Unit 28: Cloud Computing

Meet Your Instructor

Name: Pranjal Timsina
Background: A few years in the IT industry - have done full stack (incl. app dev), dev ops, machine-learning & more
Currently the CEO of Synapse Technologies working on key legal-tech and travel-tech products
Contact: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranjaltimsina
GitHub: https://www.github.com/pranjaltimsina

Today's Agenda

Course Overview & Objectives
Why is Cloud Computing Important?
Course Structure, Topics & Assessments
Core Topic: What is Cloud Computing?
Key Concepts: A First Look
Tools & Technologies We'll Explore
Q&A and Next Steps

Course Overview

Unit 28: Cloud Computing (Unit Code: K/618/7442)

Credit Value: 15
Unit Level: 5

This unit is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of cloud computing, a technology that has completely revolutionized how IT services are delivered.

This course is closely aligned with the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification, providing a strong foundation if you choose to pursue it.

Why Study Cloud Computing?

Cloud skills are among the most in-demand in the tech industry today. By the end of this unit, you will develop crucial career skills:

Critical Thinking & Analysis: Evaluating different cloud solutions and deployment models.
Problem Solving: Analyzing technical challenges and risks in cloud environments.
Practical Skills: Hands-on experience with major cloud providers and open-source tools.
Communication & Interpretation: Articulating complex technical concepts and justifying decisions.

Course Learning Outcomes (LOs)

This course is built around four key learning outcomes:

Outcome	Description
LO1	Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of cloud computing and its architectures.
LO2	Evaluate the deployment models, service models, and technological drivers of cloud computing and validate their use.
LO3	Develop cloud computing solutions using service provider frameworks and open-source tools.
LO4	Analyse the technical challenges for cloud applications and assess their risks.

Course Structure & Assessments

We have 32 lectures planned to cover the curriculum in depth.

Your understanding will be evaluated through assignments designed to meet the Pass, Merit, and Distinction criteria for each Learning Outcome.

Assessment Focus Areas:

Analysis & Design (Mapped to P1, P2)
Evaluation & Comparison (Mapped to P3, P4)
Practical Implementation (Mapped to P5, P6)
Problem Solving & Risk Assessment (Mapped to P7, P8)

The Evolution to Cloud

Cloud computing isn't a brand new invention; it's the natural evolution of many networking paradigms.

Loading diagram...

The evolution of computing paradigms

We've moved from centralized systems to highly distributed, virtualized environments accessible from anywhere.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing.

A Simple Analogy

Instead of owning your own power plant to get electricity, you plug into the wall and pay a utility company. The cloud is like that for computing power.

You get access to computing resources without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure yourself.
—
Core Principle

Traditional IT (On-Premises)

You own, manage, and maintain all your hardware and software on your premises.

Requires a large upfront investment.
Capital Expenditure (CapEx)

Cloud Computing

You rent resources from a cloud service provider (e.g., Amazon, Microsoft, Google).

You pay as you go, and the technical details are hidden.
Operational Expenditure (OpEx)

Why Make the Switch? Key Benefits

Cost Savings: Trade capital expense (CapEx) for variable expense (OpEx) and only pay for what you use.
Agility & Speed: Provision massive resources in minutes, not weeks.
Global Scale: Deliver your applications closer to users around the world, with low latency.
Productivity: Shift focus from managing hardware to building innovative applications.
Performance: Benefit from massive, state-of-the-art data centers.
Reliability & Security: Leverage the expertise and scale of providers for robust backup, disaster recovery, and security.

Deployment Models

Describes where the cloud infrastructure is located and who has access.

Model	Description	Example Use Case
Public Cloud	Resources are owned and operated by a third-party cloud provider and delivered over the internet.	A startup building a new website available to everyone.
Private Cloud	Resources are used exclusively by a single business or organization, often in their own data center.	A government agency handling sensitive citizen data.
Hybrid Cloud	A combination of public and private clouds, allowing data and apps to be shared between them.	A retail company using the public cloud for its e-commerce site but keeping customer payment data on a private cloud.

Service Models

Describes the level of management you have and what kind of service you are getting.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
- You rent the fundamental building blocks: servers, storage, and networking. You are responsible for the OS and everything above it.
- Example: Renting a virtual server (like an Amazon EC2 instance or Azure VM) to run your own custom software.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- The provider manages the hardware and operating systems. You just focus on deploying and managing your applications.
- Example: Using a platform like Heroku or Google App Engine to deploy a web application without worrying about the underlying servers.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
- A complete, ready-to-use software product that is managed by the provider. You just use the software.
- Example: Using web-based email like Gmail or a CRM like Salesforce. You manage nothing but your data.

Analogy: Pizza as a Service

Let's solidify those service models with a popular analogy.

The Shared Responsibility Model

A critical concept in cloud security. While the cloud provider is responsible for security of the cloud, you are responsible for security in the cloud.