Cloud Computing Interview Questions

1. What is cloud?

Cloud belongs to the internet. Anything that you can access over the internet is the cloud. You store the things on an internet server rather than on your computer’s hard drive.

2. What is cloud computing?

When you store and access data over the internet, it is called cloud computing. The key here is that you don’t use your computer’s hard drive. Accessing data from the cloud is rapid and easy.

3. What are the basics of cloud computing?

When we want to know about cloud computing, the first thought that comes to our mind is on-demand self-service. Besides, users needn’t communicate with the service provider for the cloud. They can get access to computing services through the cloud. Cloud computing services are also accessible through the user’s desired options including laptop, desktop, smartphones, etc.

4. Explain the types of cloud.

The different types of cloud are private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and community cloud. Hybrid cloud is a blend of both the public cloud and private cloud. Community cloud lets sharing of infrastructure between organizations from a particular community.

5. Explain two benefits of cloud computing.

Cost saving is one of the major benefits of cloud computing. Most of the cloud computing services work on the pay as you go basis. Besides, you will also have undeterred focus on your organizational objectives and user experience because the cloud service provider will take care of the IT hosting and other related aspects.

6. What are the types of cloud computing servicing models?

The idea behind the cloud computing servicing models is to cater to the unique requirements of the organizations. In this regard, the three models are Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

7. Why virtualization is needed in cloud computing, and what are the types of virtualization in cloud computing?

Virtualization is the major force behind cloud computing; it lets various operating systems share the same hardware. The capability of cloud computing is deployed to its fullest with the help of virtualization. Virtualization can adopt different forms according to the type of application usage and hardware deployment. The primary types are hardware virtualization, software virtualization, storage virtualization, memory virtualization, network virtualization, and data virtualization.

8. What do you gain from the on-demand cloud feature?

It is really beneficial when computing resources are there when they are needed. The efficiency that the user gains through this is appreciable. You don’t pay upfront for any service but pay only when needed.

9. Explain the difference between hybrid cloud and hybrid IT.

Hybrid cloud is a dimension of hybrid IT. There are two individual geographical locations in the hybrid cloud. Hybrid IT is a strategy that controls the implementation of applications and information.

10. Explain the difference between scalability and elasticity.

Scalability involves adding or eliminating resources to adhere to the growing needs of the customers. There are two important terms here named scaling up and scaling out.

11. Mention the threats related to the cloud.

There are several threats related to the cloud including data breaches, insecure APIs, insider threat caused due to negligence, access management, decreased infrastructure visibility etc.

12. Explain cloud migration in a simple manner.

When you migrate data, applications and other digital business functionalities to a cloud computing environment it is called cloud migration. It involves this shift from some data centers to various other data centers.

13. What are the advantages of migrating to the cloud?

For organizations that go through the cloud migration process, there is an impressive impact. When you migrate to the cloud, there is enhanced agility, great flexibility, rapid innovative mindset, better user experience, reduction of costs, etc.

14. What is multi-cloud?

Multi-cloud is a proficient approach wherein a business deploys two or more cloud computing platforms to carry out a multitude of activities. Organizations will leverage the services of different service providers in a multi-cloud strategy.

15. Explain the benefits of hybrid cloud.

Hybrid cloud is a blend of private cloud infrastructure and one or more public cloud services. This type of cloud helps you to gain from the security factor of the private cloud and the efficiency and functionalities of the public cloud.

16. What is a distributed cloud?

In distributed cloud computing, though there are geographically distributed public cloud services, there is a centrally governed distribution. You can run public cloud infrastructure even in other providers’ data centers.

17. What are the essential characteristics of cloud computing?

Basically, cloud computing deals with on-demand self-service. Besides, there is wide network access, increased scalability and quick elasticity, resource pooling, a plethora of services to protect from downtime etc.

18. What is OpenStack?

In OpenStack, there are both private and public clouds. There are pooled virtual resources to develop and govern these clouds.

