Cloud Computing Fundamentals

This comprehensive course provides a structured and practice-oriented introduction to cloud computing fundamentals, guiding learners from core theoretical concepts to real-world cloud system implementation. Beginning with distributed computing principles, virtualisation, and containerisation, the course establishes the technological foundations that enable modern cloud infrastructures. Learners gain clarity on cloud characteristics, deployment models, and service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), supported by the 3-4-5 rule for conceptual coherence. The curriculum then progresses into hands-on exploration of cloud infrastructure using Amazon Web Services (AWS). Students work with compute, storage, networking, identity, and access management services, learning to launch and manage EC2 instances, configure storage solutions, and apply pricing and responsibility models. Advanced modules emphasise SaaS architectures, cloud data storage economics, capacity management, auto-scaling, load balancing, and scheduling mechanisms, including Kubernetes-based workload scheduling and CloudWatch-driven monitoring. Practical case studies—centred on a cloud-hosted Learning Management System—anchor abstract concepts in realistic deployment and optimisation scenarios. The course concludes by addressing critical challenges in cloud computing, such as availability, fault tolerance, security, multi-tenancy risks, compliance, and SLA enforcement. Through simulations, labs, and assessments, learners develop the ability to design resilient, scalable, and cost-efficient cloud solutions while applying best practices in monitoring, access control, and reliability engineering. By the end of the course, learners are equipped to understand cloud architectures end-to-end, deploy and manage cloud-based applications, and reason critically about performance, cost, and risk trade-offs in real-world cloud environments.