WGU D485 DGN2 TASK 1: Cloud Security
Implementation Plan - Complete Guide
(2026 Update)
SECTION 1: CLOUD COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS &
ARCHITECTURE
Question 1
SWBTL LLC is considering migrating its on-premises infrastructure to a cloud
environment. Which cloud deployment model provides dedicated infrastructure
for a single organization, offering the highest level of control and security?
A) Public cloud
B) Private cloud
C) Hybrid cloud
D) Community cloud
Answer: B) Private cloud
Rationale: A private cloud is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization.
It provides dedicated hardware, full control over security configurations,
customizable compliance, and no multi-tenancy risks. This is ideal for
organizations with stringent security and regulatory requirements such as FISMA
and PCI DSS .
Question 2
Which cloud service model would SWBTL LLC use if it wants to deploy and manage
,its own applications without managing the underlying infrastructure (servers,
storage, networking)?
A) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
C) Software as a Service (SaaS)
D) Function as a Service (FaaS)
Answer: B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Rationale: PaaS provides a platform (OS, middleware, runtime) for developing and
deploying applications. The customer manages applications and data while the
provider manages the infrastructure. Examples include AWS Elastic Beanstalk,
Azure App Service, and Google App Engine .
Question 3
The "shared responsibility model" in cloud computing means:
A) The customer has no security responsibilities
B) Security responsibilities are divided between the cloud provider (security OF
the cloud) and the customer (security IN the cloud)
C) The provider is responsible for all security
D) A third party manages all security
Answer: B) Security responsibilities are divided between the cloud provider and
the customer
Rationale: The provider secures physical facilities, host infrastructure, network,
and virtualization. The customer secures data, access management, applications,
OS configuration, and network controls. The division varies by service model (IaaS,
PaaS, SaaS) .
Question 4
SWBTL LLC is concerned about vendor lock-in. Which cloud architecture strategy
best mitigates this risk?
,A) Using only proprietary services from a single provider
B) Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategy with containerization and open standards
C) Signing a long-term exclusive contract
D) Avoiding cloud services entirely
Answer: B) Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategy with containerization and open
standards
Rationale: Multi-cloud (using multiple providers) and containerization (Docker,
Kubernetes) reduce dependency on a single vendor. Open standards and APIs
facilitate portability .
Question 5
Which of the following is a primary benefit of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for
SWBTL LLC?
A) No need for any IT staff
B) Elasticity—rapidly scaling resources up or down based on demand without
capital expenditure
C) Automatic application development
D) Free of all security concerns
Answer: B) Elasticity—rapidly scaling resources up or down based on demand
Rationale: IaaS provides the ability to scale compute and storage resources on
demand, reducing capital expenditure. However, it still requires IT staff, does not
automatically develop applications, and the customer retains security
responsibilities under the shared responsibility model .
Question 6
According to the NIST definition, how many essential characteristics does cloud
computing have?
A) 3
B) 5
, C) 7
D) 10
Answer: B) 5
Rationale: The five NIST essential characteristics are: (1) On-demand self-service,
(2) Broad network access, (3) Resource pooling, (4) Rapid elasticity, and (5)
Measured service .
Question 7
Which of the following is an example of Software as a Service (SaaS)?
A) AWS EC2
B) Microsoft 365 (Office 365)
C) Azure Virtual Machines
D) Google Kubernetes Engine
Answer: B) Microsoft 365 (Office 365)
Rationale: SaaS delivers fully functional applications over the internet. The
provider manages everything; the customer only configures and uses the software.
Examples include Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Dropbox .
Question 8
What is a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)?
