What challenges do Computer Science students face when learning cloud computing?

The concepts are never complex, it just the way you are understanding them is complex. For example. The first time we read about integrations in 12th class it is really tough, but after understanding the concepts and you get it easy right. So the same way, just find a mentor and start taking small steps.

Cloud abstracts the underlying infrastructure which makes it confusing for students who have been used to learning about servers, networks etc.

Diving into cloud computing can be daunting for Computer Science students, largely due to its complex concepts. Students often grapple with understanding the intricacies of distributed computing and cloud infrastructure. Concepts like virtualization, scalability, and elasticity can be abstract and require a shift from traditional computing paradigms. The vast array of services and platforms (like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) adds to the complexity. Keeping pace with the rapidly evolving cloud technologies is another challenge. It's essential to bridge the gap with hands-on projects and real-world applications to solidify understanding. This complexity, though intimidating, also makes mastering cloud computing incredibly rewarding.

In my experience the newbies have issues of understanding cloud as initially everything seems to be coming out of thin air, it becomes more complex when all topics are presented together. i have seen performing them well if initially asked to create virtual machines on their systems and explaining them this is somewhat cloud does, then moving them to cloud and introducing more complex cloud concepts.

What struck me most is that "execution" isn't "guaranteed" anymore (not even close). So, you write a script that calls a serverless function, and whether or not it gets executed is out of your control. Much more than in an environment where your code runs on your computer, you need to build in tolerances for failure: networks will mostly be available, but sometimes not; database connections will mostly be available, but sometimes they are not. Fault tolerance and retrying are much more important in a cloud environment.

Students need a diverse skill set encompassing networking, programming, and system administration to understand the intricacies of cloud computing. Compared to a core concept that can be done in a silo, cloud computing is diagonal in terms of the number of aspects to know about and learn. It could be a time management challenge for students as well

Cloud computing (CC) covers a wide variety of subjects. To understand fundamentals of CC, one needs to start with an overview of topics such as, Linux, Python, CC components, Automation tools, Agile programming, and team work. One must have a passion for life long learning to succeed and grow in this domain. Deeper understanding of at least one Cloud system is a must, e.g. AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or another. One must have a CAN DO attitude to meet the challenges one would face as a Cloud Computing Engineer.

In my line of work, I've seen firsthand how cloud computing courses just aren't keeping up with the tech world. The problem is, cloud tech moves fast, and academia just can’t seem to match that speed with all the red tape involved in updating curricula. We've got to figure out a way to streamline this whole process. CS students need to be on the cutting edge, not trailing behind!

Cloud computing requires a diverse set of skills, including programming, system administration, and knowledge of various cloud platforms. Students may find it challenging to acquire and master this wide range of skill

The biggest shift that I had to make was how every decision has consequences, which ensures that you test the impact of changes in much more detail. As an example, if you write a piece of code that inefficiently does unnesesary loops, then when you scale that up, then the cost impact can be huge. But in the end, learning through doing, is the fastest way to learns and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Cercando suas redes sociais e portais de forma mais segmentada com experts, referências e product owners das grandes provedoras de cloud, pode te facilitar estar sempre atualizado e de forma mais organica

The fast-paced evolution of cloud technologies necessitates continuous learning. Students must stay updated on the latest services, tools, and best practices. Adapting to change is a crucial skill in the dynamic field of cloud computing.

Cloud being highly dynamic entails that students will have to continuously adapt and learn technologies, practices and even new modules attached on the same otherwise one gets left behind. Thus, the fact that tech certifications get version releases per annum if not per semi-annual since the goal is to ensure that learning gets updated vis-a-vis to learning and discoveries.

The field of cloud computing is dynamic, with rapid advancements and frequent updates to cloud platforms. Keeping up with these changes can be demanding for students and may require continuous learning and adaptation.

I'm going against the current here to say that you should learn what your time allows. To keep up with technologies, create and maintain monthly a Venn Diagram of: Technologies You Know Of, Technology you Know Well, Technologies You Want to Know, Technologies that Your Potential Employers are using, New Upcoming Technologies. To be honest, there is a lot of noise for new tech, and a lot of them are failures. A lot of the common practices in cloud computing are still around, they're simply rebranded with new pricing models and more unnecessary customization. It's not all necessary to know if you'll never work with some of those things.

Free tier subscriptions, and other learning programs offer reduced cost sandboxes that will allow you to progress via application instead of just theory. It's important to understand all of the resources available outside of an educational setting.

