Top 50+ AWS Interview Questions and Answers (2025)
Ethan Wright
Preparing for an AWS Interview? It is essential to anticipate the type of questions that could come your way. These discussions reveal technical depth, problem-solving ability, and adaptability in evolving cloud environments.
The opportunities are vast, with AWS interview questions and answers designed to evaluate technical expertise, professional experience, and domain expertise. From freshers to senior professionals with 5 years or 10 years of working in the field, candidates are tested on analyzing skills, root-level experience, and the ability to work with team leaders, managers, and seniors. Cracking such sessions requires not just technical experience but also the right skillset to handle basic, advanced, and even viva-style queries.
Our content draws on insights from more than 45 managers, over 70 professionals, and feedback from 60+ technical leaders across industries. These sources ensure credibility, covering common and top areas candidates must master, from fundamentals to advanced scenarios.
Best AWS Interview Questions and Answers
Here are the Top 50 curated AWS interview questions with comprehensive answers for you:
1) Explain what Amazon Web Services (AWS) is and why it is widely used
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a comprehensive cloud computing platform offered by Amazon. It provides infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS) solutions. The primary reason AWS has achieved market dominance is its global availability, pay-as-you-go pricing model, and vast service catalog. Enterprises and startups alike leverage AWS to reduce capital expenditure, scale applications quickly, and improve resiliency. For example, Netflix relies on AWS to stream content globally, handling fluctuating traffic demands without owning traditional data centers.
2) What are the different types of cloud computing models supported by AWS?
AWS supports three main deployment models: public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud. The public cloud involves services delivered over the internet and shared among multiple organizations. A private cloud provides a dedicated environment for a single entity, often required in regulated industries. Hybrid cloud blends both, allowing sensitive workloads to remain private while scaling with the public cloud for elasticity. Organizations choose based on compliance requirements, cost factors, and workload characteristics. For instance, banks often prefer hybrid models to balance strict data security with cost efficiency.
3) How does AWS differ from traditional on-premises IT infrastructure?
Traditional IT requires large upfront investments in hardware, long procurement cycles, and manual scaling. AWS eliminates these barriers by enabling on-demand provisioning, automated scaling, and usage-based billing. The difference between the two lies in cost predictability and agility. While on-premises offers control, it lacks elasticity. For example, an e-commerce business facing seasonal spikes may struggle with idle resources post-holiday season on-premises, whereas AWS automatically scales resources, reducing both risk and wastage.
4) Which are the core components of AWS that form the backbone of most workloads?
The most critical AWS components include Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for scalable computing, Simple Storage Service (S3) for object storage, Identity and Access Management (IAM) for security, and Relational Database Service (RDS) for managed databases. These services represent compute, storage, security, and database layers that underpin almost every AWS solution. For instance, a web application may host its backend on EC2, store static files in S3, manage users with IAM, and store transactional data in RDS.
5) How does Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) work, and what benefits does it provide?
EC2 provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud. Users can launch virtual servers called instances, select operating systems, configure storage, and scale capacity as needed. Key benefits include flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. Instances can be customized with instance families optimized for compute, memory, or storage. For example, a machine learning workload may use GPU-optimized instances, while a high-traffic web server may require compute-optimized instances.
6) Do you know the different types of EC2 instances, and when should each be used?
AWS offers several instance families:
- General Purpose – balanced compute and memory (e.g., t3, m5).
- Compute Optimized – intensive compute tasks like web servers (c5).
- Memory Optimized – in-memory databases or caching (r5, x1).
- Storage Optimized – high I/O workloads (i3).
- Accelerated Computing – GPUs or FPGAs for AI (p3, g4).
Choosing depends on workload factors such as throughput requirements, memory footprint, and graphical processing.
7) What is an Amazon Machine Image (AMI), and how is it related to EC2?
An AMI is a pre-configured template containing the operating system, software, and settings required to launch an EC2 instance. It enables consistent replication of environments. For example, if a company wants identical application servers across multiple regions, it can create a custom AMI and launch instances from it. This ensures uniform configurations and faster deployments compared to manually setting up servers.
8) When should organizations use Auto Scaling in AWS?
Auto Scaling is used when workloads have variable demand. It automatically adjusts the number of EC2 instances to maintain performance while minimizing costs. For example, an online retailer might expect traffic surges during festive sales. Auto Scaling adds instances during peak traffic and removes them afterward, optimizing both user experience and cost. Benefits include resilience, fault tolerance, and efficient resource utilization.
