Table of contents
1.
Commonly Asked Azure Administrator Interview Questions
1.1.
1. What is Azure Virtual Machine?.
1.2.
2. What is the use of Azure DevOps for managing software development?
1.3.
3. What is Azure Active Directory, and how is it used?
1.4.
4. Describe how Azure Resource Manager differs from the classic deployment model.
1.5.
5. What standard tools and techniques are used to watch Azure resources?
1.6.
6. What is Azure Blob Storage, and what are some everyday use cases for it?
1.7.
7. What are some common security threats in Azure?
1.8.
8. Describe how you would migrate an on-premises workload to Azure?
1.9.
9. What are some common networking challenges you have encountered in Azure? How to address these challenges?
1.10.
10. What is the purpose of Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates in Azure administration?
1.11.
11. Discuss the concept of resource groups in Azure.
1.12.
12. How do you manage storage in Azure, and what are some standard storage solutions used in Azure?
1.13.
13. Discuss the difference between Azure PaaS and IaaS.
1.14.
14. What is Azure Site Recovery?
1.15.
15. What is the use of Azure ExpressRoute?
1.16.
16. Explain network security groups in Azure.
1.17.
17. What is the role of Azure Automation in cloud administration?
1.18.
18. How would you set up a load balancer in Azure?
1.19.
19. Explain the process of configuring backup and recovery for Azure resources.
1.20.
20. How do you manage and monitor Azure services and resources?
2.
Advanced/Hard Azure Administrator Interview Questions and Answers
2.1.
21. Discuss using Azure Blueprints to define and manage enterprise-wide Azure resource deployments.
2.2.
22. Explain the process of migrating on-premises applications to Azure.
2.3.
23. How do you optimize performance for Azure resources?
2.4.
24. Discuss the use of Azure Policy and Azure Resource Manager templates to enforce compliance and security standards across Azure resources.
2.5.
25. Explain the process of integrating Azure Active Directory with on-premises Active Directory.
2.6.
26. What is Azure Stack, and how is it used to provide a hybrid cloud solution for organizations?
2.7.
27. Explain the use of Azure Functions.
2.8.
28. Explain the process of setting up and managing virtual networks in Azure.
2.9.
29. Discuss using Azure Monitor and Azure Log Analytics to collect and analyze logs and metrics from Azure resources.
2.10.
30. Discuss the use of Azure DevOps for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), including Azure Pipelines, Azure Artifacts, and Azure Test Plans.
3.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024
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Azure Administrator Interview Questions

Author Aditya Sharma
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As cloud computing becomes increasingly dominant, Businesses are looking for qualified professionals to help them manage their Azure cloud infrastructure. 

This article provides a comprehensive list of  Top Azure Administrator Interview Questions and Answers (2023), with expert insights and insider tips to help you stand out in your interviewer.

Top azure administrator interview questions

 

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Commonly Asked Azure Administrator Interview Questions

1. What is Azure Virtual Machine?.

Ans: Azure Virtual Networks (VNets) are isolated cloud networks that deploy and manage resources such as virtual machines, web apps, and databases.

They provide connectivity and access control with network security groups and access rules and allow for on-premises network connection through VPN or ExpressRoute.

2. What is the use of Azure DevOps for managing software development?

Ans: Azure DevOps is a collection of development tools, services, and features that allow organizations to plan, develop, test, and deliver software faster and more efficiently. It helps teams to collaborate and automate the entire development process, from writing code to deploying software to production. 

3. What is Azure Active Directory, and how is it used?

Ans. Azure Active Directory (AD) is a multi-tenant cloud-based directory and identity management service.

It provides a centralized identity management platform for applications, users, and devices. Azure AD manages and secures access to resources such as applications, services, and data. 

4. Describe how Azure Resource Manager differs from the classic deployment model.

Ans. The critical difference between the two models is that ARM provides a more organized way to manage resources.

