Cloud Computing Fundamentals

Master the essential concepts and hands-on skills needed to understand cloud computing from multiple perspectives. This comprehensive course takes you from cloud computing history and definitions through advanced database technologies, providing both theoretical foundations and practical implementation experience. You'll explore how cloud platforms have transformed modern technology, learning to evaluate IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS service models while gaining hands-on experience with virtualization using VirtualBox. The course progresses through cloud data infrastructure, where you'll differentiate between databases, data warehouses, and data lakes, and learn to apply de-normalized schemas like Star and Snowflake for optimal performance. By course completion, you'll confidently compare and select appropriate database technologies—MySQL, MongoDB, and Neo4j—understanding ACID versus BASE properties and horizontal versus vertical scaling strategies. What sets this course apart is its balanced approach: combining historical context, architectural understanding, and practical coding exercises using Python, GitHub, and Flask. Whether you're transitioning into cloud roles or expanding your technical expertise, this course equips you with the foundational knowledge and practical skills essential for modern cloud computing careers.