If you haven’t heard of Qwiklabs, it’s an online learning environment where users can be trained on how to use public cloud services to run different applications. One of the ‘labs’ the site offers is a lab on how to use AWS, or Amazon Web Services.
Why is this interesting? Well, Google has just acquired Qwiklabs, and if you’re at all familiar with Google, you’ll know that Amazon is one of Google’s competitors.
But, before we get there, let’s take a few steps back. Google has a motive behind this acquisition. It has taken Qwiklabs primarily as a way for the company to expand the use of its cloud platform. Jason Martin, the director of professional services for Google Cloud, said that Google will be creating tools to help people get up to speed on the Google Cloud Platform and G Suite productivity service.
Though, before Google reaches all the goals it has for Qwiklabs, they need to first sit with the fact that Qwiklabs’ existing portfolio focuses on educating people primarily on how to use Amazon Web Services, like Alexa. Though Amazon is Google’s competition, Google won’t be doing away with these Qwiklab services just yet. In fact, Qwiklabs CEO Enis Konuk said, “Owners of existing credits and subscriptions continue to enjoy the same access to our library of hands-on labs. Our partners who deliver instructor-led training sessions and events can continue to do so.”
In the meantime, though the public has a general idea of what Google’s plans are, a representative from the company has refused to comment on the future of Qwiklabs’ existing Amazon product base.
But, while the news may be a shocker for tech followers, keep in mind that this isn’t the first time Google has purchased an AWS-focused cloud company. In 2014, Google acquired the company Stackdriver, a service which helps people manage the performance of their cloud compute resources. Back then, Stackdriver was focused on AWS, but nowadays, it’s focused on GCP just as much. So, there’s hope for the two to exist on Qwiklabs simultaneously. In fact, Diane Greene, Google cloud chief, is a supporter of multi-cloud deployments. That means that it’s very likely we will see Qwiklabs acting in much of the same way as Stackdriver.
However, because nothing is for sure at the moment, Amazon may have to search for another education partner just in case Qwiklab changes it’s direction. And, those who are already used to using Qwiklabs to learn about AWS should also consider exploring other options, too. In the meantime, we’ll surely be keeping an eye on Google’s next move!
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