Cloud Computing and Virtualization Flashcards

What does 'multi-tenancy' mean in cloud computing?

Answer: Multiple customers sharing the same physical infrastructure while remaining isolated

Multi-tenancy allows a cloud provider to serve multiple customers on shared hardware using logical isolation.

Which technology underlies most Linux container solutions by isolating processes using kernel namespaces and cgroups?

Answer: LXC/LXD and Docker

LXC and Docker use Linux kernel namespaces for isolation and cgroups to limit resource usage per container.

What is 'auto-scaling' in cloud environments?

Answer: Automatically adjusting the number of compute instances based on load metrics

Auto-scaling adds or removes instances automatically in response to metrics like CPU utilization or request count.

In cloud storage, what distinguishes object storage from a traditional file system?

Answer: Objects are accessed via unique keys/URLs through an API, with no directory hierarchy

Object storage (like AWS S3) uses flat namespaces and HTTP APIs with unique identifiers rather than file paths.

What is a 'hyperconverged infrastructure' (HCI)?

Answer: A system that combines compute, storage, and networking into a single software-defined platform

HCI integrates compute, storage, and networking in one appliance managed by a single software layer, simplifying deployment.

Which cloud pricing strategy lets users bid on unused cloud capacity at significant discounts but risks sudden termination?

Answer: Spot instances

Spot instances use excess cloud capacity at deep discounts but can be reclaimed by the provider with little notice.

What is the role of a 'load balancer' in a cloud architecture?

Answer: Distributing incoming network traffic across multiple backend servers

A load balancer distributes requests across multiple servers to improve availability and prevent any single server from being overwhelmed.