A) A physical server in a cloud data center
B) A logically isolated section of the cloud where resources can be launched in a
defined virtual network
C) A type of database
D) A security tool for encryption
Answer: B) A logically isolated section of the cloud where resources can be
launched in a defined virtual network
Rationale: A VPC is a private, isolated network within the public cloud that allows
Implementation Plan - Complete Guide
(2026 Update)
SECTION 1: CLOUD COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS &
ARCHITECTURE
Question 1
SWBTL LLC is considering migrating its on-premises infrastructure to a cloud
environment. Which cloud deployment model provides dedicated infrastructure
for a single organization, offering the highest level of control and security?
A) Public cloud
B) Private cloud
C) Hybrid cloud
D) Community cloud
Answer: B) Private cloud
Rationale: A private cloud is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization.
It provides dedicated hardware, full control over security configurations,
customizable compliance, and no multi-tenancy risks. This is ideal for
organizations with stringent security and regulatory requirements such as FISMA
and PCI DSS .
Question 2
Which cloud service model would SWBTL LLC use if it wants to deploy and manage
,its own applications without managing the underlying infrastructure (servers,
storage, networking)?
A) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
C) Software as a Service (SaaS)
D) Function as a Service (FaaS)
Answer: B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Rationale: PaaS provides a platform (OS, middleware, runtime) for developing and
deploying applications. The customer manages applications and data while the
provider manages the infrastructure. Examples include AWS Elastic Beanstalk,
Azure App Service, and Google App Engine .
Question 3
The "shared responsibility model" in cloud computing means:
A) The customer has no security responsibilities
B) Security responsibilities are divided between the cloud provider (security OF
the cloud) and the customer (security IN the cloud)
C) The provider is responsible for all security
D) A third party manages all security
Answer: B) Security responsibilities are divided between the cloud provider and
the customer
Rationale: The provider secures physical facilities, host infrastructure, network,
and virtualization. The customer secures data, access management, applications,
OS configuration, and network controls. The division varies by service model (IaaS,
PaaS, SaaS) .
Question 4
SWBTL LLC is concerned about vendor lock-in. Which cloud architecture strategy
best mitigates this risk?
,A) Using only proprietary services from a single provider
B) Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategy with containerization and open standards
C) Signing a long-term exclusive contract
D) Avoiding cloud services entirely
Answer: B) Multi-cloud or hybrid cloud strategy with containerization and open
standards
Rationale: Multi-cloud (using multiple providers) and containerization (Docker,
Kubernetes) reduce dependency on a single vendor. Open standards and APIs
facilitate portability .
Question 5
Which of the following is a primary benefit of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for
SWBTL LLC?
A) No need for any IT staff
B) Elasticity—rapidly scaling resources up or down based on demand without
capital expenditure
C) Automatic application development
D) Free of all security concerns
Answer: B) Elasticity—rapidly scaling resources up or down based on demand
Rationale: IaaS provides the ability to scale compute and storage resources on
demand, reducing capital expenditure. However, it still requires IT staff, does not
automatically develop applications, and the customer retains security
responsibilities under the shared responsibility model .
Question 6
According to the NIST definition, how many essential characteristics does cloud
computing have?
A) 3
B) 5
, C) 7
D) 10
Answer: B) 5
Rationale: The five NIST essential characteristics are: (1) On-demand self-service,
(2) Broad network access, (3) Resource pooling, (4) Rapid elasticity, and (5)
Measured service .
Question 7
Which of the following is an example of Software as a Service (SaaS)?
A) AWS EC2
B) Microsoft 365 (Office 365)
C) Azure Virtual Machines
D) Google Kubernetes Engine
Answer: B) Microsoft 365 (Office 365)
Rationale: SaaS delivers fully functional applications over the internet. The
provider manages everything; the customer only configures and uses the software.
Examples include Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Dropbox .
Question 8
What is a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)?
A) A physical server in a cloud data center
B) A logically isolated section of the cloud where resources can be launched in a
defined virtual network
C) A type of database
D) A security tool for encryption
Answer: B) A logically isolated section of the cloud where resources can be
launched in a defined virtual network
Rationale: A VPC is a private, isolated network within the public cloud that allows
