to build and deploy applications.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): The SaaS layer provides customers with complete software applications delivered over the internet. These applications are accessed through a mobile app or web browser and can include productivity tools, CRM software, and ERP systems.
• End-user: The end-user layer is where customers and end-users interact with the cloud services. This layer includes the user interface and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable users to access and interact with cloud services.

39. In cloud computing, what does VPN consist of?

In cloud computing, a VPN typically consists of the following components:

• VPN client: A software application that is installed on the user’s device and used to initiate the VPN connection to the cloud service.
• Authentication server: A server that is used to authenticate the user’s credentials and grant access to the cloud service.
• VPN gateway: A hardware or software component that is installed in the cloud service and acts as the endpoint for the VPN connection.
• Encryption protocol: A protocol that is used to encrypt the data that passes through the VPN tunnel. The most common encryption protocols in cloud computing VPNs are SSL/TLS, IPsec, and OpenVPN.

40. What characteristics does community cloud have?

Community clouds are advantageous for businesses that want to employ affordable pricing cloud services for team initiatives. It has several benefits, including:

• Users can change characteristics to suit their use cases
• Remote communication is possible between employers and employees
• Provides more flexibility to support the use of different devices
• Less complicated than private clouds because data is kept close to the entity that owns it
• Encourages the sustainability of the environment

41. What does rate-limiting mean?

Rate limiting is a method of controlling network traffic by limiting the frequency of a specific operation over a specified period. It can assist in removing suspicious activity from any network, particularly that brought on by bots, by tracking the IP address from which the request originated.

42. What is cloud optimization?

Cloud optimization is the process of reducing cloud resource waste by identifying, selecting, provisioning, and appropriately scaling the resources users use for particular cloud services.

43. What are the benefits of cloud optimization?

Benefits of cloud optimization include:

• Lower cloud costs
• Increases visibility
• Increases cloud usage
• Enhanced Engineers’ productivity

 44. What are the essential enabling technologies for cloud computing?

Following are some examples of the main cloud computing enabling technologies:

• Distributed computing: Cluster and grid computing
• Internet technologies: Service-oriented architecture, Web 3.0, etc.
• Hardware technologies: Multi-core CPUs and virtualizations
• System management: Automatic computing

45. What is the process of resource replication in cloud computing?

The process of creating several instances of the same information technology resource is known as resource replication. The resource replication mechanism is implemented using virtualization technology to replicate the cloud-based IT resources.

46. What are the uses of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in cloud services?

Uses of APIs in cloud services are:

• It eliminates the workload required to write fully-fledged programs.
• It simplifies the use of applications.
• It creates applications and connects cloud services with other systems.

47. What is virtualization in cloud computing and its types?

Virtualization is the process of generating virtual versions of storage systems, operating systems, computers, servers, and network resources. This technique allows users to share a single physical resource or application among numerous users within an organization.

Types of virtualization:

• Data virtualization
• Storage virtualization
• Desktop virtualization
• Application virtualization
• Network virtualization
• Server virtualization

 48. What is the use of a virtualization platform to implement the cloud?

• It is utilized to manage service levels.
• It makes cloud computing plans more cost-effective.
• It improves how apps are shared among several clients and businesses.
• It enhances the scalability of the traditional cloud computing model.

 49. What is a hypervisor in cloud computing?

A hypervisor is virtualization software that creates and runs multiple Virtual Machines (VMs). It is sometimes known as a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM). It allows numerous guest Operating Systems (OS) to run concurrently on a single host system. It divides, allocates, or modifies the software provided as a virtualization hypervisor.

We hope these cloud computing interview questions will improve your cloud computing knowledge and help you succeed in interviews.

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