Lesson 1 Topic A - Understand Basic Cloud Concepts and Terms

Cloud Computing

A service model that delivers applications, infrastructure, and other resources as a service by using a pay-as-you-go model.

Five Characteristics of Cloud Computing as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

On-demand self-service

Broad Network Access

Resource Pooling

Rapid Elasticity

Measured Service

On-demand self-service

Characteristic of Cloud Computing where consumers can provision resources as needed and automatically.

Broad Network Access

Characteristic of Cloud Computing where cloud resources and services are available across the network from commonly available clients.

Resource Pooling

Characteristic of Cloud Computing where the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) pools resources in a multi-tenant model and adjusts resource allocation on an on-demand basis, and the specific distribution of hardware resources are abstracted from the consumer.

Rapid Elasticity

Characteristic of Cloud Computing where resources are provisioned and released to adjust for changes in demand and consumption. This process may be automatic or manual.

Measured Service

Characteristic of Cloud Computing where metering of resources is monitored, controlled, and billable.

What year did salesforce.com begin to provide access to business applications via a web browser?

1999

In 2002, what company was introduced and brought today’s cloud services to the market?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

List some Cloud Service Providers in today’s market.

Amazon

Microsoft

Google

Salesforce

Three types of solutions Cloud Service Models are initially divided into.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Cloud service model where the consumer is provided with the direct use of software.

What are the responsibilities of the CSP within Software as a Service (SaaS)?

Installing, configuring, maintaining, patching, and upgrading the software.

List some Software as a Service examples.

Microsoft Office 365

Google Apps

WebEx

Dropbox

Netflix

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Cloud service model that provides a platform for developers to build, deploy, and manage applications without managing the underlying infrastructure.

What are the responsibilities of the CSP within Platform as a Service (PaaS)?

Hardware support and operating system support, as well as platform maintenance.

Who is the target audience for Platform as a Service deployments?

Developers

Database Administrators (DBAs)

Who is the target audience for Software as a Service deployments?

End-users

List some Platform as a Service examples.

Google App Engine

Heroku

AWS ElasticBeanstalk

Salesforce

PaaS solutions scale ___________and ___________, providing consistent development platforms as needs change.

quickly

easily

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Cloud Service Model that provides virtualized computing resources like servers, storage, and networking on a pay-as-you-go basis.

What are the responsibilities of the CSP within Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

Hardware support

What are the responsibilities of the Consumer within Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

Management of virtual machines hosted on the CSP provided hardware infrastructure.

What is a huge benefit of IaaS versus the traditional infrastructure model, and why?

Agility to efficiently scale resources upon demand. Within a traditional infrastructure model, companies are required to predict server needs during a budget cycle and estimate overall utilization of services, making it difficult to be agile.

List some Infrastructure as a Service examples.

AWS EC2

Microsoft Azure

Rackspace

Digital Ocean

Who is the target audience for Infrastructure as a Service deployments?

IT administrators

Anything as a Service (XaaS)

A broad term for cloud service models that deliver IT functions over the internet.

What benefits does XaaS provide?

Reduced capital expenditures

Business Agility

Benefit of On-Demand Self-Service as a Key Characteristic of Cloud Computing.

Eliminates the need for manual provisioning, reducing time and administrative overhead. Users can quickly scale resources up or down without waiting for IT teams.

Benefit of Broad Network Access as a Key Characteristic of Cloud Computing.

Enables access to cloud services from anywhere, promoting remote work and global collaboration. Users can seamlessly interact with applications across different devices and locations.

Benefit of Resource Pooling as a Key Characteristic of Cloud Computing.

Maximizes resource efficiency, reducing costs and providing scalability. Businesses do not have to manage underlying infrastructure, leading to operational flexibility.

Benefit of Rapid Elasticity as a Key Characteristic of Cloud Computing.

Dynamically scales resources based on demand, preventing over-provisioning or underutilization. Businesses can efficiently handle fluctuating workloads without maintaining excess capacity.

Benefit of Measured Service as a Key Characteristic of Cloud Computing.

Ensures cost efficiency by allowing organizations to pay only for what they use. Enables better cost prediction and resource optimization.

Public Cloud Deployment Model

Cloud resources are owned and operated by a third-party provider and shared among multiple tenants. Offers scalability, cost efficiency, and accessibility over the internet.

Private Cloud Deployment Model

Cloud infrastructure is dedicated to a single organization, providing greater control, security, and customization. Can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider.

Hybrid Cloud Deployment Model

Combines public and private cloud environments, allowing data and applications to move between them. Balances flexibility, cost savings, and security.

Community Cloud Deployment Model

A cloud infrastructure shared by multiple organizations with common interests, such as regulatory requirements. Enhances collaboration while maintaining security and compliance.

Cloud Service Infrastructure

The underlying physical and virtual resources that support cloud computing. Can be managed internally by a single organization (private cloud) or by a cloud service provider (public cloud), with hybrid and community models combining aspects of both.

Cloud Service Provider (CSP)

A company that offers cloud computing services, such as infrastructure, platforms, or software, to customers over the internet. Examples include AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

Shared Responsibility Model

A security framework where the cloud service provider (CSP) and the cloud consumer share responsibility for different aspects of cloud security.

CSP Responsibilities in the Shared Responsibility Model

Securing the cloud infrastructure, including physical security, networking, and hypervisor isolation between customers.

Consumer Responsibilities in the Shared Responsibility Model

Securing their data, applications, user access, and configurations within the cloud environment. This includes using permissions, encryption, and security best practices.