NIFCLOUD Certified Associate study plan
NIFCLOUD Certified Associate · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
NIFCLOUD fundamentals and service overview
Map every NIFCLOUD service family to its exam domain and note which services you have never touched
Explain the difference between a virtual server, a bare-metal server, and a container-based workload in your own words
Sketch the shared responsibility boundary between NIFCLOUD and the customer for compute, storage, and network
List the regional and zone structure of NIFCLOUD and describe why zone choice affects design
Your checkpoint
A one-page service-to-domain mind map covering all six exam domains, with a gap list of unfamiliar services.
NIFCLOUD fundamentals and service overview & Compute (virtual servers, images, networking basics)
Describe how a virtual server is created from an image, including disk selection and network attachment
Compare image types (standard OS images vs your own captured images) and state when to capture a custom image
Identify the settings that control server start, stop, and restart behavior and their billing implications
Explain how SSH key pairs and administrative access are configured on a new server
Your checkpoint
A written runbook for launching a virtual server from scratch, including image choice, disk sizing, key pair, and network attachment.
Compute (virtual servers, images, networking basics)
Design a two-tier layout where web and database servers sit in separate private network segments
Assign private IP ranges and explain how routing between segments is controlled
Describe how a server reaches the internet without a public IP and when a public IP is required
Configure a firewall rule set that allows only the ports your tier needs
Your checkpoint
A network diagram with IP ranges, subnet purpose, and firewall rules for a two-tier web application, plus a short justification of each rule.
Compute (virtual servers, images, networking basics) & Storage (block, object, and archive storage)
Distinguish block storage volumes from object storage buckets and name one workload suited to each
Attach, format, mount, and detach an additional volume on a virtual server
Explain snapshot and backup behavior for volumes and how restore works
Describe object storage characteristics: bucket naming, access control, and versioning
Your checkpoint
A storage decision table matching five workloads to block, object, or archive storage with a one-line reason each.
Networking (private networks, load balancing, DNS, VPN)
Build a private network with at least two segments and verify connectivity between servers
Explain how a load balancer distributes traffic and what health checks do when a backend fails
Describe DNS record management for a domain hosted on NIFCLOUD and how TTL affects changes
Compare site-to-site VPN with a private network connection and state when each is appropriate
Your checkpoint
A load-balanced architecture description with health check settings, DNS records, and a chosen connectivity method for a remote office.
Security, identity, and access management
Explain how IAM users, groups, policies, and roles differ and when to use a role instead of a user
Write a least-privilege policy that allows a user to manage only object storage in one bucket
Describe how API keys and access credentials are issued, rotated, and revoked
List the logging and audit sources that record who did what in your account
Your checkpoint
A least-privilege policy document for two personas (storage operator, network operator) with the exact permissions each needs.
Security, identity, and access management & Operations, monitoring, and billing
Configure monitoring and alerting for CPU, disk, and network metrics on a running server
Interpret a monthly bill by mapping line items back to the services that generated them
Explain how stopped versus running resources affect charges
Describe a backup and recovery routine that would satisfy a stated recovery objective
Your checkpoint
A monitoring and cost-control checklist naming the metrics watched, alert thresholds, and the three resources most likely to cause bill surprises.
NIFCLOUD fundamentals and service overview & Compute (virtual servers, images, networking basics) & Storage (block, object, and archive storage) & Networking (private networks, load balancing, DNS, VPN) & Security, identity, and access management & Operations, monitoring, and billing
Re-answer missed practice questions from every domain and record why each wrong answer was wrong
Explain each of the six domains aloud in under five minutes without notes
Resolve every item on the week 1 gap list or mark it as low priority
Simulate a timed mixed-domain question set and review the results
Your checkpoint
A final review sheet of weak areas with corrected explanations, plus a timed practice score logged by domain.
Milestones
Week 2: You can describe, without notes, how a virtual server goes from image to running state with network and storage attached.
Week 4: You can justify a storage choice for any workload and have a working volume attach, mount, and snapshot cycle behind you.
Week 6: You can write a least-privilege policy from memory structure and explain why a role beats a long-lived user key.
Week 8: Every domain has a logged practice score and no gap-list item remains unexplained.