Cloud Computing and AWS

Cloud Computing and AWS, a Breni learning path, explains how cloud platforms work and then teaches them hands-on with Amazon Web Services, the largest cloud provider. The 8 courses cover cloud basics, networking, compute, storage and databases, security and identity, architecture, costs and monitoring, and a deployment project. Learners finish able to launch servers and serverless functions, lock down an account with IAM and deploy a small application. Security is placed before architecture, and a course becomes open only once the last is done.

  • 8 courses
  • 15 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Explain IaaS, PaaS and SaaS and pick the right model for a task
  • Launch an EC2 instance and a Lambda function and compare their costs
  • Store files in S3 and data in RDS or DynamoDB
  • Set up IAM roles with least privilege and multi-factor authentication
  • Design a simple architecture across availability zones
  • Set a billing alert and find waste in a cloud account

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Cloud foundations

1. What Cloud Computing Is: A Beginner Guide

Explain what the cloud is and why companies move to it. Units, in order: Servers, data centres and the cloud; IaaS, PaaS and SaaS; Public, private and hybrid cloud; AWS, Azure and Google Cloud compared; The shared responsibility model.

  • — Servers and Data Centres
    Learn how physical hardware powers digital apps.
    • What is a server?
    • Inside data centres
    • Moving to the cloud
  • — Cloud Service Models
    Discover IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS options.
    • Infrastructure as a Service
    • Platform as a Service
    • Software as a Service
  • — Cloud Deployment Types
    Compare public, private, and hybrid clouds.
    • Public cloud basics
    • Private cloud setups
    • Hybrid cloud models
  • — Major Cloud Providers
    Compare AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
    • Amazon Web Services
    • Microsoft Azure
    • Google Cloud Platform
  • — Shared Responsibility Model
    Understand security duties between you and providers.
    • Provider security tasks
    • Customer security tasks
    • Security split rules

2. Networking for the Cloud

Explain the networking ideas cloud services are built on. Units, in order: IP addresses and subnets; DNS; Load balancers; Virtual private clouds; Firewalls and security groups.

Part 2 · Core AWS services

3. Compute on AWS

Launch and manage virtual servers and serverless functions. Units, in order: EC2 instances; Instance types and pricing; Auto Scaling; AWS Lambda; Containers on AWS.

4. Storage and Databases on AWS

Choose the right AWS service to store files and data. Units, in order: S3 buckets and storage classes; EBS and file storage; RDS for relational databases; DynamoDB; Backups and durability.

5. Cloud Security and Identity

Control who can do what in a cloud account. Units, in order: IAM users, groups and roles; Least privilege; Multi-factor authentication; Encryption at rest and in transit; Auditing activity with CloudTrail.

Part 3 · Running in the cloud

6. Cloud Architecture and Reliability

Design a simple cloud system that keeps working when parts fail. Units, in order: Regions and availability zones; High availability; Scaling up and scaling out; The Well-Architected Framework; Disaster recovery basics.

7. Cloud Costs and Monitoring

Track and reduce what a cloud account costs. Units, in order: How cloud pricing works; Budgets and billing alerts; Reserved and spot capacity; CloudWatch metrics and alarms; Finding waste.

8. Deploying a Cloud Project

Deploy a small web application on AWS from start to finish. Units, in order: Infrastructure as code with CloudFormation; Hosting a static website on S3; A serverless API with Lambda; Connecting a database; Tearing down to avoid charges.

Sample: What Cloud Computing Is: A Beginner Guide

The opening tier, (Servers and Data Centres). Learn how physical hardware powers digital apps.

What is a server?

Understand how servers store data and run applications.

Inside data centres

Explore physical rooms filled with racks of computers.

Moving to the cloud

See how remote data replaces local computer hardware.

Questions about Cloud Computing and AWS

Can I learn cloud computing with no IT experience?

Yes. Cloud Computing and AWS on Breni starts with what a server is and covers the networking you need before any AWS service.

Does this path prepare me for the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam?

It covers many of the same topics, but it does not follow the exam guide and Breni is not affiliated with Amazon.

Should I learn AWS, Azure or Google Cloud first?

The ideas transfer between all three. This path uses AWS because it has the largest share of the market, and the first course compares the others.

Do I need to know how to code for cloud computing?

Not to start. Basic scripting helps later, and the last course introduces infrastructure as code.

Do I get a certificate for this cloud course?

Completing all 8 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion, which is separate from AWS's own exams.

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