DHIRAJLAL GANDHI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

(AN AUTONOMUS INSTITUTION)

Affiliation to Anna University, Chennai | NAAC Accredited
Opp : Salem airport, Kamalapuram, Sikkanampatty, Omalur, Salem (Dt.) – 636 309

Department of Information Technology

Answer Key for End Semester Examination
:
Subject Code CCS335 QP. CODE 6012
:
Subject Name : CLOUD COMPUTING Date of Exam : 27.05.2025
Faculty Name : [Link] Session : FN
Designation : ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Department : IT
Date of Submission : 17.06.2026
PART – A (2*10=20 Marks)

1. Define Cloud Computing.

 Cloud computing is a model for delivering computing services
 Such as servers, storage, databases, networking, and software over the internet on a pay-as-you-go
basis.
2. What are Cloud Service Models?
 IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) – Provides virtualized computing resources
 (Platform as a Service) – Provides development platform
 SaaS (Software as a Service) – Provides software applications over internet

3. Explain the Structure of Virtualization.

Virtualization structure consists of:
 Physical hardware layer
 Hypervisor/VMM layer
 Virtual machines (VMs)
 Guest operating systems
 It enables multiple OS to run on a single physical machine.
4. What is the Role of the hypervisor in Virtualization?
A hypervisor is software that:
 Creates and manages virtual machines
 Allocates hardware resources
 Ensures isolation between VMs
 Types: Type 1 (bare metal), Type 2 (hosted).
5. Outline Desktop Virtualization and mention one advantage.
 Desktop virtualization allows users to access desktop environments remotely from a server.
 Advantage: Centralized management and improved security.

6. Compare Virtual Machines and Containers. (any two points).

 VM includes full OS; containers share host OS
 VMs are heavier; containers are lightweight and faster
7. Describe the key features of Amazon Web Services (AWS).
 On-demand resources
  Pay-as-you-use pricing
 Scalability and elasticity
 Global infrastructure
 Security and IAM support
8. Summarize the concept of cloud software environments with Eucalyptus.
 Eucalyptus is an open-source cloud platform used to build private clouds compatible with AWS
services.
 It supports resource management, virtualization, and scalable cloud infrastructure.

9. What is Guest Hopping in virtualization security.

 Guest hopping is a virtualization attack where one virtual machine accesses another VM’s data
through shared resources.
 This happens due to shared physical resources or vulnerabilities in the hypervisor.
10. . Recall any two challenges in IAM .
 Weak password management
 access control issues.
 Lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) implementation

PART -B (5* 16=80)
11.a Compile a table to compare public clouds and private clouds in each of the following four aspects. Also
identify their differences, advantages, and shortcomings in terms of design technologies and application
flexibility(16)

Compare Public Clouds And Private Clouds: ( 5M)

Aspect Public Cloud Private Cloud

Owned and managed by third-party cloud Owned and managed by a single
Ownership
providers. organization.
Available to the general public over the
Access Accessible only within the organization.
Internet.
Cost Lower initial cost; pay-as-you-go model. Higher setup and maintenance cost.
Shared environment; comparatively less Higher security and control due to
Security
control over security. dedicated resources.

Differences Public Clouds And Private Clouds: ( 5M)

Feature Public Cloud Private Cloud

Resource Sharing Multi-tenant environment Single-tenant environment
Scalability Highly scalable Limited by organizational resources
Management Managed by service provider Managed by organization
Deployment Time Quick deployment Longer deployment time
Advantages: ( 3 M)

