What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing involves delivering a range of computer services, like databases, storage, software, and networking, over the internet, or “cloud,” to provide users with flexible resources and tools, lower operational costs, and an overall more efficient infrastructure. Although the concept of network-based computing was first thought of in the 1960s, it wasn’t until 2006 that the phrase was first used. Cloud computing provides a way for companies to rent access to storage and applications from a cloud service provider instead of owning their own data center. This powerful, cost-saving option allows companies to avoid having to own and maintain the IT infrastructure they use. In this overview, you’ll learn more about what cloud computing is, what it can do, who uses it, and how to learn it so you can determine how to add this skill to your professional toolbox.

What Can You Do with Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a skill that can open many professional doors, lead to competitive salaries, and provide you with the training and skills to stand out to a range of recruiters and employers. Currently, cloud computing is one of the most in-demand skills you can have on your resume. According to U.S. News and World Report, the number-one job in America in 2022 is Information Security Analyst. These individuals safeguard the information stored in an organization’s computer system from cyberattacks and data breaches, often in the cloud environment. Whether you want to pursue a cybersecurity career or employment in a related field like web development or cloud development, cloud computing is likely to play an integral role in your professional responsibilities. The demand for those with cloud computing skills will likely increase over the next decade as more companies realize the benefits of cloud environments.

Cloud computing allows businesses and organizations to reduce expenses by using resources from several providers instead of just one. This can lead to a significant reduction in operating costs. Not only does cloud computing save money, but it improves a company’s flexibility. It provides a way for users to access apps and data when and where it’s needed. Working in the cloud environment also improves an organization’s agility by allowing users to easily and quickly deploy services and applications. 

Another benefit of working with cloud computing is that it provides a secure data environment with which users can securely access their data from any location. Because it’s made the internet more reliable and improved the speed by which information can be accessed, cloud computing often improves employee productivity. It also provides a way to stay current with technology trends. Additionally, because cloud computing relies on state-of-the-art data centers and cutting-edge technology, it can also reduce an organization’s carbon footprint.

How Do You Get Cloud Computing Tools? How Much Do They Cost?

Some cloud providers offer the majority of, if not all, of the software and infrastructure needed to run workloads and applications. Whether this is the case depends on the type of cloud service you use: Software-as-a-Service (Saas), Platform-as-a-Service (Paas), or Infruastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). The following will break down some of the tools you will use depending on the type of cloud computing service you choose to work with:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the most widely used IaaS available. It offers more than 200 cloud computing services, such as database services, storage, and analytics. AWS offers a pay-as-you-go plan for most of its cloud services. This means individuals only pay for the services they want for as long as they need them. In addition, AWS also has a free tier, as well as short-term free trial options.
• Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is a production-grade platform used to orchestrate containers. This open-source tool can be used to deploy, manage, and scale containerized apps. Kubernetes is designed to handle large-scale container orchestration; it offers capabilities like automated rollouts and rollbacks, batch execution, self-healing, and load balancing. This free product can be downloaded from GitHub.
• Informaticais a platform for cloud data integration. It allows users to combine data from various sources for analysis and business intelligence purposes. Some of the main features of this platform are data cleansing, application integration, and API management. Informatica offers usage-based price plans.
• Notionis a versatile platform that offers users capabilities like file sharing, collaboration, and workspace. This tool allows teams to easily share schedules, workflows, and project progress updates, all in one space. Notion also provides robust note-taking capabilities that help users record their ideas, brainstorming sessions, and other important information, then share these notes with other team members. This platform is free for personal use and provides price plans for Personal Pro, Teams, or Enterprise use.

What Are the Benefits of Learning Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing provides users with many benefits. It offers flexible resources, quicker innovation capacities, and economies of scale. Cloud computing is typically a cost-effective solution for businesses because you only need to pay for the cloud services you use, which can significantly reduce operating costs. In addition, it can help organizations run their infrastructures more efficiently. When working with cloud computing, tasks such as disaster recovery and data backups are easier to perform and less expensive since the data can be mirrored at various redundant sites on the provider’s network.

