Question Bank-I

Subject: CLOUD COMPUTING Sub Code: 21CS72

Semester: VI A & B

Q Questions Marks BLT CO’s

No.
1. What is Cloud Computing. With a neat diagram, explain cloud computing 8M L2 CO1
reference model.

Solution :
Cloud computing is a technological advancement that focuses on the way
we design computing systems, develop applications, and leverage
existing services for building software.

2. What are the major Distributed computing technologies that lead to 8M L3 CO1
Cloud Computing?

Solution :
Three major milestones have led to cloud computing: mainframe
computing, cluster computing, and grid computing.

1. Mainframe Computing :
➢ Centralized Processing Power: Mainframe computing
involved powerful, centralized computers (mainframes) that
handled multiple users’ tasks, managing heavy workloads,
and running complex computations.
➢ Multi-User Access: Users accessed mainframes through
terminals, making it possible for many users to share a single
 computer’s resources. This established early principles of
shared computing.
➢ Reliable and High Availability: Mainframes were known
for their reliability, high availability, and secure data
processing. This made them ideal for industries that needed
uninterrupted service and data integrity.
➢ Foundation for Virtualization: Mainframes introduced
early forms of virtualization with techniques like time-sharing
and partitioning, which later influenced the development of
cloud-based virtual machines.

2. Cluster Computing :
➢ Interconnected Nodes: Cluster computing involves a group
of interconnected computers (nodes) working together as a
unified system, allowing for scalability and distributed
processing.
➢ Parallel Processing: Clusters enable parallel processing,
where tasks are divided across multiple nodes to increase
computational power and reduce processing time, a key
principle in large-scale computing.
➢ Redundancy and High Availability: Cluster computing
ensures that if one node fails, others can take over, enhancing
fault tolerance and reliability, which are critical for cloud
service uptime.
➢ Basis for Distributed Applications: Many applications in
today’s cloud environment use clustering principles to
manage workloads across data centers and balance resources
efficiently.

3. Grid Computing :
➢ Resource Pooling Across Locations: Grid computing allows
resources across multiple locations to be pooled and shared
for large, distributed tasks. It was often used for scientific
research, with computers working together to solve large-
scale problems.
➢ Heterogeneous Systems: Unlike cluster computing, grid
computing integrates different systems and platforms,
enabling various computers across organizations to
collaborate, regardless of their hardware or OS.
➢ Decentralized Control: Grid computing introduced a
decentralized control approach, where each node manages its
resources but collaborates for a common goal. This set the
stage for multi-tenant architectures in cloud computing.
 ➢ On-Demand Resource Availability: Resources could be
provisioned as needed, a concept that became fundamental to
cloud computing's pay-as-you-go model and elastic resource
scaling.

Each milestone helped develop crucial concepts like resource pooling,

scalability, virtualization, and redundancy, directly leading to the
flexible, on-demand nature of cloud computing today.
3. List the characteristics and benefits of cloud computing. 6M L3 CO1
Solution :
Cloud computing has some interesting characteristics that bring benefits
to both cloud service consumers (CSCs) and cloud service providers
(CSPs). These characteristics are:

• No up-front commitments
• On-demand access
• Nice pricing
• Simplified application acceleration and scalability
• Efficient resource allocation
• Energy efficiency
• Seamless creation and use of third-party services
4. Explain in brief the services provided by following cloud service provider 10M L2 CO1
i)Amazon Web Service ii)Microsoft Azure iii) Hadoop

Solution :

i) Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• Compute Services: Offers services like Amazon EC2 for scalable
virtual servers, AWS Lambda for serverless computing, and
Amazon ECS for container management, allowing dynamic
compute power.
• Storage and Content Delivery: Provides solutions like Amazon
S3 for object storage, Amazon EBS for block storage, and Amazon
CloudFront for content delivery, supporting large-scale data
storage and fast content access.
• Database Services: Includes Amazon RDS for managed relational
databases, Amazon DynamoDB for NoSQL databases, and
Amazon Redshift for data warehousing, covering a variety of
database needs.
• Machine Learning and AI: AWS offers tools like Amazon
SageMaker for building machine learning models, AWS
 Recognition for image and video analysis, and AWS Comprehend
for natural language processing.

