Introduction
Welcome to the exciting world of cloud computing and CompTIA certifications! If you picked up this book because you want to improve yourself with a secure and rewarding job in the new and fast-growing cloud computing space, you have come to the right place. Whether you are striving to enter the thriving, dynamic IT sector or seeking to enhance your skills in the emerging cloud computing field, being CompTIA Cloud+ certified can seriously stack the odds of success in your favor.
CompTIA certifications are powerful instruments of success that will most certainly improve your knowledge of cloud computing. As you progress through this book, you’ll gain a broad and deep understanding of cloud computing operations that offers unprecedented exposure to this dynamic field. The knowledge and expertise you will gain are essential for your success in all areas of the cloud computing field.
By deciding to become Cloud+ certified, you’re proudly announcing to the world that you want to become an unrivaled cloud computing expert, a goal that this book with get you well on your way to achieving. Congratulations in advance on the beginning of your brilliant future!
Why Should You Become Certified in Cloud Technologies?
CompTIA has created the world’s leading vendor-neutral family of certifications in the technology industry. CompTIA’s certifications are recognized and respected worldwide for their quality and rigorous standards. They offer a broad range of certifications on a wide variety of technology topics. When you become Cloud+ certified, you have validated your skills and expertise in the implementation and ongoing support of cloud-based services. Becoming a CompTIA Cloud+ certified professional validates that you have the knowledge to be a successful cloud engineer.
The Cloud+ certification is recognized as one of the premier cloud certifications in the market today. Studying for and passing the Cloud+ exam gives engineers a set of skills to succeed in the fast-growing field of cloud computing.
Rest assured that when you pass the CompTIA Cloud+ exam, you’re headed down a path to certain success!
What Does This Book Cover?
This book follows the most recent version of the CompTIA Cloud+ exam, CV0-002. The exam blueprint is divided into five sections consisting of ten chapters that cover all the major topic areas. Each section is explained in sufficient detail to help you become a Cloud+ certified professional.
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Cloud Computing Configurations and Deployments The book starts out investigating the most common cloud components such as applications, compute, storage, and networking. Then how to determine the correct size and scale of the systems is discussed. You will get a basic understanding of configurations found in the cloud and learn about production, quality assurance, and development cloud systems.
Chapter 2: Cloud Deployments In this chapter you’ll learn about deploying services in the cloud and how to execute a deployment plan; the most common service models; and the various ways that clouds are delivered such as public, private, and community. Common cloud terminology and storage are explained.
Next, the technical background is presented on how to determine the needs and design an effective cloud deployment. This includes what virtualization is, its benefits, and why it is a central technology in cloud computing. You’ll learn about hypervisors, virtual machines, and how to migrate from your existing operations to the cloud.
Chapter 3: Security in the Cloud Chapter 3 covers cloud security starting with security polices, laws and standards. You will then learn about specific security technologies, applications, and services.
Chapter 4: Implementing Cloud Security Chapter 4 builds on your security knowledge by explaining how to implement secure storage, networks, and compute systems. Security tools, intrusion systems, encryption, tools, techniques, and services are introduced.
Chapter 5: Maintaining Cloud Operations This chapter focuses on keeping your cloud deployment current with the latest updates and discusses the processes to follow. Automation is introduced, and you will learn about the importance of cloud automation and orchestration systems. The chapter concludes with a discussion on backing up your data in the cloud.
Chapter 6: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, and Ongoing Maintenance We’ll take a step back in this chapter and cover how to go about developing a disaster recovery plan and the common models available. You will learn the importance of business survivability during a severe outage and understand the issues concerning recovery. The chapter ends with describing how to perform ongoing maintenance in your cloud environment.
Chapter 7: Cloud Management You’ll now delve deep into the operations aspects of cloud computing. Chapter 7 begins with a discussion of monitoring the cloud and then moves on to look at the allocation and provisioning of resources. Then you will learn about business requirements, application life cycles, and the impact they have on managing your cloud deployment. The chapter concludes with discussion on security of your cloud operations with accounts, automation, authentication and automation models.
Chapter 8: Cloud Management Baselines, Performance, and SLAs Chapter 8 explains how to determine what is considered normal cloud operations by creating and maintaining baseline measurements. Based on these measurements, we go on to discuss how to monitor your cloud fleet for deviations from the baseline and the steps to take when this occurs. Service level agreements and chargeback models are also explained in this chapter.
