Linux and the Command Line
Learn to use Linux from the terminal: files, permissions, software, text tools, scripts, networking and a small web server. Practise safely on a virtual machine.
- 19 lessons
- 4 h 52 min
- Certificate
Cloud and systems - Intermediate
Cloud Computing Fundamentals
Understand what the cloud is, its core services, security and costs, deploy a simple website step by step, and plan a cloud move for a small organisation.
About this course
Almost everything you do online runs in the cloud: your e-mail, your photos, your video calls, your mobile money app. This course explains what the cloud really is, how it is built, and how organisations of every size use it, in plain language and without needing to write code.
You will learn the main service models and deployment types, the core building blocks (computing, storage, databases, networking and identity), how the biggest providers compare by concept, and how to keep data safe and costs under control. You will also walk through deploying a simple website, and meet containers, serverless computing and scaling.
Cloud products change names and menus often, so we teach concepts that apply to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and others, and describe where to look in general terms. The course ends with a capstone: helping a small non-profit organisation move its files and website to the cloud.
What you will learn
- Explain what the cloud is, using servers, data centres and virtualisation
- Distinguish IaaS, PaaS and SaaS, and public, private and hybrid clouds
- Describe the core services: compute, storage types, databases, networking, CDNs and identity
- Compare the main providers by concept and understand free tiers and pricing
- Apply shared responsibility, least privilege, MFA, encryption and backups
- Describe the steps to deploy and monitor a simple website or app
- Control cost with budgets and alerts, and explain scaling, containers and serverless
- Plan a small cloud migration and describe cloud careers and learning paths
Course content
5 modules · 17 lessons · 6 h 10 min · 6 quizzes
Module 1: What the cloud is
Servers, data centres, virtualisation, service models, deployment types, regions and the benefits and risks of the cloud.
- Servers, data centres and the idea of the cloud 15 min
- Virtualisation: how one machine becomes many 15 min
- Service models: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS 20 min
- Deployment types, regions, benefits and risks 20 min
- Quiz: 8 questions
Module 2: Core services
Compute, storage types, databases, networking, content delivery, identity, the main providers by concept, free tiers and pricing.
- Compute: virtual machines, containers and functions 20 min
- Storage and databases 25 min
- Networking, CDNs and identity and access management 25 min
- Comparing providers, free tiers and pricing 20 min
- Quiz: 8 questions
Module 3: Security and compliance
Shared responsibility, least privilege and MFA, encryption and backups, data location and privacy law in general terms.
- Shared responsibility, least privilege and MFA 20 min
- Encryption and backups 20 min
- Data location, privacy law and compliance 20 min
- Quiz: 8 questions
Module 4: Working in the cloud
Deploy a simple website, monitor and scale it, control costs with budgets and alerts, and understand serverless and containers.
- Deploying a simple website step by step 25 min
- Monitoring, scaling and cost control 25 min
- Containers and serverless explained simply 25 min
- Quiz: 8 questions
Module 5: Careers and next steps
Cloud roles, certifications and learning paths, designing for reliability and a capstone scenario for a small NGO.
- Cloud careers, certifications and learning paths 20 min
- Designing for reliability 20 min
- Capstone: a small NGO moves to the cloud 35 min
- Quiz: 8 questions
Final exam
30 questions. Pass with 70% or more to earn your certificate.
What you need
- Computer and internet basics (for example the Computer Basics and Internet courses)
- Comfort using a web browser, file folders and online accounts
- No programming experience needed