Virtualization and Cloud Computing Flashcards
Virtual Machines: Host
The physical hardware that ultimately hosts all the hardware. Not to be confused with the usual network definition of “host.”
Virtual Machine (VM)
A virtual computer installed onto the host.
Virtual Machines: Hypervisor
A software abstraction layer that runs VMs as applications, effectively an operating system for operating systems.
Hypervisors: Bare-metal/Native
Bare-metal or native hypervisors are named because they install directly onto the hardware of the host machine, serving as its underlying operating system. Examples include Oracle VM Server, VMWare ESXi, and Microsoft Hyper-V.
Hypervisors: Hosted
Hosted hypervisors are software applications that run within the host machine’s primary operating system, just like any other program. Examples include Oracle VM VirtualBox, VMWare Workstation, and Windows Virtual PC.
Name the benefits of Virtualization?
- VMs using different operating systems can share a
host without conflicts. - Maintenance on one VM, like system updates,
doesn’t need to affect other VMs on the same host. - VMs are easier to back up, restore, or move to
different hardware than traditional operating system
installations. - It’s relatively easy to change or upgrade hardware on
hosts without affecting VMs, or to change the
memory or storage allocated to different VMs without
hardware changes. - Virtual machines can serve as a security sandbox,
which limits the potential damage of untrusted code.
While no sandbox is perfect, a properly designed VM
helps prevent malware or poorly designed software
from affecting the host computer or other VMs.
Virtualization requirements: Hypervisor
Hypervisors can vary widely in hardware emulated, management features, performance, ease of configuration, and licensing requirements.
Virtualization requirements: CPU
You can use any CPU in a host machine, but your performance, and choice of hypervisors, can suffer for it.
Virtualization requirements: Memory
At the least, you’ll need enough RAM to meet the needs of all the VMs you’ll be running simultaneously, in addition to whatever the hypervisor and/or host OS needs.
Virtualization requirements: Storage
VMs can be allocated actual drive partitions, but usually a VM will run a virtual disk image which exists as a file on a host partition.
Virtualization requirements: Network
Centrally hosted VDI can require fast and low-latency networks, since users will be logging into them using remote desktop software.
Virtualization requirements: Security
Virtualization can help security, but some users let that give them false confidence. VMs need to be protected from malware and other attacks just like physical systems, especially when they have network access.
What allows you to simulate private circuits over the Internet?
VPN
A hypervisor allows one host computer to support multiple guest VMs by virtually sharing its resources, like memory and processing. True or False?
True
hypervisor: It is the core that makes the process of virtualization work. True or False?
True
hypervisor: It ensures that the hosted VMs can share the host’s hardware and all its resources without interference. True or False?
True
hypervisor: It does not differ depending on the kind of hardware it emulates, especially when it comes to the CPU. True or False?
False
hypervisor: It mostly emulates the same general architecture as the host machine. True or False?
True
Five elements of cloud computing: On-demand self-service
Customers must be able to access computing resources unilaterally and automatically, without human interaction with the service provider.
Five elements of cloud computing: Broad network access
Resources are available through the network in a standard format that allows and in fact promotes use from a wide variety of client platforms, often including any sort of computer or mobile device.
Five elements of cloud computing: Resource pooling
The provider’s resources are pooled and shared between multiple customers in a multi-tenant fashion, and can be dynamically allocated to suit changing demands. As much as possible, the customer doesn’t even need to know where the resources are hosted: they just work wherever you are.
Five elements of cloud computing: Rapid elasticity
Resources can be quickly, even automatically, allocated or released to meet demand. From a customer perspective, resources might seem to be unlimited.
Five elements of cloud computing: Measured service
Resources are in some way measured and metered, so that usage can be monitored and transparently reported, and so that the customer can be billed appropriately. The exact means of measurement can depend on the type of service: processing time, storage space, active users, or bandwidth usage.
Cloud service models: SaaS
Software-as-a-service is subscription-based access to applications or databases, sometimes known as “on-demand software”
Cloud service models: PaaS
Platform-as-a-service is access to a computing platform or software environment the customer can use to develop and host web-based applications.
Cloud service models: IaaS
nfrastructure-as-a-service is access to computing and network resources themselves, such as storage devices, processing, entire computers, and even whole networks
Cloud deployment: Public
The service is available to the general public, whether as a paid service or even for free.
Cloud deployment: Private
The service is accessible only to a single organization, though it is shared among multiple divisions or business units. It might be on-premises or off, and it might be owned and managed by the organization itself, or a third party.
Cloud deployment: Community
The service is shared between a number of organizations which have common concerns and needs, for example organizational mission or specific technical, policy, or security requirements.
Cloud deployment: Hybrid
The service has some combination of public, private, and community cloud characteristics under a common hardware or software infrastructure.
SaaS categories: Desktop productivity
Office suites like Office 365 and Google Apps provide the functions of traditional office suites as subscription-based local or web apps, in conjunction with other cloud features.
SaaS categories: Database
Any sort of software that connects to a personal or corporate database is a good fit for cloud use, since the database itself can be centrally hosted and accessed from any client computer
SaaS categories: Storage
Cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, and iCloud provide easily accessible network storage that can be accessed through a browser, client app, or integrated OS functions.
SaaS categories: Email
Cloud services can enhance email architecture in a variety of ways. Off-site servers can replace traditional email servers themselves, or add features such as spam filtering and antivirus.
You’re consulting for a company that’s moving into a new facility and trying to decide whether to use a cloud provider instead of an in-house server room. How would you determine what cloud model they should evaluate?
Look into what services they would need to provide themselves. If they just need common services like storage and email, SaaS providers might fill the role, for example, but if they really want full control they’ll want an IaaS provider. It’s possible some mix of multiple models might best suit their needs.
Why is it more important to know their expected future needs than their current needs before making the decision?
If the company isn’t expecting rapid growth it’s easy to plan future in-house needs, but there might be logistical problems with rapid or unknown growth. One of the main benefits of cloud services is easy scaling to fit temporary or long-term needs.
What cloud computing feature allows users to access additional storage, processing, and capabilities automatically, without requiring intervention from the service provider?
On-demand self-service
Which cloud computing method is a combination of two or more clouds that remain distinct but are bound together, offering the benefits of multiple deployment models?
Hybrid
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a subscription-based access to applications or databases, sometimes known as on-demand software. True or False?
True
What cloud service model is used to develop and host web-based applications?
Paas (Platform as a Service)
What cloud service model delivers computing infrastructure on an outsourced basis to support enterprise operations?
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
What cloud computing type is a combination of two or more clouds that remain distinct but are bound together, offering the benefits of multiple deployment models?
Hybrid
What is an example of a hosted hypervisor?
Windows Virtual PC
What is the ability to quickly increase or decrease the number of resources required from a cloud service provider?
Rapid elasticity
What allows you to allocate network-based disk arrays as if they were local storage?
SAN (Storage area Network)
Which of the following is a cloud computing method where the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for a single organization?
Private
Which cloud service model provides subscription-based access to applications or databases?
SaaS (Software as a Service)
Which of the following is a software abstraction layer that runs VMs as applications?
Hypervisor
What cloud type provides a cloud computing solution to a limited number of individuals or organizations that are governed, managed, and secured commonly by all the participating organizations?
Community