Chapter 9: Troubleshooting Chapter 9 goes deep into the technical aspects identifying and correct cloud technical issues. We cover troubleshooting of new and existing deployments. You will learn about common problems found in the cloud that you will need to resolve. We will teach you how to identify and resolve deviations from your baselines and what to do when breakdowns in the workflow occur. Be sure to pay close attention to this chapter!
Chapter 10: Troubleshooting Networking and Security Issues and Understanding Methodologies The final chapter continues investigating troubleshooting with a focus on tools and techniques. We will present common troubleshooting utilities found in Linux and Windows systems and how to perform a structured troubleshooting approach.
Appendix A: Answers to Review Questions This appendix contains the answers to the book’s review questions.
Appendix B: Answers to Written Labs This appendix contains the answers to the book’s written labs.
Interactive Online Learning Environment and Test Bank
We’ve put together some great online tools to help you pass the Cloud+ exam. The interactive online learning environment that accompanies the Cloud+ exam certification guide provides a test bank and study tools to help you prepare for the exam. By using these tools, you can dramatically increase your chances of passing the exam on your first try.
Sample Tests Many sample tests are provided throughout this book and online, including the assessment test at the end of this Introduction and the review questions at the end of each chapter. In addition, there are two exclusive online practice exams with 50 questions each. Use these questions to test your knowledge of the study guide material. The online test bank runs on multiple devices.
Flashcards The online text banks include 100 flashcards specifically written to hit you hard, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t ace your way through them at first! They’re there to ensure that you’re ready for the exam. Armed with the review questions, practice exams, and flashcards, you’ll be more than prepared when exam day comes. Questions are provided in digital flashcard format (a question followed by a single correct answer). You can use the flashcards to reinforce your learning and provide last-minute test prep before the exam.
Other Study Tools A glossary of key terms from this book and their definitions is available as a fully searchable PDF.
How to Use This Book
If you want a solid foundation for the serious effort of preparing for the CompTIA CV0-002 Cloud+ exam, then look no further. We’ve spent hundreds of hours putting together this book with the sole intention of helping you to pass the exam as well as learn about the exciting field of cloud computing! The book is completely updated and refreshed from the original to match the new version of the CompTIA Cloud+ exam, CV0-002.
This book is loaded with valuable information, and you will get the most out of your study time if you understand why the book is organized the way it is.
To maximize your benefit from this book, we recommend the following study method:
- Take the assessment test that’s provided at the end of this Introduction. (The answers are at the end of the test.) It’s OK if you don’t know any of the answers; that’s why you bought this book! Carefully read over the explanations for any question you get wrong and note the chapters in which the material relevant to them is covered. This information should help you plan your study strategy.
- Study each chapter carefully, making sure you fully understand the information and the test objectives listed at the beginning of each one. Pay extra-close attention to any chapter that includes material covered in questions you missed.
- Complete all written exams in each chapter, referring to the text of the chapter so that you understand the reason for each answer.
- Answer all the review questions related to each chapter. Many of the questions are presented in a scenario format to emulate real-world tasks that you may encounter. (The answers appear in Appendix A.) Note the questions that confuse you, and study the topics they cover again until the concepts are crystal clear. Again, do not just skim these questions! Make sure you fully comprehend the reason for each correct answer. Remember that these will not be the exact questions you will find on the exam, but they’re written to help you understand the chapter material and ultimately pass the exam.
- Each chapter also concludes with a fill-in-the-blank type of written exam that is designed to improve your memory and comprehension of key items that were presented in the chapter. These are great for test preparation. We suggest going over these questions until you are able to consistently answer them error free. (The answers appear in Appendix B.)
- Try your hand at the practice questions that are exclusive to this book. The questions can be found at http://www.wiley.com/go/sybextestprep.
- Test yourself using all the flashcards, which are also found at http://www.wiley.com/go/sybextestprep. These are new flashcards to help you prepare for the Cloud+ exam.
To learn every bit of the material covered in this book, you’ll have to apply yourself regularly and with discipline. Try to set aside the same time period every day to study, and select a comfortable and quiet place to do so. We’re confident that if you work hard, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you learn this material.
If you follow these steps and study in addition to using the review questions, the practice exams, and the electronic flashcards, it would actually be hard to fail the Cloud+ exam. But understand that studying for the CompTIA exams is a lot like getting in shape—if you do not go to the gym every day, it’s not going to happen!