Cloud is technically an e-commerce haven for tech specialists most especially to developers. Since this technology entails cost, it becomes an undisputed requirement for one to understand business casing, revenue impact and breakeven analysis before starting to invest on the technology. Without this practice enforced, wastage on financing may proliferate which can be detrimental to holistic revenue of an organization. Cloud providers offer free tier hence the fact that a POC on the said tech can be pursued before going all-in.

Learning about scalable systems can actually alleviate this issue. Starting small but setting it up to be scalable is a great way to reduce development costs

This often seems to be overlooked by students particularly as they often don’t work directly or get exposed to the cost of storing and accessing the cloud.

This can be a tricky challenge to overcome but it's doable! AWS, Azure, and many other platforms provide free tier options that can be used during the learning phase. Many teaching websites offer sandboxed environments for free or reduced prices. Universities sometimes also provide cloud infrastructure. So students should explore all possible resources.

Understanding and implementing robust security measures is vital in cloud computing. Students need to be aware of ethical considerations, such as data privacy and compliance, to ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of cloud-based systems.

Security is one of the most important and ignored aspects of Cloud computing. Students should understand and follow the best practices. Cloud platforms keep conducting sessions to help people with security and ethics. Students should attend these.

Understanding and implementing proper security measures in cloud computing is crucial. Students need to be aware of security best practices and ethical considerations when working with sensitive data and cloud services.

The security and ethical considerations in cloud computing can be daunting. It’s not just about making things work; it’s about making them safe and responsible too. To address this, prioritize security and ethics from the start. Courses specifically focused on cloud security and ethics can provide a solid foundation. Engaging in ethical hacking challenges and simulations can also help reinforce these principles in a practical setting. Additionally, participating in discussions and workshops on ethical practices can broaden your perspective.

We're all wired uniquely when it comes to learning. Identifying your optimal learning style may require a bit of exploration, but once you do, the journey becomes not only smoother but enjoyable. This principle holds true for mastering any subject in life, not just cloud computing. Embrace the process of discovering how you learn best-it's the key to an enriching educational journey.

Hands-On Experience: Cloud computing is best learned through hands-on experience, but acquiring practical skills can be challenging for students who do not have access to cloud resources or face restrictions in experimenting with real-world scenarios.

Different students have varying learning styles. Some may prefer hands-on projects, while others benefit more from theoretical approaches. Educators need to employ diverse teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles within a classroom or online setting.

Students have different learning styles, and traditional educational approaches may not cater to everyone. Some students may struggle if the teaching methods don't align with their preferred learning styles, and this can impact their understanding of cloud computing concepts.

Cloud computing offers a great perspective to teach computer science. It is possible to explore 3 points: (1) the historical context, showing the technology evolution; (2) the technical aspects, from physical infrastructure, tools, and coding (there is a lot here); (3) business: how companies (from all sizes) are exploring it considering the commercial side.

If you were a child and I showed you a toy( Toy 1) and you played around with it. You will get a grasp of it, right? Now assume you played with Toy 1 and I start telling you about an amazing Toy 2 that is beyond your reach. However well I explain it to you, you still won't be able to grasp the picture completely. This is the exact case that happens with Students, they are used to having all resources present right in front of them in the form of a computer. ( Toy 1) Now till the time they can't actually see Cloud computing (Toy 2) in action, it becomes hard for them to visualize and get a hold of it.

One thing I've found helpful is to continuously try out new things. Use a sandbox environment to use and read up about different available services. This helped me learn much faster and better than traditional classroom trainings :-)

As much as this is an engineering program, we need to talk here about business models, e.g. "rent vs buy". As a student, you would buy your computing capacity (laptop, server) and run your experiments on it. At the end, you remain with your computing capacity, which you can reuse. In Cloud computing you either have a WHACK of money with which you BUY and OPERATE your private cloud (and have a budget to maintain it), OR you RENT your cloud computing from the likes of AWS (with many other hidden costs), and understand that rent is a recurring cost you will never see back other than as experience + outcome of the cloud computing processing done. Plus, exporting any data from the cloud - to move elsewhere - is intentionally MADE difficult.

Under no circumstances think of cloud as a remote data center or a remote set of compute nodes with storage, that'll lead you down the wrong path. Always implement during learning multi-zone and multi-region applications. Always assume that "everything breaks all the time" and learn how to code so that your applications become failure resilient.

In addressing these challenges, educational institutions and instructors can adopt diverse teaching methods, provide hands-on experiences, offer resources for continuous learning, and emphasize the importance of security and ethical considerations in cloud computing. Additionally, fostering a collaborative learning environment where students can share their experiences and insights can enhance the overall learning process.