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Cloud Platforms

Master cloud computing platforms and services to build, deploy, and scale applications in the cloud. Learn infrastructure management, container services, and cloud-native architectures.

What's Covered​

This section covers major cloud platforms with focus on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Learn how to leverage cloud services for compute, storage, networking, and container orchestration.

Topics​

AWS Guide​

Comprehensive guide to Amazon Web Services covering essential services for modern applications.

You'll learn:

  • AWS fundamentals and account setup
  • CloudFormation for Infrastructure as Code
  • EC2 instances and compute services
  • ECR (Elastic Container Registry)
  • EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
  • Networking and security best practices
  • Cost optimization strategies

Why Cloud Computing?​

Benefits​

Scalability

  • Scale up or down based on demand
  • Handle traffic spikes automatically
  • Pay only for what you use

Reliability

  • High availability across regions
  • Built-in redundancy
  • Disaster recovery capabilities

Cost Efficiency

  • No upfront hardware costs
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing
  • Reduced operational overhead

Global Reach

  • Deploy worldwide in minutes
  • Low-latency access for users
  • Multi-region architectures

Security

  • Enterprise-grade security
  • Compliance certifications
  • Managed security services

Innovation

  • Access to latest technologies
  • Managed services (databases, ML, analytics)
  • Rapid experimentation

Cloud Service Models​

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)​

What it is: Virtual machines, storage, and networking

Examples:

  • AWS EC2
  • Azure Virtual Machines
  • Google Compute Engine

Use when:

  • You need full control over infrastructure
  • Migrating existing applications
  • Custom software stacks

Platform as a Service (PaaS)​

What it is: Managed runtime environment for applications

Examples:

  • AWS Elastic Beanstalk
  • Azure App Service
  • Google App Engine
  • Heroku

Use when:

  • Focus on code, not infrastructure
  • Standard application frameworks
  • Rapid development and deployment

Software as a Service (SaaS)​

What it is: Complete applications delivered over the internet

Examples:

  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

Use when:

  • Standard business applications
  • No development required
  • Quick deployment

Container as a Service (CaaS)​

What it is: Managed container orchestration

Examples:

  • AWS EKS
  • Azure AKS
  • Google GKE

Use when:

  • Running containerized applications
  • Microservices architecture
  • Need orchestration without managing control plane

Major Cloud Providers​

Amazon Web Services (AWS)​

Market Leader

  • Largest cloud provider (32% market share)
  • Most comprehensive service offering
  • Global infrastructure (30+ regions)

Strengths:

  • Mature ecosystem
  • Extensive documentation
  • Large community
  • Wide range of services

Key Services:

  • EC2 (compute)
  • S3 (storage)
  • RDS (databases)
  • Lambda (serverless)
  • EKS (Kubernetes)

Microsoft Azure​

Enterprise Focus

  • Strong integration with Microsoft products
  • Hybrid cloud capabilities
  • Enterprise agreements

Strengths:

  • Windows Server and .NET
  • Active Directory integration
  • Office 365 integration
  • Hybrid cloud (Azure Arc)

Key Services:

  • Virtual Machines
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
  • Azure Functions
  • Cosmos DB

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)​

Data and ML Leader

  • Advanced data analytics
  • Machine learning tools
  • Kubernetes expertise (created K8s)

Strengths:

  • BigQuery analytics
  • TensorFlow and AI services
  • Kubernetes (GKE)
  • Developer-friendly

Key Services:

  • Compute Engine
  • Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
  • Cloud Functions
  • BigQuery

Cloud Architecture Patterns​

Multi-Tier Architecture​

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│     Load Balancer (ELB)         │
└────────────┬────────────────────┘
             │
    ┌────────┴────────┐
    │                 │
┌───▼────┐      ┌────▼───┐
│Web Tier│      │Web Tier│  (Auto-scaling)
└───┬────┘      └────┬───┘
    │                │
    └────────┬───────┘
             │
┌────────────▼────────────────────┐
│     Application Tier (ECS)      │
└────────────┬────────────────────┘
             │
┌────────────▼────────────────────┐
│     Database (RDS)              │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

Microservices on Kubernetes​

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│   Ingress (ALB/NLB)             │
└────────────┬────────────────────┘
             │
┌────────────▼────────────────────┐
│     EKS Cluster                 │
│  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐    │
│  │Service A │  │Service B │    │
│  │  Pod     │  │  Pod     │    │
│  └─────┬────┘  └────┬─────┘    │
│        │            │           │
│  ┌─────▼────────────▼─────┐    │
│  │   Shared Services      │    │
│  └────────────────────────┘    │
└────────────┬────────────────────┘
             │
┌────────────▼────────────────────┐
│   RDS / DynamoDB / S3           │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

