Cloud Computing Cloud Computing Foundations Syllabus

Cloud Computing Foundations syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Cloud Computing Foundations in Cloud Computing, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Introduction to Cloud Computing

   4 topics

   • Definition and Essential Characteristics
   • Evolution from Mainframe to Cloud
   • Benefits and Challenges of Cloud Adoption
   • Cloud vs On-Premises Computing
2. 2

   Cloud Service Models

   5 topics

   • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
   • Platform as a Service (PaaS)
   • Software as a Service (SaaS)
   • Function as a Service (FaaS) and Serverless
   • Shared Responsibility Across Models
3. 3

   Cloud Deployment Models

   5 topics

   • Public Cloud
   • Private Cloud
   • Hybrid Cloud
   • Multi-Cloud Strategies
   • Community Cloud
4. 4

   Virtualization Fundamentals

   4 topics

   • Hypervisors
   • Virtual Machines and Images
   • Containers vs Virtual Machines
   • Hardware and OS-Level Virtualization
5. 5

   Major Cloud Providers Overview

   5 topics

   • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
   • Microsoft Azure
   • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
   • Regions, Availability Zones, and Edge Locations
   • Choosing a Cloud Provider
6. 6

   Cloud Economics and Billing

   4 topics

   • CapEx vs OpEx
   • Pricing Models
   • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
   • Introduction to FinOps

Cloud Computing Foundations flashcards for Cloud Computing

20 of 49 cards from the Cloud Computing Foundations deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the standard NIST definition of cloud computing?

   Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (networks, servers, storage, applications, services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

2. List the five essential characteristics of cloud computing as defined by NIST.

   (1) On-demand self-service, (2) Broad network access, (3) Resource pooling, (4) Rapid elasticity, and (5) Measured service.

3. What does the essential characteristic 'measured service' mean in cloud computing?

   Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by metering at a level of abstraction appropriate to the service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, active user accounts). Usage is monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both provider and consumer (pay-as-you-go).

4. What is 'rapid elasticity' in the context of cloud computing?

   The ability to provision and release capabilities elastically, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward with demand. To the consumer, resources often appear unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.

5. What is meant by 'resource pooling' as an essential characteristic of cloud?

   The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to demand. The customer generally has no control or knowledge of the exact location of the resources.

6. Trace the major stages in the evolution from mainframe computing to cloud computing.

   Mainframes (centralized, time-sharing) → client-server / distributed computing → grid computing → utility computing → virtualization → cloud computing (on-demand, elastic, metered services).

7. How did mainframe time-sharing conceptually foreshadow cloud computing?

   Time-sharing let multiple users concurrently share a single powerful central machine's resources via terminals, introducing the ideas of centralized resources, multi-tenancy, and paying for compute usage—core concepts later realized by cloud.

8. What is utility computing and how does it relate to cloud?

   Utility computing packages computing resources (compute, storage) as a metered service like electricity or water, billed by consumption. It is the economic/billing model that cloud computing operationalizes at scale via virtualization and the internet.

9. Name four key benefits of adopting cloud computing.

   (1) Cost efficiency / shift from CapEx to OpEx, (2) Scalability and elasticity, (3) Faster time to market / agility, and (4) Global reach with high availability and managed reliability.

10. Explain the CapEx-to-OpEx shift that cloud adoption enables.

    On-premises requires large up-front capital expenditure (CapEx) on hardware. Cloud converts this into operational expenditure (OpEx)—a recurring, usage-based cost—eliminating up-front hardware investment and improving cash flow.

11. List four common challenges or risks of cloud adoption.

    (1) Security and data privacy concerns, (2) Vendor lock-in, (3) Ongoing/unpredictable costs and cost management, and (4) Compliance, data sovereignty, and limited control over infrastructure. (Also latency/connectivity dependence.)

12. What is vendor lock-in in cloud computing, and why is it a challenge?

    Vendor lock-in is dependence on a single provider's proprietary services, APIs, and formats, making migration to another provider costly, complex, and time-consuming. It reduces negotiating leverage and portability.

13. Compare cloud vs on-premises computing on cost model, scaling, and maintenance.

    Cloud: OpEx/pay-as-you-go, elastic on-demand scaling, provider handles maintenance. On-premises: CapEx up-front, scaling requires buying hardware (slow), organization handles all maintenance and upkeep.

14. In what scenarios might on-premises computing be preferable to cloud?

    When strict data sovereignty/regulatory control is required, for predictable steady workloads where owned hardware is cheaper long-term, for ultra-low-latency needs, for full control over hardware/security, or where reliable internet connectivity is unavailable.

15. What are the three primary cloud service models?

    Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). (FaaS/serverless is often considered a fourth model.)

16. Define Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and give an example.

    IaaS provides fundamental computing resources—virtualized compute, storage, and networking—over the internet, where the consumer manages the OS, middleware, and applications while the provider manages the physical infrastructure. Examples: Amazon EC2, Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure VMs.

17. Define Platform as a Service (PaaS) and give an example.

    PaaS provides a managed platform (runtime, OS, middleware, development tools) on which consumers deploy and manage their own applications without managing the underlying infrastructure. Examples: Google App Engine, Heroku, Azure App Service, AWS Elastic Beanstalk.

18. Define Software as a Service (SaaS) and give an example.

    SaaS delivers complete, ready-to-use software applications over the internet (typically via a browser); the provider manages everything and the consumer just uses the application. Examples: Gmail, Salesforce, Microsoft 365, Dropbox.

19. In the pizza-as-a-service analogy, how do IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS map?

    On-premises = making pizza entirely at home. IaaS = take-and-bake (you supply oven/heat = OS/runtime). PaaS = pizza delivery (you supply the table/drinks = data/app config). SaaS = dining out (everything provided).

20. Define Function as a Service (FaaS) and describe how it works.

    FaaS lets developers deploy individual functions that run in response to events; the provider fully manages servers, scaling, and provisioning. Functions execute on demand, scale to zero when idle, and are billed only for actual execution time/resources.

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