Get started

Get started

Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.

• What is cloud migration? Your guide to moving to the cloud

  Cloud migration is the process of moving data, applications or other business elements to a cloud computing environment. Continue Reading

• What is Google Cloud?

  Google Cloud is a suite of public cloud computing services offered by Google. Continue Reading

• How to create an EC2 instance from the AWS Console

  AWS has made launching EC2 instances an easy task, but there are still many steps to the result. Learn how to successfully create an EC2 instance from AWS Console. Continue Reading

• Understanding SaaS migration benefits and best practices

  Consider the four common approaches to single-tenant and multi-tenant SaaS migration and get a good grasp on tradeoffs and challenges before making a move. Continue Reading

• Linux text editor tips for cloud admins using Vim and Nano

  Vim and Nano are common Linux text editors that can help cloud admins manage cloud-based Linux VMs. While the tools might seem overwhelming, a few basic skills can go a long way. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • What is cloud migration? Your guide to moving to the cloud
  • What is Google Cloud?
  • What is SaaS (software as a service)?
  • Cloud visibility: Definition, importance and challenges

  • What is distributed cloud and how does it work?
  • What is a cloud-native application?
  • What is a cloud server?
  • What is cloud compliance and why is it important?

  View All Definitions

• 11 cloud migration benefits to know before making the move

  The cloud's benefits are well established, but it's still useful to keep the biggest ones in mind before going through the trouble of moving on-premises systems to the cloud.Continue Reading

• What is SaaS (software as a service)?

  Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end users over the internet.Continue Reading

• Cloud visibility: Definition, importance and challenges

  Cloud visibility is a company's ability to monitor, track and gain insight into its cloud infrastructure and resources.Continue Reading

• What is distributed cloud and how does it work?

  Distributed cloud is public cloud -- any third-party cloud computing service offered over public internet -- deployed in more than one location, ideally in proximity to whoever or whatever wants to access it.Continue Reading

• What is a cloud-native application?

  A cloud-native application is a program that is designed for a cloud computing architecture. These applications are run and hosted in the cloud and are designed to capitalize on the inherent characteristics of a cloud computing software delivery ...Continue Reading

• What is a cloud server?

  A cloud server is a virtual server that operates in a cloud computing environment and makes its resources accessible to users remotely over a network.Continue Reading

• Managed identity vs. service principal for Azure apps

  Managed identities automate identity management for Azure-native applications, while service principals are ideal for external applications that need access to Azure resources.Continue Reading

• An introduction to a cross-cloud strategy

  A cross-cloud strategy enables enterprises to run the same workload in different cloud environments simultaneously. This is beneficial for resilience, flexibility and performance.Continue Reading

• 10 key characteristics of cloud computing

  Evaluate how these 10 characteristics of cloud computing, such as on-demand self-service and broad network access, can help you become a more nimble and cost-effective business.Continue Reading

• What is cloud compliance and why is it important?

  Cloud compliance ensures the safe and secure use and storage of data through strict adherence to existing cloud computing rules and guidelines, including applicable federal or international laws and regulatory compliance, as well as industry ...Continue Reading

• What is cloud architecture? Design and implementation

  Cloud architecture is how infrastructure components are connected and configured to create a suitable cloud computing environment for the performance, reliability and scalability needed to host user workloads and data.Continue Reading

• Quiz yourself on cloud computing basics

  To grasp a technology, it's best to start with the basics. Take this brief cloud computing quiz to gauge your knowledge of providers, deployment models and other 101-level topics.Continue Reading

• What is cloud sprawl?

  Cloud sprawl is the uncontrolled proliferation of an organization's cloud instances, services or providers.Continue Reading

• What is hyperscale cloud? Computing and data center uses explained

  A hyperscale cloud is an extensive, scalable cloud computing operation that employs numerous hyperscale data centers.Continue Reading

• A cloud services cheat sheet for AWS, Azure and Google Cloud

  Can't make heads or tails of Amazon, Microsoft and Google cloud offerings? Use this list to help start your analysis of what's available from the largest cloud providers.Continue Reading

• What is multi-cloud? Definition, pros and cons

  Multi-cloud is an approach to cloud computing that involves combining two or more cloud services from different providers.Continue Reading

• The cloud shared responsibility model for IaaS, PaaS and SaaS

  The shared responsibility model defines cloud security, but it changes for IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. Explore the ins and outs of cloud security and what your company is responsible for.Continue Reading

• How to create an EC2 instance using PowerShell

  PowerShell has practical integrations that provide users with cross-platform capabilities. Get to know prerequisites and resources to create an EC2 instance using PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Understand AWS Regions vs. Availability Zones