9) What is the difference between Amazon S3 and Amazon EBS?
While both are storage services, they serve different purposes. Amazon S3 is object storage ideal for static assets such as images, backups, and big data. Elastic Block Store (EBS) is block storage attached to EC2 instances, functioning like a traditional hard drive.
| Factor | S3 | EBS |
|---|---|---|
| Data Type | Object storage | Block storage |
| Access | REST APIs, web interfaces | Mounted as drives |
| Scalability | Virtually unlimited | Limited to instance capacity |
| Use Cases | Backups, media hosting, data lakes | Databases, OS disks, applications |
10) Explain S3 storage classes and lifecycle policies with examples.
S3 offers multiple storage classes: Standard for frequently accessed data, Infrequent Access for cost savings, Glacier for archival, and Intelligent-Tiering for automatic class movement. Lifecycle policies automate transitions between classes or eventual deletion. For example, a company might store active project files in Standard for 90 days, move them to Infrequent Access afterward, and then archive them to Glacier after one year. This lifecycle reduces costs while ensuring compliance with data retention requirements.
11) How does AWS Lambda support serverless computing?
AWS Lambda allows code execution without managing servers. Developers upload code, define triggers, and AWS provisions resources automatically. Key benefits include cost savings, automatic scaling, and event-driven execution. For example, Lambda can process images uploaded to S3 by resizing them on-the-fly without requiring dedicated servers. Serverless design patterns simplify operations and enhance scalability for microservices and event pipelines.
12) Which scenarios are ideal for AWS Lambda compared to EC2?
Lambda is suitable for short-lived, event-driven tasks such as file processing, stream handling, and notifications. EC2 is better for long-running, stateful applications. The difference between them lies in the control and cost model. For instance, a chatbot handling sporadic user queries may use Lambda, while a large e-commerce backend requiring persistent connectivity benefits from EC2.
13) Can you describe the main benefits of Amazon RDS?
Amazon Relational Database Service automates the setup, operation, and scaling of relational databases. Benefits include automated backups, patching, high availability, and replication across regions. Supported engines include MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and Amazon Aurora. For example, a financial firm may deploy Aurora for low-latency trading data while benefiting from multi-AZ failover to ensure resilience.
14) How is Amazon DynamoDB different from RDS?
RDS provides relational databases with structured schema and SQL queries. DynamoDB is a NoSQL database offering key-value and document storage with high scalability and single-digit millisecond latency.
| Factor | RDS | DynamoDB |
|---|---|---|
| Data Model | Relational tables | Key-value / document |
| Query Language | SQL | API-based |
| Scaling | Vertical & read replicas | Horizontal, auto-scales |
| Use Case | Banking transactions | IoT, gaming, session data |
15) What factors should be considered when selecting a database service in AWS?
The selection depends on workload type, scalability, transaction requirements, and latency. Key factors include relational versus non-relational data, ACID compliance, expected traffic patterns, and integration with other AWS services. For example, an analytics workload requiring structured joins may prefer RDS, whereas an IoT workload producing millions of concurrent writes benefits from DynamoDB.
16) Explain what AWS Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) does and its different types.
Elastic Load Balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple resources to ensure availability and performance. Types include Application Load Balancer (Layer 7, content-based routing), Network Load Balancer (Layer 4, ultra-low latency), and Gateway Load Balancer (third-party appliances). For example, an e-commerce platform can use ALB to route API traffic while NLB handles TCP requests for real-time payments.
17) How does Amazon CloudFront support content delivery?
CloudFront is a Content Delivery Network (CDN) that caches content at edge locations globally. It reduces latency, improves availability, and decreases load on origin servers. Benefits include secure delivery with AWS Shield and cost optimization through caching. For example, a media company streaming live events globally leverages CloudFront to reduce buffering for viewers across continents.
18) What is AWS Route 53, and what are its advantages?
Route 53 is AWS’s DNS service offering domain registration, DNS routing, and health checks. Advantages include high availability, global reach, and integration with other AWS services. For instance, a SaaS provider can host a domain, perform health checks on backend servers, and automatically redirect users to healthy endpoints.
19) Do IAM roles and IAM users serve the same purpose?
