EXIN Cloud Computing

Foundation
Preparation Guide

Edition June 2016

Copyright © 2016 EXIN

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be published, reproduced, copied or stored in a data processing system or
circulated in any form by print, photo print, microfilm or any other means without written permission by EXIN.

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Contents
1. Overview 4
2. Exam Requirements 6
3. List of Basic Concepts 9
4. Literature 13

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1. Overview

EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation (CLOUDF.EN)

Scope
Cloud Computing is about providing IT related services through the internet. Cloud Computing
allows flexible IT solutions to support the business, based on clear service arrangements.

Summary
The EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation certificate requires an overview of the field and its
relationship with other areas of Information Management. Such an overview is based on knowledge
of the fundamental concepts of Cloud Computing and understanding of the architecture, design,
deployment of Cloud Computing and its incorporation in the organization.

Context
The exam Cloud Computing Foundation is part of the EXIN qualification program and has been
developed in cooperation with international experts in the field.

Target group
EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation is intended for everyone playing a role or having an interest in
the use and management of internet based services. This includes staff from internal and external
service providers, their customers, managers and auditors.

Requirements for certification

None

Examination details
Examination type: Computer-based or paper-based multiple-choice questions
Number of questions: 40
Pass mark: 65% (26 out of 40)
Open book/notes: No
Electronic equipment/aides permitted: No
Time allotted for examination: 60 minutes

The Rules and Regulations for EXIN’s examinations apply to this exam.

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Training

Contact hours
The recommended number of contact hours for this training course is 16. This includes group
assignments, exam preparation and short breaks. This number of hours does not include
homework, logistics for exam preparation and lunch breaks.

Indication study effort

60 hours, depending on existing knowledge

Training provider
You can find a list of our accredited training providers at www.exin.com.

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2. Exam Requirements

The exam requirements are specified in the exam specifications. The following table lists the topics
of the module (exam requirements) and the subtopics (exam specifications).

Weight
Exam requirement Exam specification
(%)
1. The principles of Cloud Computing 30
1.1 The concept of Cloud Computing
1.2 The evolution towards Cloud Computing
1.3 Cloud Computing architectures
1.4 Drivers and limitations of Cloud Computing

2. Implementing and managing Cloud Computing 20

2.1 Building local Cloud environment
2.2 Managing Cloud services

3. Using the Cloud 15

3.1 Accessing the Cloud
3.2 Cloud and the business processes
3.3 Service providers and the Cloud

4. Security and compliance 20

4.1 Securing the Cloud
4.2 Identity and privacy

5. Evaluation of Cloud Computing 15

5.1 The business case
5.2 Evaluating implementations
Total 100

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Exam specifications

1. The principles of Cloud Computing (30%)

1.1 The candidate understands the concept of Cloud Computing (5%)

The candidate can:
1.1.1 Explain what Cloud Computing is
1.1.2 Compare the main Deployment Models for Cloud Computing
(Private, Public, Community and Hybrid cloud)
1.1.3 Describe the main Service Models for Cloud Computing (Paas, IaaS, SaaS)

1.2 The candidate knows the evolution toward Cloud Computing (10%)
The candidate can:
1.2.1 Describe the main concepts from which Cloud Computing developed
1.2.2 Explain the role of network and servers in Cloud Computing
1.2.3 Describe the role of the Internet in Cloud Computing
1.2.4 Explain the role of Virtualization in Cloud Computing
1.2.5 Describe the role of managed services in Cloud Computing

1.3 The candidate understands the Cloud Computing architectures (10%)

The candidate can:
1.3.1 Explain the difference between a single purpose and multipurpose architecture
1.3.2 Describe the Service Oriented Architecture

1.4 The candidate knows drivers and limitations of Cloud Computing (5%)
The candidate can:
1.4.1 Identify the main drivers for Cloud Computing
1.4.2 Identify the main limitations of Cloud Computing

2. Implementing and Managing Cloud Computing (20%)

2.1 The candidate understands the building of Local Cloud environment (10%)
The candidate can:
2.1.1 Describe the main components of a local cloud environment and how they are
interconnected
2.1.2 Describe the use of secured access to a Local Area Network
2.1.3 Describe the risks of connecting a local cloud network to the public internet

2.2 The candidate understands the principles of managing Cloud services (10%)
The candidate can:
2.2.1 Describe the use of IT Service Management principles (ISO/IEC 20000) in a Cloud
environment
2.2.2 Explain the management of service levels in a Cloud environment

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3. Using the Cloud (15%)

3.1 The candidate knows how users can access the Cloud (5%)
The candidate can:
3.1.1 Describe how to access Web Applications through a Web Browser
3.1.2 Describe the Cloud Web Access Architecture
3.1.3 Describe the use of a Thin Client
3.1.4 Describe the use of mobile devices in accessing the cloud

3.2 The candidate understands how Cloud Computing can be used for business processes (5%)
The candidate can:
3.2.1 Identify the impact of Cloud Computing on the primary processes of an organization
3.2.2 Describe the role of standard applications in collaboration

3.3 The candidate understands how Service Providers can use the Cloud (5%)
The candidate can:
3.3.1 Explain how using Cloud Computing changes the relation between vendors and
customers
3.3.2 Identify benefits and risks of providing Cloud based services

4. Security and compliance (20%)

4.1 The candidate understands the security risks of Cloud Computing and knows mitigating
measures (10%)
The candidate can:
4.1.1 Describe the security risks in the cloud
4.1.2 Describe measures mitigating security risks

4.2 The candidate understands managing identity and privacy in the Cloud (10%)
The candidate can:
4.2.1 Describe the main aspects of Identity management
4.2.2 Describe privacy and compliance issues and safeguards in Cloud Computing

5. Evaluation of Cloud Computing (15%)

5.1 The candidate understands the business case for Cloud Computing (10%)
The candidate can:
5.1.1 Describe the costs and possible savings of Cloud Computing
5.1.2 Describe the main operational and staffing benefits of Cloud Computing

5.2 The candidate understands evaluation of Cloud Computing implementations (5%)

The candidate can:
5.2.1 Describe the evaluation of performance factors, management requirements and
satisfaction factors
5.2.2 Describe the evaluation of service providers and their services in Cloud Computing

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3. List of Basic Concepts

This chapter contains the terms and abbreviations with which candidates should be familiar.
The exam terms have been divided in two groups: Core Concepts and Additional Terms.
The Core Concepts are specific for EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation.

