HCIA-Cloud study plan

Define cloud computing service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and deployment models (public, private, hybrid) and map each Huawei Cloud offering you already know to one of them.

Explain virtualization fundamentals: hypervisor types, virtual CPU and memory overcommit, and how virtual machines differ from bare metal.

Describe the core building blocks of a virtual data center: compute, storage, and network virtualization, and state the problem each one solves.

Sketch a three-tier application on paper and label where compute, block storage, object storage, and load balancing would sit in a Huawei Cloud architecture.

Compare block, file, and object storage on access semantics, typical latency, and use case, and pick the right type for five given scenarios.

Explain VPC concepts: subnets, route tables, security groups versus network ACLs, and how an EIP exposes a resource to the internet.

Describe load balancing at layers 4 and 7 and state which layer suits TCP versus HTTP traffic.

Trace the packet path from an internet client through EIP, load balancer, and security group to a backend ECS instance.

List the main Huawei Cloud compute, storage, network, and database services and state in one sentence what each is for.

Explain how ECS instance families map to workload types (general purpose, memory optimized, compute optimized) and choose a family for three workloads.

Describe EVS disk types and when to choose each, plus how snapshots and backups differ in purpose.

Compare RDS with a self-managed database on an ECS across patching, backup, and high availability.

Design a small three-tier web architecture on Huawei Cloud using VPC, subnets, ECS, ELB, RDS, and OBS, and justify each choice.

Explain auto scaling: how a scaling group, configuration, and policy interact, and what triggers a scale-out.

Describe elasticity and high availability mechanisms (multi-AZ deployment, health checks) and where each protects the design.

Identify single points of failure in your own design and remove at least two of them.

Describe the shared responsibility model and state which operational tasks belong to the customer versus Huawei Cloud.

Explain monitoring with Cloud Eye: metrics, alarms, and notification, and define two alarms you would set for a production ECS.

Describe logging and auditing basics and how you would investigate a sudden CPU spike on an instance.

Explain backup and disaster recovery concepts: RPO, RTO, and how snapshot and cross-region backup policies affect each.

Explain identity and access management: accounts, users, groups, roles, and policies, and why least privilege matters.

Distinguish authentication from authorization and describe how a temporary credential or agency (role) lets a service act on your behalf.

Describe data protection in transit and at rest, including key management and encryption options for storage and databases.

Map at least four common attack surfaces (exposed EIP, weak security group rule, over-privileged account, unencrypted bucket) to a concrete mitigation.

Harden a VPC design: tighten security group rules to least privilege and explain why network ACLs are a second layer, not a replacement.

Describe how to protect data at rest and in transit for object storage, including bucket policies and access control.

Explain how audit logs support incident investigation and what evidence you would collect after a suspected credential leak.

Write the steps to rotate a compromised access key and verify no lingering permissions remain.

Rehearse weak areas by re-answering missed practice questions and writing down why each wrong option was wrong.

Summarize each of the five domains in five bullet points from memory, then check against your notes.

Explain one end-to-end scenario that touches all five domains: design, deploy, monitor, and secure a small workload.

Time-box a full mixed practice set and review every error before exam day.