TEST SET 1 SUBJECTIVES

Define cloud computing and list three key characteristics. (3 marks)

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Answer:
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services—such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics—over the internet.

Three key characteristics are:

1. On-demand self-service – users can provision computing capabilities without human intervention.

2. Broad network access – services are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms.

3. Resource pooling – computing resources are pooled to serve multiple users.

Compare IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS with examples. (5 marks)

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• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Provides virtualized hardware over the internet. Users manage OS, apps, and data.
  Example: Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)

• PaaS (Platform as a Service): Offers hardware and software tools over the internet. Developers can build apps without managing infrastructure.
  Example: Google App Engine

• SaaS (Software as a Service): Delivers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis.
  Example: Microsoft 365

Illustrate the cloud architecture and explain components. (4 marks)

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Answer:
Cloud architecture consists of the following layers:

1. Frontend: Includes client devices and user interfaces.

2. Backend: Comprises servers, storage, databases, and resource management.

3. Network: Connects frontend and backend via the internet.

4. APIs: Used to access and manage cloud services.

Example: A web application accessed through a browser (frontend) running on a virtual machine (backend) using a REST API.

Describe how virtualization helps reduce hardware dependency. (3 marks)

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Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine, thus maximizing resource use. It reduces the need for physical hardware for each service or application, lowering costs and energy use while improving scalability and flexibility.

Discuss two core services in cloud computing with examples. (4 marks)

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1. Compute: Provides processing power via virtual machines.
   Example: AWS EC2 allows users to deploy scalable instances.

2. Storage: Stores data in the cloud with high durability.
   Example: Google Cloud Storage is used to host static website files.

Explain cloud storage application in education or healthcare. (4 marks)

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In education, cloud storage enables students and teachers to store, access, and share documents online. For example, Google Drive allows collaborative editing of assignments. In healthcare, medical records can be securely stored and accessed by professionals through encrypted cloud services like AWS HealthLake.

Identify common security threats and describe mitigation. (4 marks)

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1. Data breaches – Mitigated using encryption at rest and in transit.

2. DDoS attacks – Mitigated with firewalls and traffic monitoring tools like AWS Shield.
   Both threats can also be managed with IAM and regular security audits.

Explain IAM and how it manages secure access. (3 marks)

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IAM (Identity and Access Management) allows administrators to define user roles and grant access to specific resources. By applying policies, it ensures that users only access resources necessary for their tasks, implementing the principle of least privilege.

Describe how redundancy and resiliency improve reliability. (3 marks)

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Redundancy involves having backup systems (like multiple data centers) to take over if one fails. Resiliency refers to the system's ability to recover from failures quickly. Together, they ensure high availability and business continuity even during outages.

Explain one scaling advanced feature with benefits. (3 marks)

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Answer:
Auto-scaling is an advanced feature that adjusts the number of active servers based on demand.
Benefit: It optimizes performance and cost-efficiency by scaling up during peak usage and scaling down when demand drops.