A small network of devices that are close together, exchanging data using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
Which term describes using a device that has a mobile data connection to share that connection with another device, such as a phone sharing its data with a laptop?
Tethering
What is meant by open Wi-Fi?
A wireless connection in a public place that anyone can join, often without a password
What is meant by a blackspot?
A place where a wireless signal cannot reach, often because hills, valleys or buildings block it
What is the name for an attack in which someone on the same network secretly intercepts the data that two devices are sending to each other?
Man-in-the-middle attack
Which term describes nearby devices disrupting a wireless connection because their signals cross with it?
Interference
What is an ad hoc network?
A network set up between devices when it is needed
A surveyor is working in a remote field where there is no Wi-Fi. She needs to send a file from her laptop to the office server. How can she get her laptop online through her smartphone?
Tether the laptop to the smartphone's personal hotspot
Two colleagues pair their devices with a PIN to share files. When one walks to another floor the transfer stops. Why?
The paired devices are now out of range of each other
Why is data sent over an open Wi-Fi network insecure?
It may not be encrypted, so it can be read by others
A hacker on the same open Wi-Fi network installs malware on a user's tablet. What is a likely result?
The data on the tablet could be corrupted or damaged
Six staff share one phone's hotspot to upload files at the same time. The uploads become very slow. Why is this?
The data connection is shared between all six devices
Why do telecom companies build fewer network masts in rural areas than in cities?
There are fewer customers, so there is less investment
A charity works in a developing country where staff often cannot connect to the internet on their phones and the connections they do get are slow. Which is the most likely explanation?
There has been less investment in network infrastructure
A community centre shares one broadband connection. In the evenings, several members stream video at the same time and everyone finds the connection slow. Why is this?
Streaming video uses a large amount of the network bandwidth
A film crew needs to send footage from a temporary site where there is no installed network. Why is an ad hoc network suitable for this?
It can be set up quickly in any location
A warehouse worker uses a hand-held device on an ad hoc network. As he moves around the aisles the connection keeps dropping and returning. Which performance issue is this?
The signal is poor and intermittent
A member of staff connects her laptop to the personal hotspot on her phone so she can reach the company's cloud storage. How does the laptop reach the internet?
The phone shares its mobile data connection with the laptop
A sales rep uses her phone's mobile data while travelling by train. Her connection keeps dropping and she cannot upload her orders. Which is the most likely reason?
The route passes through areas with no mobile coverage
Which of these keeps a user's files on servers run by a provider?
Microsoft OneDrive
A company needs to share a cloud file with a partner who uses a different cloud service. What is the best way to do this?
Send the partner a private link to the file
A learner photographs a poster on a phone and the same image appears on the learner's laptop later. Which feature of cloud storage explains this?
Synchronisation copies the photo to other devices
Two learners edit the same cloud document and later decide they need an earlier version. Which feature makes this possible?
Changes are tracked so the file can be rolled back
A shop needs extra cloud storage during December only. Why does scalability save the shop money?
Extra storage is rented for December and then freed
A learner edits a cloud document on a train where there is no internet signal. What can some cloud services do?
Allow work on a local copy that syncs later
Four colleagues in different offices need to add their own sections to the same report at the same time. How does cloud storage make this possible?
The report can be edited by several users at once
Why does a slow internet connection cause problems for staff who keep their files in the cloud?
Files take longer to upload and download
A small business has filled the free allowance on its cloud storage account. What does it usually do to get more space?
Pay a monthly fee to rent extra storage
A user opens a cloud file while on holiday in another country and it loads quickly. What does the cloud service do to make this happen?
It sends the file from the closest or fastest server
An organisation stores all of its files with a cloud provider. Which of these is a disadvantage of doing this?
It has little control over how its data is stored and protected
Which term describes the ability to increase or decrease the amount of cloud storage a user rents as their needs change?
Scalability
What is meant by 'synchronisation' in cloud storage?
Files are copied between the cloud and each device so that all devices hold the same version
What is the name for the permission that allows someone to open and view a shared file but stops them making any changes to it?
