Cambridge TECHNICALS OCR LEVEL 3 CAMBRIDGE TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN IT CLOUD COMPUTING IN BUSINESS M/505/5384 LEVEL 3 UNIT 40 GUIDED LEARNING HOURS: 60 UNIT CREDIT VALUE: 10
CLOUD COMPUTING IN BUSINESS M/505/5384 LEVEL 3 AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIT Cloud computing is a technology that is widely used by anyone accessing the internet for different purposes. It is also a technology that most people are wary of as a concept not realising that they already make use of it. This unit aims to provide the learner with the understanding of the cloud computing concept from social and business perspectives and also the technologies, services, benefits and risks it brings. On completing the unit the learner should understand the concept and opportunities to an organisation of using cloud computing services to support and enhance their business. They should also be able to identify business models that are appropriate for different purposes and the process of integration. 2
Cloud Computing in Business Level 3 Unit 40 ASSESSMENT AND GRADING CRITERIA Learning Outcome (LO) Pass Merit Distinction The learner will: The assessment criteria are the pass requirements for this unit. The learner can: To achieve a merit the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to: To achieve a distinction the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to: 1 Understand cloud computing concepts and models P1 explain different types of cloud computing services M1 explain the benefits of different cloud services for organisations P2 describe the cloud delivery models D1 compare key differentiators for cloud adoption for given organisations 2 Understand cloud computing infrastructure for organisations P3 compare various storage technologies M2 explain how to carry out virtual resource migration D2 compare and contrast virtual components used to construct a cloud environment 3 Understand how networks are managed P4 plan network configurations for an identified organisation M3 explain the importance of network optimization 4 Understand the requirements for security in the Cloud 5 Understand the impact and changes cloud computing has on IT service management P5 explain approaches to implementing network security P6 explain the impact and changes of cloud computing on IT service management M4 describe multiple approaches for migrating applications to the Cloud M5 explain issues associated with integrating cloud computing into an organisation D3 compare and contrast different encryption technologies and methods for cloud computing 3
TEACHING CONTENT The unit content describes what has to be taught to ensure that learners are able to access the highest grade. Anything which follows an i.e. details what must be taught as part of that area of content. Anything which follows an e.g. is illustrative, it should be noted that where e.g. is used, learners must know and be able to apply relevant examples to their work though these do not need to be the same ones specified in the unit content. LO1 Understand cloud computing concepts and models Cloud services e.g. SaaS, IaaS, CaaS, PaaS, XaaS, DaaS, BPaaS Implications of Cloud e.g. -accountability - -responsibility - -liability - performance -service - changed business structures Cloud considerations for organisations e.g. -Elasticity - On-demand self-serve/just-in-time service -Pay-as-you-grow - -Chargeback - -Ubiquitous - access Metering resource pooling -Multitenancy - Cloud bursting Rapid deployment Automation Cloud types e.g. Private, Public, Hybrid, Community Security considerations e.g. -Multitenancy - issues -Data - segregation Network isolation Legislation and regulations LO2 Understand cloud computing infrastructure for organisations Storage technologies and attributes e.g. Network Attached Storage (NAS) File level access -Shared - storage Direct Attached Storage (DAS) Block level access -Dedicated - storage Storage Area Network (SAN) Block level access -Shared - storage -HBAs - -LUN - masking -Zoning - WWN Fiber channel protocols Different access protocols e.g. FCoE, FC, Ethernet, iscsi Protocols and applications e.g. IP, FCP, iscsi Disk types e.g. SSD vs. spinning, Interfaces types, Access speed RAID levels e.g. RAID 1, RAID 0 File system types e.g. NTFS, FAT Migration considerations/activities e.g. Network type e.g. WAN, LAN, MAN Speed considerations e.g. Bandwidth, Latency, Compression, Caching, Load balancing -Connectivity - checks Storage migration e.g. Virtual vs. physical Online vs. offline migrations -Shared - resources Network and application isolation -Infrastructure - consolidation Maintenance scheduling e.g. for Performance issues, Testing, Upgrading, Utilization, Tools e.g. ping, tracert/traceroute Device configuration settings System logs -NAT - -PAT - Subnetting/Supernetting VLAN and VLAN tagging Network port configurations Switching and routing in physical and virtual environments Routing tables 4
Cloud Computing in Business Level 3 Unit 40 Creating, importing, and exporting template and virtual machines Install guest tools Snapshots and cloning Image backups vs. file backups Virtual NIC e.g. network, IP Address -Virtual - disks -Virtual - switches -VLAN - -VSAN - LO3 Understand how networks are managed Areas for Optimization Analysis and Audit e.g. Protocols e.g. SNMP, WMI, IPMI Alert methods e.g. SMTP, SMS, Web services Establishing baselines and thresholds Automated responses to specific events Examine processes usage/resource usage Physical Resource Review e.g. Memory, CPU, allocations, entitlements Virtual Resources Review e.g. Virtual CPU, network allocation, Remote Access e.g. HTTP LO4 Understand the requirements for security in the Cloud Tools for security e.g. ACLs, VPNs, IDS/IPS hardware/ software-based firewalls Security Concepts e.g. Obfuscation, Access Control Lists, Zoning, LUN masking, Review/audit logs, Authentication Encryption technologies e.g. PKI, Ciphers data in transit and data at rest LO5 Understand the impact and changes cloud computing has on IT service management Service Management -Service - Strategy -Service - Design Service Operation -Service - Transition Compliance risk and regulatory framework: Security Legal, Compliance, Privacy risks 5