Public Cloud
 Low infrastructure and maintenance cost.
  Easy scalability and flexibility.
 Rapid deployment of services.
 No need for hardware management.
Private Cloud
 Enhanced security and privacy.
 Greater control over resources and data.
 Customizable according to organizational needs.
 Better compliance with regulatory requirements.
Shortcomings: ( 3M)
Public Cloud
 Security and privacy concerns.
 Limited control over infrastructure.
 Possible performance variations due to shared resources.
Private Cloud
 High capital and operational expenses.
 Requires skilled personnel for management.
 Limited scalability compared to public clouds.
Public Cloud Private Cloud
Suitable for web applications, testing, and Suitable for mission-critical and sensitive
development. applications.
Offers dynamic scaling and global accessibility. Provides greater customization and control.
Ideal for variable workloads. Ideal for predictable and regulated workloads.
OR
11.b. Describe the architectural design of compute and storage clouds, including key design challenges. (16)
Architecture of Compute Clouds. (8)
A compute cloud provides virtualized computing resources such as Virtual Machines VMs), CPUs, memory,
and networking.
Components:
Physical Infrastructure
 Servers, storage devices, and network equipment.
 Hosted in large-scale data centers.
Virtualization Layer (Hypervisor)
 Creates and manages Virtual Machines.
 Examples: VMware ESXi, Xen, KVM, Hyper-V.
Resource Management Layer
 Allocates CPU, memory, and storage resources.
 Handles load balancing and VM scheduling.
Cloud Management Platform
 Provides monitoring, provisioning, billing, and security services.
 Examples: OpenStack, OpenNebula.
User Interface/API
Allows users to request and manage computing resources.
Compute Cloud Architecture
+-----------------------+
| Users / APIs |
+-----------------------+
|
 +-----------------------+
| Cloud Management |
| & Resource Scheduler |
+-----------------------+
|
+-----------------------+
| Virtualization Layer |
| (Hypervisor) |
+-----------------------+
|
+-----------------------+
| Physical Servers |
| CPU, Memory, Network |
-----------------------+

2. Architecture of Storage Clouds: ( 8M)

Storage clouds provide scalable and distributed storage services over the Internet.
Components
1. Storage Nodes
Multiple servers storing data blocks.
2. Metadata Manager
Maintains information about file locations and access permissions.
3. Replication Mechanism
Creates multiple copies of data for fault tolerance.
4. Storage Management System
Controls allocation, backup, and recovery.
5. Access Interface
Provides APIs for file, block, or object storage access.
Storage Cloud Architecture
+-----------------------+
| Users / Apps |
+-----------------------+
|
+-----------------------+
| Storage Management |
| & Metadata Server |
+-----------------------+
|
+-----------------------+
| Distributed Storage |
| Nodes |
+-----------------------+
|
+-----------------------+
| Physical Disks/SSDs |
+-----------------------+
Key Design Challenges
1. Scalability
  Supporting millions of users and large amounts of data.

2. Resource Allocation
 Efficient distribution of CPU, memory, bandwidth, and storage.
3. Fault Tolerance and Reliability
 Ensuring continuous service despite hardware or software failures.
4. Security and Privacy
 Protecting data from unauthorized access.
 Implementing encryption, authentication, and access control.
5. Performance Optimization
 Minimizing latency and maximizing throughput.
 Efficient scheduling and load balancing techniques.
6. Data Consistency
 Maintaining accurate and synchronized data across distributed storage nodes.

[Link] the Taxonomy of Virtual Machines. Discuss the key concepts of Virtualization Structure. ( 16M)

Taxonomy of Virtual Machines: ( 8M)

Virtual Machines (VMs) can be classified into two major categories:
1. System Virtual Machines
 Provide a complete system platform capable of running an entire operating system.
 Multiple operating systems can run simultaneously on the same physical machine.
 Managed by a hypervisor (Virtual Machine Monitor).
Examples:
 VMware
 KVM
 Xen
 Microsoft Hyper-V
2. Process Virtual Machines
 Designed to support a single process or application.
 Created when the application starts and destroyed when it terminates.
 Provide platform independence.
Examples:
 Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
 .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Taxonomy Diagram
Virtual Machines
|
--------------------------------
| |
System Virtual Machine Process Virtual Machine
| |
Runs Complete OS Runs Single Application
| |
VMware, Xen, KVM JVM, CLR

Key Concepts of Virtualization Structure: ( 8M)

