A Guide to Azure Data Engineer Interview Questions

Landing a job as an Azure Data Engineer can be a challenging task, especially if you're new to the field. But don't worry, we've got you covered.

In this article, we'll explore the most common Azure Data Engineer Interview Questions you'll encounter and how to answer them with confidence. From the basics of Azure to complex data engineering concepts, we'll cover it all. So, buckle up and let's get started!

Overview of azure Data engineering

Understanding azure data engineering

Azure Data Engineering is the process of designing, developing, and managing data solutions on the Azure cloud platform. This includes data warehousing, data management, security and compliance, and DevOps. Azure Data Engineers are responsible for ensuring that these solutions are efficient, secure, and scalable.

Azure data engineering vs. Other data engineering

Azure Data Engineering is a specific type of data engineering that focuses on the Azure cloud platform. Other types of data engineering may focus on different platforms or technologies. However, the principles of data engineering are the same, regardless of the platform.

Azure data engineering tools

Azure offers a wide range of tools for data engineers to use, including:

• Azure Data Factory: a cloud-based data integration service that allows for the creation and scheduling of data pipelines.
• Azure Stream Analytics: a real-time data stream processing service.
• Azure Data Lake Storage: a cloud-based data lake for storing and processing large amounts of data.
• Azure Databricks: a fast, easy, and collaborative Apache Spark-based big data platform.

Understanding azure data warehousing

Azure synapse analytics

Azure Synapse Analytics is a big data analytics service that provides a seamless experience between big data and data warehousing. It allows organizations to analyze data using Azure Data Lake Storage and Azure SQL Data Warehouse.

Azure SQL data warehouse

Azure SQL Data Warehouse is a cloud-based data warehousing service that uses the SQL Server engine. It provides a fast and flexible way to analyze large amounts of data.

Azure cosmos DB

Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database service designed for use with applications that require seamless access to data.

Understanding azure data management

Azure data catalog

Azure Data Catalog is a metadata management service that makes it easy for users to discover and understand data sources.

Azure data share

Azure Data Share is a data sharing service that makes it easy to securely share data with external partners.

Azure databricks delta

Azure Databricks Delta is a fast, scalable, and collaborative big data platform that allows organizations to store and process big data.

Understanding azure security and compliance

Azure active directory

Azure Active Directory is a cloud-based identity and access management service. It provides secure and seamless access to resources for users.

Azure key vault

Azure Key Vault is a secure storage solution for sensitive information such as keys, passwords, and certificates.

Azure policy

Azure Policy is a service that helps organizations enforce compliance and security standards.

Azure Data Engineer interview questions

What is azure?

Azure is a cloud computing platform and infrastructure created by Microsoft for building, deploying, and managing applications and services through a global network of Microsoft-managed datacenters. It provides a range of services, including virtual machines, web applications, and data storage.

What is your experience with azure services?

This is a common question that will come up in any interview for a role in Azure. Be prepared to discuss your experience with various Azure services, such as Azure Virtual Machines, Azure App Services, and Azure Storage. If you have hands-on experience deploying and managing these services, be sure to highlight that. If you're new to Azure, don't worry. The interviewer will likely be more interested in your overall technical ability and willingness to learn new things.

What is an Azure Data Engineer?

An Azure Data Engineer is responsible for designing, building, and deploying data solutions on Azure. This can include tasks such as creating data storage solutions, integrating data from various sources, and building data pipelines to move data to and from Azure services.

Can you explain the difference between azure storage and azure SQL database?

Azure Storage is a non-relational data storage solution offered by Azure. It provides scalable and highly available data storage for a variety of data types, including blobs, files, tables, and queues. Azure SQL Database, on the other hand, is a fully-managed relational database service that provides managed instances of SQL Server in the cloud.

The key difference between the two is that Azure Storage is a non-relational data store, while Azure SQL Database is a relational database. This means that Azure Storage is better suited for storing large amounts of structured and unstructured data, while Azure SQL Database is better suited for complex data relationships and transactions.

How would you approach designing a data solution on azure?

When designing a data solution on Azure, it's important to start by understanding the requirements of the solution. This includes understanding the data sources, the data storage requirements, the data processing requirements, and the data delivery requirements.

Once you have a good understanding of the requirements, you can then start to design the solution. This can involve selecting the appropriate Azure services to meet the requirements, such as Azure Storage or Azure SQL Database, and designing the data pipelines to move data to and from these services.

It's also significant to consider the scalability and availability requirements of the solution, as well as security and compliance requirements.

Additional potential questions

• What is an Azure Virtual Machine, and how would you use it in a data solution?
• Can you explain the purpose of Azure Data Lake Storage?
• How would you migrate data from an on-premises database to Azure?
• Can you discuss your experience with Azure DevOps?
• What is Azure Cosmos DB, and when would you use it in a data solution?
• Can you explain the difference between a PaaS and IaaS solution in Azure?
• Can you discuss your experience with Azure Stream Analytics?
• How would you approach designing a disaster recovery solution on Azure?
• Can you explain the role of Azure Functions in a data solution?
• How would you monitor the performance of a data solution on Azure?
• Can you discuss your experience with data security in Azure?
• What is Azure Synapse Analytics, and when would you use it in a data solution?