Deploying and operating enterprise workloads in the cloud is a time-consuming process because it is manual. Innovative orchestration and automation tools help enterprises eliminate the multitude of processes around provisioning and managing cloud computing workloads and services - from sizing, provisioning and configuring resources, to building VM clusters, to monitoring and managing availability and performance in the cloud.
Cloud Automation: The IT Future Has a Name
In view of the increasingly complex automation solutions, the demands on the automation skills of employees are also increasing. Knowing the right and important cloud automation tools and being able to apply them in the right IT context is one of the deciding factors for the professional perspective and the success of the company.
Automated Resource Optimization
There's no denying that proper implementation of cloud automation not only saves time and money, but is also faster, more secure and more scalable than performing tasks manually. This is because companies can create more reliable, automated workflows.
Cloud orchestration tools can codify workload provisioning and management processes so that routine processes can be easily repeated in the future. Cloud automation tools then automatically execute the codified steps associated with managing and operating a cloud-based IT infrastructure. The cloud automation tools can be configured to automatically control the installation, configuration and management of cloud computing systems so that organizations can make the most of their cloud-based resources.
Basic use cases for cloud automation include:
Cloud Automation Is A "Must" For The Future Of The Enterprise
Cloud automation and orchestration provide enterprises with the scalability and flexibility they need to remain competitive. A cloud automation framework can also help enterprises reduce the complexities associated with deploying a high-performance cloud infrastructure.
Because in the cloud, companies only pay for the resources they use, cloud automation solutions can help reduce IT infrastructure costs through automated optimization.
The ability to apply cloud automation to both legacy and cloud-native applications means that the manual effort required to manage cloud computing workloads can be automated, making traditional applications and infrastructure more competitive and agile to manage.
With the help of cloud automation, companies can make an easy transition from their legacy systems to modern cloud services, ensuring the company's competitiveness.
So Different The Approaches, So Different The Cloud Automation
As of today, however, there is not yet a cloud automation tool or a cloud automation platform. Rather, the market offers a variety of different tools and platforms to automate one or more tasks in the cloud. The spectrum ranges from automation services from cloud providers to configuration management tools with cloud automation functions to providers of multi-cloud management tools with integrated automation functions. But as different as the approaches to cloud automation are, the cloud automation training offered by the providers also varies.
Below, we have taken a close look at the top 8 cloud automation training and solution providers in terms of their training offerings.
1. Cloud Automation Training with AWS CloudFormation
The tool at a glance
AWS CloudFormation by Amazon helps automate and provision resources across AWS cloud infrastructure, enables automated account management, and helps enterprises scale.
With AWS CloudFormation, resources can be modeled in YAML or JSON, automated, and then deployed to cloud-based AWS infrastructure. AWS CloudFormation also handles automated management of regional accounts, facilitating cross-country scaling.
Trainings and Certificates
Amazon offers a wide range of training and certifications for AWS products, including CloudFormation. Specifically for AWS CloudFormation, Amazon provides documentation, videos, and sample templates to help admins better understand how CloudFormation works. Learners can choose from hundreds of free self-paced trainings and certifications, along with instructor-led classroom training, virtual or in-person, and webinars to find the type of training that best fits their role, scope, and skill level.
Live course instructors teach attendees in-demand cloud skills and best practices through a mix of presentations, discussions, and hands-on exercises that help improve understanding and reinforce content. Customized role-based learning paths lead to AWS certification of desired cloud skills - virtually with online proctoring or in a testing center.
2. Cloud Automation Training with Google Cloud Deployment Manager
The tool at a glance
Google Cloud Deployment Manager helps build cloud infrastructures via Google Cloud Computing. Google Cloud Deployment Manager can automate Google Cloud configuration and deployment with repeatable deployments and template-driven configurations. Deployment Manager provides a variety of tools, from CLIs and APIs to GUIs, to administer all phases of infrastructure configuration and management, from resource creation to deletion.
Trainings and Certificates
Google provides several courses, tutorials and guides as well as courseware and sample deployments on cloud computing, but no dedicated training on cloud automation. Here, interested parties and users have to make do with videos on the company's own video channel for cloud deployment.
3. Microsoft Power Automate / Azure Automation
The tool at a glance
Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud-based service that automates workflows between apps and services to synchronize files, receive notifications, and collect data to simplify and more effectively manage business processes.
In addition, Microsoft offers Azure Automation, a cloud-based automation and configuration service that enables consistent management across Azure and non-Azure environments. Automated control over maintenance and compliance tasks, process automation and update management are among the other features designed to help reduce errors and time in infrastructure deployment.
Trainings and Certificates
For users of Power Automation, Microsoft offers only five modules on the subject of Power Automation. There is indeed a whole range of learning materials and courses on the topic of Microsoft Azure. However, to learn more about using Azure Automation, users can only access the learning module "Protecting your VM settings with Azure Automation State Configuration".
4. Cloud Automation Training with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
The tool at a glance
The Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform is a task-based infrastructure automation tool that makes it easy to automate configurations. The platform makes use of a language called "playbooks" to compose automation, configuration and orchestration tasks. Key features include job scheduling, GUI-based inventory management, multi-playbook workflows and a flexible REST API, as well as optimizations for general API query processing and revised user interface communication protocols. The Automation Services Catalog enables management of automation resources in the provisioning, decommissioning, and logging phases.