Serverless Architecture​

┌─────────────────┐
│   API Gateway   │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
    ┌────┴────┐
    │         │
┌───▼───┐ ┌──▼─────┐
│Lambda │ │Lambda  │
│Func 1 │ │Func 2  │
└───┬───┘ └──┬─────┘
    │        │
    └────┬───┘
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│   DynamoDB      │
└─────────────────┘

Best Practices​

Cost Optimization​

Right-Sizing

  • Choose appropriate instance types
  • Monitor utilization metrics
  • Use auto-scaling effectively

Reserved Instances

  • Commit to 1 or 3-year terms
  • Save up to 70% vs on-demand
  • Use for predictable workloads

Spot Instances

  • Use spare capacity at discount
  • Great for batch processing
  • Fault-tolerant workloads

Storage Optimization

  • Use appropriate storage classes
  • Lifecycle policies for S3
  • Delete unused volumes and snapshots

Security​

Identity and Access Management

  • Principle of least privilege
  • Use IAM roles, not access keys
  • Enable MFA for sensitive accounts
  • Regular access reviews

Network Security

  • Use VPCs and security groups
  • Private subnets for databases
  • Network ACLs for defense in depth
  • VPN or Direct Connect for hybrid

Data Protection

  • Encrypt data at rest
  • Encrypt data in transit (TLS)
  • Regular backups
  • Key management (KMS)

Monitoring and Logging

  • Enable CloudTrail
  • Centralized logging
  • Security monitoring
  • Alerting for suspicious activity

High Availability​

Multi-AZ Deployments

  • Distribute across availability zones
  • Use managed services with HA
  • Database replication

Disaster Recovery

  • Regular backups
  • Cross-region replication
  • Recovery time objectives (RTO)
  • Recovery point objectives (RPO)

Health Checks

  • Implement application health checks
  • Auto-scaling based on health
  • Automated failover

Getting Started​

Learning Path​

Week 1: Cloud Fundamentals

  1. Understand cloud service models
  2. Create cloud account (AWS free tier)
  3. Learn about regions and availability zones
  4. Explore the console/dashboard

Week 2: Compute Services

  1. Launch first EC2 instance
  2. Understand instance types
  3. Configure security groups
  4. Connect via SSH

Week 3: Infrastructure as Code

  1. Learn CloudFormation basics
  2. Write first template
  3. Deploy a stack
  4. Update and version templates

Week 4: Containers

  1. Push image to ECR
  2. Create ECS cluster
  3. Deploy containerized application
  4. Explore EKS

Beyond: Advanced Topics

  • Kubernetes on EKS
  • Serverless architectures
  • Multi-region deployments
  • Cost optimization
  • Security hardening

Hands-On Practice​

Free Tier Resources:

  • AWS: 750 hours EC2 (t2.micro/t3.micro)
  • Azure: $200 credit for 30 days
  • GCP: $300 credit for 90 days

Learning Platforms:

Cloud Certifications​

AWS offers a comprehensive certification program with four levels: Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Each level builds upon the previous, validating your cloud expertise.

Certification Levels Explained​

Foundational Level

  • Entry point for AWS certifications
  • No prerequisites required
  • Validates overall cloud understanding
  • Ideal for non-technical roles and beginners
  • 6 months recommended AWS experience

Associate Level

  • Intermediate certifications for technical roles
  • Validates ability to design, deploy, and manage AWS solutions
  • Role-based certifications (architect, developer, operations)
  • 1+ year recommended AWS experience
  • Most popular certification level

Professional Level

  • Advanced certifications demonstrating expertise
  • Requires deep technical knowledge and hands-on experience
  • Validates ability to design complex, distributed systems
  • 2+ years recommended AWS experience
  • Highly valued by employers

Specialty Level

  • Domain-specific expertise certifications
  • Focus on specialized technical areas
  • Can be pursued independently or after Associate/Professional
  • Demonstrates deep knowledge in specific AWS services
  • Ideal for subject matter experts

AWS Certifications​

Foundational

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

  • What it validates: Basic understanding of AWS services, cloud concepts, security, and pricing
  • Best for: Business analysts, project managers, sales, marketing, or anyone new to cloud
  • Duration: 90 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 700/1000
  • Topics: Cloud concepts (26%), Security (25%), Technology (33%), Billing/Pricing (16%)

