Unit 15 Cloud Storage and Collaboration Tools Assignment Brief 2026

Unit 15 Cloud Storage and Collaboration Tools Assignment Brief

Unit in Brief

Learners explore the uses of cloud technologies for storing and distributing data and apply cloud technologies that aid collaboration to meet a client’s needs.

Unit introduction

Cloud services provide on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources, including network devices, servers, storage and applications that can be rapidly provisioned and released. As our reliance on mobile devices to access digital services and content grows, the use of ‘The Cloud’ as a method of storing and distributing data and services becomes more popular. It is likely that you have made use of these technologies yourself for tasks such as backing up images from your smartphone. The scope of cloud-based services is much wider than just storage, and it gives organisations and individuals flexibility in the way IT meets their needs, allowing them to shrink, expand or diversify their IT use while reducing the complexity and cost of making changes to existing processes and systems.
In this unit, you will learn about how different cloud-based technologies can be used to meet a range of clients’ needs. You will explore the characteristics, benefits and drawbacks of these technologies, considering their impact on individuals and organisations. You will analyse the IT needs of an organisation and how cloud storage and collaboration tools will meet the organisation’s needs. Finally, you will design and implement a cloud-based solution to meet a client’s need.

The analytical skills and knowledge that you develop in this unit will prepare you for entry to higher education to study a range of degrees. This unit will also help you to progress to an IT apprenticeship or to employment in a role that requires working as, and collaborating with, a team.

This unit provides partial coverage to content from the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification.

Learning Aims

In this unit, you will:

A. Explore the use of cloud technologies and tools in organisations

B. Design and deploy a cloud-based collaboration service to meet a client’s needs

C. Manage and review a cloud-based collaboration service to meet a client’s needs.

Summary of Unit

Assessment Criteria

Essential information 

The recommended structure of assessment is shown in the unit summary, along with suitable forms of evidence. Section 6 Internal assessment gives information on setting assignments and there is also further information on our website.
There is a maximum number of two summative assignments for this unit.

The relationship of the learning aims and criteria is:

Learning aim A: (A.P1, A.P2, A.M1, A.D1)

Learning aims B and C: (B.P3, B.P4, C.P5, C.P6, B.M2, C.M3, BC.D2, BC.D3)

Essential Information for Assessment Decisions

Resource requirements

For this unit, learners must have access to hardware and software resources that will allow them to use the tools and techniques (given in the unit content) to design and develop cloud storage and collaboration solutions. The solutions can be created using live hosted resources (self-hosted or using third-party servers) or simulated using virtual machine(s).

There is a range of commercial and open source resources available, some of which are free and others are paid for. This unit does not recommend any particular technology.

Essential information for assessment decisions 

Learning aim A

Learners’ evidence should show understanding of cloud technologies through analysis of a real organisation’s requirements. Learners must only use organisations that have no or limited adoption of cloud technologies as part of their exploration study.

For Distinction standard, learners will produce a clear and balanced analysis, supported by fluent and accurate technical language, of how the characteristics  of the different cloud technologies and delivery models could be used to meet an organisation’s IT needs. Learners will give a clear, accurate and robust analysis of how different services and solutions would impact on all areas of the organisation, providing a clear, reasoned justification as to why one suggested solution may be preferable  to another.

Overall, learners must give a balanced consideration of the impact that cloud technologies would have on the organisation, both in terms of enhancing and improving current practice and how this will result in changes or challenges. For example, the consideration of risks to their data and operations created through the use of cloud technologies.

For Merit standard, learners will show a clear understanding in their evidence of  how the characteristics of cloud technologies and delivery models could be used and implemented in the identified organisation. Learners will give a clear, accurate and robust comparison of how the solutions would impact on an organisation, making justified suggestions as to why one type of solution may be preferable to another.

Overall, learners will show they have considered the impact cloud technologies will have on the organisation and how this will result in changes or challenges, for example, the consideration of risks to their data and operations, drawing comparisons between different solutions and services. The comparison and consideration of the impact is likely to be unbalanced, for example they may focus more on the positives than the negatives. The report will be technically accurate and demonstrate good-quality written communication.

For Pass standard, learners will give an explanation of the IT systems currently used by an organisation and how these support the organisation and its users. The organisations used in learners’ exploration study must have no or limited adoption of cloud technologies.

Learners will give explanations of the characteristics of different cloud technologies and delivery models, and the descriptions will be supported by examples of how these could be implemented to replace and/or support current IT systems.

