Unit 3: Understanding Services and Applications by Type - Question Bank

 Unit 3:  Understanding Services and Applications by Type - Question Bank

1. Define the concept of cloud computing service models and explain the significance of categorizing cloud offerings into different service models.
2. What are the three service models described in the context of cloud computing? Explain each model and provide examples.
3. Discuss the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model in cloud computing. How does IaaS create a utility computing model, and what are the benefits for users?
4. Describe the ownership and responsibilities in the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model. Who owns the equipment and infrastructure in an IaaS setup?
5. Explain the concept of virtualization in the IaaS model. How does virtualization enable the creation of virtual hardware and virtual systems in the cloud?
6. Discuss the concept of workloads in the IaaS model. What attributes define a workload, and how are workloads provisioned and allocated in an IaaS deployment?
7. Describe the architecture of an IaaS infrastructure, including the layers and components involved. What are LUNs, cloud interconnect layer, and virtual application software layer?
8. Explain the concept of private networks in the IaaS model. How are private networks implemented in an IaaS infrastructure, and what are the benefits for clients?
9. Compare and contrast the IP assignment models of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Rackspace Cloud in the context of IaaS.
10. Discuss the scalability and availability aspects of an IaaS infrastructure. How are workloads scaled, and how does the concept of pods and availability zones contribute to availability?
11. Define the term "silo" in the context of cloud computing. How does creating a private virtual network in an IaaS framework result in a silo, and what are the implications of silos?
12. Discuss the benefits and challenges of the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model. How does IaaS disrupt traditional business models and contribute to business scalability?
13. Define Platform as a Service (PaaS) in the context of cloud computing. What is the main characteristic of a PaaS model?
14. Explain how a PaaS offering provides developers with a customized software environment. What tools and development environment does PaaS provide?
15. Provide examples of PaaS offerings and describe their key features. Mention Google App Engine and Force.com as examples.
16. Discuss the advantages and challenges of using a PaaS solution. How does PaaS create vendor lock-in, and what are the implications for developers?
17. Describe the relationship between PaaS and Software as a Service (SaaS). How can a PaaS vendor also serve as a SaaS vendor, and how do they differ in terms of user interaction?
18. Explain how APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) play a role in PaaS solutions. How do APIs enable developers to create custom composite applications within a PaaS environment?
19. Define Software as a Service (SaaS) in the context of cloud computing. How does SaaS provide software access to users?
20. Discuss the characteristics of SaaS applications. What makes them different from locally installed software?
21. Provide examples of SaaS applications for end-users and describe their functionalities. Mention Google Gmail, QuickBooks Online, and Zoho Office Suite as examples.
22. Explain the licensing and pricing models typically associated with SaaS. How are SaaS applications licensed and billed to users?
23. Discuss the advantages of using SaaS applications compared to shrink-wrapped software. How do automated upgrades, reduced distribution costs, and faster rollout of changes benefit SaaS users?
24. Explain the concept of multi-tenancy in SaaS applications. How does multi-tenancy enable multiple users to share a single instance of the software?
25. Compare and contrast Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) models. What are the main differences between these two service models?
26. Discuss the potential for vendor lock-in in PaaS and SaaS solutions. How can developers and users mitigate the risks associated with vendor lock-in?
27. Explain the concept of mashups in the context of SaaS applications. How do mashups combine user interfaces, web services, and data transfer?
28. Describe the role of open-source software in SaaS applications. What advantages does using open-source software bring to SaaS deployments?
29. Discuss the growth and adoption of SaaS applications. How has the SaaS market evolved, and what are the predictions for its future growth?
30. Provide an example of a well-known SaaS application and describe its features and functionality. Mention Salesforce.com and its CRM solution as an example.
31. What is Identity? Explain IDaaS.
32. What are the core functions of an identity service?
33. How do distributed transaction systems like internetworks or cloud computing systems affect identity management?
34. What is the purpose of the Domain Name Service (DNS) in identity authorization and lookup?
35. How do experts narrow the definition of Identity as a Service (IDaaS) in the context of cloud computing?
36. What is a digital identity and what attributes and relationships are associated with it?
37. What are some examples of user-centric authentication methods?
38. How does CardSpace work in the context of digital identity authentication?
39. What are some of the key standards used in identity services interoperability?
40. How does XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) support authentication and authorization in identity services?
41. What is the role of SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) in identity services and how does it integrate with XACML?
42. What is the purpose of SPML (Service Provisioning Markup Language) in provisioning and managing resources in identity services?
43. How does SAML enable Single Sign-On (SSO) in a web browser environment?
44. How does SPML facilitate automated user and system access in cloud computing systems?
45. What are some of the key considerations and standards that should be observed in an IDaaS application?
46. How does IDaaS support interoperability and integration with other identity services?
47. Why is compliance a complex issue in cloud computing?
48. What is Compliance as a Service (CaaS) and why is it considered a value-added service?
49. What are some examples of vertical clouds that offer CaaS capabilities?
50. What are the challenges and benefits of implementing CaaS in private clouds?
51. How can CaaS help ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)?
52. How can a well-implemented CaaS service help measure and mitigate risks associated with compliance?
53. How could CaaS be used to enforce standards for email communication and potentially address issues like spam?
54. What are some of the key requirements for a CaaS application to be considered a trusted third party?
55. How does CaaS relate to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in cloud computing?
56. What are some potential considerations and challenges in implementing CaaS in a global context where different jurisdictions have different laws and regulations?
57. How does CaaS contribute to incident response, data privacy, and information security in cloud computing?
58. How can CaaS assist in auditing and archiving data in cloud environments?
59. What are some potential future developments or advancements in the field of Compliance as a Service?
60. What are the implications of CaaS for industries with strict compliance requirements, such as healthcare, finance, and government?