Unlock the Power of the Cloud

What You Will Learn

In this course, you will conceptually explore:

• The definition and core principles of Cloud Computing.
• Different Cloud Deployment Models (Public, Private, Hybrid, Community).
• Various Cloud Service Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).
• The advantages and potential challenges of adopting cloud technologies.
• Key concepts like virtualization, scalability, and elasticity.
• An overview of major Cloud Computing providers.

Cloud Computing refers to the on-demand delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence—over the Internet (“the cloud”). Instead of owning and maintaining your own computing infrastructure, you can access these services from a cloud provider on an as-needed basis, typically paying only for the services you use.

Conceptual diagram of Cloud Computing services delivered over the Internet.

Key Characteristics of Cloud Computing:

• On-demand Self-service: Consumers can provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider.
• Broad Network Access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms by diverse client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
• Resource Pooling: The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.
• Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.
• Measured Service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.

Different Ways to Deploy Cloud Resources

Public Cloud

Cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public and is owned and operated by a cloud service provider. Examples include AWS, Azure, and GCP.

Private Cloud

Cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization comprising multiple consumers (e.g., business units). It may be owned, managed, and operated by the organization, a third party, or a combination of them, and it may exist on or off premises.

Hybrid Cloud

Cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more distinct cloud infrastructures (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities, but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds).

Community Cloud

Cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a specific community of consumers from organizations that have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be owned, managed, and operated by one or more of the organizations in the community, a third party, or a combination of them, and it may exist on or off premises.

Key Differences:

Benefits of Cloud Computing:

• Cost Savings: Pay-as-you-go model reduces capital expenditure on hardware and software.
• Scalability: Easily scale resources up or down based on demand.
• Elasticity: Resources can be rapidly provisioned and de-provisioned.
• Accessibility: Access your data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Reliability: Cloud providers often offer high availability and disaster recovery options.
• Performance: Access to a global network of high-performance data centers.
• Reduced Maintenance: Cloud providers handle infrastructure maintenance.

Challenges of Cloud Computing:

• Security Concerns: Trusting sensitive data to third-party providers.
• Compliance Issues: Meeting regulatory requirements in different regions.
• Vendor Lock-in: Difficulty in migrating between cloud providers.
• Performance Variability: Performance can sometimes be unpredictable.
• Internet Dependency: Cloud services require a stable internet connection.
• Complexity: Managing and integrating various cloud services can be complex.
• Unexpected Costs: Lack of proper monitoring can lead to unexpected billing.

• Virtualization: The technology that enables the creation of virtual versions of hardware resources (servers, storage, networks). This allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server, improving resource utilization.
• Scalability: The ability of a cloud system to increase or decrease resources as needed to handle fluctuations in demand.
  • Vertical Scaling (Scale Up/Down): Increasing or decreasing the resources (CPU, RAM) of a single virtual machine.
  • Horizontal Scaling (Scale Out/In): Adding or removing more virtual machines to distribute the workload.
• Elasticity: The ability of a cloud system to automatically provision and de-provision resources in real-time based on demand, without requiring manual intervention.
• Multi-tenancy: A model where multiple customers share the same underlying infrastructure, with their data and resources logically isolated from each other.
• Distributed Computing: Cloud computing relies on a network of interconnected computers working together to provide services.
• Metering and Billing: Cloud resources are typically tracked and billed based on actual usage (e.g., compute time, storage consumed, data transfer).

Conceptual diagram of Virtualization.

Some of the leading cloud providers include:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): A comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform, offering a wide range of services.
• Microsoft Azure: Another major cloud platform providing a vast array of services and integrating well with Microsoft products.
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Known for its strengths in data analytics, machine learning, and containerization.
• IBM Cloud: Offers a range of cloud services, including infrastructure, platform, and software.
• Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Provides a set of cloud services designed for enterprise workloads.

Each provider offers a unique set of services and strengths. Understanding the major players can help you navigate the cloud landscape.

Logos of some major cloud computing providers.

• Explore Free Tiers: Most major cloud providers offer free tiers that allow you to experiment with their services without incurring costs (within certain limits).
• Follow Online Tutorials: Numerous free and paid tutorials are available online that guide you through the basics of using specific cloud services.
• Consider Online Courses and Certifications: Platforms like Coursera, edX, and vendor-specific certifications offer structured learning paths for cloud computing.
• Think About Your Needs: Identify what you want to achieve with the cloud (e.g., website hosting, data storage, application deployment) to focus your learning.

Remember, this learning page provides a strong conceptual foundation. Practical experience is key to truly mastering cloud computing.