Azure VM scenario-based questions

QUESTION: - You have a web application running on an Azure Virtual Machine, and you want to ensure high availability and fault tolerance. How can you achieve this?

To achieve high availability and fault tolerance for a web application running on an Azure Virtual Machine, you can use Availability Sets or Availability Zones. Availability Sets distribute your VMs across fault domains and update domains, ensuring that your application remains available even if there are hardware or software failures. Availability Zones take this a step further by providing physically separate data centers within a region, offering even higher levels of fault tolerance.

QUESTION: -You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you need to manage it remotely. What are the different options available to remotely connect to an Azure Virtual Machine?

There are several options available to remotely connect to an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server:

· Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): RDP allows you to connect to the VM using a Remote Desktop client, providing a graphical interface for remote management.

· Azure Bastion: Azure Bastion is a fully managed service that provides secure and seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to your VMs directly from the Azure portal, without exposing public IP addresses.

· Azure Virtual Network VPN Gateway: By setting up a Virtual Network VPN Gateway, you can establish a secure site-to-site VPN connection between your on-premises network and the Azure Virtual Network, allowing you to access VMs through private IP addresses.

QUESTION: - You have a web application hosted on multiple Azure Virtual Machines, and you want to distribute the incoming traffic evenly across them. How can you achieve load balancing for your VMs?

To achieve load balancing for multiple Azure Virtual Machines hosting a web application, you can use Azure Load Balancer. Azure Load Balancer evenly distributes incoming network traffic to multiple VMs within a backend pool, ensuring high availability and scalability. It can be configured to work with both public and private IP addresses.

QUESTION: - You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to automate its deployment and configuration using Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Which Azure service can you use for this purpose?

To automate the deployment and configuration of an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, you can use Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates. ARM templates are declarative JSON files that define the desired state of your infrastructure. They can be used to provision and configure VMs, along with any associated resources, enabling Infrastructure as Code practices.

QUESTION: -You have an existing Azure Virtual Machine, and you need to increase its disk size without affecting its running state. How can you achieve this?

To increase the disk size of an Azure Virtual Machine without impacting its running state, you can leverage Azure Managed Disks. Managed Disks allow you to resize disks on the fly without any downtime. You can either use the Azure portal, Azure CLI, or PowerShell commands to resize the disk to meet your requirements.

QUESTION: - You want to enforce secure remote access to an Azure Virtual Machine without exposing RDP or SSH ports to the public internet. How can you achieve this?

To enforce secure remote access to an Azure Virtual Machine without exposing RDP or SSH ports, you can use Azure Bastion. Azure Bastion is a fully managed service that provides secure and seamless RDP and SSH connectivity to your VMs directly from the Azure portal. It eliminates the need for public IP addresses on the VMs and reduces the attack surface area.

QUESTION: You need to ensure that an Azure Virtual Machine is automatically started up during business hours and shut down outside those hours to optimize costs. How can you automate this schedule?

To automate the startup and shutdown schedule of an Azure Virtual Machine, you can utilize Azure Automation and Azure Logic Apps. By combining these services, you can create a workflow that triggers VM startup and shutdown actions based on a predefined schedule, such as using a recurring logic app trigger or Azure Automation runbooks.

QUESTION: You have a web application hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine, and you want to ensure scalability and load balancing. How can you achieve this?

To achieve scalability and load balancing for a web application hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine, you can utilize Azure Load Balancer along with Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS). Azure Load Balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple VM instances, ensuring high availability. VMSS enables you to automatically scale the number of VM instances based on demand, providing elasticity and efficient load distribution.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to deploy a line-of-business application that requires specific software prerequisites. How can you automate the installation of these prerequisites during VM provisioning?

To automate the installation of specific software prerequisites during Azure Virtual Machine provisioning, you can use Azure Custom Script Extension. The Custom Script Extension allows you to run scripts on VMs after deployment, enabling you to automate the installation of required software packages, dependencies, and configurations.

QUESTION: You have multiple Azure Virtual Machines running in a resource group, and you want to enforce a consistent set of security rules across all of them. How can you achieve this efficiently?

To enforce consistent security rules across multiple Azure Virtual Machines, you can utilize Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Azure Application Security Groups (ASGs). NSGs define inbound and outbound traffic rules, while ASGs allow you to group VMs based on specific application requirements. By applying NSGs and ASGs at the subnet level, you can ensure consistent security policies across all the VMs within that subnet.

QUESTION: You have a development environment consisting of multiple Azure Virtual Machines, and you want to quickly replicate this environment for testing purposes. How can you create an exact copy of your existing VMs?

