SAS VIYA cloud support

 SAS Viya cloud support interview questions focus on your understanding of cloud concepts, SAS Viya architecture, and troubleshooting skills. 

Expect questions about cloud scalability, security, and experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP, as well as how you would handle customer issues and manage a cloud environment. 

1. What is SAS Viya and how is it different from traditional SAS? 

• Answer: SAS Viya is a cloud-native, data and AI analytics platform that offers a more scalable and flexible environment for data analysis and modeling compared to traditional SAS. Viya leverages technologies like Kubernetes and Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) projects for deployment and management.

2. Explain the architecture of SAS Viya. 

• Answer: SAS Viya's architecture includes components like:
  • SAS Cloud Computing (CAS): A distributed computing platform for handling large datasets.
  • REST APIs: For interacting with Viya via various programming languages and tools.
  • SAS Studio: A web-based IDE for writing and executing SAS code.
  • SAS Visual Analytics: A platform for creating interactive visualizations.
  • SAS Model Manager: For managing models throughout their lifecycle.

3. Describe your experience with cloud migration projects. What challenges did you encounter? 

• Answer: Provide specific examples of projects where you've migrated SAS workloads to the cloud. Highlight challenges like:
  • Data migration: Ensuring data integrity and efficiency.
  • Infrastructure setup: Configuring virtual machines, storage, and networking.
  • Application adaptation: Modifying SAS code to take advantage of cloud features and scaling.

4. How do you handle customer feedback and incorporate it into your support processes? 

• Answer: Emphasize the importance of proactive customer communication and gathering feedback. Describe how you would:
  • Listen to customer concerns: Actively engage with customers to understand their needs and pain points.
  • Document and track issues: Use a ticketing system to manage and prioritize issues.
  • Collaborate with engineering: Work with engineers to identify and implement solutions.

5. Describe your experience with cloud scalability and how it can be achieved in a SAS Viya environment. 

• Answer: Explain how SAS Viya leverages cloud technologies like Kubernetes and CAS to scale resources dynamically. Mention how you would:
  • Monitor resource utilization: Track CPU, memory, and disk usage.
  • Scale resources up or down: Add or remove virtual machines or containers based on demand.
  • Utilize auto-scaling features: Leverage cloud providers' auto-scaling capabilities.

6. What are some common security vulnerabilities in cloud environments, and how would you mitigate them? 

• Answer: Highlight potential vulnerabilities like:
  • Unprotected data at rest and in transit: Use encryption to protect sensitive data.
  • Weak authentication and authorization: Implement strong authentication protocols and access control.
  • Insecure configurations: Follow security best practices for cloud infrastructure.

7. How do you manage and optimize costs in a cloud environment? 

• Answer: Explain how you would:
  • Monitor and track resource usage: Identify areas where costs can be reduced.
  • Leverage cost optimization tools: Use cloud provider tools to monitor and optimize costs.
  • Implement resource pools and reservations: Allocate resources efficiently and avoid unnecessary costs.