Before the advent of cloud computing, the costs associated with buying hardware and software, as well as time and energy setting it up on onsite data centers, quickly added up. These data centers require constant electricity for powering and cooling, and organizations needed to hire employees with IT training to manage it all. Cloud computing eliminates those costs so IT professionals can devote their time and effort to more pressing business endeavors. In addition, because the majority of cloud computing services are available as self-service, on-demand services, they provide fast access to huge stores of computing resources. Another benefit of working with cloud computing is that the largest services operate on a global network of secure data centers. These centers receive regular updates and often operate with the most efficient hardware, which leads to better performance.

Read more about why you should learn cloud computing.

Cloud Computing Careers

Cloud computing plays an integral role in many fields and professions. Nearly all major companies use cloud computing, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years. Those with cloud computing skills are in high demand and typically can find high-paying jobs in different industries. The following paragraphs will explore some of the most popular cloud computing professions currently available and the responsibilities associated with each role.

Cloud System Engineers use their cloud computing skills to create and maintain a company’s cloud infrastructure. Cloud Developers are involved with developing cloud applications and designing hack-proof applications and programs. Cloud Network Engineers focus on the architecture behind cloud infrastructures to improve their productivity and flexibility. This often involves moving functions and networks to public, private, or hybrid clouds. Those who work as Cloud Database Administrators manage and maintain cloud infrastructures. Their daily tasks involve migrating cloud infrastructure data, designing and analyzing database applications, and performing optimization testing.

Cloud computing also plays an integral role in daily work of Back End Web Developers. These professionals create the code used to define application functions. This work requires an understanding of various programming languages to create server-side applications. Cloud Architects are those who oversee a company’s cloud computing system. These IT experts perform tasks like designing cloud applications, managing cloud storage systems, and okaying cloud storage plans. Individuals who work as Cloud Security Analysts ensure a cloud environment is secure. They also devise solutions to problems that can arise in cloud environments.

How to Learn Cloud Computing

If you want to learn more about the skills needed for cloud computing, studying cybersecurity is an excellent first step. For those who study in person, classes take place in a computer lab with the most up-to-date cybersecurity and web development software and applications. In-person and live online courses are conducted in real-time, which means participants can ask questions and receive immediate feedback. This interactive, engaging format also allows students to network with other learners, a benefit that extends well beyond class meetings. Those interested in learning cybersecurity in a live online environment still receive hands-on training from an instructor with industry experience but will complete coursework remotely from their own home or office space rather than commuting to campus for meetings.

Live online cybersecurity classes are available from Noble Desktop and other reputable educational providers in topics like Linux Operation System & Bash Scripting, Cybersecurity with Python, and Online Cybersecurity Analytics. For those who are interested in finding a study option close to home, Noble’s Classes Near Me tool can help you locate nearby in-person and live online cybersecurity courses.

In addition to in-person and live online courses, another popular way to learn cybersecurity and related skills is through self-paced course material. Students can study these materials at their own speed, pausing, rewinding, and re-watching as often as necessary. Since all course content is available online, it can be accessed from any location with an internet connection. This makes on-demand cybersecurity materials an excellent resource for those who need to balance their studies with other professional and personal commitments, like travel, family, and full-time work. However, because no instructor is available to answer questions, it may be challenging to learn more advanced cybersecurity or web development skills through asynchronous material. While on-demand content is a good starting point to provide a basic overview of cybersecurity, for those who need to master more complex skills for work or professional development, in-person or live online coursework may be a better option. 

On-demand cybersecurity classes offer pre-recorded lessons, videos, and instructional material. Course offerings are currently available in a range of cybersecurity topics and are offered for beginners and more advanced learners. Udacity’s Introduction to Cybersecurity is a four-month, intermediate-level course that covers how to work with operating systems and networks, as well as how to assess and mitigate risks. For beginner-level instruction, Springboard’s Cyber Security Career Track provides training for the CompTIA Security+ exam.

Read the full guide on how to learn web development and cybersecurity skills.

A Brief History of Cloud Computing

Although cloud computing is an extremely popular method today for delivering enterprise applications and solutions, before the 1960s there was no such thing as a cloud environment. In 1963, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency provided $2 million in funding toward Project MAC. With this funding came the requirement that MIT create technology that would enable computers to be used by more than one person simultaneously. At this time, a huge computer that used magnetic memory tape was the first iteration of what would eventually become cloud computing. This primitive cloud environment provided access to two or three people. 

In 1969, the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network was created by J.C.R. Licklider. This early form of the internet was designed based on Licklider’s vision of an intergalactic computer network that would allow anyone on Earth to connect to one another via computers and to have access to information from any location. This primitive internet was a necessary precursor to the cloud.