Additional terms belong to the general background knowledge in Information management

expected from the candidate in the EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation exam. These terms should
be understood when appearing in the exam questions, but knowledge of their definition or detailed
features will not be tested.

Please note that knowledge of these terms alone does not suffice for the exam; the candidate must
understand the concepts and be able to provide examples.

• Encrypted federation
Core Concepts
• Extensible Markup Language (XML)
• Application hosting • Extensible Messaging and Presence
• Authentication, Authorization, Protocol (XMPP)
Accounting (AAA, Triple A) • Extranet
• Availability • Failover
• Back-up service • Federation
• Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) • Guest operating system
• Claim based solution • Hybrid cloud
• Client-Server • Hyper Text Markup Language
• Cloud access architecture (HTML)
• Cloud Computing • Hypervisor
• Cloud presence • Identity
• Common Internet File System (CIFS) • Identity management
• Compliance • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
• Confidentiality • Instant messaging (IM)
• Denial-of-service attack (DoS) • Instant Messaging and Presence
• Deployability Service (IMPS)
• Digital identity • Integrity
• Distributed Denial-of-service (DDOS) • Internet Protocol Security (IPSec)
• Distributed Management Task Force • Interoperability
(DMTF) • Intranet
• Drop box • IT infrastructure

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• IT service • Permissive federation
• JavaScript • Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
• Latency • Platform as a Service (PaaS)
• Local Area Network (LAN) • Portability
• Location independent • Privacy
• Loosely coupled • Privacy notice
• Mainframe • Private cloud
• Man-in-the-middle attack • Public cloud
• Messaging protocol • Recovery
• Microcomputer • Redundancy
• Middleware • Remote datacenter
• Migration • Replication
• Minicomputer • Risk
• Mobile device • Satisfaction factors
• Mobility • Scalability
• Multimedia Message Service (MMS) • Scripting language
• Multiprocessing • Security
• Multi-programming • Server
• Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) • Service level
• Multipurpose architecture • Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Multi-sides • Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Multi-user • Single sign-on (SSO)
• Network • Software as a service (SaaS)
• Network Attached Storage (NAS) • Staffing benefit
• Network infrastructure • Stakeholder
• Network protocol • Subcontracted supplier
• Online games • Supplier contract
• Open System Interface (OSI) • Supplier management
• Open Virtualization Format (OVF) • Support
• Open-ID • Thin client
• Operating system • Throughput
• Operational benefit • Tiered architecture
• Operational Expenditure (OPEX) • Time to Value
• Pay-as-you-go model • Time-to-market
• Performance factors • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

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 • Traceability • Green IT
• Transmission Control Protocol / • Hardware
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) • Institute for Electrical and Electronics
• Utility Engineers (IEEE)
• Verified federation • International Standards Organization
• Virtual Machine (VM) (ISO)
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) • JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
• Virtualization • Memory
• Virtualized environment • National Security Agency (NSA)
• Web browser • Open Cloud Consortium (OCC)
• Web frontend • Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)
• Workload • Processing
• Protocol Analyzer
Additional terms
• Short Message Service (SMS)
• Application • Slide share
• Audit • Smartphone
• Back-up • Social media
• Bandwidth • Software
• Bits per second (bps) • Storage
• Blog • Storage Management Initiative-
• Business logic Specification (SMI-S)
• Bytes per second (Bps) • System Management Architecture for
• Cell phone System Hardware (SMASH)
• Client • Track
• Common carrier • User
• Cost • Video telecommunication
• Customer • Virtualization Management Initiative
• Customer Relation Management tool (VMAN)
• Data center • Virus (infection)
• Database • Voice-over-IP (VoIP)
• Datacenter architecture • Web Service Management (WS-
• E-commerce MAN)
• Economic benefit • Web-based Enterprise Management
• E-mail (WBEM)
• Frame relay network • Webmail

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• Website
• Wiki
• Wikispace

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4. Literature

A J.W. van den Bent (ed.) and M. van der Steeg

EXIN CLOUD Computing Foundation – Workbook
EXIN, 2015
ISBN: 978-90-820388-8-0 (e-book)
ISBN: 978-94-018025-2-9 (hardcopy)

Additional literature
B ISO/IEC 17788:2014(en)
Information technology — Cloud computing — Overview and vocabulary

Comment
Additional literature is for reference and depth of knowledge only.

Literature and exam specifications

LITERATURE REFERENCES
Exam Exam Literature
Literature Id
Requirement Specification Reference

1.1 A: Ch. 1

1.2 A: Ch. 1
1
1.3 A: Ch. 1
1.4 A: Ch. 1
2.1 A: Ch. 2
2
2.2 A: Ch. 2
3.1 A: Ch. 3
3 3.2 A: Ch. 3
3.3 A: Ch. 3

4.1 A: Ch. 4
4
4.2 A: Ch. 4

5.1 A: Ch. 5
5
5.2 A: Ch. 5

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