AWS Job Assessment Q/A (Part 2)

Welcome back to our essential AWS Job Assessment Q/A series!

Continuing from our previous post, where we shared the first set of essential AWS interview questions and answers, here are more critical questions to aid your preparation further.

Be sure to check out Part 1: Click Here of our AWS Interview Preparation series for a comprehensive start.

Q11: Does RAID 1 protect against accidentally deleting a company’s data?

1. Yes, as data is replicated on at least two disks.
2. No, as data is removed from all disks in parallel.
3. Yes, RAID 1 mirrors at least one disk that doesn’t fail.
4. No, for all disks would fail at the same time.

Correct Option: 2

Reason for each option:

• Yes, as data is replicated on at least two disks: Incorrect 

While RAID 1 replicates data on at least two disks, this replication includes any deletions. Therefore, if data is accidentally deleted, the deletion occurs on all mirrored disks, meaning RAID 1 does not protect against accidental deletions.

• No, as data is removed from all disks in parallel: Correct 

RAID 1 is designed for redundancy and fault tolerance by mirroring data across multiple disks. While it protects against hardware failures by ensuring that data is available on at least one other disk if one disk fails, it does not protect against accidental deletion. When data is deleted, the deletion is replicated across all mirrored disks simultaneously.

• Yes, RAID 1 mirrors at least one disk that doesn’t fail: Incorrect 

RAID 1 protects against disk failures but not against data deletions. When data is deleted, it is deleted from all mirrored disks simultaneously, so this statement is incorrect in the context of protecting against accidental deletions.

• No, for all disks would fail at the same time: Incorrect 

This statement is incorrect because RAID 1 is designed to protect against disk failures. The likelihood of all disks failing simultaneously is low, and RAID 1 ensures data redundancy in case of a single disk failure. However, this does not address the issue of accidental deletions.

Q12: Which migration method is suitable for migrating from an on-premises MS SQL Server database to a cloud-based, open-source database like Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL?

1. Rehosting
2. Replatforming
3. Refactoring
4. Repurchasing

Correct answer: 2

Checkout our blog on AWS Database Migration Service

Reason for each option:

• Rehosting: Incorrect 

Also known as “lift and shift,” rehosting involves moving applications as-is from on-premises to the cloud without changing the architecture. This would typically mean moving your MS SQL Server database to a cloud-based MS SQL Server instance, not converting it to PostgreSQL.

• Replatforming: Correct 

This approach involves moving the database to a different platform (cloud-based) while potentially changing the database management system (DBMS) from MS SQL Server to PostgreSQL. This aligns with your scenario of migrating to a cloud-based, open-source database like Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL.

• Refactoring: Incorrect 

Refactoring, or re-architecting, involves reimagining how the application is architected and developed, typically using cloud-native features. This would mean significant changes to the application code and database design to optimize for the cloud environment, which is more complex and resource-intensive than re-platforming.

• Repurchasing: Incorrect 

Repurchasing involves moving to a different product entirely, typically a SaaS (Software as a Service) model. This could mean replacing your on-premises MS SQL Server with a cloud-based SaaS application that might have its built-in database, which is not directly applicable to the scenario of migrating to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL.

Q13: How many public IP addresses are required to host and run a single website on four web servers in a private subnet area, where the website should be accessible to users from the internet?

1. 1
2. 0
3. 4
4. 2

Correct answer: 1

Reason for each option:

• 1: Correct 

To host and run a single website on four web servers in a private subnet, you only need one public IP address. This public IP address will be assigned to a load balancer (such as an Elastic Load Balancer in AWS), which will distribute incoming traffic to the four web servers in the private subnet. This setup ensures that the website is accessible from the internet while keeping the web servers private.

• 0: Incorrect 

Without any public IP address, the website would not be accessible to users from the internet. A public IP address is necessary for the load balancer to receive traffic from the internet and direct it to the web servers in the private subnet.

• 4: Incorrect 

Assigning a public IP address to each of the four web servers is unnecessary and inefficient. It complicates the setup and management while exposing each server directly to the internet, which increases the attack surface. Using a load balancer with one public IP address is a better approach for managing traffic and maintaining security.

• 2: Incorrect 

While this is a more plausible option than 0 or 4, it is still unnecessary to use two public IP addresses for this setup. One public IP address assigned to a load balancer is sufficient to handle traffic for the four web servers. Using two public IP addresses does not provide any additional benefit in this context and may lead to unnecessary complexity.

Q14: Why would you prefer cloud computing over on-premises data centers? Select two options.

1. Offers a pay-as-you-go model.
2. Flexible and secure management for physical infrastructure.
3. Ability to use geo-dispersed regions.
4. Offers outsourcing security to a cloud provider.