ii) Microsoft Azure

• Compute Services: Azure Virtual Machines provide scalable
computing power, Azure Functions enable serverless computing,
and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) supports containerized
applications, making it easy to deploy and manage.
• Storage Solutions: Azure offers Blob Storage for large amounts
of unstructured data, Azure Files for managed file shares, and
Azure Disk Storage for persistent storage for VMs, covering
multiple data storage needs.
• Data and Analytics: Azure SQL Database provides a managed
database service, Azure Cosmos DB offers globally distributed
NoSQL, and Azure Synapse Analytics provides big data and
analytics solutions.
• AI and Machine Learning: Azure AI services, like Azure
Machine Learning for building models, Cognitive Services for
language, vision, and speech, and Bot Services for creating
conversational AI, support various AI needs.

iii) Hadoop
• Distributed Storage with HDFS: Hadoop Distributed File
System (HDFS) allows storage and management of large data sets
by distributing data across multiple nodes, providing fault
tolerance and scalability.
• Data Processing with MapReduce: Hadoop’s MapReduce
framework enables parallel data processing on distributed systems,
making it ideal for handling large datasets in a cost-effective way.
• Data Management with YARN: YARN (Yet Another Resource
Negotiator) manages resources and scheduling across Hadoop
clusters, allowing multiple applications to run concurrently and
efficiently.
• Ecosystem Support: Hadoop supports a broad ecosystem of tools
like Hive (for SQL-based querying), Pig (for scripting), and HBase
(for NoSQL storage), making it flexible for various data
processing and storage needs.

Each provider brings unique strengths, with AWS and Azure covering
diverse cloud services, while Hadoop specializes in large-scale data
storage and processing solutions.
5. What is Virtualization? Describe the main characteristics of Service L3 CO1
orientation. 8M

Solution :
• Virtualization is another core technology for cloud
computing.
• It encompasses a collection of solutions allowing the
abstraction of some of the fundamental elements for
computing, such as hardware, runtime environments, storage,
and networking.
Main Characteristics of Service Orientation
Service orientation is a design approach where services are created
as independent, reusable components that perform specific business
functions and are accessible over a network. It forms the foundation
for building modular, interoperable applications in cloud
computing, often referred to as Service-Oriented Architecture
(SOA).
Key characteristics of service orientation include:
• Loose Coupling: Services are designed to be independent of
each other, meaning changes in one service do not
significantly impact others. This makes systems more flexible
and adaptable.
• Interoperability: Services can communicate across different
platforms, languages, and networks. This is typically
achieved through standard protocols (e.g., HTTP, SOAP,
REST), enabling integration across diverse systems.
• Reusable Components: Services are designed to be modular
and reusable, so they can be combined or reused in different
applications or business processes, reducing redundancy and
development time.
• Encapsulation of Business Logic: Services encapsulate
specific business logic, making them easy to update or replace
without affecting the entire system. This supports modular
development and quick adaptability to business needs.
Service orientation makes applications easier to build, scale, and
integrate, allowing businesses to adapt more quickly to market
changes and manage complex, distributed environments effectively.

6. What is the major Revolution introduced by Web 2.0? Give some 8M L2 CO1
examples of Web 2.0 applications.
 Solution :
• The major revolution introduced by Web 2.0, as described in the
text, is its shift from static, read-only web pages to a more
interactive, flexible, and dynamic environment.
• Web 2.0 enables users to not only consume content but also
contribute, collaborate, and create new content.
• This transformation is facilitated by technologies such as AJAX,
XML, and Web Services, which allow applications to integrate
user inputs and provide a more engaging experience similar to
desktop applications.

Key aspects of this revolution include:

• Interactivity and User Participation: Users become active
participants in the web, providing content, feedback, and data,
which enriches the experience and increases value.
• Dynamic and Continuous Improvement: Web 2.0 applications
are updated frequently to incorporate new features and respond to
user needs without requiring users to install updates manually.
• Service Composition and Lightweight Deployment: New
applications can be synthesized by combining existing services,
enabling faster development and deployment.
• Long Tail Accessibility: Web 2.0 makes applications and media
accessible and affordable to a broader audience, leveraging the
"long tail" of niche markets and community-driven innovation.

Examples of Web 2.0 applications are Google Documents, Google Maps,

Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, de.li.cious, Blogger, and
Wikipedia.

7. What is Utility Computing? Describe the vision introduced by Cloud 10M L2 CO1
Computing.

Solution :
Utility computing is a vision of computing that defines a service-
provisioning model for compute services in which resources such as
storage, compute power, applications, and infrastructure are packaged
and offered on a pay-per-use basis.

