Which entity manages the use, performance and delivery of cloud services, and maintains relationships between cloud providers and consumers?

Which entity manages the use, performance and delivery of cloud services, and maintains relationships between cloud providers and consumers?

• A. Cloud Auditor
• B. Cloud Broker
• C. Cloud Provider
• D. Cloud Carrier

Answer: (B)

Understanding the role of a cloud broker is key here. A cloud broker serves as the intermediary that handles how cloud services are used, how they perform, and how they are delivered to the consumer, while also managing the ongoing relationship between the provider and the consumer. This means the broker evaluates needs, selects appropriate services (often across multiple providers), provisions and integrates them, monitors performance and usage, negotiates terms and SLAs, and handles billing and governance. In short, the broker sits between the customer and the providers to ensure smooth delivery and coordination across services. Why this fits best: the broker’s job is specifically to manage cross-provider service use and performance, and to maintain the ongoing relationship between provider and consumer. The other roles don’t cover this orchestration and intermediary function: a cloud auditor focuses on security/compliance assessments, not day-to-day service management; a cloud provider is the source of a service, not the intermediary coordinating usage and relationships; a cloud carrier handles the network transport, not service delivery or brokered relationships.

Understanding the role of a cloud broker is key here. A cloud broker serves as the intermediary that handles how cloud services are used, how they perform, and how they are delivered to the consumer, while also managing the ongoing relationship between the provider and the consumer. This means the broker evaluates needs, selects appropriate services (often across multiple providers), provisions and integrates them, monitors performance and usage, negotiates terms and SLAs, and handles billing and governance. In short, the broker sits between the customer and the providers to ensure smooth delivery and coordination across services.

Why this fits best: the broker’s job is specifically to manage cross-provider service use and performance, and to maintain the ongoing relationship between provider and consumer. The other roles don’t cover this orchestration and intermediary function: a cloud auditor focuses on security/compliance assessments, not day-to-day service management; a cloud provider is the source of a service, not the intermediary coordinating usage and relationships; a cloud carrier handles the network transport, not service delivery or brokered relationships.