Network Defense Essentials (NDE) Practice Exam 2026 - Free Network Defense Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct choice is the entity known as the Cloud Carrier. In the context of the NIST cloud deployment reference architecture, the Cloud Carrier is responsible for providing the essential transport services that connect cloud service providers with cloud consumers. This transport involves the network infrastructure needed to facilitate communication and transfer of data between these parties.

The Cloud Carrier also plays a crucial role in ensuring that the transport mechanism is secure, reliable, and optimized for performance, effectively acting as a conduit that allows for the efficient movement of data and services through the cloud ecosystem. Its function is vital to the overall operation of cloud services, as it supports the interaction between users and cloud vendor offerings.

In contrast, other entities such as the Cloud Auditor are involved in assessing and verifying compliance and security, the Cloud Broker assists in managing and integrating services between multiple cloud providers for consumers, and the Cloud Consumer refers to the customers who use cloud services. Each has its distinct role, highlighting the importance of the Cloud Carrier in enabling secure and efficient communication and transport services within cloud environments.