With ARM, you can define a resource group and deploy all the necessary resources to that group. This makes managing and organizing your resources and deploying and managing updates to those resources easier.

5. What standard tools and techniques are used to watch Azure resources?

Ans: The following tools and techniques are used to watch Azure resources

  • Azure Monitor: provides real-time monitoring and diagnostics for Azure resources.
  • Azure Log Analytics: A service that collects and analyzes log data to provide insights into the health and performance of resources.
  • Azure Alerts: A notification triggered based on specific conditions, such as when a resource exceeds a performance threshold.
  • Azure Dashboards: Customizable views that visually represent data from multiple sources.
  • Azure Resource Graph: A tool that allows administrators to query and visualize resources across Azure subscriptions.

6. What is Azure Blob Storage, and what are some everyday use cases for it?

Ans. Azure Blob Storage is a cloud-based object storage service that enables organizations to store and access large amounts of unstructured data, such as text and binary data. It is highly scalable, durable, and secure.

7. What are some common security threats in Azure?

Ans. Some of the common security threats in Azure are 

  • Data breaches: unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the cloud.
  • Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: attempts to overload a system and prevent access to resources.
  • Malware and viruses: malicious software can spread throughout a system and cause damage.
  • Configuration errors: mistakes in setting up Azure resources, such as exposing resources to the internet.

8. Describe how you would migrate an on-premises workload to Azure?

Ans: Migrating an on-premises workload to Azure involves moving your applications, data, and resources from your current setup to the cloud environment.

Here are the steps to migrate an on-premises workload to Azure:

  • Assessment - Decide what needs to be transferred to the cloud by evaluating your current configuration.
  • Data Migration - Transfer your data to Azure using tools like Azure Storage, Azure Database Migration Service, or Azure Migrate.
  • Deployment - Deploy your applications to Azure by re-creating them in the cloud or by lifting and shifting existing virtual machines.
  • Testing - Test your applications to ensure they work as expected in the Azure environment.
  • Go-live - After successful testing, cutover to the new environment and start using Azure.

9. What are some common networking challenges you have encountered in Azure? How to address these challenges?

Ans: Networking in Azure can sometimes come with its own set of challenges. Some common ones include

  • Connectivity issues - The network connection between on-premises and Azure or between different Azure services.
  • Configuration errors - Incorrect configuration of network security rules, firewall settings, or virtual network settings.
  • Performance degradation - Slow network performance due to issues like network congestion, limited bandwidth, or high latency.
  • The complexity of network management - Managing a complex network infrastructure in a dynamic cloud environment can be challenging.

10. What is the purpose of Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates in Azure administration?

Ans: Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates are a way for administrators to define and deploy Azure resources consistently and repeatedly. ARM templates are written in JSON.

These templates allow administrators to declare the resources they want to create and configure along with their properties and dependencies.

Read About -  Manual Testing Interview Questions

11. Discuss the concept of resource groups in Azure.

Ans: Resource groups in Azure are like folders for organizing your resources. Just like you put your books and clothes into different boxes, you can put your different resources in Azure, like virtual machines, databases, and websites, into different resource groups. This makes it easier to manage and keep track of all your resources.

12. How do you manage storage in Azure, and what are some standard storage solutions used in Azure?

Ans: Managing storage in Azure involves deciding how to store data, what types of storage to use, and how to access and manage that data. 

Some standard storage solutions used in Azure are

  • Azure Blob Storage: This is used for unstructured data like images, videos, and text files.
  • Azure Files: This is used for file storage and sharing and is similar to a traditional file server.
  • Azure Queue Storage: Messages that may be read and processed by numerous apps are stored in this area.
  • Azure Disk Storage: This is used for virtual machine storage and offers high performance and low latency.
     

To manage storage in Azure, you can use the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, or Azure Powershell to create and configure storage accounts, manage access control, monitor performance and usage, and set up backup and disaster recovery.