Correct Options: 1,3

Check out our blog on What is Cloud Migration?

Reason for each option:

• Offers a pay-as-you-go model: Correct

Cloud computing typically operates on a pay-as-you-go model, allowing organizations to pay only for the resources they use, which can significantly reduce costs compared to the fixed costs of maintaining on-premises data centers.

• Flexible and secure management for physical infrastructure: Incorrect

This is generally not considered an advantage of cloud computing. On-premises data centers offer full control over physical infrastructure, but cloud providers manage the infrastructure in their facilities. However, many cloud providers offer robust security features and tools for managing your resources in the cloud.

• Ability to use geo-dispersed regions: Correct

Cloud providers offer data centers in various geographic locations. This allows you to store your data and applications closer to your users, improving performance and reducing latency. Additionally, geo-dispersion provides redundancy and disaster recovery benefits. If a natural disaster or outage affects one region, your data and applications can be easily accessed from another.

• Offers outsourcing security to a cloud provider: Incorrect

Although cloud providers do offer security services, outsourcing security is not the primary reason for preferring cloud computing over on-premises data centers. The main advantages are cost-efficiency and geographic distribution capabilities.

Q15: What are two relevant factors that best describe the time needed for data migration? Select two options.

1. Data encoding
2. Data schema
3. Transmission bandwidth
4. Data volume

Correct Option: 3, 4

Reason for each option: 

• Data encoding: Incorrect

Data encoding is related to how data is represented and stored but does not directly impact the time needed for data migration. While it can affect data integrity and compatibility, it is not a primary factor in migration time.

• Data schema: Incorrect

Data schema refers to the structure of the data (e.g., tables, columns, relationships) but does not directly influence the speed of data migration. The complexity of the schema may affect the preparation and transformation stages but not the actual time required for the data transfer itself.

• Transmission bandwidth: Correct

The transmission bandwidth refers to the capacity of the network connection used to transfer data during migration. Higher bandwidth allows for faster data transfer speeds, which can reduce the time needed for migration. Conversely, limited bandwidth can result in slower data transfer rates, thereby increasing the time required for migration.

• Data volume: Correct

The amount of data being migrated plays a significant role in determining the time required for the migration process. Larger data volumes typically require more time to transfer, regardless of the speed of the transmission. The size of the data impacts the overall migration duration as it involves reading, transferring, and writing large amounts of information.

Q16: A service running on 10,000 IoT devices having private IP addresses will require how many minimum numbers of public IP addresses? 

1. 10,000
2. 1,000
3. 2
4. 1

Correct Option: 4

Reason for each option:

• 10,000: Incorrect

Assigning a public IP address to each of the 10,000 devices is unnecessary and impractical because a single public IP can handle the NAT for all devices. Public IP addresses are a valuable resource, and managing that many would be complex and expensive.

• 1,000: Incorrect

Similar to 10,000 IPs, assigning 1,000 public IPs is excessive. You only need one public IP for the intermediary that acts as the internet gateway for the 10,000 devices.

• 2: Incorrect

While you could potentially configure a more complex setup with two public IPs (one for redundancy), it’s generally not necessary for a basic scenario. A single public IP is sufficient to manage the communication for all 10,000 devices through NAT or a load balancer.

• 1: Correct

You can use a single public IP address assigned to a gateway, load balancer, or NAT (Network Address Translation) device to allow the 10,000 IoT devices with private IP addresses to communicate with the internet. The devices will use the public IP address for outbound communication, while the inbound traffic can be routed back to the appropriate devices using port forwarding or similar techniques.

Q17: The GET and _____ methods are similar to one another, other than the server MUST NOT return a response body when responding to a _____ request.

1. PUT
2. UPDATE
3. POST
4. HEAD

Correct option: 4

The complete correct answer is: The GET and HEAD methods are similar to one another, other than the server MUST NOT return a response body when responding to a HEAD request.

Reason for each option:

• PUT: incorrect

The PUT method is used to update or create a resource on the server. It is not similar to GET in terms of returning a response body.

• UPDATE: Incorrect

UPDATE is not a standard HTTP method. The correct method for updating resources in RESTful APIs is usually PUT or PATCH.

• POST: Incorrect

The POST method is used to submit data to the server to create or update a resource. It generally includes a request body and expects a response body, making it dissimilar to GET in this context.

• HEAD: correct

The GET and HEAD methods are similar in that both are used to retrieve information from the server. However, the key difference is that when responding to a HEAD request, the server MUST NOT return a response body, only the headers.

Q18: Which system will block website attacks?

