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Using Service Accounts in GCP

Cloud/Toolshard0.5 min read

**Why Service Accounts (SA)**: Non-human identities for apps, VMs, Cloud Functions. No passwords to rotate; IAM-bound. **Architecture**: Create SA in IAM; assign roles (least privilege). Attach to VM, Cloud Run, Dataflow, Composer. For GKE/Cloud Run: use Workload...

🤖 Analyze Your Answer
Frequency
Low
Asked at 1 company
Category
179
questions in Cloud/Tools
Difficulty Split
104E|27M|48H
in this category
Total Bank
1,863
across 7 categories
Asked at these companies
Verizon

Why This Question Matters

This hard-level Cloud/Tools question appears frequently in data engineering interviews at companies like Verizon. While less common, it tests deeper understanding that distinguishes strong candidates.

How to Approach This

This is a senior-level question that tests architectural thinking. Lead with the high-level design, then drill into specifics. Discuss trade-offs explicitly - there is rarely one correct answer. Show awareness of scale, fault tolerance, and operational complexity.

Expert Answer
106 words

Why Service Accounts (SA): Non-human identities for apps, VMs, Cloud Functions. No passwords to rotate; IAM-bound. Architecture: Create SA in IAM; assign roles (least privilege). Attach to VM, Cloud Run, Dataflow, Composer. For GKE/Cloud Run: use Workload Identity—pod/container gets SA without key files. Workload Identity Federation extends to AWS/Azure for cross-cloud. Scalability: One SA per application/service; avoid shared SAs. Cost: No cost for SAs; key files are a liability—use Workload Identity. Security: Key files can leak; prefer ADC (Application Default Credentials) and Workload Identity. Best practice: One SA per app; least privilege; no key files in production—Workload Identity everywhere. Rotate keys if legacy apps require them.

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According to DataEngPrep.tech, this is one of the most frequently asked Cloud/Tools interview questions, reported at 1 company. DataEngPrep.tech maintains a curated database of 1,863+ real data engineering interview questions across 7 categories, verified by industry professionals.

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