13. Discuss the difference between Azure PaaS and IaaS.

Ans: Here are some differences between Azure Pass and lasS.

PaaS

laaS

PaaS stands for Platform as a Service IaaS stands for Infrastructure as a Service
In Azure, PaaS provides a platform for developers to build and deploy applications without bothering about managing the underlying infrastructure. IaaS, on the other hand, provides a virtualized computing environment, which includes virtual machines, storage, and networking.
This means that Azure takes care of the hardware, software, and networking components, so developers can focus on writing code and building applications. In this model, the customer is responsible for managing the operating system, applications, and data, while the cloud provider is responsible for the underlying infrastructure.

14. What is Azure Site Recovery?

Ans: Azure Site Recovery is a disaster recovery solution offered by Microsoft Azure.

The benefit of using Azure site recovery are:-

  • It helps organizations ensure business continuity by providing the ability to recover applications and data in the event of a disaster or outage. 
  • The solution replicates virtual machines from an on-premises data center or another cloud environment to Azure or between Azure regions. 
  • This helps ensure that business-critical applications and data remain available and accessible during a disaster. Azure Site Recovery helps reduce downtime and minimize the impact of a disaster on an organization's operations.

15. What is the use of Azure ExpressRoute?

Ans: Azure ExpressRoute is a service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows you to connect your on-premises infrastructure to Azure's infrastructure securely.

  • It provides a dedicated, private connection between your organization and Azure, bypassing the public Internet.
  • This can be useful if you have security or compliance requirements that prevent you from using the public Internet to access your Azure resources. 
  • With ExpressRoute, you can also improve the reliability and performance of your connections to Azure.

16. Explain network security groups in Azure.

Ans: The network security groups in azure provide the following functionalities:

  • Network security groups in Azure allow you to control access to your virtual network and the resources within it. 
  • You can set rules to allow or block incoming traffic to your resources based on the source IP, destination IP, and port number.
  • Setting up network security groups involves defining the rules and then assigning them to the virtual network or specific resources as needed. This helps secure your resources by only allowing trusted traffic.

17. What is the role of Azure Automation in cloud administration?

Ans: The roles of Azure Automation in cloud administration are as follows:

  • Azure Automation is a tool used in cloud administration that helps automate tasks and processes. 
  • This makes managing cloud resources more accessible and efficient, as repetitive tasks can be automated and performed without manual intervention. 
  • With Azure Automation, administrators can create and run scripts, configure workflows, and manage infrastructure as code, all in a centralized and secure environment. 
  • This helps to improve reliability and reduce the risk of human error in cloud administration.

18. How would you set up a load balancer in Azure?

Ans. To set up a load balancer in Azure, follow these steps:

  1. Create a load balancer through the Azure CLI, Azure Portal, or Azure PowerShell.
  2. Assign a static public IP address to the load balancer.
  3. Create a backend pool with the virtual machines you want to load balance.
  4. Create a load balancing rule to define how the load balancer will distribute incoming traffic to the backend pool.
  5. Configure health probes to monitor the health of the virtual machines.
  6. Create a public-facing IP configuration.
  7. Assign the load balancer to a subnet.
  8. Test the load balancer by accessing the public IP address.

19. Explain the process of configuring backup and recovery for Azure resources.

Ans: Backup and recovery are essential to ensure that your data and resources in Azure are protected and can be restored in case of any disaster or data loss.

Here's a high-level overview of the process of configuring backup and recovery in Azure:

  • Identify the resources you want to protect.
  • Choose a backup solution.
  • Set up the backup solution.
  • Perform a test backup.
  • Monitor the backup and recovery process.
  • Perform a recovery when needed.

20. How do you manage and monitor Azure services and resources?

Ans: To manage and monitor Azure services and resources, you can use various tools and techniques provided by Azure.