  It's easy to forget about data centers when you run workloads in the cloud. Learn how AWS Regions and Availability Zones differ, and how they affect cloud costs and configurations.Continue Reading

• Use the AWS CLI to create an EC2 instance

  IT admins can use the AWS CLI to launch and manage EC2 instances. Follow these steps to learn how.Continue Reading

• Cloud licensing explained: What businesses need to know

  Businesses vacating the premises and setting up their data and applications in a distributed environment must consider cloud licensing's options, advantages and disadvantages.Continue Reading

• How to plan a cloud strategy: Complete guide and template

  A cloud strategy document is a mission statement, not a design document. It should capture the what and why of a company's cloud strategy, without delving into the minutiae of how.Continue Reading

• What is cloud infrastructure?

  Cloud infrastructure refers to the hardware and software components -- such as servers, storage, networking, virtualization software, services and management tools -- that support the computing requirements of a cloud computing model.Continue Reading

• What is cloud consulting? Everything you should know

  Cloud consulting assists organizations with the complexity of cloud computing including building, deploying, managing and securing applications and infrastructure in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Best practices for defining a cloud monitoring strategy

  Uptime. Downtime. Security protections. There are so many things to watch out for. An effective cloud monitoring strategy requires an organization to set some clear priorities.Continue Reading

• What is a cloud access security broker (CASB)?

  A cloud access security broker (CASB) is a software tool or service that sits between an organization's on-premises infrastructure and a cloud provider's infrastructure.Continue Reading

• What is cloud economics?

  Cloud economics analyzes the total cost of ownership, benefits of cloud services and the overall computing costs in an enterprise environment, focusing on the economic principles driving these factors.Continue Reading

• What is cloud repatriation and what are the leading causes?

  Cloud repatriation refers to the practice of relocating public cloud applications to different locations, most often on premises and for financial, performance and regulatory reasons.Continue Reading

• What is shared responsibility model?

  A shared responsibility model is a cloud security framework that dictates the security obligations of a cloud computing provider and its users to ensure accountability.Continue Reading

• A beginner's guide to cloud-native application development

  Cloud-native applications have become ubiquitous in IT environments. Review key principles, patterns and developmental factors to keep in mind before creating a cloud-native app.Continue Reading

• What is a cloud architect and how do you become one?

  A cloud architect is an IT professional who is responsible for overseeing a company's cloud computing strategy.Continue Reading

• What is a cloud engineer? Key skills and how to become one

  A cloud engineer is an IT professional responsible for any technological duties associated with cloud computing, including design, planning, management, maintenance and support.Continue Reading

• What is cloud application performance management (cloud APM)?

  Cloud application performance management (cloud APM) is the process of monitoring resources that support software application performance in public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud environments. It takes actions to resolve issues and maintain ...Continue Reading

• What is cloud elasticity?

  Cloud elasticity is the ability, in real time, to increase or decrease cloud computing resources, such as central processing unit (CPU) power, memory and storage capacity, as well as input and output bandwidth, to meet unexpected changes in online ...Continue Reading

• Prepare for the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 certification exam

  Don't be caught unprepared for the exam. Take advantage of these study tips from the author of 'The Official CompTIA Cloud+ Certification Self-Paced Study Guide.'Continue Reading

• Decipher the true meaning of cloud native

  The term 'cloud native' is a popular buzzword among IT pros, but what does it mean? Discover the meaning of cloud native, and learn why this concept is so difficult to define.Continue Reading

• What's new in the updated CompTIA Cloud+ certification exam

  Wondering what to study to prepare for the CompTIA Cloud+ exam? Read about the new exam content from the author of 'The Official CompTIA Cloud+ Certification Self-Paced Study Guide.'Continue Reading

• Different types of cloud load balancing and algorithms

  Learn how load balancing in the cloud differs from a traditional network traffic distribution, and explore services from AWS, Google and Microsoft.Continue Reading

• What is cloud scalability?

  Scalability in cloud computing refers to the ability of a cloud environment to adapt to increasing workloads over time without a noticeable change in performance or reliability.Continue Reading

• What is cloud automation?

  Cloud automation is a broad term that refers to processes and tools that reduce or eliminate manual efforts used to provision and manage cloud computing workloads and services.Continue Reading

• Compare the 3 types of private cloud

  The different types of private cloud offer varying levels of control, customization and convenience. These factors affect the benefits, challenges and use cases for each model.Continue Reading

• What is infrastructure as a service (IaaS)?

  Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a form of cloud computing that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet.Continue Reading

• Compare cloud-native vs. cloud-based vs. cloud-enabled apps

  While it's tough to make a clear distinction between cloud-native, cloud-based and cloud-enabled apps, they differ in terms of development practices, performance and other factors.Continue Reading

• How to launch an EC2 instance using Terraform

  With Terraform, developers can lean on familiar coding practices to provision the underlying resources for their applications. Follow these steps to use the IaC tool to create an Amazon EC2 instance.Continue Reading

• click-wrap agreement (click-through agreement)

  A click-wrap agreement (click-through agreement) is an online agreement in which the user signifies their acceptance by clicking a button or checking a box that states, 'I agree.'Continue Reading

• What is cloud computing? Types, examples and benefits

  Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of hosted computing services and IT resources over the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing.Continue Reading

• What is data separation and why is it important in the cloud?

  Some enterprises avoid the public cloud due to its multi-tenant nature and data security concerns. Learn what data separation is and how it can keep your data safe.Continue Reading

• A primer on AWS tagging with best practices

  Consistency and standardization are critical to a successful AWS tagging strategy. Consider these best practices to organize and optimize your organization's workloads.Continue Reading

• 12 core Azure networking services you need to know

  Network connectivity can make or break a cloud deployment. Discover the basics of Azure network services with this list of key offerings and terms.Continue Reading

• XaaS (anything as a service)

  XaaS is a collective term that refers to the delivery of anything as a service.Continue Reading

• web application development

  Web application development is the creation of application programs that reside on remote servers and are delivered to the user's device over the internet.Continue Reading

• Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

  Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a managed container orchestration service based on the open source Kubernetes system, which is available on the Microsoft Azure public cloud.Continue Reading

• G-Cloud (Government Cloud)

  G-Cloud (Government Cloud) is a U.K. government program to promote government-wide adoption of cloud computing.Continue Reading

• Learn the basics of industry cloud platforms

  Healthcare, finance and other specialized industries can ask a lot of cloud services. Find out more about industry cloud platforms, and compare tools from the major cloud providers.Continue Reading

• cloud browser

  A cloud browser is a cloud-based combination of a web browser application with a virtualized container that implements the concept of remote browser isolation.Continue Reading

• vertical cloud

  A vertical cloud, also known as an industry cloud platform, is a set of cloud computing services optimized for use in a particular industry or for a specific business model.Continue Reading

• cloud management platform (CMP)

  A cloud management platform (CMP) is a suite of integrated software tools that an enterprise can use to monitor and control cloud environments.Continue Reading

• cloud load balancing

  Cloud load balancing is the process of distributing workloads across computing resources in a cloud computing environment and carefully balancing the network traffic accessing those resources.Continue Reading

• cloud application

  A cloud application, or cloud app, is a software program where cloud-based and local components work together.Continue Reading

• Google App Engine

  Google App Engine (GAE) is a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) product that enables web app developers and enterprises to build, deploy and host scalable, high-performance applications in Google's fully managed cloud environment without having to worry ...Continue Reading

• cloud audit

  A cloud audit is an assessment of a cloud computing environment and its services, based on a specific set of controls and best practices.Continue Reading

• Get to know 8 core cloud team roles and responsibilities

  To fully realize the benefits of cloud, you're going to need to create a structure that puts the right people in the right places. Here are the key roles involved.Continue Reading

• How to build a cloud center of excellence in 9 steps

  A cloud center of excellence brings together expertise from different departments to develop a uniform cloud adoption strategy. Here are some best practices for a successful CCoE.Continue Reading

• Google Transfer Appliance

  Google Transfer Appliance is a high-capacity storage server that enables enterprises to transport large volumes of data to Google Cloud Storage.Continue Reading

• Upskill your cloud team for success

  An investment in people is an investment in the company. See how a trained and upskilled staff can have a positive impact on productivity and profits.Continue Reading

• OpenStack

  OpenStack is a collection of open source software modules and tools that provides organizations with a framework to create and manage both public cloud and private cloud infrastructure.Continue Reading

• cloud modernization

  Cloud modernization is a multistep process where existing on-premises applications, infrastructure and data sources are migrated, updated and transformed into a cloud-based architecture and environment.Continue Reading

• consumption-based pricing model

  A consumption-based pricing model is a service provision and payment scheme in which customers pay according to the resources they use.Continue Reading

• Top 11 cloud certifications for 2024

  Cloud certifications are available for all levels of cloud expertise. Use this guide to evaluate basic, topic-specific, high-level and vendor-neutral certifications.Continue Reading

• What is Cloud Computing? An Introduction

  This short video explains the essentials of cloud computing and its three major types. Learn the difference between public and private cloud and the top benefits.Continue Reading

