Cloud computing is the virtual storage of software, databases, and networks integral to day-to-day operations. It is one of the most popular technologies in the world, with a booming job market in 2023 and beyond. The Cloud Computing industry has experienced a remarkable surge, with an expected surge from $252.5 billion in 2020 to an impressive $482 billion in 2023. 

Adding cloud computing to your roster of skills opens immense opportunities for the future. According to the Google Cloud-BCG joint report, cloud computing systems will create around 2.4 lakh direct jobs by 2023. If you are an engineer looking to upskill with cloud computing, the best way to do so is with a certificate course. This teaches you the basics of this field and includes an on-hand training schedule.

There are plenty of online cloud computing courses that are a great fit for you. We’ve selected the best free and paid courses on cloud computing in 2023. These courses cover the chief topics of Cloud Computing, including DevOps, Containerization, Big Data, Edge Computing, etc.

What Is Cloud Computing? 

Before we explore cloud computing courses, let’s take a moment to understand this topic. Cloud computing is a cutting-edge technology that enables users to access and store computing resources, processing power, software applications, and data over the Internet. It has revolutionized the storage, access, and processing of data.

Previously, data was stored on physical devices like hard disks and personal memory. Cloud computing eliminates the need for owning and managing physical infrastructure. 

Cloud computing is used in various industries, including business, education, healthcare, entertainment, and government. The technology offers significant advantages such as flexibility and ease of access to Big Data. Users can quickly scale their computing resources up or down based on their needs, paying only for what they use, which saves money. 

Additionally, cloud-based services enable collaboration and remote work, as multiple users from different locations can access and work on the same data or applications simultaneously.

High Packages and Great Salary Range in the Cloud Computing Industry

Cloud computing is a rapidly expanding field, with opportunities in various capacities such as cloud solutions architect, cloud engineer, cloud administrator, and cloud security specialist. The industry has significant salary increments, outstanding work-life balance, and attractive growth prospects. 

Cloud computing roles offer competitive salaries, with entry-level positions starting at around INR 4 – 5 lakhs per year. The rapidly evolving nature of the industry introduces new sectors and job opportunities each year, which boosts new job opportunities and avenues of growth. 

Learning Cloud Computing Essentials

Cloud computing is a technical field, and it’s crucial to have some background knowledge of networking basics, operating systems, storage and database concepts, and web technologies before diving fully into its study.

Having proficiency and working experience in these topics can be advantageous, but if you’re new to the tech field, you can still gain expertise in cloud computing. We have a list of the best free and paid courses for beginners and intermediate learners.

Free Cloud Computing Courses 

Whether you’re an eager learner, a tech enthusiast, or a professional seeking to upskill, a free cloud computing course is a great place to start your learning journey. Here is a list of our top recommendations for free courses and learning materials on cloud computing.

1. Cloud Concepts by Microsoft Learn: An introduction to cloud computing, deployment models, and a deeper understanding of cloud applications. 
2. Google Cloud Training by Google: This is Google’s comprehensive curriculum on cloud skills and has a manual for skills development and certifications in cloud computing. 
3. AWS Educate by Amazon: This free course includes hundreds of hours of self-paced training and resources for new-to-cloud learners and hands-on labs in the AWS Management Console.
4.  Azure Learning Paths by Microsoft Learn: Microsoft’s library on a wide array of cloud computing courses, including free certifications and app creation through open-source software.

There are also several courses and materials from IEEE that can be accessed through an institution. Some of these are:

1. Cloud Computing Definition, Reference Architecture, and General Use Cases: The program covers the changing IT landscape and how companies use cloud computing to reduce costs and boost productivity. 
2. Cloud Computing Course Program: This is designed for engineers to learn and stay up-to-date about the latest findings and development in cloud computing. 
3. Cloud Service and Deployment Models: This tutorial reviews various cloud properties, service models, and deployment models. It also discusses the transition of cloud services models such as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. 
4. Cloud Computing Enabling Technologies: The tutorial reviews the geographical distribution of major cloud providers and discusses cloud security and compliance standards focusing on incident response and eDiscovery. 
5. Cloud-Based Solutions for Big Data: The tutorial covers Enterprise Data Management and Big Data Challenges, focusing on Big Data definition and cloud-based Big Data Infrastructure. 
6. Cloud Computing For SaaS: This tutorial covers Cloud SaaS Architecture and Components of Cloud SaaS, with an overview of Apps Providers and Microsoft Azure. 
7. Cloud Computing Demystified for Aspiring Professionals: This is an in-depth understanding of cloud computing concepts such as cloud transformation, different cloud types and models, secure virtual networks, virtual machines, data warehouse resources, and big data analytics.

Best Paid Cloud Computing Courses For Students

IEEE offers standard and advanced cloud computing courses for beginners and industry professionals. These paid courses include full access to the training module, workbooks, IEEE journals, and other resources. Whether you are looking for cloud computing courses in Bangalore or cloud computing courses in Mumbai, you can access these courses from anywhere. 

The leading IEEE BLP course in cloud computing is: 

Introduction to Cloud Computing: This course covers introductory, intermediate and advanced topics in cloud computing and underlines definitions and essential characteristics of clouds.

Cloud Computing for IoT Systems: The course offers an introduction to cloud computing, encompassing on-demand self-service, broad network access, and resource pooling concepts. It delves into essential topics such as API, Measured Service – Pay per Use, Multi-tenancy, Cloud Deployment Models, Cloud Service Models, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS with comprehensive depth.

Fast Track Your Cloud Computing Learning Curve

IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. If you are looking for, these research papers can fast-track your learning curve and elevate your technical expertise.

• Google Cloud for Beginners: Architecture, Storage, and Computation: The paper is a getaway on learning the basics of cloud computing and machine deployment. This is geared towards beginners with minimal or no cloud computing experience.
• Understanding the Performance and Potential of Cloud Computing for Scientific Applications: The paper discusses the potential of commercial clouds, particularly the EC2 cloud in AWS, and comprehensively evaluates the raw performance of different services. 
• Knowledge Management in the Age of Cloud Computing and Web 2.0: The paper discusses the overlap of new technologies in cloud computing management. 
• Deep Reinforcement Learning in Cloud Computing Environments: The paper addresses the complex job scheduling problems and their impact on cost reduction and performance improvement.

Universities with Cloud Computing Courses

Indian universities have tried to cover the gap to include more people in learning cloud computing. These universities offer free resources, YouTube lectures, live classes, and open-source academic material for students. Here are some of them

• Introduction to Cloud Computing by Soumya Ghosh (IIT Professor)
• Introduction to Cloud Computing using Azure by IIT Madras