58 Top AWS Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Facing an AWS interview can be daunting, but I am here to help. This comprehensive guide on AWS Interview Questions and Answers is designed to prepare you for success. From understanding core concepts to tackling advanced scenarios, I have compiled essential questions and insightful answers to enhance your knowledge and confidence. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional, this resource offers valuable insights that I found incredibly beneficial in my own journey.

Let’s dive in and make your AWS interview preparation both effective and engaging.

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Basic AWS Interview Questions for Freshers

Here are AWS basic interview questions and answers for fresher as well as experienced candidates to get their dream job.

1) Explain what AWS is?

AWS stands for Amazon Web Service; it is a collection of remote computing services also known as a cloud computing platform.  This new realm of cloud computing is also known as IaaS or Infrastructure as a Service.


2) Mention what the key components of AWS are?

The key components of AWS are

  • Route 53: A DNS web service
  • Simple E-mail Service: It allows sending e-mail using RESTFUL API call or via regular SMTP
  • Identity and Access Management: It provides enhanced security and identity management for your AWS account
  • Simple Storage Device or (S3): It is a storage device and the most widely used AWS service
  • Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2): It provides on-demand computing resources for hosting applications. It is handy in case of unpredictable workloads
  • Elastic Block Store (EBS): It offers persistent storage volumes that attach to EC2 to allow you to persist data past the lifespan of a single Amazon EC2 instance
  • CloudWatch: To monitor AWS resources, It allows administrators to view and collect keys. Also, one can set a notification alarm in case of trouble.

3) Explain what S3 is?

S3 stands for Simple Storage Service. You can use the S3 interface to store and retrieve any amount of data, at any time and from anywhere on the web.  For S3, the payment model is “pay as you go.”


4) What is AMI?

AMI stands for Amazon Machine Image.  It’s a template that provides the information (an operating system, an application server, and applications) required to launch an instance, which is a copy of the AMI running as a virtual server in the cloud.  You can launch instances from as many different AMIs as you need.


5) Mention what the relationship between an instance and AMI is?

From a single AMI, you can launch multiple types of instances.  An instance type defines the hardware of the host computer used for your instance. Each instance type provides different computer and memory capabilities.  Once you launch an instance, it looks like a traditional host, and we can interact with it as we would with any computer.

AWS Interview Questions and Answers
AWS Interview Questions and Answers

6) What does an AMI include?

An AMI includes the following things

  • A template for the root volume for the instance
  • Launch permissions decide which AWS accounts can avail the AMI to launch instances
  • A block device mapping that determines the volumes to attach to the instance when it is launched

7) How can you send a request to Amazon S3?

Amazon S3 is a REST service, and you can send a request by using the REST API or the AWS SDK wrapper libraries that wrap the underlying Amazon S3 REST API.


8) Mention what the difference between Amazon S3 and EC2 is?

The difference between EC2 and Amazon S3 is that

EC2 S3
It is a cloud web service used for hosting your application It is a data storage system where any amount of data can be stored
It is like a huge computer machine which can run either Linux or Windows and can handle applications like PHP, Python, Apache, or any databases It has a REST interface and uses secure HMAC-SHA1 authentication keys

9) How many buckets can you create in AWS by default?

By default, you can create up to 100 buckets in each of your AWS accounts.


10) Explain can you vertically scale an Amazon instance? How?

Yes, you can vertically scale on the Amazon instance. For that

  • Spin up a new larger instance than the one you are currently running
  • Pause that instance and detach the root webs volume from the server and discard
  • Then stop your live instance and detach its root volume
  • Note the unique device ID and attach that root volume to your new server
  • And start it again

11) Explain what T2 instances is?

T2 instances are designed to provide moderate baseline performance and the capability to burst to higher performance as required by the workload.


12) In VPC with private and public subnets, database servers should ideally be launched into which subnet?

With private and public subnets in VPC, database servers should ideally launch into private subnets.


AWS Interview Questions for Intermediate and Experienced

13) Mention what the security best practices for Amazon EC2 are?