• How to build a successful FinOps team

  A successful FinOps team relies on clear team structure and roles, shared accountability and baseline measures of success. Use these best practices to build a FinOps team.Continue Reading

• data center modernization

  Data center modernization includes updating and improving a data center to meet the requirements of the current and the next generation of workloads.Continue Reading

• Decode serverless pricing in AWS to avoid high costs

  Serverless computing is an implementation worth considering in any cloud-based application. Learn to evaluate every component to avoid unexpected and unnecessary high costs.Continue Reading

• hybrid cloud architecture

  Hybrid cloud architecture is a type of cloud computing architecture that combines public cloud, private cloud and on-premises resources.Continue Reading

• 7 keys to an effective hybrid cloud migration strategy

  Cloud readiness, storage costs, network lag and metrics can make or break the choice to move data, applications and workloads to today's more complex hybrid cloud environment.Continue Reading

• hybrid cloud management

  Hybrid cloud management characterizes the processes and tools for managing applications that span public and private cloud computing infrastructure.Continue Reading

• The relationship between cloud FinOps and security

  True FinOps maturity isn't achievable without FinOps and cybersecurity team collaboration. The first step is building the relationship between those teams.Continue Reading

• Optimize serverless apps with an observability strategy

  Serverless apps come with unexpected challenges and sometimes they are nearly impossible to troubleshoot and optimize. Move away from traditional monitoring practices to succeed.Continue Reading

• hybrid cloud security

  Hybrid cloud security is the combination of technologies and practices that protect a hybrid cloud user's sensitive data, infrastructure and applications.Continue Reading

• How to survive a cloud service outage

  Outages might be rare, but they are rarely cheap -- any amount of downtime can cost you money. Learn how to minimize the risks and survive a cloud service outage.Continue Reading

• Navigate the eviction policies for Azure Spot Virtual Machines

  When things go right, Azure Spot VMs are a good investment to save money. However, users need a greater understanding of how eviction policies will affect their VMs.Continue Reading

• SPI model

  The SPI model is an abbreviation of the most common cloud computing service models: software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS).Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud connectivity best practices and considerations

  Private and public clouds stress networks in different ways and don't always play well together. Here's what to know to set up a cost-effective hybrid cloud network architecture.Continue Reading

• Use resource tagging to optimize cloud costs

  When it comes to cost management in cloud computing, tags and additional metadata can help with reporting, allocation and optimization recommendations.Continue Reading

• Craft a data protection strategy for multi-cloud

  Data protection is harder when you have multiple clouds in the mix. Manage this challenge by crafting a data protection strategy and following these best practices.Continue Reading

• cloudlet

  A cloudlet is a small-scale data center or cluster of computers designed to quickly provide cloud computing services to mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, within close geographical proximity.Continue Reading

• 3 cost optimization strategies for multi-cloud environments

  Cloud environments can become costly especially across multiple cloud providers. Read about these cost optimization strategies to bring down your bill.Continue Reading

• Create a private endpoint to secure Azure Functions apps

  Don't overlook security and leave your functions exposed. Learn how private endpoints can add an extra layer of protection for your Azure Function apps.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Azure Data Lake

  Microsoft Azure Data Lake is a highly scalable public cloud service that allows developers, scientists, business professionals and other Microsoft customers to gain insight from large, complex data sets.Continue Reading

• Prep data for ML training with SageMaker Data Wrangler

  Are you ready to wrangle some data? Follow this step-by-step tutorial, and learn how to load, analyze and transform data to train a ML model with Amazon SageMaker Data Wrangler.Continue Reading

• Introduction to Amazon SageMaker Edge Manager alternatives

  Amazon SageMaker Edge Manager helps manage ML applications at the edge. But enterprises can evaluate tools such as ONNX and AWS IoT Greengrass to prepare for Edge Manager's sunset.Continue Reading

• 5 cloud asset management best practices to optimize performance

  Cloud billing, application deployments and security and governance are all important steps of cloud asset management. These best practices can help optimize cloud performance.Continue Reading

• Compare Amazon CloudWatch vs. AWS CloudTrail

  Amazon CloudWatch and AWS CloudTrail help cloud administrators view configuration history and set up predictive monitoring alerts. Here are the major differences between the tools.Continue Reading

• How to use Amazon SageMaker Canvas for accurate predictions

  Amazon SageMaker Canvas is a useful machine learning tool for both technical and nontechnical professionals. This tutorial shows how to create data sets and train custom models.Continue Reading

• How AI and ML can transform CloudOps

  AI and ML tools support several use cases in cloud operations, such as security, fault correlation and latency. These best practices can help CloudOps teams take the right steps.Continue Reading