I will analyze how cloud infrastructure is organized and explain how security, redundancy, and management work in real systems.
“If Google lost power in Iowa, would YouTube go down worldwide? Why or why not?”
Core Structure
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Geographic area with multiple data centers. | us-central1 (Iowa) |
| Zone | Individual data center within a region. | us-central1-a |
| Edge Location | Server close to end user for faster delivery. | CDN node in Los Angeles |
| Load Balancer | Distributes network traffic across servers. | Keeps Google Search fast |
| SLA (Service Level Agreement) | Contract for uptime & availability. | 99.95 % uptime guarantee |
Reliability Mechanisms
| Concept | Function | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Redundancy | Duplicate servers + data centers. | Prevents total outage. |
| Failover | Auto-switch to backup when primary fails. | Seamless recovery. |
| Scalability | Auto-add resources under load. | Handles traffic spikes. |
| Backups & Snapshots | Periodic copies of systems. | Enables restore after loss. |
| Monitoring & Logging | Track performance + security events. | Detect issues early. |
Security Layers
| Layer | What It Protects | Example Control |
|---|---|---|
| Physical | Data center access | Guards, badges, locks |
| Network | Traffic flows | Firewalls, VPNs |
| Identity | User access | IAM roles & MFA |
| Data | Stored information | Encryption at rest/in transit |
| Operations | Daily management | Patching, incident response |