IAM users represent individual accounts with specific credentials, whereas IAM roles provide temporary permissions assumed by entities such as services or applications. The difference between them lies in permanence and security. For example, an EC2 instance accessing S3 should use an IAM role rather than embedding user credentials in its code, thereby improving security posture.
20) What are IAM policies, and how do they enforce security?
IAM policies are JSON documents defining permissions for users, groups, or roles. They enforce the principle of least privilege by specifying allowed and denied actions on resources. For instance, a developer role may be restricted to read-only access in production but full access in development environments. This fine-grained control reduces risks and ensures compliance.
21) How does AWS CloudFormation support Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?
AWS CloudFormation allows infrastructure to be defined in declarative templates using JSON or YAML. It enables repeatable, automated deployment of resources, reducing human error. The benefits include version control, automated rollback, and standardized environments. For example, a company can maintain templates for production and testing environments, ensuring identical infrastructure configurations. This lifecycle approach supports DevOps practices by integrating with CI/CD pipelines for continuous delivery.
22) What are the main benefits and disadvantages of using AWS Elastic Beanstalk?
Elastic Beanstalk provides a platform for deploying applications without managing infrastructure. Benefits include simplified scaling, monitoring, and integration with other AWS services. Disadvantages include less fine-grained control compared to manually managing EC2 or containerized workloads. For example, a startup can deploy a web application quickly using Beanstalk, but an enterprise requiring complex networking may prefer Kubernetes on EKS.
23) Which monitoring and logging tools are available in AWS?
AWS provides several monitoring services: CloudWatch for metrics and alarms, CloudTrail for auditing API calls, and AWS Config for compliance tracking. CloudWatch collects data such as CPU utilization or request counts, while CloudTrail logs user actions for accountability. For example, CloudWatch may trigger an alarm when CPU usage exceeds 80%, and CloudTrail can identify which user launched an unexpected instance.
24) Explain what Amazon CloudWatch alarms do and provide a practical scenario.
CloudWatch alarms evaluate metrics against defined thresholds and perform automated actions when conditions are met. Actions can include sending notifications or scaling resources. For example, if an EC2 instance CPU exceeds 70% for five minutes, an alarm can trigger Auto Scaling to add more instances. This proactive action ensures application performance and user satisfaction.
25) When should organizations consider using AWS CloudTrail?
Organizations use CloudTrail when they need to audit API activity for security, compliance, or troubleshooting. CloudTrail records who performed an action, when it occurred, and from where. For instance, if an unauthorized user modifies IAM policies, CloudTrail logs reveal the source IP and account details. This ensures accountability and assists in forensic investigations after security incidents.
26) How do you differentiate between vertical and horizontal scaling in AWS?
Vertical scaling involves increasing resources on a single instance, such as upgrading memory or CPU. Horizontal scaling adds more instances to distribute the load.
| Factor | Vertical Scaling | Horizontal Scaling |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Bigger machine | More machines |
| Cost | Can be expensive | Cost-efficient at scale |
| Flexibility | Limited by hardware | Virtually unlimited |
| Example | Upgrading EC2 instance size | Adding EC2 instances with ELB |
AWS typically encourages horizontal scaling for resilience and cost optimization.
27) What are AWS Availability Zones and Regions, and why are they important?
Regions are geographic locations hosting multiple Availability Zones (AZs), which are isolated data centers with independent power and networking. The design allows fault tolerance and disaster recovery. For example, deploying resources across two AZs within a region ensures high availability. Multi-region deployments protect against regional outages, essential for global businesses like financial institutions or e-commerce platforms.
28) How do you explain the Shared Responsibility Model of AWS?
The Shared Responsibility Model defines which aspects AWS secures and which customers must secure. AWS manages the security of the cloud (hardware, physical facilities, network), while customers secure data, applications, and access in the cloud. For example, AWS ensures data center security, but customers must configure IAM correctly to prevent unauthorized access. Misunderstanding this model can lead to vulnerabilities such as public S3 buckets.
29) What is AWS Well-Architected Framework, and what are its pillars?
The Well-Architected Framework provides best practices for designing secure, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective systems. It has six pillars: Operational Excellence, Security, Reliability, Performance Efficiency, Cost Optimization, and Sustainability. For example, the Security pillar emphasizes IAM best practices, while the Reliability pillar highlights fault-tolerant architecture. Organizations use the framework to evaluate workloads and improve design decisions.
