UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2024/2025

EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN

DATA SCIENCE AND INFORMATION SECURITY AND FORENSICS
BDS 2203/BISF 1304: CLOUD COMPUTING
FULL TIME/PART TIME/ DISTANCE LEARNING
ORDINARY EXAMINATION
DATE: APRIL,2025 TIME: 2 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS: Question One is Compulsory, Choose Two Other Questions

QUESTION ONE (20 MARKS) COMPULSORY

a) A startup company is considering using cloud services to launch its new e-commerce
platform. They are debating between Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform
as a Service (PaaS). Compare the two models and recommend the best option for the
company, providing justification for your choice. [4 marks]

b) As organizations continue to adopt cloud computing to enhance scalability, cost-

efficiency, and operational flexibility, the physical infrastructure that supports cloud
services plays a critical role. Datacenters form the backbone of cloud computing and
come in various configurations designed to meet specific needs. Two of the
commonly discussed types of datacenters are Containerized Datacenters and Low-
Density Datacenters. Each type has unique characteristics, benefits, and use cases.
Provide a detailed explanation of the two types of datacenters, including their
structure, functionality, and primary use cases. [4 marks]

c) A financial institution needs a cloud solution that offers both high security and cost
savings. Recommend a cloud deployment model (public, private, hybrid, or
community) that would suit their needs, and explain why it is the best choice.
[3 marks]
d) Explain the difference between cloud computing and mobile computing. [2 marks]
e) Differentiate between management and deployment Software. [2 marks]

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 f) What is openness in cloud computing? [1 mark]
g) TechSolutions Inc., a rapidly growing technology firm, is planning to move its
infrastructure to the cloud as part of a broader digital transformation initiative. The
company has a diverse set of applications ranging from customer-facing services to
internal business operations. While the company is excited about the flexibility,
scalability, and cost-saving potential of cloud computing, it also has significant
concerns regarding the security and privacy of its sensitive data, such as intellectual
property, financial records, and customer information. TechSolutions wants to take
advantage of cloud technologies to lower its IT costs but also needs to retain full
control over its most critical and sensitive data. The company is exploring various
cloud deployment models to strike a balance between the need for control, security,
and cost-efficiency. Describe the key characteristics of each deployment model,
including their advantages and disadvantages in terms of security, cost, scalability,
and control. [4 marks]

QUESTION TWO (15 MARKS)

a) StreamMax, a popular video streaming service, has experienced rapid growth in its
user base, particularly during peak periods such as weekends, holidays, and the
release of new content. While the service generally operates smoothly, it faces
significant challenges when there is a spike in demand. During these high-demand
periods, StreamMax often encounters performance issues such as slower loading
times, video buffering, and sometimes even service outages due to insufficient
infrastructure capacity to handle the increased traffic. To address this issue,
StreamMax is considering leveraging cloud computing to efficiently scale its
resources. The company aims to ensure a seamless viewing experience for users, even
during periods of heavy traffic, without incurring high costs during off-peak times
when demand is lower. Explain the concept of cloud computing and how it enables
scalability for businesses like StreamMax. [4 marks]
b) A gaming company experiences unpredictable traffic spikes during the release of new
games. How can cloud computing help the company manage these fluctuations
effectively? Provide specific examples of cloud features or strategies that would
address this challenge. [5 marks]

c) TechSavvy, a growing startup specializing in developing mobile and web

applications, is exploring different cloud service models to enhance its development
process and reduce infrastructure overhead. The company needs to understand the
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 different cloud service models available in order to make an informed decision about
which model suits its business needs. The three primary cloud service models
TechSavvy is considering are Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Software-as-a-
Service (SaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Each model offers unique
advantages, and the company aims to understand how they work and which one
would be most beneficial for their specific requirements. Given that TechSavvy is
developing custom web and mobile applications, recommend which cloud service
model (IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS) would be most suitable for the company. Justify your
choice based on TechSavvy’s specific needs (e.g., ease of app deployment,
infrastructure management, and cost considerations). [6 marks]

QUESTION THREE (15 MARKS)

a) A company is worried about vendor lock-in after adopting cloud services. Define
vendor lock-in and suggest strategies they can implement to reduce the risks
associated with it. [4 marks]

b) A retail business is evaluating whether to move its on-premise data center to the cloud
to cut costs. What are the key cost benefits and challenges the business should
consider when adopting cloud computing, and how can they ensure they achieve cost
efficiency? [3 marks]
c) Describe cloud computing as concisely and simply as possible in layman language.
[2 marks]
d) Hypervisor is a Virtual Machine Monitor which manages resources for virtual
machines. Explain the function of the following two types of hypervisors.

i. Type 1 [1 mark]

ii. Type 2 [1 mark]

e) InnovateTech, a tech company that specializes in providing cloud-based solutions to

small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is exploring various technologies to
improve its service offerings. The company wants to optimize its infrastructure
management, enhance resource utilization, and reduce operational costs. To achieve
this, InnovateTech is considering implementing utility computing and virtualization
technologies. These two computing concepts have the potential to improve the
scalability, flexibility, and efficiency of their cloud services. Compare utility
computing and virtualization in terms of their impact on the efficiency and scalability
of InnovateTech’s cloud infrastructure. [4 Marks]

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 QUESTION FOUR (15 MARKS)
a) A healthcare provider is moving its patient records to the cloud. Explain three major
security concerns they should consider and recommend solutions to mitigate each
risk. [3 marks]
b) An organization is concerned about the security of its data after migrating to the
cloud. Identify and explain three key security risks associated with cloud computing
and suggest measures the organization can take to mitigate these risks. [3 marks]
c) A manufacturing company wants to move its legacy systems to the cloud. Discuss
three key challenges they may face during data migration and suggest strategies to
overcome these challenges. [3 marks]
d) GlobalConnect, a large digital marketing agency, has been assisting various
businesses in building their online presence and driving engagement on social media
platforms, email campaigns, and video streaming services. In their work, the agency
leverages various cloud-based tools and services to enable their clients to reach wider
audiences, track performance, and streamline communications. One key area of focus
is understanding how end-users access cloud services and how these services differ
based on their offerings and functionalities. How do the cloud architectures of
YouTube, Facebook, and Gmail contribute to a smooth and responsive end-user
experience? [6 marks]

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