7 lessons available
In this lesson, we explain what cloud computing is (and what it is not) using a simple definition you can reuse. We also cover the five essential characteristics that distinguish cloud computing from “just using the internet.” By the end, you should be able to recognize cloud scenarios quickly and avoid the most common misunderstandings.
The shared responsibility model explains how cloud responsibilities are split between Microsoft and you. Microsoft is responsible for **security of the cloud** (the Azure platform and infrastructure), while you are responsible for **security in the cloud** (how you configure and use what you deploy). This split changes depending on whether you use Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Software as a Service (SaaS).
Public, private, and hybrid cloud deployment models fit different constraints. In this lesson, you’ll learn simple rules of thumb for choosing a model based on scaling needs, cost, control, compliance, and existing on-premises systems. You’ll also practice explaining your choice clearly from a short scenario.
High availability is about keeping an application accessible when failures happen. Scalability is about handling demand changes by adding or removing resources. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to tell “failure problems” from “demand problems,” and how cloud makes both easier when you design for them.
Reliability is the ability of a system to recover from failures and continue to function. Predictability is the ability to plan for more consistent performance and costs over time. This lesson explains both ideas, how they relate to high availability and scalability, and what you still need to design and configure to get these benefits.
Cloud platforms provide built-in capabilities that can help you apply security controls more consistently and spot problems faster. Governance is how you set guardrails (standards and rules) so teams create and operate resources in an approved, repeatable way. This lesson clarifies the difference between security and governance and explains the shared responsibility model so you know what the cloud provider handles and what you still own.
Manageability in the cloud means you can deploy, operate, and update resources in more consistent and repeatable ways. It shows up in two areas: managing your resources (automation, monitoring, and replacement) and the ways you manage them (portal, command line, APIs, and PowerShell). This lesson explains both and the common tools used in Azure.