DELIVERY GUIDANCE This is a very theoretical unit and the tutor should encourage learners to contextualise their research against organisations and structures they are familiar with to enable them to understand the services and models available. An initial group discussion on what learners understand by the Cloud, what it means to them as an individual and how they think they use it is a good starting point for the tutor to then encourage research in small groups. This research should be on the concept of cloud computing and what the definitions, terms and scope of it are. There are many sources of this information and the tutor should ensure that learners identify the sources of their information and validate their findings with the wider group to ensure accuracy. As there is an extensive and increasing range of cloud services it may be a better idea for the tutor to allocate a number to each small group, who then feed back to the wider group. They should discuss what each service involves, and be able to give examples of where each would be appropriate, describing a business that may use it. They could be given fictional case studies of businesses and then identify which services might be appropriate and why. By completing these case studies, it will broaden and consolidate their understanding of the services, their implications and differentiating factors. Learners, with tutor guidance, should start to investigate the delivery models from the Cloud provider perspectives, and what services they may offer the types or organisations etc. By now the learners should have a solid understanding of cloud services and the models for delivery for an organisation. In smaller groups, they should investigate some of these further and identify the expectations and requirements that organisations may have from the providers The tutor should discuss the range of storage technologies available with key features. The learners further researching will give them an appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages for each. Small groups presenting back and a group summary would consolidate this technical understanding. Learners should now feel comfortable with the concept of organisations working in the Cloud, and should look at approaches they could suggest for migrating their internal processes onto their chosen Cloud model. Further comparison of these processes will be underpinned by tutor led group discussions on the components and the logical approaches to migration and cloud service construction. Learners may have experience of organisational networks, structures and approaches. This may be from work experience, centre network configurations and formats or home environments and they should be encouraged to share their understanding of these with the wider group. The tutor will be able to identify gaps in knowledge or understanding, and should then explain the theories and configurations widely used with current technology. This may include mobile devices which have encouraged the evolution and adaptation of cloud computing services. It is important at this stage to ensure that learners are able to review a specification or set of requirements and plan a network around this. They should be able to visually plan networks, identifying technologies to be used as part of the visualisation. Set examples and peer review will enable them to consider alternative approaches where these might exist. These case studies, example network plans and group discussions are an opportunity for the learners to identify improvements to this network structure and opportunities to optimise. The ways in which they could optimise should be formalised by the tutor to ensure that they are familiar with the sector terminology, approaches and tools. If not already discussed or considered by the learners, then the tutor should introduce the idea of network security potentially with case studies or media examples. The requirements, problems, risks and options available within the range of network types. Learners should discuss research and independently investigate the range of approaches for different network types with a focus on cloud technologies. Reviewing their earlier work they should identify improvements/ changes for cloud network structures and the approaches to migration against their new knowledge. They should also try to identify alternative approaches to migration explaining and justifying to a client what the differences, advantages and disadvantages are. The tutor may choose to deliver the knowledge for migration and security at the same time but it is essential that learners appreciate the migration process as a concept and the security independently as something that needs to be considered and regularly reviewed. 6
As a separate strand of teaching, tutors should introduce encryption technologies, explaining what is meant by this, why it is important and the options available. This again could be discussed as a group and the learners should look at examples in the media or the use or abuse of these technologies again with a cloud computing focus. 7
