Describe Cloud Computing Flashcards
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the internet. Computing services include common IT infrastructure such as virtual machines, storage, databases, and networking. Cloud services also expand the traditional IT offerings to include things like Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI).
It provides a way to rent compute power and storage from someone else’s data centre
What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is a public cloud computing platform—with solutions including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). It can be used for services such as analytics, virtual computing, storage, networking, and much more. It can also be used to replace or supplement your on-premise servers.
List the benefits of cloud computing
1) It’s not constrained by your physical infrastructure
2) You only pay for the services you use
3) You can choose the power and features you need to run your software
4) The cloud provider manages the upkeep of the cloud computer so you don’t have to. They also ensure that there are backups, that the operating system is up-to-date, and make sure everything is up and running 24/7.
5) You can add or remove compute power as you need it
6) You can add or remove storage space as you need it
What are the basic services provided by all cloud providers?
Compute power and storage
What is compute power?
Compute power refers to how much processing your computer can do. This comprises the quantity of memory, the speed of the processors, and the number of processors. A computer’s processing speed and several simultaneous processes are both governed by its processing power.
It can be expressed in IPS (instructions per second), clock speed (Ghz) and in word or bus size (bits).
What is the definition of storage?
Storage is the volume of data you can store on your computer
What is the Shared Responsibility Model?
A model that shows who is responsible between the cloud provider and the consumer for maintaining the physical space, OS, applications, security, maintaining or replacing the servers, updating and patching software, and which are shared, based on the cloud service type.
List the 3 cloud service types
1) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
2) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
3) Software as a Service (SaaS)
What is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?
IaaS places the most responsibility on the consumer, with the cloud provider being responsible for the basics of physical security, power, and connectivity.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
SaaS places most of the responsibility with the cloud provider
What is Platform as a Service (PaaS)?
PaaS, being a middle ground between IaaS and SaaS, rests somewhere in the middle and evenly distributes responsibility between the cloud provider and the consumer.
In the Shared Responsibility Model, which responsibilities are always retained by the customer?
1) Information and data
2) Devices (mobile and PCs)
3) Accounts and identities
In the Shared Responsibility Model, which responsibilities are always retained by the cloud provider?
1) Physical data centre
2) Physical network
3) Physical hosts
In the SaaS cloud service type, which responsibilities are the customers, which are the cloud providers, and which are shared?
1) Customer
Information and data
Devices (mobile and PCs)
Accounts and identities
2) Cloud provider
Physical data centre
Physical network
Physical hosts
Operating system
Network controls
Applications
3) Shared
Identity and directory infrastructure
In the PaaS cloud service type, which responsibilities are the customers, which are the cloud providers, and which are shared?
1) Customer
Information and data
Devices (mobile and PCs)
Accounts and identities
2) Cloud provider
Physical data centre
Physical network
Physical hosts
Operating system
3) Shared
Identity and directory infrastructure
Applications
Network controls
In the IaaS cloud service type, which responsibilities are the customers, which are the cloud providers, and which are shared?
1) Customer
Information and data
Devices (mobile and PCs)
Accounts and identities
Identity and directory infrastructure
Applications
Network controls
Operating system
2) Cloud provider
Physical data centre
Physical network
Physical hosts
In cloud computing, who is responsible for each service changes based on what?
The cloud service type (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS)
The cloud service type will determine responsibility for which services?
1) Operating systems
2) Network controls
3) Applications
4) Identity and directory infrastructure
Define the private cloud model
A private cloud is used by a single entity. It provides much greater control for the company and its IT department. A private cloud may be hosted from your on-site data centre, a dedicated data centre off-site, or even by a third party that has dedicated a data centre to your company.
However, this model comes with a greater cost and fewer benefits compared with a public cloud model
Define the public cloud model
A public cloud is build, controlled, and maintained by a third-party cloud provider. With a public cloud, anyone that wants to purchase cloud services can access and use resources. The general public availability is a key difference between public and private clouds
Define the hybrid cloud model
A hybrid cloud is a computing environment that uses both public and private clouds in an interconnected environment. A hybrid cloud environment can be used to allow a private cloud to surge for increased, temporary demand by deploying public cloud resources.
Hybrid clouds can also be used to provide an extra layer of security and users can flexibly choose which services to keep in public cloud and which to deploy to their private cloud infrastructure
List the 4 cloud models
Public
Private
Hybrid
Multi-cloud
What are the key features of the hybrid cloud model?
Provides the most flexibility
Organisations determine where to run their applications
Organisations control security, compliance, or legal requirements
What are the key features of the private cloud model?
Organisations have complete control over resources and security
Data is not collocated with other organisation’s data
Hardware must be purchased for startup and maintenance
Organisations are responsible for hardware maintenance and updates
What are the key features of the public cloud model?
No capital expenditures to scale up
Applications can be quickly provisioned and de-provisioned
Organisations pay only for what they use
Organisations don’t have complete control over resources and security
Define the multi-cloud model
In a multi-cloud scenario, you use 2 (or more) multiple public cloud providers and manager resources and security in both environments. You may use different features from different cloud providers, or started using one public cloud provider and are in the process of migrating to a different provider
What is Azure Arc?
Azure Arc is a set of technologies that helps manage your cloud environment. Azure Arc can help you manage your cloud environment whether it’s a public cloud solely on Azure, a private cloud in your data centre, a hybrid configuration, or even a multi-cloud environment running on multiple cloud providers at once
What is Azure VMware solutions?
Azure VMware Solution lets you run your VMware workloads in Azure with seamless integration and scalability
Describe the consumption-based model
Cloud computing operates on a consumption-based model. You don’t pay for the physical infrastructure, the electricity, the security, or anything else associated with maintaining a data centre. Instead, you pay for the IT resources you use. If you don’t use any IT resources this month, you don’t pay for any IT resources
When comparing IT infrastructure models, what are the two types of expenses to consider (describe them)?
Capital expenditure (CapEx) is typically a one-time, upfront expenditure to purchase or secure tangible resources ( buying a building or vehicle)
Operational expenditure (OpEx) is spending money on services or products over time (renting a convention centre, leasing a company vehicle, signing up for cloud services)
What are the benefits of the consumption-based model?
No upfront costs
No need to purchase and manage costly infrastructure that might not be used to its full potential
The ability to pay for more resources when they are needed
The ability to stop paying for resources that are no longer needed
