Hi Inner Circle!

Welcome to this week's edition.

Today I'm sharing a list of cloud resources specific to the top 4 cloud providers - AWS, GCP, Azure, and OCI.

All free, with hands-on labs as well.

Before we begin... a big thank you to today's partner - Cyberhaven

AI is exfiltrating your data in fragments. See how to track and stop it on Feb 3.

Every week, AI tools make teams faster ~ and data harder to control.

Sensitive files move across SaaS apps, models train on private inputs, and legacy DLP misses the context that matters.

On Feb 3 at 11:00 AM PT, Cyberhaven is launching its unified DSPM + DLP platform, built for AI-driven workflows. Join the live launch to:

→ See how security teams get real-time visibility into risky data usage

→ Watch a live demo of AI-native data security

→ Hear why legacy DLP breaks down in modern environments

Let’s dive in!

AWS Resources:

AWS Skill Builder
→ AWS's official learning platform with 500+ free courses covering everything from cloud basics to advanced AI/ML
→ Start with the "AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials" course ~ it's the foundation for everything else 

AWS Cloud Quest
→ Gamified, hands-on learning where you solve real-world challenges in a 3D environment
→ You learn by doing ~ deploy EC2 instances, configure S3 buckets, set up VPCs, all through interactive scenarios

AWS Builder Labs 
→ FREE hands-on labs in real AWS environments (previously paid content, now free)
→ Do these AFTER completing foundational courses to solidify your understanding 

AWS Twitch Live Sessions
→ Live coding sessions, Q&As, and deep dives hosted by AWS engineers

AWS Workshops
→ Self-paced, scenario-based workshops covering specific use cases 

AWS Free Tier
→ 12 months of free access to 100+ AWS services (with usage limits)
→ Set up billing alerts immediately to avoid surprise charges. 

Google Cloud (GCP) Resources:

Google Cloud Skills Boost
→ Hands-on labs (Qwiklabs) where you work in real GCP environments
→ Start with "Getting Started with Google Cloud" learning path — it's free and takes ~8 hours

Google Cloud Arcade
→ Gamified learning with challenges, badges, and prizes
→ Monthly challenges that keep you engaged and building real projects
→ Complete challenges to earn Google Cloud swag and certifications

Coursera GCP Courses (Audit for Free)
→ Professional certificates and specializations from Google Cloud
→ University-quality courses taught by Google engineers
→ Click "Audit" instead of "Enroll" to access all course materials for free

Google Cloud YouTube Channel
→ Deep dives, tutorials, and best practices from GCP product teams
→ Search for playlists like "Kubernetes Best Practices" and "Serverless Expeditions"

Google Cloud Free Tier
→ $300 credit for 90 days + always-free tier for 20+ products
→ Use the free tier to deploy a real project ~ it's resume-worthy

Google Cloud Innovators Plus
→ Free community program with exclusive training, certifications, and event announcements.

Microsoft Azure Resources:

Microsoft Learn
→ Free, self-paced learning paths for Azure roles (Admin, Developer, Solutions Architect)
→ 1000+ modules with hands-on labs in sandboxed Azure environments
→ Start with "Azure Fundamental Free Certification" (AZ-900) ~ baseline for all Azure learning

Azure 30 Day Plans
→ Timed learning challenges with prizes and certifications

Microsoft Virtual Training Days
→ Free, instructor-led virtual training sessions
→ You can get certification vouchers here!!

Azure Free Tier
→ 12 months free + 25+ always-free services + $200 credit for 30 days
→ Use the $200 credit to explore premium services like Azure OpenAI

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Resources:

Oracle University Free Training
→ Free courses on OCI, databases, and cloud architecture
→ Look for "OCI Foundations" and "OCI Architect Associate" courses

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure YouTube Channel
→ Tutorials, best practices, and product demos
→ Watch the "OCI Quick Start" series for fast onboarding

Oracle Cloud Free Tier
→ Always-free resources (not time-limited) — 2 VMs, 200GB storage, 10TB outbound data
→ OCI's free tier NEVER expires
→ Use this to host personal projects, APIs, or databases permanently

Platform-Agnostic Resources:

KodeKloud Free Courses
→ Free test labs for DevOps, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and CI/CD
→ You can use their courses to prepare for CKA/CKAD Kubernetes certifications

FreeCodeCamp Cloud Courses (YouTube)
→ Full-length, free cloud courses
→ Examples: "AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner", "Docker Tutorial for Beginners"

Udemy Free Cloud Courses
→ Free courses on AWS, Azure, GCP, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform

TechWorld with Nana (YouTube)
→ DevOps and cloud tutorials (Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Terraform

How to Use These Resources Effectively

Here's the problem: most people bookmark these resources and never use them. Here's how to actually make progress:

Cloud learning in 2026 isn't about how much you spend. It's about how strategic you are with free resources.

Cloud providers are literally giving away enterprise-grade training. Use it.

→ Start with ONE provider
→ Complete ONE foundational course
→ Build ONE real project
→ Share it on GitHub/LinkedIn

Then repeat.

That's how you build cloud skills that actually land jobs.

That’s it for this week.

You now have everything you need to start learning cloud ~ for free🏃‍♂️

Keep showing up, keep practicing!

Onwards & Upwards!

-V

P.S.

I am sharing detailed Cloud Roadmaps on Youtube, if you want to dive deeper ~ check them out here.