Read only access
What is meant by 'availability' in cloud storage?
Files can be reached at any time of day or night from any location that has an internet connection
Which term describes a unique web address that gives only the person it is sent to the ability to open a shared file?
Private link
What is meant by 'access rights' in cloud storage?
The permissions that decide who can view, edit or share a particular file
What is the name for the feature that records the changes made to a document so it can be returned to an earlier version?
Version control
A company gives all of its staff cloud based office software. Why does this help the documents they create to stay compatible with each other?
All staff use the same up to date version of the software
Two members of staff open the same cloud based document and edit it at the same time. Why is no work lost?
Both members of staff are editing a single shared copy of the file
Which collaboration feature lets several people change the same document at the same time, with each change appearing straight away for everyone?
Live editing
A small business chooses cloud software rather than buying software to install on its computers. Why is this often more cost effective?
The business pays a monthly subscription instead of buying the software
Why does using cloud software mean a business needs fewer of its own IT staff?
The provider is responsible for maintaining the software and the servers
What happens when the company providing cloud software releases a new version of it?
The software is updated automatically for every user
A manager wants to point out to everyone reading a shared document that one of the figures needs checking, without changing any of the text. Which feature should she use?
Adding comments
Three managers check a report and each suggests edits. The author wants to see every suggested edit and decide whether to accept or reject each one. Which feature does this?
Tracking changes
Staff are editing the same document at the same time and need to ask each other questions while they work. Why is the chat facility useful for this?
They can discuss the document with each other while they are working in it
A company shares its files through cloud software instead of copying them onto memory sticks for staff. Why does this mean staff no longer need portable storage?
The files are kept on a server and opened over an internet connection
A company uses cloud software instead of software installed on its own computers. Why does this reduce the amount of hardware the company needs to buy?
The software runs on the provider's servers rather than the company's own
Which term describes the use of applications that run on servers connected to the internet rather than on a user's own computer?
Cloud computing
What is meant by an online application?
Software that is accessed through a web browser and runs on a remote server
Which term describes the built-in features of cloud software, such as comments, live editing and chat, that let several users work together on the same file?
Collaboration tools
What is meant by scalability in cloud computing?
Users can be added or removed as the needs of the organisation change
Which collaboration feature stores the earlier versions of a document so that one of them can be brought back?
Version history
Which collaboration feature controls what each member of staff is allowed to do with a shared file, such as viewing it or editing it?
Access rights
Staff complain that nobody can help them when the free cloud service fails. Which feature would a paid service provide?
Technical support from the provider
A small business only needs simple file sharing and does not want to pay for a cloud service. Why might a free service be suitable?
It provides the basic features the business needs
A company checks whether a cloud service will work on all the devices its staff already own. Which feature is being considered?
Accessibility across the devices the company uses
A cloud service hides its upload and download options when it detects a mobile data connection. Why is this?
To avoid using large amounts of mobile data
Which term describes the way that the features and layout of a cloud service change to suit different screen sizes and input methods, such as a mouse, keyboard or touch?
Interface design
What is meant by portability?
The ability to carry a device around and use it in different locations instead of one fixed place
What is meant by a free cloud service?
A service that costs nothing but shows adverts and has limited features and no technical support
Which term describes information on a handheld device being updated automatically at the moment it changes in the central system?
Real-time synchronisation
What is meant by storage capacity?
The amount of data a device can keep, which affects how much cloud data can be saved on it for offline use
Which term describes the different ways that a user can give instructions to a device, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch or voice?
Input methods
Which platform difference describes whether a device can connect to the internet to use a cloud service?
Network connectivity
What is meant by 'synchronisation'?
Making sure the latest version of a file is copied to every device and location where it is stored
What is the name for the situation where a user edits files on a laptop or tablet with no internet connection, and the changes are copied to the cloud once a connection is available?
Offline working
What is meant by 'notification'?
An alert sent to a device to tell a user that something has happened, such as a change to a shared file
What is the name for editing a file while connected to the internet so that changes are saved straight away and can be seen by other users?