  • One common tool is the Azure portal, which allows you to manage and monitor your resources through a web interface. 
  • You can also use Azure Monitor, which provides real-time insights into your applications and infrastructure, and enables you to set up custom alerts. 
  • Another tool is Azure Log Analytics, which helps you collect, analyze, and search log data from multiple sources. 

Advanced/Hard Azure Administrator Interview Questions and Answers

21. Discuss using Azure Blueprints to define and manage enterprise-wide Azure resource deployments.

Ans: Azure Blueprints is a tool in Azure that helps organizations manage their cloud resources standardized and consistently. 

Azure Blueprints manages enterprise-wide Azure resource deployments by providing these functionalities:

  • It allows administrators to define a set of Azure resources, such as virtual networks, storage accounts, and security policies, as a blueprint. 
  • This blueprint can then quickly and easily deploy these resources across multiple Azure subscriptions and environments, such as dev, test, and production. 
  • This makes it easier for administrators to ensure that all resources are deployed consistently and simplifies the process of updating or modifying resources over time. 

22. Explain the process of migrating on-premises applications to Azure.

Ans: Migrating on-premises applications to Azure involves several steps, including assessment, preparation, migration, and ongoing management. 

  • First, you must assess your on-premises application and identify any dependencies, configurations, and data storage requirements. 
  • Next, you must prepare your Azure environment by setting up virtual machines, storage accounts, and network infrastructure. 
  • Then, you can use tools such as Azure Site Recovery or Azure Database Migration Service to migrate your on-premises application to Azure. 
  • Finally, you need to monitor and manage your migrated application in Azure to ensure it continues to perform optimally.

23. How do you optimize performance for Azure resources?

Ans: To optimize performance for Azure resources, you can perform various actions such as:

  • Properly sizing resources: Choose the right size for your virtual machines, storage, and network resources based on your workload requirements to ensure they are not over or under-provisioned.
  • Monitoring resource utilization: Regularly monitor the utilization of your resources, such as CPU, memory, and network, to identify and address any performance bottlenecks.
  • Using auto-scaling: Implement auto-scaling for your resources to automatically adjust to changing workload demands and maintain optimal performance.
  • Implementing caching: Use caching to temporarily store frequently accessed data in memory, reducing the time required to retrieve the data from a slower storage layer.

24. Discuss the use of Azure Policy and Azure Resource Manager templates to enforce compliance and security standards across Azure resources.

Ans: Azure Policy is a service in Azure that helps organizations enforce compliance and security standards across their Azure resources. 

  • It allows administrators to define policies that enforce rules and standards, such as prohibiting certain types of resources or ensuring that all resources are correctly tagged. 
  • Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates are JSON files that define the resources and configurations of an Azure deployment.
  • By using ARM templates in combination with Azure Policy, administrators can enforce compliance and security standards across all Azure resources in their organization, ensuring that all resources are deployed and managed consistently and securely.

25. Explain the process of integrating Azure Active Directory with on-premises Active Directory.

Ans: Integrating Azure Active Directory with on-premises Active Directory involves connecting both directories so that users can access cloud resources using the same login credentials as they do for on-premises resources.

  • The connection of both directories can be achieved through Azure AD Connect, which syncs on-premises user accounts to Azure AD. 
  • The tool allows administrators to configure the sync frequency, filter accounts, and choose the sync method. 
  • After the integration is set up, users can access on-premises and Azure resources using a single sign-on, improving productivity and security.

26. What is Azure Stack, and how is it used to provide a hybrid cloud solution for organizations?

Ans: Azure Stack is a hybrid cloud platform that allows organizations to run Azure services on-premises or in a data center.

  • It allows organizations to use the same tools and technologies in Azure public cloud but within their own infrastructure.
  • This offers a mixed cloud environment that brings the advantages of the cloud while retaining data center control and security.
  • Azure Stack can be used for applications that require local data processing or low latency or for organizations that have regulations that prevent them from storing sensitive data in the public cloud.