Cloud Computing in Business Level 3 Unit 40 SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT SCENARIOS AND TASK PLUS GUIDANCE ON ASSESSING THE SUGGESTED TASKS Assessment Criteria P1, M1 For P1 learners must explain different types of cloud computing services. This could take the form of a report or presentation with notes and should clearly explain the range of cloud computing types with practical examples of their application. For merit assessment criterion M1 learners must explain the benefits of different cloud services for organisations. This could be an extension of the evidence for P1 where the learner explains the benefits of the cloud services and potentially the models relating them to different types and structures of organisation. Examples of existing organisations and how they have benefitted from their use of cloud computing should be included to support the learner evaluation. Assessment Criteria P2, D1 For P2 learners must describe the cloud delivery models and services and storage technologies. This could be an extension of P1, where learners extend their evidence to include the delivery models for cloud computing to business to include the services and storage options that they include. For distinction assessment criterion D1 learners must compare the key differentiators for choice for given organisations. This could be an extension of the evidence produced for M1 where the learners summarise, from the explanation of the cloud services with examples, the key differentiators for choice for the identified organisations. Assessment Criteria P3, M2, D2 For P3 learners must compare various storage technologies. This could be in the form of a leaflet or report to evidence understanding of the storage technologies available for cloud computing and the similarities and differences between the options available to an organisation. For merit assessment criterion M2 learners must explain how to carry out virtual resource migration. Learners could evidence this as a report or perhaps a video clip explaining the concepts, the purpose, the activities and the process. For distinction assessment criterion D2 learners must compare and contrast virtual components used to construct a cloud environment. This could be evidenced as a report where learners identify the components used to construct cloud environments and then compare and contrast them across a range of learner defined criteria. Assessment Criteria P4, M3 For P4 learners must plan appropriate network configurations for an identified organisation. This could be in the form of a project plan or annotated diagram with supporting notes. The learners should identify a number of network configurations providing detail on their chosen solution relative to the needs of an identified organisation. For merit assessment criterion M3 learners must explain the importance of network optimization. This could be an extension of P4, where the learner explains the importance of network optimisation for an identified organisation including the benefits but also the issues caused by non optimization. This should have a cloud computing focus. Assessment Criteria P5, M4, D3 For P5 learners must explain approaches to network security concepts, tools, and best practices. This could be evidenced in the form of a report or a leaflet providing guidance to new staff or to support new teams implementing networks. For merit assessment criterion M4 learners must describe multiple approaches for migrating applications. Learners could evidence this in the form of a presentation with notes or a report. They should clearly offer a range of approaches for the migration of applications and give examples to clarify their descriptions. For distinction assessment criterion D3 learners must compare and contrast different encryption technologies and methods. This should be in the form of a report where the learner explains the technologies and methods and compares and contrasts the key features of each. Assessment Criteria P6, M5 For P6 learners must explain the impact and changes of cloud computing on IT service management. This could be evidenced in the form of a report where the learner objectively reviews the changes within the IT service management sector and identifies the impact this may have had across a range of criteria that they feel appropriate to the explanation. 8
For merit assessment criterion M5 learners must explain the issues associated with integrating cloud computing into an organisation. This may be evidenced in the form of a report where the learner should provide examples of cloud integration that they are aware of in the media or from personal experience and identify the issues that may arise or have arisen as a result of the integration. This could be from a range of perspectives within an organisation. 9
Cloud Computing in Business Level 3 Unit 40 RESOURCES Cisco training details: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/certifications/index/htm Comptia http:certification.comptia.org/ http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/university/academic/pub/page/academic_initiative Centres may wish to sign up free of charge to the academic initiative for the full range of resources and videos. 10
MAPPING WITHIN THE QUALIFICATION TO THE OTHER UNITS Unit 6 Unit 7 e-commerce Computer networks Unit 20 Impact of the use if IT on business systems Unit 21 Communication technologies Unit 22 IT systems troubleshooting and repair Unit 28 Networked systems security Unit 29 The business environment Unit 39 Understanding the business analytics process for Big Data Unit 42 Developing a smarter planet LINKS TO NOS 4.1 Systems Architecture 4.7 Systems Design 4.8 IT/ Technology Infrastructure Design and Planning 5.3 IT/ Technology Solution Testing 5.4 Systems Integration 6.2 IT Security Management 7.1 IT/ Technology Service Operations and Event Management 7.6 Availablilty Management 7.7 IT/ Technology Capacity Management 7.8 Change and Release Management 11
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