Associate Level

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

  • What it validates: Ability to design distributed systems and applications on AWS
  • Best for: Solutions architects, cloud engineers
  • Duration: 130 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 720/1000
  • Topics: Design secure architectures, resilient architectures, high-performing architectures, cost-optimized architectures
  • Most popular AWS certification

AWS Certified Developer - Associate

  • What it validates: Proficiency in developing and maintaining AWS-based applications
  • Best for: Software developers, application engineers
  • Duration: 130 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 720/1000
  • Topics: Development with AWS services, security, deployment, debugging

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate

  • What it validates: Ability to deploy, manage, and operate workloads on AWS
  • Best for: System administrators, DevOps engineers
  • Duration: 130 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 720/1000
  • Topics: Monitoring/logging, remediation, security/compliance, networking, cost optimization
  • Includes hands-on lab exam section

Professional Level

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional

  • What it validates: Advanced technical skills in designing complex distributed applications
  • Best for: Senior solutions architects, cloud architects
  • Duration: 180 minutes | Questions: 75 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: Organizational complexity, design for new solutions, continuous improvement, migration/cost optimization
  • One of the most challenging AWS certifications

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional

  • What it validates: Expertise in provisioning, operating, and managing AWS environments
  • Best for: DevOps engineers, site reliability engineers
  • Duration: 180 minutes | Questions: 75 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: SDLC automation, configuration management, monitoring/logging, incident response, security

Specialty

AWS Certified Security - Specialty

  • What it validates: Expertise in securing AWS workloads
  • Best for: Security engineers, security architects, compliance officers
  • Duration: 170 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: Incident response, logging/monitoring, infrastructure security, identity/access management, data protection

AWS Certified Database - Specialty

  • What it validates: Expertise in designing and maintaining AWS database solutions
  • Best for: Database administrators, database engineers
  • Duration: 180 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: Workload-specific database design, deployment/migration, management/operations, monitoring/troubleshooting

AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty

  • What it validates: Ability to design, implement, and maintain ML solutions on AWS
  • Best for: ML engineers, data scientists
  • Duration: 180 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: Data engineering, exploratory data analysis, modeling, ML implementation/operations

AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty

  • What it validates: Expertise in designing and implementing AWS and hybrid network architectures
  • Best for: Network engineers, network architects
  • Duration: 170 minutes | Questions: 65 | Passing Score: 750/1000
  • Topics: Network design, network implementation, automation, security, optimization

Certification Path Recommendations​

Path 1: Solutions Architect Track

  1. Cloud Practitioner (Foundational)
  2. Solutions Architect Associate
  3. Solutions Architect Professional

Path 2: Developer Track

  1. Cloud Practitioner (Foundational)
  2. Developer Associate
  3. DevOps Engineer Professional

Path 3: Operations Track

  1. Cloud Practitioner (Foundational)
  2. SysOps Administrator Associate
  3. DevOps Engineer Professional

Path 4: Specialty Focus

  1. Associate-level certification (any)
  2. Relevant Specialty certification

Why Get Certified?​

Career Benefits:

  • Validate cloud skills and knowledge
  • Stand out in competitive job market
  • Career advancement opportunities
  • Average salary increase of 20-30%
  • Meet employer certification requirements

Personal Benefits:

  • Structured learning path
  • Hands-on AWS experience
  • Industry recognition
  • Access to AWS certification community
  • Exclusive AWS certification benefits (digital badge, networking events)

Employer Benefits:

  • Demonstrate team expertise
  • AWS Partner Network requirements
  • Customer confidence
  • Access to AWS support programs

Common Use Cases​

Web Applications​

  • EC2 for compute
  • RDS for database
  • S3 for static assets
  • CloudFront for CDN
  • Route 53 for DNS

Microservices​

  • EKS for orchestration
  • ECR for container registry
  • Application Load Balancer
  • Service mesh (App Mesh)

Data Analytics​

  • S3 for data lake
  • Athena for queries
  • Glue for ETL
  • Redshift for warehousing

Machine Learning​

  • SageMaker for model training
  • S3 for data storage
  • Lambda for inference
  • EKS for ML workloads

Resources​

Official Documentation​

Learning Platforms​

Communities​

  • AWS Community Builders
  • Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)
  • r/aws on Reddit
  • Stack Overflow

Next Steps​

  1. New to cloud? Start with AWS Guide to learn fundamentals
  2. Ready to deploy? Learn Infrastructure as Code with Terraform
  3. Running containers? Explore EKS - Elastic Kubernetes Service
  4. Need automation? Check out CI/CD for deployment pipelines

Leverage the cloud to build scalable, reliable, and cost-effective applications!