Online working
Which term describes the process where every selected file is copied to all of a user's devices and to the cloud, so that each device holds the same set of files?
Full synchronisation
Which term means that a change made on one device appears on every other device almost immediately?
Real-time synchronisation
In a full synchronisation set-up across a desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone, where is a copy of the file stored?
On each of the devices and on the cloud server as well
In a full synchronisation service, a document is given a new name on a smartphone. What happens to the copies on the other devices?
The change is uploaded to the cloud and then copied to the other devices
A member of staff edits a report on a train with no internet connection. What happens when the laptop next connects?
The changes synchronise with the cloud and the other devices
Why are notifications useful to staff who work on shared files across several devices?
They show changes quickly so staff can respond without checking every file
A colleague updates a shared plan and the rest of the team receives a notification. What can this notification also show?
Who made the change and when it happened
A shop stores stock details on its own computers and in the cloud. Handheld devices update as sales are recorded. Why is this synchronisation useful?
Staff on any device see the same up-to-date stock information
A design company keeps its project files on its own office server and uses a cloud service to synchronise those files to staff devices. What is the main benefit of using the two systems together?
Staff can open the latest version of a file in the office or from another location
A file is held on an office PC, a laptop and in the cloud. Why is synchronisation important in this situation?
It makes sure every copy of the file is the same version
A member of staff edits a shared document on a train with no internet connection. Which of these will they be unable to do until they are back online?
See that a colleague has added a comment to the document
A member of staff turns off notifications for a shared cloud folder on their tablet. What is the effect?
They will not be alerted when a file in the folder changes
What is meant by a disaster recovery policy?
The systems an organisation has in place to protect and restore its files and data after an attack or a natural disaster
Which term describes the periods when a cloud service is not available to the people who need to use it?
Downtime
Which term describes the ability of a cloud service to work across different platforms, such as laptops and smartphones, and on different operating systems?
Compatibility
What is meant by data privacy in cloud storage?
Personal information is collected and used only in the ways that have been agreed with the individual
What is meant by maintenance of a cloud service?
The provider regularly applies updates and fixes faults so that the service keeps working
What is the name for the process of converting data into a coded form so that only someone with the correct key can read it?
Encryption
What is meant by a data backup?
A copy of data stored in another location so the original can be restored
What is meant by personally identifiable information?
Data that can identify a person, on its own or with other data
Why does storing an organisation's data with a cloud provider help its disaster recovery?
The data is held away from the organisation's own site
An organisation moves its files to cloud storage but still keeps its own disaster recovery policy. What does that policy cover?
Recovering systems and data that the organisation still holds on site
Which detail should an organisation check to judge a cloud provider's security of data?
Whether data is encrypted while it is stored and transferred
A company's staff use Windows laptops, iPhones and Android tablets. Why is compatibility an important factor when choosing cloud software?
The service must work on different platforms and operating systems
A cloud provider installs software updates whenever it chooses. Why can this be a drawback for an organisation?
Downtime may happen at a time the organisation cannot control
A small company with no IT technicians moves its systems to the cloud. Why does this suit the company?
The provider carries out the maintenance and updates
A company needs a new file storage system working within a week. Why is a cloud service a suitable choice?
It can be set up quickly without buying new hardware
Which statement about the performance of cloud systems is correct?
They generally cope well when demand from users increases
A company loses its internet connection for two hours. Why can its staff not open the files held in cloud storage?
Cloud files can only be reached over an internet connection
A design company stores its files in the cloud. Staff find that large files take a long time to open. Which factor is most likely to cause this?
The speed of the office internet connection
A company uses the same cloud service to edit text documents and to edit video. Staff find that editing video is much slower. Why is this?
Editing video is a more complex task than editing text
Why might the same cloud software run more slowly on an older device than on a newer one?
Older devices have less processing power and memory
A company is worried about the security of its data after moving it into cloud storage. What is the main reason for this?
The provider decides how the stored data is protected