Cloud Computing Simplified

A Cloud Glossary for Beginners

Once upon a time, I was talking about AWS…And the person I was talking to, looked lost, and asked me, “What is AWS?” I looked at them, absolutely flabbergasted, “Amazon Web Services! How can you not know the biggest Cloud Computing Provider? How can you not?”

Their next question, left me even more perplexed, “What is Cloud Computing? Isn’t Amazon that ecommerce store or whatever?” they asked, completely unfazed by my apparent shock.

“Uhm, Amazon the Store and Amazon Web Services are kind of not the same thing. Anyways, Cloud Computing, is simply, the abstraction of —”

I began to explain, but they cut me off. “What is abstraction?” They asked.

I stared at them, sighed, and whispered, “Never Mind.”

“This Cloud stuff seems interesting, you should tell me more one day when you have time.”

Building a Cloud Glossary

That interaction lives in my memory rent free, because there would be many such seemingly interesting encounters. This has thus inspired me to create a glossary of cloud terms for beginners, in an effort to make cloud computing terminology more general.

As someone who is obsessed with the cloud and often tries to get people to be as excited as I am, I am often shocked at how they really don’t know much about it, except as end users when they’re uploading their pictures to the cloud… but at least, here and there, there are people who genuinely want to know more about the cloud and build on it.

From a seemingly simple term like ‘abstraction’ , when getting started with cloud computing, beginners and people who don’t come from a information technology or computing background are often overwhelmed with all the unfamiliar technical jargon and the terms that keep popping up when they commence their learning, which sometimes demotivates them and decelerates their Cloud Journey.

They’d see a term like ‘asynchronous’ and decide, “You know what? This cloud tech stuff is not for me. Bye.”

A regular Cloud Developer or seasoned Tech Professional might not understand why such simple terms would scare beginners, but certain terms just don’t exist in everyday vocabulary and might seem too overwhelming for someone who wants to get started with the Cloud.

Therefore, over the next few days, weeks or months, however long it takes, I will be posting the A to Z of basic terminology that should become a part of your vocabulary through out your cloud life, especially when it comes to cloud development & cloud engineering.

What is the Cloud?

I am sure you have seen this description so many times now, but, it doesn’t hurt to continuously see it again and again. According to NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology:

Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

Let’s delve deeper and simplify this definition:

Ubiquitous: Imagine having access to your favorite coffee shop’s Wi-Fi from anywhere, at any time. You can work or browse from anywhere, just like how cloud resources are accessible from anywhere.

Convenient: Think of cloud computing like a vending machine. You can quickly get what you need (snacks or resources) without having to go through a long process.

On-demand network access: It’s like having a light switch. When you need light (resources), you flip the switch, and it’s there. No delay!

Shared pool of configurable resources: Imagine a public library with books (resources) that multiple people can use. You can check out a book (use resources) and return it (release resources) when done.

Rapidly provisioned and released: It’s like ordering food delivery. You order (provision), get your food (resources), and when done, the delivery person takes it back (releases resources).

Minimal management effort: Think of a hotel. You don’t worry about maintaining the building or rooms (infrastructure); the hotel staff handles it. You just enjoy your stay (use resources).

Minimal server provider interaction: It’s like interacting with a bank teller. You request services (resources) or manage your account (configure resources) through the teller (cloud provider), without actually having to meet ‘the bank teller’ because everything you need is easily accessible, unless it’s really urgent that you interact.

What Are the Benefits of Getting Started with the Cloud?

Amongst the more technical benefits of getting started with cloud computing, the more instant benefits are getting started easily and easily leaving, commonly referred to as ease of entry and ease of exit.

Ease of Entry: Think of a gym membership. You can sign up easily and start using the facilities without a long-term commitment. In cloud computing, ease of entry means you can quickly sign up and start using cloud services without significant upfront costs or complex setup processes.

Ease of Exit: Imagine you’re renting a house. When your lease ends, you can easily move out and leave the property without worrying about selling the house or being stuck in a long-term contract. Similarly, in cloud computing, ease of exit means you can easily terminate your service or migrate to a different provider without being locked in or facing significant penalties.

What Do You Need To Get Started With The Cloud?

It is easy to get started with cloud computing because you don’t require many resources. With yourself, a laptop, an internet connection: the cloud is your oyster!

When it’s all said and done, you also need to have a sense of curiosity about technology. You need to love continuously consuming new knowledge and learning. Additionally, you need to have the mental flexibility to learn, unlearn, and relearn quickly, as old knowledge becomes irrelevant very rapidly. Having an evolutionary mindset and a solutions-oriented personality is therefore advantageous.

You must be able to adapt to the environment, be resilient, and have the self-discipline to consistently do what needs to be done without fearing failure.

Take Note: As an AWS Community Builder, I will be prioritizing Amazon Web Services (AWS) as my preferred Cloud Provider when I provide technical examples, and relevant services.

… so from Abstraction to Zero Trust, let’s build a glossary!

Summary

To summarize, I plan to create a comprehensive glossary of cloud terms, starting with “abstraction” and covering topics up to “zero trust,” prioritizing AWS as my preferred cloud provider for technical examples. I want to help beginners understand cloud computing terminology and make it more accessible and easy to understand.

Prerequisites:

Curiosity about Cloud Computing.

Theory:

1. A personal story about encountering someone unfamiliar with AWS and cloud computing.
2. The importance of explaining cloud computing terminology in a simple way.
3. A definition of cloud computing according to NIST.
4. A simplified explanation of cloud computing.
5. Benefits of getting started with the cloud (ease of entry and exit).
6. What you need to get started with the cloud (yourself, laptop, internet, curiosity, and a willingness to learn).

Additional Resources

What is Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the Internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. Instead of buying, owning, and maintaining physical data centers and servers, you can access technology services, such as computing power, storage, and databases, on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing

This cloud model is composed of five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models.

Concluding Remarks

I hope you don’t abandon your cloud journey when you realize it will require dedication, consistency, and a significant amount of reading.