To replicate an exact copy of an existing development environment consisting of multiple Azure Virtual Machines, you can use Azure Virtual Machine Images. By capturing a VM as a managed image, you can create new VM instances with the same configuration, software, and data as the source VM. This allows for easy replication and scaling of your development environment.

QUESTION: You have a requirement to provide remote access to a Windows-based Azure Virtual Machine for a specific duration without sharing credentials. How can you achieve this securely?

To provide temporary remote access to a Windows-based Azure Virtual Machine without sharing credentials, you can use Azure Just-In-Time (JIT) VM Access. JIT VM Access allows you to define time-limited access rules and request access to the VM through the Azure portal. Once approved, the access rule is temporarily applied, granting remote access for the specified duration, after which access is automatically revoked.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running a database server, and you want to ensure data durability and protection. How can you configure backup and disaster recovery for the VM?

To configure backup and disaster recovery for an Azure Virtual Machine running a database server, you can utilize Azure Backup. Azure Backup provides an automated and secure way to protect VMs by regularly backing up data to a recovery services vault. In the event of a disaster or data loss, you can restore VMs to a previous state or perform file-level recovery.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you need to share files and folders securely with external partners. How can you achieve secure file sharing from the VM?

To achieve secure file sharing from an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can leverage Azure File Storage. Azure File Storage provides fully managed file shares accessible over the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. By creating an Azure file share and configuring appropriate access control, you can securely share files and folders with external partners over the internet.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to ensure that it can scale automatically based on CPU utilization. How can you achieve this?

To enable automatic scaling of an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux based on CPU utilization, you can use Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets (VMSS) along with Azure Autoscale. By configuring autoscaling rules based on CPU thresholds, VMSS automatically adds or removes VM instances to meet the desired capacity and optimize resource usage.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that needs to communicate with other VMs located in a virtual network within Azure. How can you ensure secure and private communication between these VMs?

To ensure secure and private communication between Azure Virtual Machines located within the same virtual network, you can use Azure Virtual Network (VNet) peering. VNet peering establishes a direct, low-latency connection between virtual networks, allowing VMs in different VNets to communicate securely and privately over Azure’s backbone network.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to implement custom monitoring and diagnostics. How can you achieve this?

To implement custom monitoring and diagnostics for an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can use Azure Monitor along with Azure Monitor Diagnostic Extensions. Azure Monitor allows you to collect and analyze performance metrics, logs, and diagnostics from VMs, while Diagnostic Extensions enable you to customize the collection of additional diagnostic data and redirect it to various Azure storage services or other destinations.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to enable automatic software updates to keep the VM up to date. How can you configure automatic updates for the VM?

To enable automatic software updates for an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, you can use the package management system specific to the Linux distribution, such as apt-get for Debian-based distributions or yum for Red Hat-based distributions. By configuring the respective package management system to automatically check for and apply updates, you can keep the VM up to date with the latest patches and security fixes.

QUESTION: You have a legacy application that requires a specific version of the .NET Framework. How can you ensure that an Azure Virtual Machine is provisioned with the required .NET Framework version?

To ensure that an Azure Virtual Machine is provisioned with a specific version of the .NET Framework, you can utilize Azure Custom Virtual Machine Images. Create a VM, install the required .NET Framework version, and capture it as a custom image. When provisioning new VMs, use this custom image to ensure that the desired .NET Framework version is pre-installed.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to establish a secure connection between this VM and an on-premises network. How can you achieve this?

To establish a secure connection between an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux and an on-premises network, you can use Azure Virtual Network Gateway. Deploy a Virtual Network Gateway in Azure and configure a site-to-site VPN connection between the Virtual Network Gateway and the on-premises network. This allows for secure and encrypted communication between the VM and the on-premises resources.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running a highly transactional database, and you need to ensure high-performance storage with low latency. What Azure storage option can you choose for this scenario?

For high-performance storage with low latency for an Azure Virtual Machine running a highly transactional database, you can choose Azure Premium SSD Managed Disks. Premium SSD disks offer high throughput, low latency, and high IOPS (input/output operations per second), making them suitable for workloads that require fast and responsive storage.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that runs a legacy application and requires a specific version of the operating system. How can you ensure that the VM is provisioned with the required operating system version?

To ensure that an Azure Virtual Machine is provisioned with a specific version of the operating system, you can utilize Azure Custom Virtual Machine Images. Create a VM with the desired operating system version, install any required patches and configurations, and capture it as a custom image. When provisioning new VMs, use this custom image to ensure that the desired operating system version is pre-installed.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you need to automate the deployment and configuration of applications and services. How can you achieve this?