1. Application firewall
2. Machines learning technologies
3. Intrusion detection system
4. Index technologies
5. NAT gateways

Correct Option: 1

Reason for each option:

• Application firewall: Correct

An application firewall, such as a Web Application Firewall (WAF), is designed to monitor and filter HTTP/HTTPS traffic to and from a web application. It protects websites by blocking attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other common web exploits.

• Machines learning technologies: Incorrect

While machine learning can be used to analyze traffic patterns and identify potential threats, it’s not a standalone system for blocking attacks. Machine learning can be integrated with other security tools like WAFs to improve threat detection.

• Intrusion detection system: Incorrect

An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and potential threats. However, an IDS typically detects and alerts on attacks but does not block them.

• Index technologies: Incorrect

Index technologies are used for organizing and retrieving data efficiently and are not related to blocking website attacks.

• NAT gateways: Incorrect

Network Address Translation (NAT) gateways translate private IP addresses to public IP addresses for a network. While NAT can improve security to some extent by hiding internal network structure, it’s not designed to specifically block website attacks.

Q19: Why are heterogeneous database migrations complex? Select two options.

1. SQL queries that run on the source database inherently run slower on the target database.
2. There may be incompatibilities of schema and database code.
3. Keeping databases in sync can be challenging for live applications.
4. You must export all data to flat files before importing it to the new database.
   

Correct Option: 2, 3

Reason for each option:

• SQL queries that run on the source database inherently run slower on the target database: Incorrect

This is not necessarily true. The performance of SQL queries depends on various factors such as the database engine, indexing, query optimization, and hardware resources. It is not a given that queries will run slower on the target database.

• There may be incompatibilities of schema and database code: Correct

Heterogeneous database migrations involve moving data from one type of database to another (e.g., from Oracle to MySQL). Different databases often have varying schemas, data types, and database-specific code (such as stored procedures, triggers, and functions), making it challenging to ensure compatibility and functionality in the target database.

• Keeping databases in sync can be challenging for live applications: Correct

During a migration, you might need to keep the source database operational while migrating data to the new system. This can be challenging, as ensuring data consistency between the source and target databases during the migration process requires careful planning and execution.

• You must export all data to flat files before importing it to the new database: Incorrect

While exporting data to flat files is one method of migration, it is not a requirement for all migrations. There are various tools and methods available that allow for direct data transfer between databases without the need to use flat files.

Q20: Which steps are essential to accelerate a heavily used and globally distributed e-commerce application? Select all that apply.

1. Disaster recovery site implementation.
2. Distribute the database globally.
3. Global content delivery via CDN.
4. Centralized logging and monitoring.
5. Use in-memory data stores to accelerate read operations.

Correct Options: 2,3

Reason for each option:

• Disaster recovery site implementation: Incorrect

While important for ensuring application availability and business continuity, implementing a disaster recovery site does not directly contribute to accelerating the performance of a heavily used application. It is more about resilience and recovery rather than performance enhancement.

• Distribute the database globally: Correct

Distributing the database across multiple geographic regions can significantly reduce latency for users by ensuring that they interact with the database server closest to them. This helps in providing faster data access and improves the overall user experience.

• Global content delivery via CDN: Correct

Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) ensures that static content (such as images, CSS files, and JavaScript files) is cached and delivered from servers located closer to the end users. This reduces load times and enhances the performance of the application, especially for a globally distributed user base.

• Centralized logging and monitoring: Incorrect

Centralized logging and monitoring are crucial for maintaining, debugging, and optimizing applications. However, they do not directly accelerate the application’s performance. They provide insights and data that help in identifying performance issues but do not contribute to speed directly.

• Use in-memory data stores to accelerate read operations: Not Selected

This option is indeed important for accelerating read operations and improving performance. In-memory data stores, such as Redis or Memcached, can significantly speed up data retrieval times by storing frequently accessed data in memory rather than on disk. This option should also be considered correct for enhancing the performance of a heavily used application.

Conclusion

In this blog, we’ve continued our essential AWS Interview Preparation Questions & Answers series by sharing more critical questions to aid your preparation. By studying and practicing these questions, you can enhance your knowledge and confidence, improving your chances of landing your desired AWS role.

Whether you’re an experienced professional or new to AWS, this guide will be valuable in your interview preparation. Remember, preparation is the key to success. Be sure to check out Part 1: Click Here , Part 3: Click Here, and Part 4 Click Here of our AWS Interview Preparation series for a comprehensive start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related/References

• AWS Cloud Job Oriented Program: Step-by-Step Hands-on Labs & Projects
• AWS Exploration: Amazon Web Services
• AWS Certification Path: Learn AWS Certification Hierarchy 2024
• Overview of Amazon Web Services & Concept
• AWS Management Console Walkthrough
• How to create a free tier account in AWS
• AWS Management Console

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