Frequently Asked Questions About Terraform, Intune, and Other Azure Automation Tools

Automation is at the heart of modern cloud operations. Whether you’re deploying virtual machines, securing endpoints, or managing infrastructure across multiple environments, using the right automation tools is critical. Microsoft offers a range of services to support this, including Terraform for Azure, Microsoft Intune, and various cloud scripting options through ARM templates, Bicep, and Azure CLI.

In this blog, we’ll explore commonly asked interview questions that cover Terraform Azure, Microsoft Intune, and the broader world of Azure infrastructure as code (IaC). Each question is followed by practical, clear answers — making this guide an ideal reference for your next technical interview.

Q1: What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and why is it important?

Answer: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a DevOps practice that involves managing and provisioning cloud resources using code rather than manual processes. It helps standardize deployments, eliminate configuration drift, improve repeatability, and reduce human error.

In Azure, IaC can be implemented using:

• Terraform
• ARM Templates
• Bicep
• Azure CLI and PowerShell scripts

These are considered essential automation tools in modern cloud operations.

Q2: What are some key benefits of using automation tools in Azure?

Answer:

• Consistency in deploying resources
• Scalability of infrastructure environments
• Auditability through version-controlled scripts
• Faster deployment times with repeatable templates
• Integration into CI/CD pipelines for DevOps

These benefits help improve agility and reduce errors in enterprise cloud environments.

Q3: What is Terraform and how does it work with Azure?

Answer: Terraform is an open-source infrastructure as code tool developed by HashiCorp. It allows you to define and provision infrastructure across multiple cloud providers using a declarative language called HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language).

In the context of Terraform Azure, the tool uses the Azure Provider to manage resources such as:

• Virtual machines
• Storage accounts
• Networking (VNets, NSGs)
• Resource groups
• App services

Terraform supports state management, plan/apply phases, and modular code structures — making it ideal for repeatable deployments.

Q4: How is Terraform different from ARM templates or Bicep?

Answer:

While ARM and Bicep are tightly coupled with Azure, Terraform Azure offers cross-platform compatibility, which is useful for hybrid or multi-cloud environments.

Q5: What are Terraform modules, and how do they help?

Answer: Terraform modules are reusable blocks of code that allow you to define resource configurations once and reuse them across environments. They improve:

• Code reusability
• Separation of concerns
• Easier collaboration among teams
• Scalability of IaC projects

For example, a virtual network module can be used across dev, test, and prod environments by simply adjusting input variables.

Q6: What is Microsoft Intune and what does it do?

Answer: Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution used to manage devices and applications across an organization. It helps enforce security policies, deploy software, and monitor compliance — all from a centralized platform.

Key use cases include:

• Mobile device management (MDM)
• Mobile application management (MAM)
• Enforcing conditional access with Azure AD
• Remote configuration of Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices

Intune integrates tightly with Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to ensure secure and compliant device access.

Q7: How does Intune relate to automation?

Answer: Microsoft Intune supports automation through:

• Graph API for scripted interactions
• PowerShell scripting to manage policies, devices, and apps
• Intune REST API for external integrations
• Integration with Endpoint Analytics for reporting and insights

These tools allow enterprises to automate device onboarding, app deployment, and compliance enforcement, especially when managing at scale.

Q8: What are common scripting tools used in Azure automation?

Answer:

• Azure CLI: Command-line interface for managing Azure resources
• PowerShell for Azure: Script-based automation using Azure modules
• ARM Templates: Declarative JSON templates for resource deployment
• Bicep: A domain-specific language (DSL) that simplifies ARM templates
• Terraform: Platform-agnostic IaC tool that integrates with Azure

Each of these cloud scripting tools serves different use cases depending on the need for portability, complexity, and automation depth.

Q9: How do you manage secrets in Terraform Azure projects?

Answer: Best practices for secret management include:

• Use Azure Key Vault to securely store secrets, keys, and certificates
• Reference secrets in Terraform using Key Vault data sources
• Avoid hardcoding credentials in .tf files
• Use secure CI/CD pipelines with environment variables or managed identities

Proper secret handling is critical to maintaining the integrity of your automation tools.

Q10: How would you automate the deployment of a complete Azure environment using Terraform?

Answer:

• Define Terraform modules for compute, network, and storage
• Configure variables and outputs for dynamic use
• Set up Terraform backend to store state remotely (e.g., in Azure Blob Storage)
• Integrate the code with Azure DevOps Pipelines or GitHub Actions
• Run terraform plan and terraform apply in the pipeline for continuous delivery

This process enables fully automated infrastructure provisioning using Terraform Azure best practices.

Q11: How can you monitor compliance in Intune-managed devices?

Answer:

• Use compliance policies to define security baselines
• View compliance reports in Microsoft Endpoint Manager
• Trigger conditional access based on compliance status
• Automate remediation steps using PowerShell scripts or integration with Azure Logic Apps

This supports secure, scalable device management across distributed teams.

Conclusion

Whether you’re deploying virtual networks with Terraform Azure, securing endpoints with Microsoft Intune, or managing infrastructure through cloud scripting, understanding Azure’s suite of automation tools is essential for any modern IT or DevOps professional.

This blog covered frequently asked questions that often come up in interviews or real-world scenarios. These insights should help you articulate your knowledge confidently and demonstrate practical experience with infrastructure as code and secure automation practices.