--- title: Cloud Fundamentals description: Cloud fundamentals covers the core concepts, models, and services of cloud computing. Learners will understand the differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, and how to evaluate cloud deployment strategies for business needs. category: programming-tech subcategory: cloud-computing difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/cloud-fundamentals --- # Cloud Fundamentals Cloud fundamentals covers the core concepts, models, and services of cloud computing. Learners will understand the differences between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, and how to evaluate cloud deployment strategies for business needs. ## Available Resources 2 Books • 3 Courses • 2 Websites ## Websites ### 1. AWS Documentation - What is Cloud Computing? Amazon's own reference page defining cloud computing, the three service models, and deployment types, with examples of common workloads. Gives a shared vocabulary for on-demand infrastructure before you touch any specific provider's console. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-cloud-computing/ **Tags:** cloud-computing, aws, iaas, saas, cloud-basics ### 2. cloud.google.com/learn Google Cloud Learn is Google's official training hub for cloud fundamentals, offering guided tutorials, interactive labs, and learning paths to master Google Cloud services. It includes beginner-to-advanced courses, quickstarts, and certification prep to build practical cloud skills. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://cloud.google.com/learn **Tags:** websites, technology-computer-science, cloud-computing ## Courses ### 1. AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials Learn cloud fundamentals with AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials! Master key concepts and prepare for certification. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://explore.skillbuilder.aws/learn/course/72/aws-cloud-practitioner-essentials **Tags:** cloud-computing, aws, certification, cloud-practitioner, cloud-basics ### 2. Google Cloud Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure Google's introductory Coursera course on core cloud infrastructure. Videos and hands-on labs compare compute and storage options such as Compute Engine, App Engine, Cloud Storage and Kubernetes Engine, plus IAM and resource hierarchy for managing projects and billing. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/gcp-fundamentals **Tags:** google-cloud, gcp, cloud-infrastructure, cloud-computing ### 3. Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Learn Azure basics & get AZ-900 certified! This Microsoft course covers cloud concepts, Azure services, security, & pricing. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/azure-fundamentals/ **Tags:** az-900, azure-fundamentals, certification, microsoft-learn ## Podcasts ### 1. Cloudcast **Author:** Massive Studios The Cloudcast (@cloudcastpod) is the industry's #1 Cloud Computing podcast, and the place where Cloud meets AI.  Co-hosts Aaron Delp (@aarondelp) & Brian Gracely (@bgracely) speak with technology and business leaders that are shaping the future of business. Topics will include Cloud Computing | AI | AGI | ChatGPT | Open Source | AWS | Azure | GCP | Platform Engineering | DevOps | Big Data | ML | Security | Kubernetes | AppDev | SaaS | PaaS .  **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** en-us | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.thecloudcast.net **Tags:** cloud-computing, podcast, devops, kubernetes, platform-engineering ### 2. The Cloud Pod **Author:** Justin Brodley, Jonathan Baker, Ryan Lucas and Matthew Kohn Weekly news podcast in which four cloud practitioners review announcements from AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, discussing Kubernetes, serverless, infrastructure as code and AI services. Listeners stay current on cloud platform changes and what they mean for engineering and operations teams. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** en-US | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.thecloudpod.net/series/the-cloud-pod/ **Tags:** cloud-computing, cloud-news, aws, azure, google-cloud, devops ## Books ### 1. Cloud Computing: Concepts, Technology & Architecture **Author:** Thomas Erl, Ricardo Puttini, Zaigham Mahmood A vendor-neutral textbook covering cloud delivery and deployment models, virtualization, scaling, and SLA mechanics through formal architecture patterns. Working through it gives you precise terminology for describing and comparing cloud systems rather than provider-specific tooling. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/9332535922?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, cloud-computing ### 2. Architecting the Cloud **Author:** Michael J. Kavis Walks through the design decisions that separate IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS builds: security, scalability, cost modelling, and disaster recovery. Draws on the author's own failed and successful projects to explain why architectures break at scale. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1118617614?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, cloud-computing --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/cloud-fundamentals