30) Can you list the different storage options available in AWS?
AWS offers a wide variety of storage services, each suited for different workloads:
- Amazon S3 – object storage.
- Amazon EBS – block storage for EC2.
- Amazon EFS – scalable file storage.
- Amazon FSx – managed file systems (Windows, Lustre).
- Amazon Glacier – archival storage.
- AWS Storage Gateway – hybrid integration.
For example, a media company may use S3 for videos, EBS for transactional databases, and Glacier for archived footage.
31) How does Amazon EFS differ from Amazon S3?
Amazon EFS provides file-level storage with standard file system semantics, whereas S3 is object storage with key-based access. EFS is ideal for workloads requiring shared access, such as content management systems, while S3 excels in storing unstructured data such as logs or backups.
| Feature | EFS | S3 |
|---|---|---|
| Access | NFS protocol | REST API |
| Use Case | Shared file systems | Object storage, backups |
| Scalability | Scales with storage use | Virtually unlimited |
32) What are the advantages of using AWS Global Accelerator?
Global Accelerator improves application availability and performance by routing traffic to optimal endpoints using the AWS global network. Benefits include static IP addresses, DDoS protection, and intelligent routing. For example, a multinational organization with users in Asia and North America can reduce latency by directing users to the nearest healthy endpoint automatically.
33) Explain the purpose of AWS Direct Connect.
AWS Direct Connect provides a dedicated network connection between on-premises infrastructure and AWS. Advantages include lower latency, consistent performance, and improved security compared to internet-based connections. For example, a financial services company handling sensitive transactions may prefer Direct Connect to minimize latency and avoid public internet vulnerabilities.
34) Which backup and disaster recovery strategies can AWS support?
AWS supports multiple disaster recovery strategies:
- Backup and Restore – simple backups to S3 or Glacier.
- Pilot Light – minimal resources running with quick scaling.
- Warm Standby – a scaled-down version of the production environment.
- Multi-Site Active-Active – fully redundant systems across regions.
The choice depends on recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO). For example, an airline may adopt multi-site redundancy for its booking system to ensure continuous availability.
35) How can AWS help organizations optimize costs?
Cost optimization involves choosing the right pricing models (on-demand, reserved, or spot instances), selecting appropriate storage classes, and leveraging tools like AWS Cost Explorer and Trusted Advisor. For instance, a startup may begin with on-demand EC2 but later switch to reserved instances once usage stabilizes. Cost efficiency is further enhanced by serverless models such as Lambda.
36) What are Reserved Instances, and how do they differ from On-Demand?
Reserved Instances provide significant discounts compared to On-Demand pricing in exchange for a commitment to use for one or three years. On-Demand offers flexibility without long-term contracts.
| Factor | Reserved Instances | On-Demand Instances |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Up to 75% cheaper | Pay-as-you-go |
| Flexibility | Limited, long-term commitment | Flexible, no commitment |
| Use Case | Stable workloads | Unpredictable workloads |
37) Are there disadvantages of relying too heavily on Spot Instances?
Yes, Spot Instances provide cost savings but can be terminated with little notice if capacity is reclaimed. This makes them unsuitable for critical workloads. They are advantageous for batch processing, big data analytics, or fault-tolerant applications. For example, a genomics company running large parallel computations may benefit, but a payment system should not rely on Spot Instances.
38) How does Amazon VPC provide networking control?
Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) enables users to define a logically isolated network. Users can configure IP ranges, subnets, route tables, and gateways. It provides full control over inbound and outbound traffic. For instance, an enterprise can separate public-facing web servers in a public subnet and databases in a private subnet, secured with network access control lists (ACLs) and security groups.
39) What is the difference between Security Groups and Network ACLs in AWS?
Security Groups act as virtual firewalls for instances, controlling inbound and outbound traffic. Network ACLs operate at the subnet level, allowing or denying traffic at a broader scale.
| Factor | Security Groups | Network ACLs |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Instance-level | Subnet-level |
| Rule Type | Stateful | Stateless |
| Use Case | Application-specific access | Broad subnet-level restrictions |
40) When should AWS WAF and Shield be implemented?
AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) protects applications against common web exploits like SQL injection or XSS. AWS Shield provides DDoS protection. They are most relevant for applications exposed to the internet. For example, an online banking application should implement both to defend against targeted cyberattacks and ensure availability.
41) What are the primary benefits of Amazon SNS and SQS?
Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) provides pub-sub messaging, while Simple Queue Service (SQS) offers message queuing. Together, they decouple application components, improving scalability. For example, an e-commerce application may use SNS to notify multiple services of new orders while SQS queues messages for asynchronous processing by downstream systems.
42) How does AWS Step Functions simplify application workflows?
Step Functions enable orchestration of multiple AWS services into serverless workflows. Developers design state machines that define the sequence of steps, error handling, and retries. For instance, a video-processing pipeline may involve uploading files to S3, triggering Lambda functions, transcoding with MediaConvert, and storing metadata in DynamoDB. Step Functions automate and manage this entire lifecycle.
43) Which AWS services are most relevant for machine learning?
Key AWS ML services include SageMaker for model development, Rekognition for image analysis, Comprehend for natural language processing, and Lex for conversational bots. For example, a healthcare provider may use SageMaker to predict patient readmission risks, while an e-commerce site uses Rekognition to detect inappropriate images uploaded by users.
44) How does AWS support containerized workloads?
AWS offers multiple container services: Elastic Container Service (ECS), Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), and Fargate for serverless containers. ECS simplifies management of containers, EKS provides managed Kubernetes, and Fargate removes server management entirely. For example, a microservices architecture may run with EKS while leveraging Fargate for event-driven workloads.
45) Do AWS services provide compliance support for regulated industries?
Yes, AWS maintains compliance certifications such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC, and GDPR. Customers are responsible for configuring workloads correctly under the Shared Responsibility Model. For example, a healthcare organization can build HIPAA-compliant applications using AWS’s encrypted storage, secure IAM, and monitoring tools.
46) Explain the lifecycle of a data object stored in Amazon S3.
The lifecycle of an S3 object can involve transitions across storage classes and eventual deletion. Initially, an object may be stored in Standard for frequent access, moved to Infrequent Access after 30 days, archived to Glacier after one year, and deleted after compliance requirements are met. Lifecycle policies automate these stages, reducing manual effort and costs.
47) What are the main factors that determine AWS service reliability?
Reliability is influenced by redundancy, fault-tolerant design, monitoring, and adherence to best practices. Factors include deploying across multiple Availability Zones, implementing health checks, and using managed services with SLAs. For example, deploying a database in Multi-AZ mode ensures that failover occurs automatically in case of hardware failure.
48) When is it advantageous to use AWS Marketplace?
AWS Marketplace is beneficial when organizations need third-party software quickly integrated into their environments. It offers pre-configured applications, tools, and datasets that can be deployed with minimal setup. For instance, a company requiring a firewall solution can procure it from the Marketplace rather than manually configuring one, saving time and reducing errors.
49) How do organizations integrate AWS with DevOps practices?
AWS integrates with DevOps through services such as CodeCommit (source control), CodeBuild (build automation), CodeDeploy (deployment), and CodePipeline (CI/CD). Together, these tools support continuous integration and delivery. For example, a development team may push code to CodeCommit, trigger automated builds in CodeBuild, deploy through CodeDeploy, and orchestrate the lifecycle via CodePipeline, ensuring rapid and reliable releases.
50) What future trends in AWS should professionals prepare for?
Professionals should prepare for increased adoption of serverless architectures, deeper integration of AI and machine learning, enhanced focus on sustainability, and edge computing expansion with services such as AWS Outposts and Wavelength. For example, IoT applications will increasingly rely on edge computing to process data locally, reducing latency and bandwidth costs. Staying current with these advancements ensures continued competitiveness in the cloud domain.
🔍 Top AWS Interview Questions with Real-World Scenarios & Strategic Responses
Here are 10 realistic interview-style AWS questions that blend knowledge-based, behavioral, and situational elements—exactly what hiring managers ask when they want to see both technical depth and workplace adaptability.
1) How do you ensure security best practices when deploying AWS workloads?
Expected from candidate: The interviewer wants to see your understanding of AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), encryption, monitoring, and security automation.
Example answer:
“In my previous role, I implemented security by using the principle of least privilege with IAM roles, enabling MFA for all users, and enforcing encryption both in transit and at rest. I also set up AWS Config rules and CloudTrail logging for continuous monitoring. This ensured compliance while reducing the risk of misconfigurations.”
