Unit 1: Cloud Computing Fundamentals
1. Define Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources,
especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the
user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over multiple locations, each
location being a data center. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve
coherence and economies of scale.
Key characteristics of cloud computing include:
• On-demand self-service: Users can provision computing resources, such as server
time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human
interaction with a service provider.
• Broad network access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed
through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick
client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
• Resource pooling: The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve
multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and
virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer
demand. There is location independence, in that the customer generally has no
control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be
able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or data
center).
• Rapid elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some
cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with
demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear
unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
• Measured service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource
use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to
the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts).
Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing
transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.
2. Identify Cloud Service Models
Cloud service models define the types of services offered by cloud providers. The three
primary models are:
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides access to fundamental computing
resources like virtual machines, storage, and networks. Users manage the
operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly select networking
components (e.g., firewalls). Examples include Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure
Virtual Machines, and Google Compute Engine.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers a platform allowing customers to develop,
run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining
the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.
Users control the deployed applications and possibly application hosting
environment configurations. Examples include AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App
Engine, and Microsoft Azure App Service.
• Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers applications over the Internet, on demand,
typically on a subscription basis. Users access software without needing to manage
the underlying infrastructure, operating systems, or application code. Examples
include Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Office 365.
3. Differentiate Deployment Models
Cloud deployment models define where the infrastructure is located and who has
control over it. The main deployment models include:
• Public Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is owned by a cloud service provider and
made available to the general public or a large industry group. Resources are
dynamically provisioned over the Internet. Examples include AWS, Azure, and
Google Cloud.
• Private Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a
single organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and
may exist on-premises or off-premises. Private clouds offer greater control and
security but require more responsibility for management and maintenance.
• Hybrid Cloud: Uses a combination of public and private cloud infrastructures,
bound together by technology that enables data and application portability.
Organizations can leverage the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the public
cloud while maintaining control over sensitive data and applications in the private
cloud.
• Community Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a
specific community of users with shared concerns (e.g., security requirements,
policy, and compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or
a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.
Unit 2: Data Storage Solutions
1. Explain Data Storage Types
Data storage types encompass various methods for retaining digital information, each
with distinct characteristics and use cases.
• Block Storage: Data is divided into blocks, each with a unique identifier, and
stored independently. This allows for efficient access and modification of
individual blocks, making it suitable for databases and virtual machines.
• Object Storage: Data is stored as objects, each containing the data itself, metadata,
and a unique identifier. This is ideal for unstructured data like images, videos, and
documents, offering scalability and cost-effectiveness.
• File Storage: Data is organized into files and directories, similar to traditional file
systems. It provides a hierarchical structure for easy navigation and is commonly
used for general-purpose storage and file sharing.
• Direct-Attached Storage (DAS): Storage directly connected to a server or
workstation, offering high performance but limited scalability and sharing
capabilities.
• Network-Attached Storage (NAS): Storage devices connected to a network,
allowing multiple users and devices to access files. It provides centralized storage
and file sharing capabilities.
• Storage Area Network (SAN): A dedicated high-speed network that connects
servers to storage devices, providing block-level access and high performance for
demanding applications.
• Solid-State Drives (SSDs): Storage devices that use flash memory to store data,
offering faster access times and lower latency compared to traditional hard disk
drives (HDDs).
• Hard Disk Drives (HDDs): Storage devices that use magnetic platters to store
data, providing high capacity at a lower cost compared to SSDs.
• Tape Storage: A sequential access storage medium used for long-term archiving
and backup, offering high capacity and low cost per gigabyte.
• Optical Storage: Storage devices that use lasers to read and write data on optical
discs, such as CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs.
2. Assess Cloud Storage Options
Cloud storage options provide various solutions for storing data in the cloud, each with
different features, pricing models, and performance characteristics.
• Object Storage Services (e.g., Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud
Storage): Highly scalable and cost-effective storage for unstructured data, offering
features like versioning, lifecycle management, and access control.
• Block Storage Services (e.g., Amazon EBS, Azure Managed Disks, Google
Persistent Disk): High-performance storage for virtual machines and databases,
providing block-level access and features like snapshots and encryption.
• File Storage Services (e.g., Amazon EFS, Azure Files, Google Cloud Filestore):
Shared file systems for applications that require file-level access, offering features
like NFS and SMB protocol support.