Overall, learners will demonstrate an understanding of the resource requirements of the identified uses and how these might impact, both positively and negatively, on the needs of the organisation. The report may have some inaccuracies and the review of the impact may be unbalanced.

Learning aims B and C

Learners’ evidence should identify and develop cloud storage and collaboration solutions to meet a client’s needs. The solutions can be created using live hosted resources (self-hosted or using third-party servers) or simulated using virtual machine(s).

Centres should ensure that the problems give enough scope to allow learners to develop a solution that meets a range of user and organisational needs.

For Distinction standard, learners will draw on and show synthesis of knowledge across the learning aims to evaluate how the decisions and methodologies applied throughout the design, development, maintenance, optimisation and testing of the solution impacted on their effectiveness. Learners will make suitable and reasoned justifications of decisions made in comparison to alternative solutions.

Learners will give a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the final solution, including comparisons to possible alternatives, which will be supported by evidence from all stages of the project to reach valid conclusions and suggest future actions  and developments.

The evaluation will contain a systematic and accurate review of their own skills, performance and the impact that this had on the effectiveness of the solution.

Evaluation evidence of behaviours will demonstrate learners’ use of ‘soft skills’ in relation to the vocational context of the project, such as managing and liaising with others, including the client and test users, as well as time management. Where possible, learners should refer to tangible evidence to support their evaluation such as meeting notes, correspondence and time plans.

For Merit standard, learners will apply their knowledge through selection and application of appropriate methodologies to design, develop, maintain and test effective, optimised cloud storage and collaboration solutions to meet a client’s needs.

Learners will give a clear and balanced analysis of the success of their solution, giving an accurate and reasoned rationale for decisions made when designing and implementing the solution to meet the client’s needs, and how these affected the final outcomes. Learners should show they have considered potential risks to the client and their data, which may be present due to the nature of the deployment, and what measures have been taken to reduce the impact of them on the company.

Learners will implement the solution and monitor it over time, analysing how the solution performs and meets user needs. Using the results of testing and reviews, learners will optimise the cloud collaboration solution that they have created so that it better meets the client requirements. The optimisation could include adjustment of the security or performance of the system, adding additional features, and upgrading software.

For Pass standard, learners will apply understanding through the planning and development of a cloud storage and collaboration solution to meet a client’s needs.  The plans will explain the requirements of the solution and provide technical specifications for the suggested solution.

Learners will give evidence that they have deployed appropriate services and set up and managed users of the system. For example, learners may choose to make use of a free cloud server deployment that comes with an operating system pre-installed, on to  which they would install/deploy their solution. The solution may involve sharing and collaborating on documents and/or code. Or they may choose to install a base OS themselves on to a third-party hosted (or self-hosted) server, which may take slightly longer to deploy initially but may give greater control over the available features, such as personalisation of desktop, applications and files, and allow them to remove unnecessary components to improve efficiency and performance.

Learners will carry out and document a number of tests and reviews of the solution to ensure that it works and meets the identified criteria. They will provide evidence that they have managed the solution over a period of time, such as over a two-week period. The time period must be sufficient to allow them to carry out basic maintenance procedures and apply important updates and changes as required. They will provide evidence that they have performed basic maintenance to the solution over a period of  at least two weeks and will apply important changes and updates as required.

This could include adding users, adding and removing features, and updating software. The implemented solution will work as intended but there may be some performance issues and/or the implemented solution may not be as efficient or effective as it  could be.

Learners will review how the decisions they made during planning and development affected the final solution, explaining to what extent they met the initial project briefs. They will consider both positive and negative aspects of the solution, although their review may be unbalanced and/or superficial. They will make reference to possible alternative solutions that could be implemented and will make suggestions as to  how the solution could be improved if the task was repeated.

Links to other units

This unit links to:

• Unit 1: Information Technology Systems – Strategy, Management and Infrastructure
• Unit 2: Creating Systems to Manage Information
• Unit 6: Website Development
• Unit 11: Cyber Security and Incident Management
• Unit 12: IT Technical Support and Management
• Unit 13: Software Testing
• Unit 14: Customising and Integrating Applications.

Opportunities to develop transferable employability skills

In completing this unit, learners will have the opportunity to develop a number of transferable employability skills including:

• analytical and decision-making skills
• formal written communication
• selection of appropriate IT tools and systems used to develop cloud storage and collaboration tools
• self-management and planning skills
• ability to work in a legal, moral and ethical manner.

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