For secure Amazon EC2 best practices, follow the following steps

  • Use AWS identity and access management to control access to your AWS resources
  • Restrict access by allowing only trusted hosts or networks to access ports on your instance
  • Review the rules in your security groups regularly
  • Only open up permissions that you require
  • Disable password-based login, for example, launched from your AMI

14) Explain how the buffer is used in Amazon web services?

The buffer is used to make the system more robust to manage traffic or load by synchronizing different components.  Usually, components receive and process the requests in an unbalanced way. With the help of a buffer, the components will be balanced and will work at the same speed to provide faster services.


15) While connecting to your instance what are the possible connection issues one might face?

The possible connection errors one might encounter while connecting instances are

  • Connection timed out
  • User key not recognized by the server
  • Host key not found, permission denied
  • An unprotected private key file
  • Server refused our key or No supported authentication method available
  • Error using MindTerm on Safari Browser
  • Error using Mac OS X RDP Client

16) What are key-pairs in AWS?

Key-pairs are secure login information for your virtual machines. To connect to the instances, you can use key-pairs which contain a public-key and private-key.


17)  What are the different types of instances?

Following are the types of instances:

  • General purpose
  • Computer Optimized
  • Memory Optimized
  • Storage Optimized
  • Accelerated Computing

18) Is the property of broadcast or multicast supported by Amazon VPC?

No, currently Amazon VPI does not provide support for broadcast or multicast.


19) How many Elastic IPs are allowed to be created by AWS?

5 VPC Elastic IP addresses are allowed for each AWS account.


20) Explain default storage class in S3

The default storage class is a Standard frequently accessed.


21) What are the Roles?

Roles are used to provide permissions to entities which you can trust within your AWS account. Roles are very similar to users. However,  with roles, you do not require to create any username and password to work with the resources.


22) What are the edge locations?

Edge location is the area where the contents will be cached. So, when a user is trying to access any content, the content will automatically be searched in the edge location.


Advanced AWS Interview Questions and Answers

23) What is VPC?

aws-logoVPC stands for Virtual Private Cloud. It allows you to customize your networking configuration. It is a network which is logically isolated from another network in the cloud. It allows you to have your IP address range,  internet gateways, subnet, and security groups.


24) Explain snowball

Snowball is a data transport option. It used source appliances to a large amount of data into and out of AWS. With the help of snowball, you can transfer a massive amount of data from one place to another. It helps you to reduce networking costs.


25) What is a redshift?

Redshift is a big data warehouse product. It is a fast and powerful, fully managed data warehouse service in the cloud.


26) What are the advantages of auto-scaling?

Following are the advantages of autoscaling

  • Offers fault tolerance
  • Better availability
  • Better cost management

27) What is meant by subnet?

A large section of IP Addresses divided into chunks is known as subnets.


28) Can you establish a Peering connection to a VPC in a different region?

Yes, we can establish a peering connection to a VPC in a different region. It is called inter-region VPC peering connection.


29) What is SQS?

Simple Queue Service is also known as SQS. It is distributed queuing service which acts as a mediator for two controllers.


30) How many subnets can you have per VPC?

You can have 200 subnets per VPC.


31) DNS  and Load Balancer service comes under which type of cloud service?

DNS and Load Balancer and DNS services come under IAAS-storage cloud service.


32) What is the role of AWS CloudTrail?

CloudTrail is a specially designed tool for logging and tracking API calls. It helps to audit all S3 bucket accesses.


33) When was EC2 officially launched?

EC2 officially launched in the year 2006.


34) What is SimpleDB?

SimpleDB is a data repository of structure record which encourages data doubts and indexing both S3 and EC2are called SimpleDB.


35) Explain Amazon ElasticCache

Amazon Elasticcache is a web service which makes it easy to deploy, scale and store data in the cloud.


36) What is AWS Lambda?

Lambda is an Amazon compute service which allows you to run code in the  AWS Cloud without managing servers.


