How can you learn Cloud Computing skills without breaking the bank?

Cloud computing is a valuable skill that you can learn from various resources. For example, you can watch Youtube videos, take online courses on Udemy, or read the AWS website documentation. After learning the basics, you can practice by doing hands-on projects. If you work for a company, you might have access to free online training resources. You can use them to enhance your knowledge and skills. You can also attend the FREE summits that cloud computing companies like AWS host every year in different locations. These events offer many benefits such as learning new updates, networking with other professionals, and getting insights from experts. Once you feel confident, try to get certified. This will boost your resume and credibility.

The best way to learn cloud skills to get your hands dirty. Start with free online courses ,there are many of them and then try to build something simple after you fill ready go for a certification

1. Choose a cloud platform with free tiers or trial accounts. 2. Learn the basics through online resources and tutorials. 3. Practice with small projects using the free tier or trial accounts. 4. Consider getting certified with low-cost or free options. 5. Join online communities for guidance and knowledge sharing. 6. Use sandboxes or playgrounds for hands-on experimentation. 7. Utilize free learning resources like online courses and tutorials.

100% Pretty much everything you need to know about cloud is out in the internet for free! So it's not a question of how can we learn without burning the wallet, however, the biggest challenge for most people I have met is, they don't know where to start, which path to take , what to do if they realise its not the right fit for them. I suggest them to find a mentor or Linkedin acquaintance who has already crossed the level they wish to reach or been there. Consistency is the key, nothing will be easy when we are learning it for the first time, hence, most people give up mid way, key is to stick around the hard part. Post the initial Mental roadblocks are cleared, rest of it just falls in place because after a point, it becomes a habit

A fundamental understanding of cloud platforms is a good place to start. Each of the major cloud providers offers a foundational certification (that's often free or online) that can give you a basic understanding of cloud services, procurement/payment models, and things to consider as you progress in your journey. Often your employer or IT team has already decided on one or more cloud providers that are in use - ask around to see what is in use at your company and so which you would be able to immediately apply skills learned.

AWS training & certification is a worthwhile investment & the costs can also often be offset with service credits, making it even more cost effective. Leaders should evaluate the cost of training vs the benefits of having a highly trained staff. The success of an organization’s cloud adoption correlates with the skill sets its people, and it's cheaper in the long run to invest in training because trained teams make fewer mistakes & spend less to accomplish more in less time. There are also many free training resources available, such as SA-led lunch & learns, & free online training on AWS Skill Builder, YouTube, & Twitch. Most importantly, get hands-on & experiment by taking advantage of AWS free tiers to put what you've learn to use.

A great way to start working towards a Career in Cloud Computing is first to learn the basics. As a Cloud Engineer, you need to have an overall view about what are the Application components, like Compute, Storage, DB, Security, Networking and Management And the best way to start is with AWS Cloud Practitioner

Instead, jumping straight to a cloud certification, invest yourself some time in learning Linux and Networking basics first. Try to use Linux as your main OS in your personal laptop and If it breaks, try to fix it instead of completely reinstalling the linux distro. Learn how to create VMs with Vagrant and Packer. Learn networking topics like: TCP/IP stack, DNS, DHCP, Subnetting. Try to create a Mysql server in a VM with master-slave replication. Learn how Disk partitioning and Fstab works on Linux. Learn systemd and systemd unit files Learn how to read logs (learn journald) Set up a simple website using nginx on Linux and try to replicate the same using a docker container.

There are a huge wealth of FREE resources out there to learn the basics about cloud computing. You really don't need a subscription to a premium learning service to get started! All three of the big providers: AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft provide free access to the fundamental lessons of what the cloud is, how it works, and some of the services that these companies offer that enable you to create solutions to business problems. Spend the time understanding these basics before you dive headfirst into getting as many certifications as you can. In the long run, certifications won't be as helpful to you as having a rock solid understanding of the foundational skills expected of all professionals working within the cloud!

Cost and Financial management are important concepts that MUST be considered. Probably before you select your cloud vendor/CSP. Understanding the strategic goals, and ensuring everyone is thinking along the same trajectory will speed this up. But understanding the intersection of cloud computing and FinOps as an operational practice will ensure all relevant stakeholders are included and considered when it comes to cloud assets and how to track, manage, and reduce consumption of wasted or unnecessary resources.

fuel your cloud journey with real-world projects! Dive into free tiers, build apps, join online communities. Each click, deploy, and question builds your expertise. Remember, hands-on experience is the launchpad to cloud mastery.

The best way to test your knowledge is hands-on. Try to take up small tasks and projects so that you can implement the skills which you've learnt and there you can access yourself, which needs more attention. Join forums like medium, dev.to, hashnode, LinkedIn to look for articles and guides from various talents across the world, you'll surely find many interesting things to learn and pursue.

One thing I have found helpful is free tier accounts of both AWS and Azure. In AWS you can use many services free even for a year. And you can use an Azure free account as well which gives you 200$ credits. These will definitely help to understand the services and helps to be familiar with the dashboard.

