Cloud Computing Fundamentals – An Introduction to Digital Transformation

The cloud computing revolution is impacting organizations of all sizes, across industries, and all over the globe. Fundamentally, new ways of building systems, architecting infrastructure, and managing data have created a perfect storm for the cloud, with the total market value expected to hit $1 trillion by 2032 (according to Global Market Insights at https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/public-cloud-market). As this massive growth market continues to expand, the need for talent that is familiar with the latest technologies and innovations also grows. The need for Google Cloud talent is particularly acute, with Google being the fastest-growing hyperscale cloud provider as of Q1 2023 with a growth rate of 28% YoY and an annual run rate of nearly $30 billion (as per https://abc.xyz/investor/static/pdf/2023Q1_alphabet_earnings_release.pdf). This book is designed to provide a baseline understanding of Google’s approach to the cloud for both business and technology professionals and prepare you to certify as a Google Cloud Digital Leader.

In this first chapter, we will introduce foundational concepts for cloud computing and explore Google’s view of it by highlighting how Google defines digital transformation, along with both the business and technical forces driving businesses to adopt cloud solutions.

Here is a summary of what will be covered:

• How and why the cloud is transforming businesses
• The benefits of the cloud for digital transformation
• Elaborating on digital transformation with Google Cloud
• Describing how a transformation cloud accelerates innovation

We will cover these learnings via the following topics:

• An introduction to data centers
• The why behind digital transformation
• The benefits of digital transformation
• Hypothetical case study – Acme Inc.