37) Name the types of AMI provided by AWS

The types of AMI provided by AWS are:

  1. Instance store backed
  2. EBS backed

38) Name the AWS service that exists only to redundantly cache data and images?

AWS Edge locations are services that redundantly cache data and images.


39) Explain Geo Restriction in CloudFront

A Geo-restriction feature helps you to prevent users of specific geographic locations from accessing content which you’re distributing through a CloudFront web distribution.


40) What is Amazon EMR?

EMR is a survived cluster stage which helps you to interpret the working of data structures before the intimation.  Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark on the Amazon Web Services help you to investigate a large amount of data. You can prepare data for the analytics goals and marketing intellect workloads using Apache Hive and using other relevant open-source designs.


AWS Cloud Engineer Interview Questions

41) What is the boot time taken for the instance stored backed AMI?

The boot time for an Amazon instance store-backend AMI is less than 5 minutes.


42) Do you need an internet gateway to use peering connections?

Yes, the Internet gateway is needed to use VPC (virtual private cloud peering) connections.


43) How to connect EBS volume to multiple instances?

We can’t be able to connect EBS volume to multiple instances.  However, you can connect various EBS Volumes to a single instance.


44) List different types of cloud services

Various types of cloud services are:

  • Software as a Service (SaaS),
  • Data as a Service (DaaS)
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS)
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

45) State the difference between An Instance  and AMI

AMI is a template consisting of software configuration part. For example Operating systems, applications, application servers if you start an instance, a duplicate of the AMI in a row as an attendant in the cloud.


46) What are the different types of Load Balancers in AWS services?

AWS offers several types of load balancers, each designed to meet specific needs and use cases in cloud environments. Here are the main types:

  1. Classic Load Balancer (CLB)
  2. Application Load Balancer (ALB)
  3. Network Load Balancer (NLB)
  4. Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB)

47) In which situation you will select provisioned IOPS over Standard RDS storage?

You should select provisioned IOPS storage over standard RDS storage if you want to perform batch-related workloads.


48) What are the important features of Amazon cloud search?

Important features of the Amazon cloud are:

  • Boolean searches
  • Prefix Searches
  • Range searches
  • Entire text search
  • AutoComplete advice

49) Can vertically scaling is allowed in  Amazon Instance?

Yes, you can vertically estimate one Amazon instance.


50) What is the use of lifecycle hooks in Autoscaling?

Lifecycle hooks are used for autoscaling to put an additional wait time to a scale in or scale out event.


51) What are the various layers of Cloud Architecture explained in AWS training?

Different layers of cloud architecture are:

  • Cloud controller
  • Cluster controller
  • Storage Controller
  • Node Controller

52) What are the storage class available in Amazon s3?

Storage classes available with Amazon s3 are:

  • Amazon S3 standard
  • Amazon S3 standard-infrequent Access
  • Amazon S3 Reduced Redundancy Storage
  • Amazon Glacier

53) Name some of the DB engines which can be used in AWS RDS

  1. MS-SQL DB
  2. MariaDB
  3. MYSQL DB
  4. OracleDB
  5. PostgreDB

54) What is CloudWatch?

Amazon CloudWatch is an AWS service for monitoring and managing AWS resources and applications. It tracks performance metrics, collects and stores log data, sets alarms for specific thresholds, and provides dashboards for real-time insights. CloudWatch helps ensure your AWS environment is efficient, secure, and performing optimally. Features of CloudWatch:

  • Metrics Monitoring: Collects and tracks performance metrics like CPU usage, disk I/O, network traffic, and custom metrics.
  • Log Management: Allows collection, monitoring, and storage of log files for real-time troubleshooting.
  • Alarms: Creates alarms based on metrics thresholds to trigger notifications or automated actions.
  • Dashboards: Provides customizable dashboards to visualize metrics and logs in one place.
  • Events: Responds to AWS resource changes by triggering actions like Lambda functions or notifications.

55) What is the difference between a Spot Instance, an On-demand Instance, and a Reserved Instance?