Trainings and Certificates
Red Hat offers a variety of webinars and training on a wide range of automation topics. Through the online training resources, prospects and users can customize the learning process as needed and adapt it to their own learning pace. Cloud-based labs provide around-the-clock access to the desired learning resources on six continents. Certification tests allow course participants to validate their acquired skills and knowledge. However, Red Hat does not offer dedicated Cloud Automation training and education.
5. Cloud Automation Training with Puppet
The tool at a glance
Puppet works for all cloud variants, from computing to storage to network resources, and helps organizations automate, model, configure and enforce the necessary infrastructure configurations. Puppet Enterprise - the company's commercial offering - can manage all aspects of a cloud-based infrastructure, from computing to storage to network resources. The GUI console makes it easy to classify and manage all cloud deployed machines.
Trainings and Certificates
Puppet offers a comprehensive training curriculum, expert instructors and flexible learning options, as well as a suite of videos and podcast. To its customers, Puppet provides the Puppet Learning VM interactive learning environment to enhance the skills they already have to discover, manage and deploy the applications and infrastructure on which they run. However, Puppet does not offer dedicated cloud automation training.
6. Cloud Automation Training with Chef Automation
The tool at a glance
Chef Automation is an infrastructure configuration tool that helps effectively manage compliance, from enforcing configuration policies to continuous deployment of production code. In addition to detailed compliance management, the tool also provides high availability and GUI-based workflow pipeline creation. Key integrations include AWS, Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing, VMware and Google Cloud Computing.
Trainings and Certificates
Through hands-on, beginner and advanced training focused on solving real business problems, trainees learn how to automate their infrastructure with Chef. Online courses enable time-independent learning in the lab from home or the office. However, of the five courses offered, only one addresses automation. In addition, Chef Automation offers so-called private training, virtually or at the customer's location. Also, only one of six course offerings addresses the topic of automation.
In Learn Chef, interested parties can choose from a menu of tracks and modules. A track groups related learning activities into a curriculum. For example, there is a track on infrastructure automation. A module is a specific activity in which a particular task is completed. All courses are optimized for self-paced learning, so the knowledge we need is immediately at hand.
7. Cloud Automation Training with Cisco Intelligent Automation
The tool at a glance
Cisco Intelligent Automation for the Cloud supports Cisco and other cloud environments, from Infrastructure as a Code (IaaC) to hands-on instance management and provisioning. It is a self-service portal whose special features are multi-tenancy capability and network service automation. Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud provides everything from Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to hands-on deployment and management of instances running in the Cisco Cloud or other cloud environments such as AWS, OpenStack and VMware. Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud, while designed specifically for Cisco's own cloud infrastructure offerings, benefits from the ability to extend automation tools to other ecosystems.
Trainings and Certificates
In the Training & Certifications area, customers will find a very extensive range of training courses, which interested parties can obtain an overview of with the help of the Cisco Learning Locator. With DevNet Tracks, a guided learning platform for Cisco technologies, Cisco offers a mix of learning sessions such as keynotes, technical talks and lightning talks for learning selected Cisco technologies. Based on the DevNet Learning Labs, a track is composed of modules, which in turn are composed of learning labs. The modules also focus on general knowledge in programming, networking and other topics. The training offering is supplemented by various videos and webinars. Cisco offers a variety of courses under the different aspects of infrastructure automation. The range of certifications extends from beginners to professionals and experts.
The Cisco Networking Academy provides students at general and vocational schools or students at (technical) colleges and universities in 165 countries worldwide with comprehensive online learning materials for teaching information and network technology skills.
8. Cloud Automation Training with CFEngine
The tool at a glance
CFEngine is a configuration management tool that automates IT infrastructures of all sizes while ensuring service levels and compliance. Unlike other tools that require a central management server, CFEngine relies on autonomous agents that run on each node of the infrastructure, implement the desired state, and continuously generate reports.
Trainings and Certificates
In the CFEngine Learning Center, interested parties can find a variety of video-based information and how-tos about the product, regardless of their knowledge of CFEngine. In addition, CFEngine offers a range of one-day and multi-day training courses tailored to the needs of enterprise customers. The trainings aim at gaining practical experience with the solution. The multi-day trainings are tailored to the use cases defined by the customer.
Conclusion
Undeniably, the automatic provisioning of resources is one of the promising functions available in the cloud. Cloud automation is also more about a change in attitude than a change in technology. Many employees, but also managers, find it difficult to drive automation forward in their companies and establish it successfully.
Sure, it's tempting to Google for the information you need and attend online forums or webinars. But ultimately, informal learning isn't really a good solution. It's often not as detailed and in-depth as needed, or as hands-on and lasting as necessary. As a rule, there is also a lack of consolidation of what has been learned through practical practice.
Blended Learning provides the answers that drive a training seeker to go back to the classroom and enables on-demand and just-in-time learning. Virtual classes led by experienced teachers and practitioners give students the opportunity to discuss issues, ask questions, and interact with trained professionals and peers. Virtual classroom participants learn how to use automation tools profitably from automation experts who have gone through the process.
Investing in cloud automation training that improves the automation capabilities of existing employees has never made more sense. The more companies invest in their employees, the more value they add to the business. That's because employees with automation skills have more time to focus on more valuable tasks that benefit the business.
