Core Cloud Computing Concepts Flashcards

Which cloud computing model provides the highest level of control and responsibility for the consumer?

Answer: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides the most control because the consumer is responsible for managing the operating systems, data, and applications, while the cloud provider manages the physical infrastructure. [11, 27] In PaaS and SaaS models, more responsibility is shifted to the cloud provider. [29]

A company wants to migrate its existing on-premises servers to the cloud to gain more flexibility and scalability. They want to maintain full control over the operating systems and installed software. Which cloud service model is the most appropriate choice for this scenario?

Answer: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the ideal model for migrating existing on-premises workloads, often referred to as 'lift and shift'. [11] It allows the company to rent IT infrastructure—servers and virtual machines (VMs), storage, networks, and operating systems—from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you-go basis, while still managing the OS and applications. [27]

Which of the following is a primary benefit of the public cloud deployment model?

Answer: No capital expenditure (CapEx) to get started.

The public cloud operates on a consumption-based or pay-as-you-go model, eliminating the need for upfront capital expenditure (CapEx) on physical hardware and infrastructure. [26, 30] Resources are owned and operated by a third-party cloud provider, and control, dedicated hardware, and meeting unique compliance needs are more characteristic of private or hybrid clouds. [15, 26]

In the shared responsibility model for cloud computing, which of the following is ALWAYS the customer's responsibility, regardless of the service model (IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS)?

Answer: Information and data

Across all cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), the customer is always responsible for securing their own information and data, as well as managing user accounts and identities. [8, 10, 27] The cloud provider is responsible for the physical security of the datacenter, and responsibility for OS patching and network controls varies depending on the service model. [3, 10]

A startup is developing a new web application and wants to focus solely on writing code and managing their application, without worrying about the underlying operating systems, patches, or server maintenance. Which cloud service model should they choose?

Answer: Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud. [4] It allows developers to focus on building and managing their applications without the complexity of maintaining the underlying infrastructure, as the cloud provider manages the servers, storage, and networking, as well as the operating system and development tools. [29]

A large financial institution needs to keep its sensitive customer data in a private, on-premises datacenter to meet strict regulatory requirements. However, they also want to leverage the scalability and services of the public cloud for their new, less sensitive marketing applications. Which cloud deployment model would best suit their needs?

Answer: Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud combines a private cloud (or on-premises infrastructure) with a public cloud, allowing data and applications to be shared between them. [9] This model offers organizations greater flexibility and more deployment options, enabling them to keep sensitive data on a private network while using the public cloud for other workloads. [26, 31]