A Spot Instance is a type of Amazon EC2 instance that you can purchase at a lower price, with the trade-off that it can be terminated by AWS if the capacity is needed elsewhere. An On-Demand Instance is an EC2 instance that you pay for by the hour or second with no long-term commitment, giving you flexibility and control over your usage. A Reserved Instance is an EC2 instance that you commit to using for a 1 or 3-year term, offering significant discounts compared to On-Demand pricing.


56) Is there any other alternative tool to log into the cloud environment other than console?

Yes, there are several alternative tools to log into a cloud environment besides using the cloud provider’s web console:

  • Command Line Interface (CLI): Manage cloud resources via command-line tools like AWS CLI, Azure CLI, or Google Cloud SDK.
  • Cloud SDKs: Use programming languages to interact with cloud services (e.g., AWS SDK, Azure SDK).
  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools: Automate cloud resource management with tools like Terraform and CloudFormation.
  • Third-Party Management Platforms: Use tools like Vault, Puppet, Chef, and Ansible for advanced management and security.
  • API Access: Interact with cloud services programmatically via APIs.
  • RDP/SSH: Directly log into cloud instances using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or SSH.

57) How do you monitor Amazon VPC?

Monitoring an Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) by using:

  • Amazon CloudWatch: Use VPC Flow Logs for traffic monitoring and set metrics and alarms.
  • AWS CloudTrail: Track API activity for security and auditing.
  • AWS Config: Monitor VPC configuration changes.
  • VPC Traffic Mirroring: Analyze network traffic with mirroring.
  • Third-Party Tools: Use tools like Datadog or Splunk for advanced monitoring.
  • VPC Peering Monitoring: Monitor traffic across VPC peering connections.

58) What are the strategies to create a highly available and fault-tolerant AWS architecture for critical web applications?

To create a highly available and fault-tolerant AWS architecture for critical web applications, consider the following strategies:

  • Multi-AZ Deployment: Distribute applications across multiple Availability Zones (AZs) for redundancy and minimized downtime.
  • Load Balancing: Use Elastic Load Balancers (ELB) to distribute traffic across multiple instances.
  • Auto Scaling: Automatically scale resources based on demand to maintain performance and availability.
  • Data Replication: Use RDS Multi-AZ, S3 Cross-Region Replication, and DynamoDB Global Tables for data redundancy.
  • Health Checks and Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring with Amazon CloudWatch and automated health checks.
  • Disaster Recovery (DR) Plans: Develop DR strategies using AWS Backup, Route 53, and failover mechanisms.

Preparing for an AWS interview involves understanding various topics, from AWS fundamentals and key components to technical details like AMIs, EC2 instances, and S3 storage. Focus on practical applications and hands-on experience with AWS services to effectively demonstrate your knowledge. I believe familiarity with security practices, scaling strategies, and AWS terminologies is vital. With thorough preparation, you can confidently answer AWS-related questions and enhance your chances of success.

These interview questions will also help in your viva(orals). Refer our AWS Tutorials for an extra edge in your interview. Good luck!

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60 Comments

  1. Avatar gutta naresh says:

    nice,thnak u very much and i want to more interview questions on aws

    1. Good questions . Thanks a lot!

  2. Avatar Venkat kammari says:

    Very good thank you for nice explanation.

  3. Avatar Manish Dixit says:

    Question 46, types of load balancer… I think 3 types of load balancer… Application , network and classic

    1. Actually 4 types
      1 Classic LB
      2 Network LB
      3 Application LB
      4 Gateway LB

    2. Avatar भुवन says:

      Yes,you are right

  4. Avatar Pradeep N says:

    thank you, very use full questions.

  5. Avatar Purushottam says:

    One correction peering connection is possible in different reason

    1. Thanks for writing. It is reviewed and updated.

  6. Avatar Mani Kumar says:

    Very very nice and good explanation..we need more questions on aws that can helpful for us..Thank you in Advance !..

  7. Avatar Prabhakar says:

    Thanks so much for your interview questions on AWS. It is very helpful. Could you please upload scenario based questions and step by step process wise scenarios. It would be more helpful. Greatly appreciate. Thanks in advance..

