Azure Services Quick Reference Charts | Cloud Architecture & Interview Guide - OTechy
Azure Services

Azure Services Quick Reference Online

Deep-dive cheat sheets for Cloud Architects and Developers.


Select an Azure Service from the left
to load the Interview Master Guide.
Otechy.com is built for developers, cloud engineers, and software professionals preparing for modern tech interviews at startups and top MNCs. Instead of overwhelming users with generic documentation, Otechy provides structured, interview-focused breakdowns of cloud services, system design concepts, architecture tradeoffs, scalability patterns, and real-world engineering decisions. From Azure and AWS services to backend architecture and distributed systems, the platform helps candidates prepare for technical discussions, design rounds, and senior engineering interviews with concise, high-density learning content designed for real interview scenarios.

Frequently Searched Topics:

How do I answer "Which Database to Choose?"

Start with the data structure. If it requires strict ACID transactions and relational integrity, state Azure SQL. If it requires global scale, flexible schema, and massive read/write throughput, defend Cosmos DB.

Azure SQL Database vs. SQL Managed Instance?

Azure SQL DB is pure PaaS, best for modern cloud apps. SQL Managed Instance offers near 100% compatibility with on-premises SQL Server (including CLR, cross-database queries, and SQL Agent), making it ideal for "lift and shift" migrations without refactoring code.

What is a "Hot Partition" in Cosmos DB?

A classic interview trap. It occurs when you choose a bad partition key (like 'Date'), causing all writes to hit a single physical server, throttling performance. Always choose a high-cardinality key like 'UserID'.

IaaS vs PaaS vs SaaS in simple terms?

IaaS (VMs): You manage the OS and runtime. PaaS (App Service): Azure manages the OS; you just deploy code. SaaS (Office 365): Azure manages everything; you just consume the software.

When should I AVOID Serverless (Azure Functions)?

Interviewers want to hear: "When tasks run continuously 24/7 or when execution takes longer than the 10-minute timeout limit." Dedicated App Services or AKS are better for long-running processes.

What is Cosmos DB's Consistency Model?

It's not just Strong vs Eventual. Mention the 5 levels: Strong, Bounded Staleness, Session (Default/Most Popular), Consistent Prefix, and Eventual. Explain that Session provides read-your-own-writes guarantees.

How do you achieve Zero Downtime Deployment?

Mention "Deployment Slots" in Azure App Service. Deploy to a staging slot, warm it up, and then swap the IP routing instantly to production without dropping connections.

What is the difference between Azure Blob Storage and Data Lake?

Blob Storage provides a flat namespace for general object storage. Data Lake Gen2 adds a Hierarchical Namespace (actual folders/directories), which is critical for big data analytics performance (Hadoop/Spark).

How does Azure Front Door differ from Application Gateway?

Front Door is a Global load balancer and CDN working at Layer 7. Application Gateway is a Regional load balancer working at Layer 7. Use Front Door for multi-region apps; use App Gateway for single-region web traffic.

Can I use this for AWS preparation?

While the services are Azure-specific, the core problems (partitioning, cold starts, scale-out vs scale-up) translate directly to AWS (e.g., Cosmos DB = DynamoDB, Functions = Lambda).

Is this guide updated for 2026?

Yes. The concepts focus on evergreen architectural patterns and current pricing/scaling models applicable to modern cloud system design interviews.

Are retired services listed?

We highlight major deprecations in the "Updates/Retirals" section of a service card, helping you avoid designing legacy architectures.