AWS EFS Interview Q/A

Let's Know about few Important AWS EFS Interview Q/A

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7 min read

AWS EFS Interview Q/A
  1. What is Amazon Elastic File System?
    Amazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS) is a scalable and managed file storage service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is designed to provide scalable and shared file storage for applications and services, making it easy to share data between multiple Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances and other AWS resources. EFS is suitable for various use cases, including content repositories, data sharing, and application data storage.

  2. How to Create an AWS Elastic File System?
    To create an Amazon EFS, you can use the AWS Management Console, AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), or SDKs provided by AWS. You specify the settings like the storage class, throughput mode, and security groups to configure the file system to meet your requirements. Once created, you can mount the EFS file system to your Amazon EC2 instances, making it accessible to your applications.

  3. Difference between EFS and EBS?
    EFS (Elastic File System) and EBS (Elastic Block Store) are both storage solutions on AWS. The key difference is that EFS provides scalable and shared file storage that can be accessed concurrently by multiple instances, while EBS offers block storage designed for a single EC2 instance. EBS volumes are attached to individual EC2 instances and are ideal for data that is specific to a single instance.

  4. Can we associate a single EFS volume with multiple EC2 instances?
    Yes, you can associate a single EFS volume with multiple EC2 instances. EFS is a shared file storage service that allows multiple instances to access the same file system concurrently. This makes it suitable for scenarios where data needs to be shared among multiple instances.

  5. What is mounting in AWS?
    Mounting in AWS typically refers to attaching storage volumes such as EBS or EFS to EC2 instances. It is the process of making the storage resources accessible to the instance's operating system so that the instance can read from and write to the storage.

  6. What is the difference between S3 and EFS?
    S3 (Simple Storage Service) and EFS (Elastic File System) are both storage services on AWS, but they serve different purposes:

    • EFS is a file storage system that is accessible like a traditional file system over a network. It is suitable for applications that need shared file storage, file locking, and POSIX file system semantics.

    • S3 is an object storage service accessed via HTTP. It is designed for storing and retrieving objects, typically used for data backups, static website hosting, and data archiving.

  7. How many file systems, mount targets, or access points can I create? What is Amazon Elastic File System?
    Amazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS) is a scalable and managed file storage service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is designed to provide scalable and shared file storage for applications and services, making it easy to share data between multiple Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances and other AWS resources. EFS is suitable for various use cases, including content repositories, data sharing, and application data storage.

  8. How to Create an AWS Elastic File System?
    To create an Amazon EFS, you can use the AWS Management Console, AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), or SDKs provided by AWS. You specify the settings like the storage class, throughput mode, and security groups to configure the file system to meet your requirements. Once created, you can mount the EFS file system to your Amazon EC2 instances, making it accessible to your applications.

  9. Difference between EFS and EBS?
    EFS (Elastic File System) and EBS (Elastic Block Store) are both storage solutions on AWS. The key difference is that EFS provides scalable and shared file storage that can be accessed concurrently by multiple instances, while EBS offers block storage designed for a single EC2 instance. EBS volumes are attached to individual EC2 instances and are ideal for data that is specific to a single instance.

  10. Can we associate a single EFS volume with multiple EC2 instances?
    Yes, you can associate a single EFS volume with multiple EC2 instances. EFS is a shared file storage service that allows multiple instances to access the same file system concurrently. This makes it suitable for scenarios where data needs to be shared among multiple instances.

  11. What is mounting in AWS?
    Mounting in AWS typically refers to attaching storage volumes such as EBS or EFS to EC2 instances. It is the process of making the storage resources accessible to the instance's operating system so that the instance can read from and write to the storage.

  12. What is the difference between S3 and EFS?
    S3 (Simple Storage Service) and EFS (Elastic File System) are both storage services on AWS, but they serve different purposes:

    • EFS is a file storage system that is accessible like a traditional file system over a network. It is suitable for applications that need shared file storage, file locking, and POSIX file system semantics.

    • S3 is an object storage service accessed via HTTP. It is designed for storing and retrieving objects, typically used for data backups, static website hosting, and data archiving.

  13. How many file systems, mount targets, or access points can I create?
    The number of file systems, mount targets, and access points you can create in Amazon EFS depends on the AWS account limits, which may change over time. You should refer to the Amazon EFS Limits page for the most up-to-date information on the allowed limits.

  14. How do I start using Amazon EFS?
    To start using Amazon EFS, you need an AWS account. Once you have an account, you can create an EFS file system through the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or API. You can refer to the EFS Getting Started guide for step-by-step instructions on creating and configuring EFS.

  15. What use cases does Amazon EFS support?
    Amazon EFS is suitable for a wide range of use cases, including big data and analytics, media processing workflows, content management, web serving, and home directories. It provides different storage classes, including EFS Standard and EFS One Zone, optimized for different workloads and durability requirements.

  16. When should I use Amazon EFS vs. Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) vs. Amazon S3?

    • Use EFS when you need shared file storage for multiple EC2 instances, and the data needs to be accessed concurrently by multiple applications.

    • Use EBS when you need block-level storage that is attached to a single EC2 instance. EBS is suitable for database storage and application data that is specific to a single instance.

    • Use S3 when you need object storage for storing and retrieving large amounts of data, like backups, archives, or static website hosting.

The subsequent questions in the interview document cover various aspects of Amazon EFS, including its throughput modes, data protection and availability, security access control, pricing, billing, and compatibility with other AWS services. These answers provide insights into the key features and use cases of Amazon EFS and how it can be integrated with other AWS services. The number of file systems, mount targets, and access points you can create in Amazon EFS depends on the AWS account limits, which may change over time. You should refer to the Amazon EFS Limits page for the most up-to-date information on the allowed limits.

  1. How do I start using Amazon EFS?
    To start using Amazon EFS, you need an AWS account. Once you have an account, you can create an EFS file system through the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or API. You can refer to the EFS Getting Started guide for step-by-step instructions on creating and configuring EFS.

  2. What use cases does Amazon EFS support?
    Amazon EFS is suitable for a wide range of use cases, including big data and analytics, media processing workflows, content management, web serving, and home directories. It provides different storage classes, including EFS Standard and EFS One Zone, optimized for different workloads and durability requirements.

  3. When should I use Amazon EFS vs. Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) vs. Amazon S3?

    • Use EFS when you need shared file storage for multiple EC2 instances, and the data needs to be accessed concurrently by multiple applications.

    • Use EBS when you need block-level storage that is attached to a single EC2 instance. EBS is suitable for database storage and application data that is specific to a single instance.

    • Use S3 when you need object storage for storing and retrieving large amounts of data, like backups, archives, or static website hosting.

The subsequent questions in the interview document cover various aspects of Amazon EFS, including its throughput modes, data protection and availability, security access control, pricing, billing, and compatibility with other AWS services. These answers provide insights into the key features and use cases of Amazon EFS and how it can be integrated with other AWS services.

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