EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation study plan

Define cloud computing using the NIST definition and list its five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models.

Explain the differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, and give two real-world examples of each that you have personally used.

Describe the shared responsibility model and identify which responsibilities belong to the provider and which to the customer for each service model.

Compare public, private, hybrid, and community clouds in terms of cost, control, scalability, and typical use cases.

Explain the concepts of virtualization, hypervisors (Type 1 and Type 2), and containers, and how they enable cloud computing.

Describe the key components of cloud architecture: front-end, back-end, network, and virtualization layers.

Identify the main benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing (e.g., cost, elasticity, vendor lock-in, latency).

Map the EXIN Cloud Computing Foundation exam objectives for Domains 1 and 2 to your study notes and flag any gaps.

Outline a cloud adoption framework (e.g., strategy, design, migration, operations) and explain each phase.

List the key factors to consider when selecting a cloud provider (SLA, pricing, compliance, support, lock-in).

Describe common migration strategies (rehost, replatform, refactor, retire, retain) and match them to business scenarios.

Review Domain 1 concepts by creating flashcards for the NIST definition and deployment models.

Explain the CIA triad (confidentiality, integrity, availability) and apply it to cloud environments.

Identify common cloud security threats (data breaches, misconfiguration, insecure APIs, account hijacking) and basic mitigations.

Describe identity and access management (IAM) concepts: authentication, authorization, roles, and least privilege.

Explain data protection mechanisms: encryption at rest and in transit, key management, and data residency.

Summarize major compliance standards (GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2) and their implications for cloud adoption.

Describe the incident response lifecycle in the cloud and the customer's role under the shared responsibility model.

Explain the purpose and components of a service level agreement (SLA) and service level objectives (SLOs).

Define cloud monitoring and logging concepts, including metrics, alerts, and audit trails.

Compare cloud pricing models (on-demand, reserved, spot) and their impact on cost management.

Review Domain 4 by answering practice questions on security and compliance and analyzing mistakes.

Explain cloud service management processes: change management, configuration management, and release management.

Describe availability and business continuity concepts: redundancy, backup, disaster recovery, RTO, and RPO.

Outline performance monitoring and capacity planning in the cloud.

Compare cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) from an operational management perspective (patching, scaling, monitoring).

Review Domain 2 by mapping each service model to operational responsibilities.

Take a full-length practice exam (or a set of questions covering all domains) under timed conditions.

Identify your three weakest sub-topics based on practice exam results and create a focused review plan.

Revisit key definitions and models (NIST, service models, shared responsibility, CIA triad) using spaced repetition.

Explain out loud (or in writing) how the five domains interconnect in a real-world cloud scenario.

Review all flagged weak areas using summaries, flashcards, and targeted practice questions.

Re-take any practice questions you previously missed and confirm understanding.

Create a one-page cheat sheet of key formulas, definitions, and acronyms for last-minute review.

Simulate exam conditions with a final timed practice set and review your answers.