To automate the deployment and configuration of applications and services on an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can utilize tools such as PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) or Azure Automation. PowerShell DSC allows you to define the desired state of the VM’s configuration and automate the process of applying and maintaining that configuration. Azure Automation provides a cloud-based automation service that can execute runbooks to perform various tasks, including deployment and configuration management.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to apply security updates and patches regularly. How can you automate this process?

To automate the application of security updates and patches on an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can use Azure Update Management. Azure Update Management allows you to schedule and orchestrate the deployment of updates, ensuring that the VM remains up to date with the latest security fixes and patches. It provides centralized control and reporting for managing updates across multiple VMs.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that needs to communicate securely with an Azure SQL Database. How can you achieve secure communication between the VM and the database?

To achieve secure communication between an Azure Virtual Machine and an Azure SQL Database, you can utilize Virtual Network service endpoints and Private Endpoints. By configuring a Virtual Network service endpoint for the Azure SQL Database, you can restrict access to the VM’s virtual network, ensuring that communication occurs over a private network connection rather than the public internet. Additionally, you can use Private Endpoints to securely access the Azure SQL Database over a private IP address.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that requires temporary additional compute resources for a short period to handle a spike in workload. How can you scale up the VM temporarily?

To temporarily scale up an Azure Virtual Machine to handle a spike in workload, you can use the Azure VM resize feature. Azure allows you to change the VM size or series on the fly, allowing you to temporarily allocate more compute resources to the VM. Once the workload spike subsides, you can scale the VM back down to its original size.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that hosts a website, and you want to ensure that the website is accessible over HTTPS. How can you configure HTTPS for the website?

To configure HTTPS for a website hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine, you need to obtain an SSL/TLS certificate and configure the web server software accordingly. You can obtain an SSL/TLS certificate from a trusted certificate authority or use a self-signed certificate for testing purposes. Once you have the certificate, you need to configure the web server software, such as IIS or Apache, to enable HTTPS and bind the certificate to the appropriate website.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to ensure that the VM can recover quickly in the event of a failure. How can you enable VM disaster recovery?

To enable disaster recovery for an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can utilize Azure Site Recovery. Azure Site Recovery allows you to replicate the VM to a secondary Azure region, providing a failover option in case of a disaster. By configuring replication settings and recovery plans, you can ensure that the VM can be quickly recovered and brought online in the secondary region.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that hosts a database server, and you want to ensure high availability and data redundancy. How can you configure database replication?

To configure high availability and data redundancy for a database server hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine, you can utilize database replication features provided by the database software. For example, in SQL Server, you can configure Always On Availability Groups to replicate databases across multiple VMs, ensuring that a copy of the database is available in case of a VM or database failure.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine that requires periodic snapshots of its disks for data protection. How can you configure disk snapshots for the VM?

To configure periodic disk snapshots for an Azure Virtual Machine, you can utilize Azure Disk Snapshot. Azure Disk Snapshot allows you to take point-in-time snapshots of the VM’s disks, capturing the data and configuration at a specific moment. These snapshots can be used for backup purposes or to create new VMs with the same disk state.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to enable remote desktop access for multiple users. How can you achieve this?

To enable remote desktop access for multiple users on an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, you can configure the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role. By installing and configuring the RDS role, you can set up a Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server, which allows multiple users to connect to the VM simultaneously using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to enable remote SSH access for multiple users. How can you achieve this?

To enable remote SSH access for multiple users on an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, you can create separate user accounts for each user and configure SSH access control. By adding user accounts with appropriate permissions and configuring SSH access using SSH keys, you can allow multiple users to connect to the VM securely using their individual credentials.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to deploy and manage containerized applications. How can you achieve this?

To deploy and manage containerized applications on an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, you can use containerization technologies such as Docker. By installing Docker on the VM, you can create and manage containers that encapsulate the application and its dependencies. Additionally, you can utilize container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes or Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, and you want to enforce a specific network traffic routing configuration. How can you achieve this?

To enforce a specific network traffic routing configuration on an Azure Virtual Machine running Linux, you can utilize Network Security Groups (NSGs) and User Defined Routes (UDRs). NSGs allow you to define inbound and outbound traffic rules, providing control over network traffic. UDRs allow you to define custom routing tables, enabling you to control how traffic flows between subnets and virtual networks.

QUESTION: You have an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server, and you want to ensure that it remains accessible even if it is moved to a different physical host. How can you achieve this?

To ensure that an Azure Virtual Machine running Windows Server remains accessible even if it is moved to a different physical host, you can leverage features such as Azure Availability Sets or Availability Zones. Availability Sets distribute VMs across fault domains and update domains, ensuring that VMs remain available even if there are hardware or software failures. Availability Zones provide physically separate data centers within a region, offering even higher levels of fault tolerance and ensuring availability during planned or unplanned maintenance events.