2) Can you explain the difference between EC2 Auto Scaling and AWS Elastic Load Balancing?
Expected from candidate: Demonstrates fundamental AWS architecture knowledge.
Example answer:
“EC2 Auto Scaling adjusts the number of EC2 instances automatically based on traffic and policies, ensuring performance while optimizing cost. AWS Elastic Load Balancing distributes incoming traffic across multiple instances in different Availability Zones, improving fault tolerance and availability. Both services complement each other to handle variable workloads.”
3) Tell me about a challenging AWS migration project you worked on. How did you handle it?
Expected from candidate: The interviewer is looking for experience with real-world cloud migration, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Example answer:
“At a previous position, I led a migration from on-premise databases to Amazon RDS. The challenge was minimizing downtime. I implemented a phased migration using AWS Database Migration Service and set up replication to keep the source and target databases in sync until cutover. By coordinating with stakeholders and testing thoroughly, we achieved a smooth transition with under 30 minutes of downtime.”
4) How do you handle cost optimization in AWS?
Expected from candidate: Shows awareness of cloud cost management and accountability.
Example answer:
“In my last role, I introduced regular cost audits using AWS Cost Explorer and Trusted Advisor. I recommended reserved instances for predictable workloads and spot instances for non-critical tasks. I also right-sized EC2 instances and moved infrequently accessed data to S3 Glacier. These measures reduced monthly costs by 25 percent while maintaining performance.”
5) How do you stay updated with AWS and cloud technology trends?
Expected from candidate: Demonstrates commitment to continuous learning.
Example answer:
“I stay updated by reading AWS official blogs, following re:Invent announcements, and participating in online AWS communities. I also complete certification prep through AWS Skill Builder and attend webinars hosted by industry experts. These activities ensure that I am aware of emerging services and best practices.”
6) Describe a time when you had to manage conflicting priorities in an AWS project.
Expected from candidate: Tests the ability to balance deadlines and communicate effectively.
Example answer:
“At my previous job, I was tasked with setting up a disaster recovery solution while also managing a high-traffic application upgrade. I prioritized based on business impact and negotiated phased delivery with stakeholders. I automated backup and failover testing using AWS Lambda, which gave me time to focus on the upgrade. Clear communication and prioritization kept both projects on track.”
7) If a critical production service in AWS suddenly becomes unavailable, what steps would you take?
Expected from candidate: Test troubleshooting and crisis management skills.
Example answer:
“I would first check CloudWatch metrics and AWS Health Dashboard to identify whether the issue is service-wide or isolated. Then, I would review recent deployments using CodePipeline or CloudFormation to detect misconfigurations. If needed, I would roll back to a stable version and scale up using Auto Scaling groups to restore service quickly. Throughout the process, I would communicate transparently with stakeholders.”
8) How do you ensure high availability and disaster recovery for applications in AWS?
Expected from candidate: Seeks knowledge of multi-AZ and multi-region strategies.
Example answer:
“I design applications with high availability by deploying across multiple Availability Zones and, when needed, across multiple regions. For disaster recovery, I implement backup policies with Amazon S3, cross-region replication, and RDS read replicas. Depending on business requirements, I choose between backup and restore, pilot light, warm standby, or multi-site active-active strategies.”
9) Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex AWS solution to a non-technical stakeholder.
Expected from candidate: Evaluates communication skills and ability to simplify technical concepts.
Example answer:
“At my previous job, I had to explain the benefits of serverless computing to executives. Instead of diving into Lambda architecture, I compared it to hiring temporary workers who only show up when needed, reducing overhead. By using analogies and highlighting cost savings and scalability, I secured stakeholder approval for adopting serverless for specific workloads.”
10) Imagine your team is debating between using AWS Lambda and Amazon EC2 for a new application. How would you make the decision?
Expected from candidate: Looks for structured decision-making based on business needs and technical fit.
Example answer:
“I would begin by analyzing workload characteristics. If the application has unpredictable traffic and benefits from event-driven execution, AWS Lambda is cost-effective and scalable. If the workload requires persistent compute, custom OS configurations, or long-running processes, EC2 would be more appropriate. I would also consider cost models, scalability requirements, and operational overhead before making a recommendation.”
