After documenting the business use-case scenarios, the architect’s next step should be to conduct a feasibility study. A feasibility study is an analysis of the viability and suitability of a proposed solution or project, such as migrating to the cloud. A feasibility study evaluates the technical, operational, financial, legal, and ethical aspects of the solution, as well as the risks and benefits involved. A feasibility study helps the architect to determine if the solution is feasible, desirable, and achievable, and to identify any potential issues or challenges that may arise1. A feasibility study is one of the key components of a cloud assessment, which is a process of evaluating the readiness and suitability of an organization for cloud adoption1.

A proof of concept (PoC) is a demonstration or prototype of a solution that shows how it works and what it can achieve. A PoC is usually done after a feasibility study, when the solution has been proven to be feasible and the requirements have been defined1.

A gap analysis is a comparison of the current state and the desired state of a process, system, or organization. A gap analysis identifies the gaps or differences between the two states, and the actions or resources needed to close them. A gap analysis is usually done after a feasibility study and a PoC, when the solution has been validated and the goals have been established1.

Gathering cloud requirements is the process of collecting and analyzing the needs and expectations of the stakeholders for the cloud solution. Gathering cloud requirements is usually done after a feasibility study and before a PoC, when the solution has been confirmed to be feasible and the scope has been defined1. References: CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications, The New CompTIA Cloud Essentials+: Setting the Foundation For Vendor-specific IT Certifications, CompTIA Cloud Essentials CLO-002 Certification Study Guide

Avoidance is a risk response technique that involves changing the project plan to eliminate the risk or protect the project objectives from its impact. Avoidance can be done by modifying the scope, schedule, cost, or quality of the project. Avoidance is usually the most effective way to deal with a risk, but it may not always be possible or desirable. In this case, the cloud customer is transferring all of its cold storage data to servers in a safer geographic region, which means they are changing the location of their data storage to avoid the risk of a natural disaster affecting their data. This way, they are eliminating the possibility of losing their data due to a natural disaster in their original region. This is an example of avoidance as a risk response technique. References: CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ CLO-002 Study Guide, Chapter 4: Cloud Security, Section 4.2: Cloud Security Concepts, Page 153. 5 Risk Response Strategies - ProjectEngineer1

A hybrid cloud deployment model includes application components on a company’s network as well as on the Internet. A hybrid cloud is a combination of two or more cloud deployment models, such as public, private, or community, that are connected by a common network or technology. A hybrid cloud allows the company to leverage the benefits of both public and private clouds, such as scalability, cost-efficiency, security, and control. A hybrid cloud can also enable the company to use different cloud services for different types of workloads, such as sensitive data, high-performance computing, or disaster recovery12. References: CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications, CompTIA Cloud Essentials+: Essential Cloud Principles, CompTIA Cloud Essentials CLO-002 Certification Study Guide, CompTIA Cloud+ Certification Exam Objectives