1. What is Microsoft Azure and why is it used?
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Microsoft Azure is comprehensive cloud computing platform that offers services like networking, storage, artificial intelligence and computing power. It helps organizations build, deploy and manage applications efficiently through secure and scalable cloud solutions. Azure guarantees high availability, flexibility and performance for contemporary business operations through its global network of server centers.
2. How are Azure Virtual Machines different from Azure App Services?
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Azure Virtual Machines provide complete control over the operating system and server configuration, making them ideal for customized and complex workloads. Azure App Service, on the other hand, provides a fully managed environment for web application hosting without requiring server management. While App Service concentrates on easier deployment and less maintenance work, Virtual Machines offer flexibility and customization.
3. What is the purpose of an Azure Subscription?
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An Azure Subscription serves as a logical container that holds and organizes resources such as virtual machines, storage accounts and databases. It also links these resources to billing and access management systems. By using multiple subscriptions, organizations can separate development, testing and production environments, improving governance, budgeting and overall resource management.
4. How does a User Account differ from an Administrator Account in Azure?
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A User Account has limited permissions that allow access only to assigned applications and resources, supporting day-to-day operations. In contrast, an Administrator Account holds elevated privileges for managing resources, configuring services and implementing policies. Because of their higher control levels, administrator accounts require strict security and monitoring to maintain governance and prevent misuse.
5. What are Azure Roles and how does Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) function?
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Azure Roles define specific permissions such as viewing, editing or managing resources, with predefined roles like Reader, Contributor and Owner. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) uses these roles to assign appropriate access levels to users, groups or applications. Properly configured RBAC ensures that users have only the necessary permissions, enhancing security and maintaining compliance with organizational standards.
6. What is the role of an Azure Resource Group?
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An Azure Resource Group functions as a logical container that organizes and manages related cloud resources, such as virtual machines, databases and storage accounts. It simplifies administration, monitoring and access control for grouped assets. Resource Groups promote consistency, efficient lifecycle management and better cost tracking within an Azure environment.
7. How is an Azure Tenant different from a Subscription?
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An Azure Tenant represents an organization’s dedicated instance of Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Active Directory), responsible for managing identities, users and authentication. A Subscription, on the other hand, is tied to a Tenant and controls billing, service access and resource allocation. While Tenants focus on identity and access management, Subscriptions handle the operational and financial aspects of Azure services.
8. What is the function of an Azure Policy?
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Azure Policies are designed to enforce rules and governance standards within a cloud environment, ensuring resources are deployed in compliance with organizational or regulatory requirements. They help maintain consistency, security and cost control by automatically monitoring and restricting non-compliant configurations. These policies ensure efficient and standardized cloud management across all resources.
9. What does Azure Monitor do?
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Azure Monitor is a cloud-based service that gathers metrics, logs and telemetry data from applications and infrastructure. It provides real-time insights into performance, availability and resource utilization to help detect and resolve potential issues. By improving observability, Azure Monitor enables proactive management and enhances the reliability of cloud-based systems.
10. How does traditional on-premises IT differ from Azure cloud management?
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Traditional on-premises IT depends on physical hardware, manual updates and limited scalability, often leading to higher costs and maintenance overhead. In contrast, Azure cloud management offers automated updates, global scalability, built-in security and pay-as-you-go flexibility. This cloud-based approach reduces operational complexity, improves agility and supports faster innovation compared to traditional IT models.