Virtualization is the technology that creates virtual versions of computing resources such as servers,
storage, networks, and operating systems.
1. Host Machine
 The physical computer that provides hardware resources.
 Contains CPU, memory, storage, and network devices.
2. Guest Machine (Virtual Machine)
 A virtualized environment running its own operating system and applications.
 Shares hardware resources with other VMs.
3. Hypervisor (Virtual Machine Monitor - VMM)
 Software layer between hardware and virtual machines.
 Manages VM creation, execution, and resource allocation.
Types of Hypervisors
Type 1 (Bare-Metal Hypervisor)
 Runs directly on hardware.
 Offers better performance and security.
 Examples: VMware ESXi, Xen, Hyper-V.
Type 2 (Hosted Hypervisor)
 Runs on top of a host operating system.
 Easier to install and use.
 Examples: VirtualBox, VMware Workstation.
4. Virtualized Resources
 CPU Virtualization: Shares processor resources among VMs.
 Memory Virtualization: Allocates memory dynamically to VMs.
 Storage Virtualization: Combines multiple storage devices into a single logical unit.
 Network Virtualization: Creates virtual networks independent of physical hardware.
Virtualization Structure Diagram
+----------------------+
| Applications |
+----------------------+
| Guest OS (VMs) |
+----------------------+
| Hypervisor |
+----------------------+
| Physical Hardware |
| CPU, RAM, Storage |
+----------------------+
Advantages of Virtualization Structure
 Better resource utilization.
 Reduced hardware costs.
 Easy system management.
Limitations
 Performance overhead due to virtualization.
 Complex management in large environments.
 Security risks if the hypervisor is compromised.
12.b Identify the various Implementation Levels of Virtualization. (16)

Diagram of Virtualization Levels: ( 8M)

+---------------------------+
 | Application Virtualization|
+---------------------------+
| Library Support Level |
+---------------------------+
| Operating System Level |
+---------------------------+
| Hardware Level |
+---------------------------+
| ISA Level |
+---------------------------+
| Physical Hardware |
+---------------------------+
DESCRIPTION: ( 8M)

Level Description
1. Instruction Set Emulates a processor's instruction set, allowing software compiled for one
Architecture (ISA) Level architecture to run on another. Example: QEMU.
2. Hardware Level Uses a hypervisor (VMM) to create and manage multiple virtual machines
Virtualization on the same physical hardware. Example: VMware ESXi, Xen, Hyper-V.
3. Operating System Level Creates multiple isolated containers that share the same operating system
Virtualization kernel. Example: Docker, LXC, OpenVZ.
4. Library Support Level Provides an interface layer between applications and the operating system
Virtualization through virtual libraries. Example: Wine.
Virtualizes individual applications, allowing them to run in isolated
5. Application Level
environments without direct installation on the host OS. Example: JVM,
Virtualization
Microsoft App-V.

13. a Explain various types of virtualization, such as Desktop, Network, Storage, System-level, and
Application Virtualization, with neat diagrams. (16)
Types of virtualization: (6M)
 Desktop Virtualization – User desktops are hosted on a central server and accessed remotely through client
devices.
 Network Virtualization – Creates virtual networks by combining hardware and software network resources.
 Storage Virtualization – Combines multiple physical storage devices into a single logical storage pool.
 System-Level Virtualization – Uses a hypervisor to run multiple virtual machines and operating systems on
one physical system.
 Application Virtualization – Applications run in a virtual environment without being directly installed on the
host operating system.
EXPLAINATION: (10M)
1. Desktop Virtualization:
Hosts user desktop OS on central server. Users access via thin client. Ex: VDI, Citrix.
+-------------+ +----------+ +----------------------+
| User Device | ---> | Network | ---> | Data Center Server |
+-------------+ +----------+ | +------------------+ |
| | Virtual Desktop1 | |
| +------------------+ |
| | Virtual Desktop2 | |
 | +------------------+ |
| | Virtual Desktop3 | |
| +------------------+ |
Diagram: User Device → Network → Data Center Server hosting multiple Virtual Desktops
Benefit: Centralized management, access from anywhere.

2. Network Virtualization: Combines hardware/network resources into software-based virtual networks. Ex:
VLAN, SDN, VPN.
Users
|
v
+----------------------+
| Virtual Network Layer|
+----------------------+
/ \
/ \
+-------+ +-------+
| VM 1 | | VM 2 |
+-------+ +-------+
\ /
\ /
+-----------+
| Physical |
| Network |
+-----------+
Diagram: Physical Switches/Routers → Virtualization Layer → Multiple Virtual Networks
Benefit: Better utilization, isolation, flexibility.

3. Storage Virtualization: Pools physical storage from multiple devices into single logical storage. Ex: SAN,
NAS.
+--------+ +--------+ +--------+
| Disk 1 | | Disk 2 | | Disk 3 |
+--------+ +--------+ +--------+
\ | /
\ | /
+-------------------------+
| Storage Virtualization |
| Controller |
+-------------------------+
|
v
+-------------------------+
| Logical Storage |
| Volume Pool |
+-------------------------+
|
+---------+---------+
| |
 +-----------+ +-----------+
| Server 1 | | Server 2 |
+-----------+ +-----------+
Diagram: Multiple Physical Disks → Storage Virtualization Controller → Logical Volume for servers
Benefit: Easy backup, scaling, management.