• Cold Storage Services (e.g., Amazon S3 Glacier, Azure Archive Storage, Google
Cloud Storage Nearline/Coldline): Low-cost storage for infrequently accessed
data, suitable for archiving and long-term backup.
• Database Services (e.g., Amazon RDS, Azure SQL Database, Google Cloud
SQL): Managed database services that provide storage and management of
structured data.
• Data Lake Storage (e.g., Amazon S3, Azure Data Lake Storage, Google Cloud
Storage): Scalable storage repositories for storing large volumes of structured,
semi-structured, and unstructured data.
• Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Distributed networks of servers that cache
content closer to users, improving performance and reducing latency.
• Storage Classes: Different tiers of storage with varying performance and cost
characteristics (e.g., Standard, Infrequent Access, Archive). Choosing the
appropriate storage class optimizes cost based on access frequency.
• Replication: Cloud providers offer options to replicate data across multiple
availability zones or regions for increased durability and availability.
• Encryption: Cloud storage services offer encryption at rest and in transit to
protect data from unauthorized access.
3. Implement Data Backup Strategies
Implementing data backup strategies is crucial for protecting data from loss due to
hardware failures, natural disasters, or human error.
• Backup Types:
• Full Backup: Copies all data to a backup location.
• Incremental Backup: Copies only the data that has changed since the last
full or incremental backup.
• Differential Backup: Copies only the data that has changed since the last full
backup.
• Backup Frequency: Determine how often backups should be performed based on
the rate of data change and the acceptable data loss window.
• Backup Retention: Define how long backups should be retained based on
regulatory requirements and business needs.
• Backup Location: Choose a backup location that is physically separate from the
primary data location to protect against disasters.
• Cloud Backup: Utilize cloud storage services for offsite backup and disaster
recovery.
• Backup Software: Use backup software to automate the backup process and
manage backup schedules.
• Backup Verification: Regularly test backups to ensure they can be successfully
restored.
• Disaster Recovery Plan: Develop a disaster recovery plan that outlines the steps
to be taken in the event of a data loss incident.
• 3-2-1 Rule: Follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies of your data, on two different
media, with one copy offsite.
• Versioning: Maintain multiple versions of files to allow for recovery from
accidental deletions or modifications.
Unit 3: Data Management Strategies
1. Develop Data Governance Policies
• Data governance policies establish a framework for managing data assets within
an organization.
• They define roles, responsibilities, and processes for ensuring data quality,
integrity, and security.
• Key components include data ownership, data stewardship, and data quality
standards.
• Data governance policies should address data access controls, data retention, and
data disposal.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements, such as GDPR and HIPAA, is a critical
aspect of data governance.
• Data governance frameworks often incorporate metadata management to provide
context and understanding of data assets.
• Effective data governance promotes data-driven decision-making and business
value.
• Data governance policies should be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect
changing business needs and regulatory landscapes.
• The policies should outline procedures for handling data breaches and incidents.
• Training and awareness programs are essential for ensuring that employees
understand and adhere to data governance policies.
2. Utilize Data Integration Techniques
• Data integration techniques combine data from different sources into a unified
view.
• ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) is a common data integration process.
• Data virtualization provides a logical view of data without physically moving it.
• Data warehousing consolidates data for reporting and analysis.
• Data lakes store raw data in its native format, allowing for flexible analysis.
• APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) facilitate data exchange between
systems.
• Data integration tools automate the process of connecting to various data sources
and transforming data.
• Common data integration challenges include data quality issues, schema
differences, and data volume.
• Real-time data integration enables immediate access to updated information.
• Data integration strategies should align with business requirements and data
governance policies.
3. Analyze Data Security Measures
• Data security measures protect data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure,
disruption, modification, or destruction.
• Encryption is a fundamental data security technique that renders data unreadable
without the decryption key.
• Access controls restrict data access to authorized users and roles.
• Firewalls prevent unauthorized network access.
• Intrusion detection systems monitor for malicious activity.
• Data loss prevention (DLP) tools prevent sensitive data from leaving the
organization.
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments identify and address
security weaknesses.
• Data security policies should address data encryption, access controls, and
incident response.
• Employee training on data security best practices is essential.
• Compliance with data security regulations, such as PCI DSS, is crucial for
protecting sensitive data.
