Networking, Content Delivery, and DNS Services

Question 1

What is a VPC?

Answer 1

Virtual Private Cloud: Amazon VPC lets you provision a logically isolated section of AWS where you can launch AWS resources (EC2, DB’s, etc.) in a virtual network that you define.

You have complete control over your virtual networking environment, including selection of your own IP address range, creation of subnets and configuration of route tables and network gateways.

NOTE: When you create an AWS account, a “default” VPC is created for you. VPC’s are created by region.

Question 2

What is a Subnet?

Answer 2

Shorthand for subnetwork; a sub-section of a network. Generally, a subnet includes all of the computers in a specific location.

Example: Think of an apartment building as one large network. Then think of each separate apartment inside the building as a subnet. With each apartment having their own access point (router) and security (password and firewalls), and a group of computers/mobile devices.

Question 3

What is an NACL or ACL?

Answer 3

Network Access Control List: A firewall/security layer on the subnet level

Question 4

What is a security group?

Answer 4

A firewall/security layer on the instance/server level

Question 5

What is a firewall?

Answer 5

A type of software either allows or blocks certain kinds of internet traffic to pass through it.

Question 6

What is Route 53?

Answer 6

Route 53 allows you to manage web domains for websites or applications you host on AWS.

It can also be used for mutli-region failovers.

Question 7

What are the three main functions of Route 53?

Answer 7

1. Domain Registration: Route 53 lets you register domain names
2. Domain Name System (DNS) Service: Translates domain names into IP addresses. Route 53 responds to DNS queries using a global network of authoritative DNS servers, which reduces latency.
3. Health Checking: Route 53 sends automated requests over the internet to your application to verify that it’s reachable, available, and functional.

NOTE: Any combination of the above features can be used.

Question 8

What is Cloudfront?

Answer 8

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) that allows you to store (cache) your content at “edge locations” around the world.

Question 9

What are the benefits of using Cloudfront?

Answer 9

1. Cache content at edge locations for faster distribution to customers
2. Built-in DDOS attack protection
3. Integrates with many other AWS services

Question 10

What is an edge location?

Answer 10

A site that CloudFront uses to cache copies of your content for faster delivery to users at any location. There are edge locations located in most major cities around the world.

Question 11

What are the benefits of using Route 53?

Answer 11

1. Domain registration
2. DNS Service
3. Traffic Flow (send user to best endpoint)
4. Health checking
5. DNS failover (automatically change domain endpoint if system fails
6. Integrates with other Amazon web services

Question 12

Which AWS services can be integrated with Cloudfront?

Answer 12

S3, Lambda, EC2, ELB, and Route 53