4. System-level Virtualization: Hypervisor creates multiple VMs with separate OS on one physical machine.
Ex: VMware, KVM.
+------------------------+
| Physical Hardware |
| CPU, RAM, Storage |
+------------------------+
|
v
+------------------------+
| Hypervisor |
+------------------------+
/ \
/ \
+---------+ +---------+
| VM 1 | | VM 2 |
+---------+ +---------+
| GuestOS | | GuestOS |
+---------+ +---------+
| Apps | | Apps |
+---------+ +---------+
Diagram: Hardware → Hypervisor → VM1 with Guest OS1, VM2 with Guest OS2
Benefit: Server consolidation, isolation.

5. Application Virtualization:
Encapsulates app from underlying OS. App runs in sandbox. Ex: VMware ThinApp, Docker.
+------+
| User |
+---+--+
|
v
+------------------+
| Virtualized App |
+------------------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Virtualization |
| Layer |
+------------------+
|
v
+------------------+
 | Host OS |
+------------------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Hardware |
+------------------+
Diagram: Host OS → Virtualization Layer → Virtual App1, Virtual App2
Benefit: No conflicts, portable, easy deployment.

(OR)

13. b Describe Docker architecture and its components, including Docker Engine, Images, Containers, and
Repositories. (16)
Diagram: (8M)
+---------------+
| Docker Client |
+-------+-------+
|
v
+---------------+
| Docker Engine |
+---+-------+---+
| |
v v
+------+ +---------+
|Image | |Container|
+------+ +---------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Repository/Hub |
+------------------+
Components: (8M)

1. Docker Engine
 Core component that creates and manages containers.
 Includes Docker Daemon, REST API, and CLI.
2. Docker Images
 Read-only templates used to create containers.
 Contain application code, libraries, and dependencies.
3. Docker Containers
 Running instances of Docker images.
 Lightweight and isolated execution environments.
4. Docker Repository
 Stores and distributes Docker images.
 Example: Docker Hub.
Working
 1. User sends commands through Docker Client.
2. Docker Engine processes the commands.
3. Images are pulled from Repository or built locally.
4. Containers are created and executed from Images.

14. a .Explain Google App Engine? Explain the Google App Engine programming environment. (16)

Google App Engine (GAE) (8M)

Google App Engine is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) provided by Google that allows developers to build,
deploy, and manage web applications without managing the underlying infrastructure.
Features
 Automatic scaling
 Load balancing
 Built-in security
 Supports multiple programming languages
 Easy deployment and maintenance
Google App Engine Architecture
+------------------+
| Users |
+--------+---------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Google App Engine|
+--------+---------+
|
+-----+-----+
| |
v v
+------+ +------+
| App | | App |
|Instance| |Instance|
+------+ +------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Datastore / DB |
+------------------+
Google App Engine Programming Environment: (8M)
The programming environment provides tools and services required to develop and run applications.
Diagram
+----------------------+
 | Application Code |
+----------+-----------+
|
v
+----------------------+
| Runtime Environment |
| (Java, Python, etc.) |
+----------+-----------+
|
v
+----------------------+
| GAE Services |
| Datastore, Cache, |
| Task Queue, Security |
+----------+-----------+
|
v
+----------------------+
| Google Infrastructure|
+----------------------+
Components
1. Runtime Environment
 Executes application code.
 Supports Python, Java, Go, PHP, [Link], etc.
2. Datastore
 NoSQL database for storing application data.
3. Task Queue
 Executes background tasks asynchronously.
4. Memcache
 Improves performance by caching frequently used data.
5. Security Services
 Authentication and access control.
6. Google Infrastructure
 Provides servers, networking, and automatic scaling.

(OR)

14. b Summarize the following: (i) Open Stack (8) (ii) Microsoft Azure (8)
OpenStack: Open-source IaaS cloud platform to build private/public clouds. Modular architecture. (8M)
+------------------+
| Horizon |
| Dashboard |
+--------+---------+
 |
+--------+---------+
| Keystone |
| Identity Service|
+--------+---------+
|
+----+----+----+----+
| Nova | Neutron |
|Compute| Network |
+----+----+----+----+
| |
+----+--+ +--+----+
| Cinder| | Swift |
|Block | |Object |
|Storage| |Storage|
+-------+ +-------+

Key Components:
1. Nova: Compute service, manages VMs
2. Swift: Object storage service
3. Cinder: Block storage
4. Neutron: Networking service
5. Horizon: Dashboard UI
6. Keystone: Identity service
Benefit: Vendor-neutral, customizable, AWS-compatible APIs.

