30 Microsoft Azure Arc SQL Server Interview Question with answers

If you're preparing for an interview related to Azure Arc SQL Server, you might be wondering what kind of questions you can expect. In this blog, we have compiled 20 common interview questions and provided detailed answers to help you ace your interview and demonstrate your knowledge of Azure Arc SQL Server.

Answer: Azure Arc is a set of technologies from Microsoft that enables you to manage and govern resources in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. With Azure Arc, you can extend Azure management capabilities to on-premises servers, edge devices, and other cloud environments, such as AWS and Google Cloud Platform.

Answer: Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server allows you to run SQL Server instances on-premises or in other cloud environments and manage them through the Azure portal using Azure Arc. This enables centralized management, monitoring, and governance of SQL Server instances, regardless of their location.

Answer: The benefits of Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server include:

• Unified Management: You can manage SQL Server instances from different environments through the Azure portal, providing a single pane of glass for management.
• Consistent Policy Enforcement: You can apply Azure Policy and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to SQL Server instances across environments, ensuring compliance and security.
• Automated Configuration: Azure Arc provides configuration management capabilities, allowing you to automate deployment and configuration tasks for SQL Server instances.
• Monitoring and Insights: You can use Azure Monitor and Log Analytics to gain insights and monitor the performance of SQL Server instances.

Answer: To connect an on-premises SQL Server to Azure Arc, you need to:

1. Install the Azure Arc Data Controller on the SQL Server instance.
2. Register the SQL Server with Azure Arc by providing the required metadata and authentication details.
3. Verify the registration and ensure the SQL Server instance appears in the Azure portal.

Answer: The Azure Arc Data Controller is a Kubernetes-based container that runs on the target SQL Server instance. It acts as a bridge between the SQL Server and Azure Arc, facilitating communication and enabling centralized management of the SQL Server instance through the Azure portal.

Answer: Yes, Azure Arc enables you to manage SQL Server instances running in other cloud environments, such as AWS or Google Cloud Platform. By registering these instances with Azure Arc, you can use Azure management tools to govern and monitor them.

Answer: Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes allows you to connect and manage Kubernetes clusters that are running outside of Azure. This includes on-premises Kubernetes clusters and clusters running in other cloud providers.

Answer: To deploy Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server to an edge device, you need to:

1. Install the Azure Arc Data Controller on the edge device running Kubernetes.
2. Create a Kubernetes YAML manifest to define the SQL Server instance's configuration, such as resource limits, storage, and network settings.
3. Apply the YAML manifest to the Kubernetes cluster to initiate the deployment of the SQL Server instance.
4. Verify the deployment and ensure the SQL Server instance is connected to Azure Arc.

Answer: Azure Arc allows you to enforce consistent policies and access controls across SQL Server instances in different environments. By using Azure Policy and RBAC, you can ensure compliance with organizational standards and industry regulations. Azure Monitor and Log Analytics provide monitoring and auditing capabilities to support data governance requirements.

Answer: No, Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server is designed for deploying and managing SQL Server instances outside of Azure. If you want to run SQL Server in an Azure virtual machine, you can use Azure SQL Database or SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VM).

Answer: Azure Arc follows the same security principles as other Azure services. It enables you to apply Azure Policy to enforce security and compliance standards across SQL Server instances. Additionally, you can use Azure RBAC to control access to the SQL Server resources in Azure Arc, ensuring that only authorized users can manage and interact with the instances.

Answer: Yes, Azure Arc provides monitoring capabilities for SQL Server instances running on-premises. You can use Azure Monitor to collect and analyze performance metrics, set up alerts, and gain insights into the health and performance of on-premises SQL Server instances connected to Azure Arc.

Answer: You can apply configuration policies to SQL Server instances using Azure Policy. Azure Policy allows you to define and enforce rules to ensure that SQL Server configurations comply with organizational standards. These policies can include settings for security, performance, and other best practices.

Answer: To deploy Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server to a Kubernetes cluster, you need:

• A Kubernetes cluster with the required resources and permissions to run the SQL Server instance.
• The Azure Arc Data Controller installed and configured on the Kubernetes cluster.
• A YAML manifest defining the SQL Server instance's configuration, which includes information such as storage, networking, and resource requirements.

Answer: Azure Arc aggregates monitoring data from connected SQL Server instances into Azure Monitor. This centralized monitoring allows administrators to view and analyze performance metrics, set up alerts, and identify potential issues across multiple SQL Server instances in different environments from a single Azure portal.

Answer: Yes, Azure Arc allows you to perform automatic scaling of SQL Server resources using Kubernetes Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA). HPA monitors resource utilization and automatically adjusts the number of replicas for the SQL Server instance to meet defined performance targets.

Answer: To ensure high availability for SQL Server instances with Azure Arc, you can deploy SQL Server Always On Availability Groups. Availability Groups provide automatic failover and data redundancy, allowing for continuous availability and data protection in case of hardware or software failures.

Answer: Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server supports various deployment options, including:

• Deployment to on-premises servers or virtual machines.
• Deployment to edge devices or remote locations.
• Deployment to Kubernetes clusters running in other cloud providers, such as AWS or Google Cloud Platform.

Answer: Azure Arc itself does not handle data replication and backups for SQL Server instances. Instead, it relies on SQL Server's native features and third-party solutions for data replication, backup, and disaster recovery. You can use SQL Server Always On Availability Groups or other SQL Server backup and recovery mechanisms for data protection.

Answer: Yes, Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server can be integrated with other Azure services. For example, you can integrate it with Azure Monitor and Log Analytics for centralized monitoring and analytics. You can also leverage Azure Policy, RBAC, and Azure Security Center for centralized governance and security management.

Mastering Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server requires a comprehensive understanding of Azure Arc, Kubernetes, and SQL Server administration. By reviewing these interview questions and answers, you'll be better prepared to showcase your expertise and proficiency in managing SQL Server instances across hybrid and multi-cloud environments using Azure Arc.