When it was conceived, the cloud expressed empty space between the provider and the end user. It wasn’t until 1997 that Emory University professor Ramnath Chellappa redefined cloud computing as a new computing paradigm in which computing boundaries would be dictated by economic factors instead of technical limitations. As companies began to understand how useful cloud services were, cloud computing gained popularity. Then, in 1999, Salesforce began to successfully implement cloud computing by using it to deliver software programs to users. Anyone with internet access could download the application, and companies could buy the software on an on-demand basis, saving them a significant amount of money. 

Amazon offered its first web-based retail service in 2002. It worked with the cloud computing infrastructure model to use a computer’s capacity much more efficiently. Their success spurred other companies to do the same. Amazon Web Services was launched in 2006 to provide online services to clients or other websites. In 2007, several universities joined with Google and IBM to design a server farm to support research projects that required large datasets and fast processors. The University of Washington was the first to express interest, followed by schools like Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon University. These universities could complete computer experiments for less cost and at a faster pace if IBM and Google supported their initiatives. This year also saw the launch of Netflix’s streaming video service, which ran on the cloud.

The first private clouds were launched in 2008. At this time, they were largely undeveloped. Microsoft, AWS, and other companies saw the potential in private cloud technology because it would help address security concerns prevalent in public clouds. In 2010, these companies created more functional private clouds. In 2011, the idea of hybrid clouds was first introduced, which provided the capability of shifting workloads between private and public clouds. 2011 also was the year Apple released iCloud, which provided a way for users to store personal data like pictures and videos. The Oracle Cloud was released in 2012, and with it came three basics for business: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. It didn’t take long for these basics to become standard.

Between 2013 and 2014, multi-clouds became popular. These originated when businesses began to use SaaS providers for various services, like supply chain management and customer relations management. Still, cloud security remained a pressing concern. Cloud security became a popular service at this time and has continued to evolve to this day. Application Developers became one of the groups who use cloud services the most. This led to a shift to more developer-driven cloud technology. Cloud vendors began to develop the tools most valued by App Developers, a trend that continues today.

Comparable Tech Skills

One of the skill sets that’s often compared to cloud computing is data science. Data science is the act of gathering data from different resources so that it can be prepared, modeled, and analyzed. Both data science and cloud computing jobs require a background in programming, data analytics, and other technologies. In addition, both skill sets help a business be more agile and efficient and to reduce operational costs. It’s common for cloud computing professionals to work with Data Scientists to guarantee that their organization has sufficient IT infrastructure and network bandwidth to provide fast data modeling capabilities. Cloud computing focuses more on the solutions to data processes, whereas data science involves finding key insights that an organization can use to improve its performance. At a basic level, both fields strive to help their organization perform better. 

Learn Web Development & Cybersecurity Skills with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

One great way to learn many of the skills associated with cloud computing is to enroll in a course or bootcamp with Noble Desktop. Noble’s Cloud Computing with AWS prepares students to create and secure an enterprise-level cloud environment. Those enrolled in this hands-on class receive expert instruction on how to work with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the most popular cloud computing platform. Participants learn how to navigate the cloud’s infrastructure, as well as how Security Operation Centers can be used in AWS. These relevant skills can help students pursue a career in cybersecurity. Tuition includes the option of a free course retake for up to one year for all students.

Another great option for those interested in working with cybersecurity is Noble’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Instruction is provided on protecting networks and apps, evaluating security threats, and using cloud computing, Python, and Linux to prevent cyberattacks. By course completion, students will have a working knowledge of the skills required to work in several in-demand cybersecurity professions, such as Cybersecurity Analyst and Cybersecurity Engineer. In addition to the option of a free course retake, all participants in this intensive program receive one-on-one mentoring.

Key Insights

• Cloud computing refers to delivering computer services over the internet to provide users with flexible tools and resources, lower operational costs, and more efficient infrastructure.
• The first cloud computing technology was conceived of in the 1960s. In the time since, it’s grown to be a widely used tool for delivering faster, cheaper services to end users around the globe.
• If you want to learn about cloud computing, a closely related skill is data science. Data science involves collecting data from various sources, then cleaning, modeling, and analyzing it.
• You can receive comprehensive cloud computing training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.