According to cloud vendor statistics, Amazon Web Services (AWS) remains the leading cloud vendor, while Microsoft Azure steadily closes the gap.
Google Cloud follows in third place, and then there are “others” that are not always listed, which include Alibaba Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
Given that these six cloud vendors are predominantly used and account for over 99% of cloud infrastructure utilization, how does one acquire a fundamental understanding of their differences and individual benefits in comparison to each other?
Perhaps one effective method—a hobby of mine—is to examine the types of professional certifications they offer and attempt to pass the free ones.
It’s customary for a cloud vendor to provide free, self-paced online training necessary for certification, though passing the actual exam comes with a cost. Certification is granted only upon successful completion of the exam.
Certification tiers are structured as follows:
| Vendor | Free tier | Cheapest paid exam | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure | - | Fundamentals, $99 USD | Fundamentals -> Associate -> Expert |
| Alibaba | ”Event” | Clouder, $0.01 USD | Associate -> Professional -> Expert |
| Oracle | Foundations Associate | ||
| IBM | - | Advocate, $200 USD |
Here are links to the starting points for certifications in these cloud vendors:
- Alibaba Cloud Academy Certifications
- Getting certified in IBM Cloud
- Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Training and Certification
For Oracle, foundational information can be accessed at: Become an OCI Foundations Associate 2024