• The vision introduced by cloud computing, is to provide

computing resources—such as storage, processing power,
applications, and infrastructure—as a utility that is accessible on-
demand and paid for based on usage.
 • Similar to essential services like water, electricity, and gas,
computing resources are made widely available through a service-
provisioning model that enables users to access these resources as
needed without significant upfront investments.

Key aspects of this vision include:

1. Pay-Per-Use Model: Resources are offered on a pay-as-you-go
basis, allowing users to pay only for what they use, making
computing more cost-effective and accessible to a broader range
of users.
2. On-Demand Access: Users can access resources whenever they
need them, enabling flexibility and scalability for both businesses
and individuals.
3. Wide Accessibility: With cloud computing, resources are made
accessible through simple interfaces over the internet, allowing for
a global, on-demand reach.
4. Integration with Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA): Cloud
computing allows services from different providers to be
integrated within applications, expanding possibilities for service
composition, flexibility, and functionality.

8. Explain 3 major Deployment models. Write a note on challenges in Cloud 8M L2 CO1

Computing

Solution :

Key challenges in cloud computing, which affect both cloud service

providers (CSPs) and cloud service consumers (CSCs):
1. Security and Privacy Concerns
• Data Security: Storing sensitive information on remote servers
can be risky, as data is exposed to potential breaches. There are
concerns about unauthorized access, data leaks, and cyber-attacks.
• Compliance with Regulations: Many industries have strict
compliance regulations (such as GDPR, HIPAA), and meeting
these standards in the cloud environment can be challenging,
especially when data is distributed across multiple geographic
locations.

2. Downtime and Availability

• Service Interruptions: Cloud services rely on the internet and are
vulnerable to outages, which can interrupt service availability,
impacting business continuity and productivity.
• Dependency on Service Providers: Organizations are dependent
on CSPs for service reliability, and any downtime on the provider’s
end can halt operations, which may lead to financial losses or
damage to the brand's reputation.

3. Limited Control and Flexibility

• Vendor Lock-in: Migrating applications or data from one cloud
provider to another can be complex, time-consuming, and costly,
leading to vendor lock-in, where switching providers becomes
difficult.
• Loss of Control over Infrastructure: Unlike traditional in-house
data centers, users have limited control over the underlying
infrastructure, which can affect customization and flexibility in
managing resources.

4. Cost Management and Optimization

• Unpredictable Costs: Cloud computing follows a pay-as-you-go
model, and costs can quickly escalate if usage is not monitored
carefully. Unexpected data transfer, storage, or processing costs
can lead to budget overruns.
• Resource Optimization: Efficiently managing and optimizing
resource usage can be challenging, as over-provisioning or under-
utilizing resources both lead to financial inefficiencies.

5. Data Transfer and Bandwidth Constraints

• Latency Issues: High latency in data transfer between the cloud
and end users can lead to slower application performance, which
is particularly problematic for real-time or latency-sensitive
applications.
 • Bandwidth Costs: Transferring large volumes of data in and out
of cloud platforms can incur significant costs, impacting the
overall budget for businesses with high data transfer needs.

6. Complexity in Integration and Interoperability

• Compatibility with Legacy Systems: Integrating cloud solutions
with existing on-premises systems and legacy applications can be
complex, requiring significant time and effort.
• Interoperability Between Providers: Each CSP has its own
proprietary technology stack, which makes interoperability
challenging when trying to integrate services across multiple cloud
providers.

7. Performance and Reliability

• Resource Contention: In a multi-tenant environment,
performance may vary due to resource contention, as multiple
users share the same hardware resources.
• Scalability Issues: While cloud systems are designed to scale,
unexpected spikes in demand may still lead to performance issues
if resources are not allocated quickly enough.

8. Skilled Workforce and Knowledge Gap

• Demand for Skilled Professionals: Cloud computing requires
expertise in various fields, including DevOps, security, and cloud
architecture, and there is often a skills gap in finding qualified
personnel.
• Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Cloud technology is
rapidly evolving, so professionals need to continuously update
their skills and stay informed about new tools, technologies, and
security practices.

9. Environmental Impact
• Energy Consumption: Data centers consume a large amount of
energy, which has a significant environmental impact.
• E-Waste: Constant updates and upgrades to data center hardware
can lead to electronic waste, raising concerns about sustainable
practices in the cloud industry.

Course Outcomes
CO1- Understand and analyze various cloud computing platforms and service provider.

Blooms Taxonomy: L1-Remembering L2-Understnd L3-Apply L4-Analyzing L5-Evaluating L6-Creating