When exploring the world of cloud computing, first consider building a solid understanding of its services and technologies. While certifications are valuable, the key lies in a strong foundation and practical experience. Before focusing on studying for an exam, immerse yourself in real practice, experimenting with different cloud services. Additionally, if you have the opportunity to learn from someone with direct experience in these challenges, take full advantage of their teachings. I recall an interesting anecdote from an interview that underscores this point: a cloud expert shared how their deeper understanding and practical skills developed significantly while working on real projects, far more than just studying for certifications.

Tell your employer you want to shadow any cloud based projects / work being undertaken. If they say no, then maybe think about another position where they say yes

Knock the doors at your organisation and check for upskill programs they offer, and if you’re a student, go ahead with registering in conferences and challenges hosted by various CSPs where they actually provide you free vouchers and labs.

An example I have seen is that several students or people are not aware of the free facilities provided by the government's end in the form of schemes to grow the youths' learning. They provide the proper training as well as guidance free of cost. And after the completion of the courses you will get the certificate as well. Just like AICTE, Edu Skills, and many more platforms are available in India. I did my certification in 1. AWS cloud computing fundamentals and the architecture. 2. Google Cloud jam. 3. Currently I am doing an internship in the IBM cloud. "Action is the foundational key to all success." - Pablo Picasso

Look for cost-effective or free certification programs offered by major cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. These certifications validate your expertise and are often accompanied by study materials, practice exams, and training resources. Take advantage of discounted certification vouchers or promotions that providers occasionally offer.

Certifications are extremely useful for companies to project a much more professional image to the end customer, so it is an excellent option to obtain one. The only "negative" point, is that many times these certifications talk more about the product in detail, an example would be AWS, that the whole DevOps process tries to take it with their tools, which often is not what the company has, as some use gitlab, jenkins, github, etc.. And not Code commit or AWS solutions that are not at the level of those mentioned above.

In my experience, you can start small by going for free tutorials. If you find anything interesting you dive in with paid tutorials. Most important thing is to stay updated with trends, for that subscribing to a podcast, medium articles, subscribing to news channels on tech has helped me. My personal favorite is pragmaticengineer articles, Lenny's newsletter, medium, bytebyetgo, The a16z podcast, goto, Lenny's podcast, Thoughtwords technology podcast,

In my experience, leveraging free resources like YouTube tutorials and participating in workshops offered by major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and GCP. Platforms like YouTube host a variety of educational content, including tutorial videos and webinars, allowing for continuous learning at no cost.

There are free resources on YouTube to learn cloud, this includes cloud provider channels and multiple good content creator channels. One just needs to search with keywords. Portals like Udemy provide high quality courses at very low prices. Cloud provider documentation is comprehensive, if someone is more inclined towards learning by reading than watching. It is free. All cloud providers provide free tier which can be used for practicing. If one is promptly deleteing resources after practicing, even for non free tier resources, very low amount will be spent.

Learning is a continuous process. It never stops. You need to keep on updating yourself to stay relevant with the latest technology trends. You have to learn and get certified, as an indicator of your understanding of a certain technology. Remember, the tech space is wide.

In the current digital era, acquiring Cloud Computing skills without incurring significant costs is entirely feasible. Various training portals such as Udemy and Pluralsight provide extensive resources without imposing any financial burden. The wealth of information available on platforms like YouTube and cloud-specific documentation further facilitates learning, minimising the need for substantial financial investment. In this open-access landscape, individuals can gain valuable insights and proficiency at their own pace, reducing dependency on costly traditional education methods.

As you start to understand the basics of cloud computing, I've found it personally valuable to focus on services and solutions that interest me the most. There is an incredible amount of whitepaper documentation available from all the cloud providers that could provide you with thousands of hours of reading (not saying you should do that). Find what interests you and what you are passionate about and dive in! In my own experience, this keeps me highly engaged in learning and allows me to create examples in my heads because of my familiarity with the solution space (ex: data & analytics over distributed sensors). Cloud concepts can be incredibly dense and - unfortunately - quite boring. Don't let it be! Learning can be fun if you let it!

One approach that stands out for me is the idea of doing while gaining theoretical knowledge (leverage labs where actual project limitations exist). Many will agree how boring the dense theory can be to study let alone assimilate (you will doze off a couple of times so be prepared😅). Taking notes as you study helps drive home the points deeper for safe storage, archival & ease of retrieval when needed. Remember also that as boring and tasking as it may seem, nothing great comes easy & the permanent end goal is worth more than the temporary inconveniencing effort required. (An Indian trainer once said, stress now & enjoy later-long term). I say these extras because sometimes all it takes is a true paradigm shift of mindset! We All Can!!

Cloud Computational skills are just regular computational and problem-solving skills. Approach it from the perspective of your strength and leverage it.

Too often we confuse "cloud first" with "cloud native" when in reality these are two entirely different modes of thought and operation. Think strategically about your cloud goals, making sure you are taking the right approach to hybrid (on prem and cloud) and multi-cloud environments. Without taking these factors into consideration, you will end up breaking the bank because of duplicative efforts and wasted resources.

All the top cloud providers have already documented robust governance frameworks where they define clearly the guidelines to use the cloud efficiently. In that guidelines there is a complete chapter of cost management with the concepts and also the tools that the platform provides to manage and control it. Its quite simple to define for example budget constraints over the cloud usage that will help the teams to control the costs over a period of time, in case that an anomaly happen.