According to the CompTIA website, the Cloud+ exam details are as follows:
- Exam code: CV0-002
- Exam description: CompTIA Cloud+ covers competency in cloud models, virtualization, infrastructure, security, resource management and business continuity.
- Number of questions: 100
- Type of questions: Multiple choice
- Length of test: 90 minutes
- Passing score: 750 (on a scale of 100–900)
- Language: English
- Recommended experience:
- At least 24–36 months of work experience in IT networking, network storage or data center administration
- Familiarity with any major hypervisor technologies for server virtualization, though vendor-specific certifications in virtualization are not required
- CompTIA Network+ and/or CompTIA Server+, though CompTIA certifications are not required
- Knowledge of cloud service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) definitions
- Knowledge of common cloud deployment model (Private, Public, Hybrid) definitions
- Hands-on experience with at least one public cloud IaaS platform
How Do You Go About Taking the Exam?
When the time comes to schedule your exam, you will need to create an account at www.comptia.org and register for your exam.
You can purchase the exam voucher on the CompTIA website at https://certification .comptia.org/testing/buy-voucher. The voucher is proof of purchase and is a code number that you will use to actually schedule the exam at https://certification.comptia.org/testing/schedule-exam.
CompTIA testing is provided by its global testing partner Pearson VUE. You can locate your closest testing center at https://wsr.pearsonvue.com/testtaker/registration/SelectTestCenterProximity/COMPTIA/292833; you can schedule at any of the listed testing centers worldwide.
When you have a voucher and have selected a testing center, you can go ahead and schedule the Cloud+ CV0-002 exam by visiting www.pearsonvue.com/comptia. There you can also locate a testing center or purchase vouchers if you have not already done so.
When you have registered for the Cloud+ certification exam, you will receive a confirmation e-mail that supplies you with all the information you will need to take the exam. Remember to take a printout of this e-mail and two forms of ID (one with a photograph) with you to the testing center.
Certification Exam Policies
This section explains CompTIA’s exam policies and was taken from the CompTIA website. We recommend that you visit https://certification.comptia.org/testing/ test-policies to become familiar with CompTIA’s policies.
Candidate Agreement Explains the rules and regulations regarding certification, including the retake policy, the candidate conduct policy, and the candidate appeals process
Candidate Testing Policies Includes accommodations during an exam, exam scoring, exam content, and out-of-country testing policies
CompTIA Voucher Terms & Conditions Details the terms and conditions governing CompTIA vouchers
Candidate ID Policy Details the acceptable forms of identification candidates may bring to an exam
Certification Retake Policy Details the circumstances in which a candidate can retake a certification exam
Exam Delivery Policies Includes testing center suspensions, delivery exclusions, and beta testing policies
Continuing Education Policies Covers certification renewal, candidate code of ethics, and audit findings as related to the Continuing Education Program
Exam Development Explains the exam development process
Sharing Your Exam Results Explains the exam results sharing policy
Unauthorized Training Materials Defines unauthorized training materials and the consequences for using them
Candidate Appeals Process Describes the process for candidates to appeal sanctions imposed due to exam security or policy violations
CompTIA Exam Security Hotline Can be used to report security breaches, candidate misconduct, IP infringement, use of unauthorized training materials, and other exam security-related concerns
Tips for Taking Your Cloud+ Exam
The CompTIA Cloud+ exam contains 100 multiple-choice questions and must be completed in 90 minutes or less. This information may change over time, and we advise you to check www.comptia.org for the latest updates.
Many questions on the exam offer answer choices that at first glance look identical, especially the syntax questions. Remember to read through the choices carefully because close just doesn’t cut it. If you get information in the wrong order or forget one measly character, you may get the question wrong. Many of the questions will be presented in a scenario format that can be a long, involved statement that is designed to confuse or misdirect you. Read these questions carefully and make sure you completely understand what is being asked. It is important to filter out irrelevant statements in scenario questions and focus on what they are asking you to identify as the correct answer. So, to practice, do the practice exams and hands-on exercises from this book’s chapters over and over again until they feel natural to you. Do the online sample test until you can consistently answer all the questions correctly. Relax, read the question over and over until you are 100 percent clear on what it is asking, and then you can usually eliminate a few of the obviously wrong answers.
Here are some general tips for exam success:
- Arrive early at the exam center so you can relax and review your study materials.
- Read the questions carefully. Don’t jump to conclusions. Make sure you’re clear about exactly what each question asks. “Read twice, answer once!” Scenario questions can be long and contain information that is not relevant to the answer. Take your time and understand what they are really asking you.
