Cloud Computing 101: Exploring Cloud Computing and AWS for Beginners

Why Cloud Computing Matters Today

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses and individuals rely on scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient technology solutions. Cloud computing has revolutionized how we store, process, and manage data, eliminating the need for expensive physical infrastructure.

From startups to Fortune 500 companies, organizations are migrating to the cloud to enhance performance, improve security, and reduce operational costs. Whether you're an aspiring cloud professional or a business owner, understanding cloud computing is essential in the modern tech landscape.

In this post, we’ll break down the fundamentals of cloud computing, explore Amazon Web Services (AWS), and discuss how you can start a career in this booming field.

What is Cloud Computing?

Definition and Key Concepts

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services—such as storage, databases, networking, software, and analytics -- over the internet ("the cloud"). Instead of owning physical servers, businesses can rent cloud resources on demand.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

• Scalability: Easily scale resources up or down based on demand.

• Cost-Efficiency: Pay only for what you use, reducing capital expenses.

• Flexibility & Accessibility: Access data and applications from anywhere.

• Security & Reliability: Leading cloud providers offer robust security and uptime guarantees.

Types of Cloud Services

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Provides virtualized computing resources (e.g., AWS EC2, Microsoft Azure VMs).

• Platform as a Service (PaaS): Offers a platform for developers to build and deploy applications (e.g., AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine).

• Software as a Service (SaaS): Delivers ready-to-use software applications (e.g., Gmail, Salesforce, Slack).

Introduction to AWS

Overview of Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS is the world’s leading cloud computing platform, offering over 200 services, including computing power, storage, machine learning, and analytics. Launched in 2006, AWS powers major companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and NASA.

Why AWS is a Leader in Cloud Computing

• Market Dominance: Holds ~32% of the global cloud market share.

• Global Infrastructure: Data centers in multiple regions ensure low latency and high availability.

• Innovation & Reliability: Continuously introduces new services with high security and compliance standards.

Key AWS Services for Beginners

• EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud): Virtual servers in the cloud.

• S3 (Simple Storage Service): Scalable object storage for files and backups.

• Lambda: Serverless computing for running code without managing servers.

• RDS (Relational Database Service): Managed databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.

• IAM (Identity and Access Management): Controls user permissions and security.

AWS Free Tier

• CloudFront - 1TB egress per month and 2M Function invocations per month
• CloudWatch - 10 custom metrics and ten alarms
• CodeBuild - 100min of build time per month
• CodeCommit - 5 active users,50GB storage, and 10000 requests per month
• CodePipeline - 1 active pipeline per month
• DynamoDB - 25GB NoSQL DB
• EC2 - 750 hours per month of t2.micro or t3.micro(12mo). 100GB egress per month
• EBS - 30GB per month of General Purpose (SSD) or Magnetic(12mo)
• Elastic Load Balancing - 750 hours per month(12mo)
• RDS - 750 hours per month of db.t2.micro, db.t3.micro, or db.t4g.micro, 20GB of General Purpose (SSD) storage, 20GB of storage backups(12 mo)
• S3 - 5GB Standard object storage, 20K Get requests and 2K Put requests(12 mo)
• Glacier - 10GB long-term object storage
• Lambda - 1 million requests per month
• SNS - 1 million publishes per month
• SES - 3.000 messages per month (12mo)
• SQS - 1 million messaging queue requests

For more details, please visit the following web page: https://aws.amazon.com/free/

Career & Learning Path in Cloud Computing

AWS Certifications for Beginners

AWS offers role-based certifications to validate your cloud skills:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (Foundational)

• AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (Designing cloud infrastructure)

• AWS Developer – Associate (Building cloud applications)

How to Get Started with Cloud Careers

1. Learn the Basics: Free resources like AWS Training & Certification and YouTube tutorials.

2. Hands-on Practice: Use the AWS Free Tier to experiment with services.

3. Earn Certifications: Start with the Cloud Practitioner exam.

4. Build Projects: Deploy a website, create a serverless app, or automate workflows.

5. Join Cloud Communities: Engage in forums like AWS Developer Forums and LinkedIn groups. Don't forget to bookmark the AWS Cloud Club Sungkyunkwan University blog website!

Final Thoughts

Cloud computing is transforming industries, and AWS is at the forefront of this revolution. Whether you're looking to upskill or launch a cloud career, mastering AWS can open doors to high-demand job roles. Start learning today, experiment with cloud services, and take the first step toward becoming a cloud expert!

Ready to dive in? Explore AWS’s free learning resources and begin your cloud journey!

https://skillbuilder.aws/getstarted

https://aws.amazon.com/training/digital/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/aws-tutorial/

https://www.w3schools.com/aws/index.php