27. Explain the use of Azure Functions.

Ans: Azure Functions is a serverless computing service in Azure that allows developers to run code in response to events and automatically scale their applications based on demand.

As azure functions are automatically scaling the applications, Developers do not need to care about the following things.

  • Developers don't need to manage the underlying infrastructure or worry about the resources required to run their code. 
  • Instead, they can focus on writing code triggered by events, such as changes in data, incoming HTTP requests, or a message in a queue. 
  • Azure Functions can be written in various programming languages, such as C#, Java, JavaScript, and Python. These are easy to integrate with other Azure services and tools, making them a popular choice for building cloud-based applications and services.

28. Explain the process of setting up and managing virtual networks in Azure.

Ans: The process of setting up and managing virtual networks in Azure involves the following steps:

  • Create a virtual network: This is done using the Azure portal, Azure CLI, or Azure PowerShell. You will define the subnets, address spaces, and network security groups during the creation process.
  • Assign static IP addresses: If necessary, you can assign static IP addresses to resources within your virtual network.
  • Configure network security: This involves creating network security groups and defining inbound and outbound rules for the network traffic.
  • Establish connectivity: This involves setting up VPN or ExpressRoute connections to link your virtual network with on-premises resources.
  • Monitor and manage virtual network: This involves monitoring the virtual network performance, updating security settings, and modifying network configurations as needed.
  • Use Azure Resource Manager templates to automate virtual network deployment and management.

29. Discuss using Azure Monitor and Azure Log Analytics to collect and analyze logs and metrics from Azure resources.

Ans: Azure Monitor and Azure Log Analytics are tools in Azure used to collect and analyze logs and metrics from Azure resources. 

  • Azure Monitor provides real-time monitoring and alerts for Azure resources, while Log Analytics collects log data from resources and provides advanced analytics and search capabilities. 
  • These tools help administrators understand the performance and health of their Azure resources, identify potential issues, and quickly resolve problems. 
  • The data collected by these tools can also be used to gain insights into resource usage patterns, troubleshoot performance issues, and improve the overall stability and reliability of Azure resources.

30. Discuss the use of Azure DevOps for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), including Azure Pipelines, Azure Artifacts, and Azure Test Plans.

Ans: Azure DevOps is a set of tools and services provided by Microsoft to support software development and deployment.

  • It helps teams to plan, develop, and deliver software more efficiently and effectively. The main components of Azure DevOps include Azure Pipelines, Azure Artifacts, and Azure Test Plans.
  • Azure Pipelines is a CI/CD tool that allows developers to automate the process of building, testing, and deploying code. 
  • It integrates with various source code repositories, including GitHub, and supports multiple programming languages and platforms.
  • Azure Artifacts is a repository for storing packages, binaries, and other dependencies used in software development. 
  • It makes it easy for teams to manage and share these dependencies across multiple projects and environments.
  • Azure Test Plans is a testing tool that allows teams to plan, track, and manage testing efforts for their software. 
  • It includes various testing tools, including manual and automated testing, and supports multiple platforms and devices.

Conclusion

The questions in this article cover a wide range of topics related to Azure administration, including networking, storage, security, disaster recovery, and monitoring. Familiarizing yourself with these questions and understanding the answers can help you prepare for an Azure administrator interview and get your dream job.

If you think this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge about the Top Azure Administrator Interview Questions and Answers (2023), and if you want to learn more, check out our articles and many more on our Coding Ninjas Studio.

After learning about azure administrator interview questions, recommended readings are

 

Also check out the Interview guide for Product Based Companies as well as some of the Popular interview problems from top tech companies like Amazon, Adobe, Google, Uber, Microsoft, etc.

Refer to our guided pathways on Code studio to learn more about DSACompetitive ProgrammingJavaScriptSystem Design, etc. Enroll in our courses, and use the accessible sample exams and questions as a guide. For placement preparations, look at the interview experiences and interview package.

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