(ii) Microsoft Azure: Microsoft’s public cloud platform offering IaaS, PaaS, SaaS.(8)
+------------------+
| Users |
+--------+---------+
|
v
+------------------+
| Azure Portal |
+--------+---------+
|
+----+----+----+----+
| Compute | Storage |
| Services| Services|
+----+----+----+----+
| |
+----+----+ +--+----+
| Virtual | | Azure |
| Machines| | SQL DB|
+---------+ +-------+
Key Services:
1. Compute: Azure VMs, App Service, Azure Functions
2. Storage: Blob, File, Queue, Disk Storage
3. Networking: Virtual Network, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway
4. Databases: Azure SQL, Cosmos DB
5. AI/ML: Azure Machine Learning, Cognitive Services
Benefit: Strong hybrid cloud, integrates with Windows/Active Directory, enterprise support.

15. a(i) Explain Identity and Access Management (IAM) architecture and practices. (8)
Access Management (IAM) architecture: (8 M)
+-------------+
| Users |
+-------------+
|
v
+----------------+
| Authentication |
| (Password/MFA) |
+----------------+
|
v
+----------------+
| Authorization |
| (RBAC/ABAC) |
+----------------+
|
v
+----------------+
| Resources |
| Apps/Data/VMs |
+----------------+
^
|
+----------------+
| Identity Store |
| Users & Roles |
+----------------+
IAM Architecture:
1. Identity Provider IdP: Stores and verifies user identities. Ex: Active Directory, Google Accounts
2. Authentication: Verifies who the user is. Methods: Password, MFA, SSO
3. Authorization: Determines what user can access via roles/policies. Uses RBAC or ABAC
4. User Repository: Database of users, groups, roles
5. Audit & Compliance: Logs access for monitoring and reports

15. a(ii) Describe IAM challenges in cloud computing environments and propose suitable solutions. (8)
IAM challenges: (8M)
+------------------+ +------------------+
| IAM Challenges | ---> | IAM Solutions |
+------------------+ +------------------+
| Identity Sprawl | ---> | SSO, Federation |
| Privilege Abuse | ---> | MFA, PAM |
 | Dynamic Systems | ---> | ABAC, Automation |
| Compliance | ---> | Auditing, Logs |
+------------------+ +------------------+
Challenge Solution:
Identity Sprawl : Too many accounts across services Centralized IdP with SSO, Federated Identity
Privileged Access Misuse : Admin accounts compromise PAM tools, Just-in-Time access, MFA for admins
Dynamic Environments : VMs/containers created/destroyed fast Attribute-Based Access Control ABAC,
automated provisioning
Compliance : Meeting GDPR, HIPAA rules Automated audit logs, policy enforcement, encryption
(OR)

15. b Explain virtualization system-specific attacks such as Guest Hopping, VM Migration Attack, and
Hyperjacking. Discuss their impact and possible mitigation techniques. (16)
virtualization system-specific attacks: (8M)
+-----------+
| Attacker |
| VM 1 |
+-----------+
|
| Escape
v
+-----------+
| Hypervisor|
+-----------+
|
v
+-----------+
| Victim VM |
| VM 2 |
+-----------+
1. Guest Hopping / VM Escape: Attacker in one VM breaks isolation to access hypervisor or other VMs.
Impact: Data theft from other tenants, full host compromise.
Mitigation: Patch hypervisor regularly, use Type-1 hypervisors, enable VM isolation, disable unused device
drivers.

2. VM Migration Attack: (8M)

During live migration, attacker intercepts VM memory/disk over network.
Impact: Data leakage, man-in-the-middle, altered VM state.
Mitigation: Encrypt migration traffic, use dedicated VLAN for migration, authenticate source/destination
hosts.

3. Hyperjacking: Attacker installs rogue hypervisor below actual OS/hypervisor to control entire system.
Rootkit at hypervisor level.
Impact: Complete control, undetectable malware, all VMs compromised.
Mitigation: Hardware-based security like Intel TXT, Secure Boot, hardware TPM, monitor hypervisor
integrity.