Study Cloud Models, Thin Clients and VDI Basics for A+ Core 1 (220-1201)
Sort IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, public and private cloud, thin clients, and VDI at the support depth A+ Core 1 expects.
On this page
Cloud questions on Core 1 are not architect-level questions. They are support questions. CompTIA wants you to know what the service model means for the user and where a thin client, remote desktop path, or hosted app fits.
SaaS: Software as a Service, where the user consumes the finished application.
IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service, where the customer manages more of the system stack.
What CompTIA is really testing
The exam usually wants you to:
- distinguish
IaaS,PaaS, andSaaS - understand thin clients and
VDI - know the difference between local apps, hosted apps, and hosted desktops
Fast comparison
| Model | Support-level meaning |
|---|---|
| SaaS | the provider delivers the finished app |
| PaaS | the provider delivers the platform and runtime layer |
| IaaS | the provider delivers virtual infrastructure while the customer manages more above it |
| thin client | a lightweight endpoint that relies heavily on central resources |
| VDI | a centrally hosted desktop delivered remotely |
What strong answers usually do
- explain the service model in terms of who manages what
- recognize that a thin client is not the same thing as a local full desktop
- connect VDI to centralized desktops rather than ordinary file sync
Quiz
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