- Ask for a piece of paper and pencil if it is offered to take quick notes and make sketches during the exam.
- When answering multiple-choice questions that you’re not sure about, use the process of elimination to get rid of the obviously incorrect answers first. Doing this greatly improves your odds if you need to make an educated guess.
After you complete an exam, you’ll get immediate, online notification of your pass or fail status, a printed examination score report that indicates your pass or fail status, and your exam results by section. (The test administrator will give you the printed score report.) Test scores are automatically forwarded to CompTIA after you take the test, so you don’t need to send your score to them. If you pass the exam, you’ll receive confirmation from CompTIA and a package in the mail with a nice document suitable for framing showing that you are now a Cloud+ certified professional!
Cloud+ Exam Renewal
The Cloud+ certification is good for three years from the date of the exam. You can keep your certification up-to-date by following CompTIA’s continuing education program outlined at https://certification.comptia.org/continuing-education.
CompTIA Cloud+ Study Guide: Exam CV0-002 Objective Map
The following objective map will assist you with finding where each exam objective is covered in the chapters in this book.
1.0 Configuration and Deployment
| Exam Objective | Chapter |
1.1 Given a scenario, analyze system requirements to ensure successful system deployment.
|
1 |
1.2 Given a scenario, execute a provided deployment plan.
|
2 |
1.3 Given a scenario, analyze system requirements to determine if a given testing plan is appropriate.
|
1 |
1.4 Given a scenario, analyze testing results to determine if the testing was successful in relation to given system requirements.
|
1 |
1.5 Given a scenario, analyze sizing, subnetting, and basic routing for a provided deployment of the virtual network.
|
2 |
1.6 Given a scenario, analyze CPU and memory sizing for a provided deployment.
|
2 |
1.7 Given a scenario, analyze the appropriate storage type and protection capability for a provided deployment.
|
2 |
1.8 Given a scenario, analyze characteristics of the workload (storage, network, compute) to ensure a successful migration.
|
2 |
1.9 Given a scenario, apply elements required to extend the infrastructure into a given cloud solution.
|
2 |
2.0 Security
| Exam Objective | Chapter |
2.1 Given a scenario, apply security configurations and compliance controls to meet given cloud infrastructure requirements.
|
3 |
2.2 Given a scenario, apply the appropriate ACL to the target objects to meet access requirements according to a security template.
|
3 |
2.3 Given a cloud service model, implement defined security technologies to meet given security requirements.
|
4 |
2.4 Given a cloud service model, apply the appropriate security automation technique to the target system.
|
4 |
3.0 Maintenance
| Exam Objective | Chapter |
3.1 Given a cloud service model, determine the appropriate methodology to apply given patches.
|
5 |
3.2 Given a scenario, apply the appropriate automation tools to update cloud elements.
|
5 |
3.3 Given a scenario, apply an appropriate back up or restore method.
|
5 |
3.4 Given a cloud-based scenario, apply appropriate disaster recovery methods.
|
6 |
3.5 Given a cloud-based scenario, apply the appropriate steps to ensure business continuity.
|
6 |
3.6 Given a scenario, apply the appropriate maintenance automation technique to the target objects.
|
6 |
4.0 Management
| Exam Objective | Chapter |
4.1 Given a scenario, analyze defined metrics to determine the presence of an abnormality and/or forecast future needed cloud resources.
|
7 |
4.2 Given a scenario, determine the appropriate allocation of cloud resources.
|
7 |
4.3 Given a scenario, determine when to provision/deprovision cloud resources.
|
|
4.4 Given a scenario, implement account provisioning techniques in a cloud environment to meet security and policy requirements.
|
7 |
4.5 Given a scenario, analyze deployment results to confirm they meet the baseline.
|
8 |
4.6 Given a specific environment and related data (e.g., performance, capacity, trends), apply appropriate changes to meet expected criteria.
|
8 |
4.7 Given SLA requirements, determine the appropriate metrics to report.
|
8 |
5.0 Troubleshooting
| Exam Objective | Chapter |
5.1 Given a scenario, troubleshoot a deployment issue.
|
9 |
5.2 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common capacity issues.
|
9 |
5.3 Given a scenario, troubleshoot automation/orchestration issues.
|
9 |
5.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot connectivity issues.
|
10 |
5.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot security issues.
|
|
5.6 Given a scenario, explain the troubleshooting methodology.
|
10 |