  8. this interview question is very use full to me

  9. Answer is incorrect for “Can you establish a Peering connection to a VPC in a different region?”
    you can establish a peering connect across regions and accounts, it is possible.

    1. Thanks for writing. It is reviewed and updated.

  10. Avatar ravindra naik says:

    thank you very helpfull

  11. Avatar Ramakrishna says:

    I want to more aws questions pls provide

    Thank you very much nice explanation

  12. Avatar Ramakrishna says:

    Thank you very much nice explanation

  13. Good questions . Thanks a lot!

  14. any one can explain about Peering connection

    1. Thank you for this interview question and answer I would love to see more

  15. well questions for revise subject but better to provide analitical questions on aws…

  16. Good Questions Thanks, but answers can be better described in a bit better English.

  17. Avatar Jino Lifni Rajan says:

    Very good understanding and clear explanation.

  18. Avatar Mahesha Chinnaswamy says:

    For question no 28 – We can establish peering connection between VPCs in different regions.

    1. Thanks for writing. It is updated.

  19. Q28 VPC Peering between different regions is wrong. AWS allows for VPC peering where the VPC’s are in different regions.

    1. Also, Q29, SQL – I think you meant SQS – Simple Queue Service.

    2. Thanks for writing. It is reviewed and updated.

    3. I completed cloud aws beginner level course in udemy. Can you please guide me where to start learning for associate level. Also it will be very great to know any coaching centre suggestions. Thank you in advance

  20. Avatar Manish Mukul says:

    Very good thank you for nice explanation.

  21. 28) Can you establish a Peering connection to a VPC in a different region?
    No, It’s only possible between VPCs in the same region.

    Yes we can create vpc peering from one region to another region and also
    one account to another account

    1. Thanks for writing. It is updated.

  22. 29) question needs correction- It should be – What is SQS*

    1. Thanks for writing. It is corrected.

  23. Many service features have updated since this is written and it needs to be updated.

  24. Avatar Bile Bakshi says:

    Answer of the question no 28. Is wrong. You can create peering connection between two different regions. Please review this answer of this question what I mentioned.
    Thanks…

    1. Thanks for writing. It is reviewed and updated.

  25. Thanks for compiling the list of questions. A quick observation – the content seems to be outdated.

  26. Avatar Mohd majid Ahmed says:

    Good content
    Thanks alot

  27. Avatar Mr. Scott says:

    I appreciated all of the information. I’d recommend proofreading as there are a number of grammatical mistakes.

    1. yes a number of key mistakes; also, some out of date items, get in touch with me and I will be happy to partner with you and clean it up?

  28. Avatar Soumyadip Chatterjee says:

    Excellent bunch of questions & answers , very helpful

  29. que no. 28 VPCs across accounts and AWS Regions can also be peered together
    que. no. 29 it is SQS not SQL.

    1. Hi, thanks for writing and drawing attention. Both the questions are reviewed and updated.

  30. Avatar Lucy Wagoro says:

    Wonderful explanation, looking forward for more quizes

  31. Brilliant information, thanks much……

  32. Dilip Prajapati says:

    Some of the answer not properly explained.
    Like what are the roles?
    Rather than explaining about roles
    It’s characteristics were explained.

    Some typo mistake
    29) what is SQL
    Correct ans is structured query language
    But here it’s explained as simple queue service …Which is wrong.

    1. Hi, thanks for writing and drawing attention. The content is reviewed and updated.

    2. No SQs is one of AWS webservice ..so that is correcr

  33. Avatar Ankit Gautam says:

    Why we are unable to add a DynamoDB trigger with read access to the lambda function ?

  34. Computer Optimized is typo error in types of instances, pls correct it to Compute Optimized

  35. Really nice questions!!

    1. Thank you for the info very helpful

  36. Can u use parts of an heat treated vessel for example the head use it again and heat treat it again

  37. Avatar Ram shinde says:

    Its very usefull to us

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