Advanced Cloud & Serverless Computing
This section covers advanced cloud computing topics that go beyond basic deployment — the cutting-edge of how compute, storage, and networking are composed, scheduled, and delivered at scale.
Files
| File | Topics | Key Interview Themes |
|---|---|---|
| serverless.md | Cold starts, microVMs, durable execution, edge functions, WASM | “Eliminate cold starts in a serverless API” |
| multi-cloud-advanced.md | Cloud bursting, confidential compute, disaggregation, CXL, spot instances | “Design a multi-cloud system with zero vendor lock-in” |
| cloud-scheduling.md | K8s scheduler, Volcano, FinOps, carbon-aware scheduling, noisy neighbors | “How does Kubernetes decide where to place a pod?” |
Why This Matters for Interviews
Senior SRE, infrastructure, and backend roles increasingly expect depth in:
- Serverless internals — understanding cold starts, Firecracker isolation, and durable execution distinguishes you from AWS Lambda tutorial users.
- Multi-cloud and disaggregation — enterprises want flexibility and are moving away from monolithic cloud dependency.
- Scheduling and cost — FinOps and carbon-aware computing are board-level concerns that engineers must implement.
Prerequisites
- Cloud fundamentals (see overview.md)
- Kubernetes basics (see kubernetes/README.md)
- Basic serverless experience (AWS Lambda, Cloud Functions)
- Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, load balancing)