19. What is a data center? List the major data centers in cloud computing.

A data center is a location where organizations maintain their important applications and data. This leverages enterprise computing. It is crucial to an enterprise’s IT functions.

20. What is CaaS?

Containers as a Service (CaaS) has its roots on cloud and lets IT personnel and software developers take care of containers with the help of container-based virtualization.

21. List the top cloud computing providers.

The top cloud computing providers are AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud.

22. Explain the role of AWS in cloud computing.

AWS is one of the top players in cloud computing and is embraced globally. It offers a very reasonable and scalable infrastructure platform in the landscape of cloud.

23. Explain the role of Microsoft Azure in cloud computing.

Microsoft Azure, generally referred to as Azure, is delivered by Microsoft for application management through Microsoft-controlled data centers. Azure and AWS are close competitors for the top position in cloud computing services.

24. Explain the purpose of APIs in cloud computing.

A cloud API is the ideal starting point to communicate with the cloud service directly. Though an individual user may not need cloud APIs, companies that use cloud services may need integrating tools that are reliant on cloud services.

25. What is meant by cloud-native?

In the cloud-native context, you develop applications and services particularly for a cloud environment. It deploys the concepts of agile methodologies, DevOps etc.

26. What platforms are deployed for large-scale cloud computing?

MapReduce and Apache Hadoop are the two platforms deployed for large-scale cloud computing.

27. What is the need of load balancing?

As explicit from its name, load balancing means balancing network traffic in an appreciable manner. Load balancing enters when there is a need for economic, dependable, and rapid process.

28. What is the major challenge in cloud computing?

Though cloud computing has innumerable benefits, there are also challenges attached to it including security, computing performance, possibility of data security breach in multi-cloud infrastructure, etc.

29. What are system integrators?

When you have some problems with hardware and software, system integrators come into the picture. Their role is in enhancing efficiency by automating processes that are pivotal to the organization.

30. What is a VPN?

When it comes to the protection of data, VPN is highly essential. Virtual Private Network is the full form of VPN. This paves the way for better protected access to the internet.

31. What is VPC?

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a secure private cloud that is found within a public cloud. The virtual network here is isolated from every public cloud tenants. This leads to a private, protected space on the public cloud.

32. Explain some difference between cloud and traditional data centers.

While a cloud data center is online with data being stored on cloud servers and also runs on virtualization technology, in traditional data centers  there is the need for security personnel for the protection of data.

33. What is the difference between cloud application and web application?

One may confuse between cloud application and web application because they share similarities. In cloud applications, there is no local hosting. In web applications, the web app functions on a web browser.

34. Explain the difference between cloud computing and mobile computing.

Cloud computing is the process of storing data via the internet rather than on the computer’s hard drive. Mobile computing is a portable technology and pertains to the advent of new devices and interfaces. The key is that access to data is via a mobile device.

35. What should you do to shift to a cloud platform?

There are several factors to consider while migrating to a cloud platform including following the appropriate strategy, finding a suitable cloud provider, establishing data integrity, selecting single cloud or multi-cloud, etc.

36. What is serverless computing?

You needn’t worry about servers when there is serverless computing; you can deploy applications and services seamlessly. It comes under the scope of function-as-a-service.

37. What is edge computing?

Edge computing is a major breakthrough in deploying the concepts of cloud computing. It is a distributed IT network architecture, and the computing is performed at or close to the source of the data.

38. What are the important aspects to be considered before hiring a cloud provider?

Once you have decided to go for cloud computing, hiring a cloud provider will be one of the pivotal decisions you have to make for the organization. You have to look at different aspects during this step including the cost, performance, cloud security, cloud compliance, governability, certifications etc.

39. Does cloud computing have a future?

Cloud computing paves the way to a lot of exciting opportunities in the world of technology. There are plethora of job opportunities in cloud computing, Shifting to cloud means enhanced speed for the organizations. Besides, there will be continual innovation.

40. What is Eucalyptus in cloud computing?

Eucalyptus refers to Elastic Utility Computing Architecture for Linking Your Programs To Useful Systems. Several users can gain from a single cloud.