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Cloud Computing Basics
A free cloud computing course for beginners: the NIST definition, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS, shared responsibility, and data residency in Canada. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.
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The short version
Free, no payment details
Sign up with your name and e-mail and confirm it with a 6-digit code. There is nothing to buy.
About 60 minutes
5 short lessons and one final quiz. Your progress is saved, so you can stop and come back on any device.
Certificate of completion
Finish every lesson and score 70% or more on the final quiz. Retakes are unlimited.
Not a program
This free short course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program and gives no program credit.
What you will learn
- Explain cloud computing using the NIST definition and its five essential characteristics
- Tell IaaS, PaaS and SaaS apart and say who manages each layer
- Describe the shared responsibility model and the account habits that prevent common cloud mistakes
- Separate data residency, data sovereignty and data protection, and name the main privacy laws that can apply in Alberta
- Ask a cloud provider the right questions about location, access, keys and exit
- Compare owning a server with renting cloud capacity using a simple full-cost method
Who it is for
Beginners, office workers and career changers in Alberta who want to understand the cloud services their workplace uses, and anyone curious about IT support work. No technical background is needed.
What you need
- A computer or tablet with an internet connection
- About 60 minutes in total, which you can split across several days
- No software to install
Lessons
- 1What cloud computing is: the NIST definition12 min
- 2IaaS, PaaS, SaaS and deployment models12 min
- 3Shared responsibility and cloud security12 min
- 4Data residency and privacy in Canada12 min
- 5Cost, backup and choosing a cloud service12 min
- ✓Cloud Computing Basics: final quizfinal quiz
Where this course can lead
IT Professional Certificate
This course is a short, practical introduction. The full program goes much further: 420 hours online: IT support, hardware, operating systems, networking and desktop administration.
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See the course →Frequently asked questions
Yes. You create a free account, take the five lessons and the quiz, and pay nothing.
Yes. When you finish the lessons and pass the quiz you receive a Ucademy certificate of completion. The course is not part of a diploma or certificate program.
About 60 minutes in total across five lessons of roughly 12 minutes each. It is online and self-paced, so you can stop and continue later.
No. The lessons start from the basics and explain every term. If you use email or online files at work, you already have the background.
IaaS rents you basic computing resources such as virtual servers. PaaS rents a platform to run your own applications. SaaS gives you a finished application to use. Lesson 2 explains who manages each layer.
No. It is a free short course, not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program, and it does not give program credit.
Start Cloud Computing Basics today
Free, online and at your own pace, with a certificate of completion.