AWS: Systems Operations
Course Description Overview
This course covers the duties of those who are responsible for implementing, managing, and maintaining a computer systems and networking architecture in the Amazon Web Services cloud environment platform. Amazon Web Services supports an array of cloud service models, including Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Software-as-a-Service. The course provides students with the tools and knowledge they need to support existing cloud resources incorporated in these service models, or on-premises resources that will eventually migrate to the cloud.
Ultimately, Amazon Web Services enables businesses and other organizations to offload a great deal of computing infrastructure to the cloud. This can reduce operational costs, provide access to powerful emerging technologies, and streamline management of that infrastructure. The AWS™ Systems Operations course prepares students to support these advantages in their day-to-day operational duties.
In this course, you will operate Internet-accessible virtual servers hosted on the Amazon Web Services platform that adhere to best practices for monitoring, security, and availability.
You will:
- Configure virtual servers using Amazon Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2™).
- Configure virtual networks using Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC™).
- Manage data storage in Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS), Simple Storage Service (S3), and more.
- Manage databases like Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) and DynamoDB™.
- Apply best security practices to data, software, and other AWS resources.
- Manage identity and access in AWS.
- Deploy and provision AWS resources using tools like CloudFormation.
- Monitor AWS resources using Amazon CloudWatch.
- Monitor and manage billing to optimize cost.
- Optimize the performance of AWS components using tools like Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) and Trusted Advisor.
This course is designed for system administrators and other IT practitioners who will be implementing, supporting, and maintaining Amazon Web Services in their organizations.
This course is also designed for students who are seeking the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator—Associate Level certification and who want to prepare for the requisite exam.
To ensure your success in this course, you should have experience with the features provided by Amazon Web Services. You can obtain this level of skills and knowledge by taking the AWS™ Fundamentals course.
In addition, you should also have a background in IT, preferably in systems administration. You should have a basic knowledge of common networking protocols like TCP/IP and have experience maintaining operating systems in both a Microsoft® Windows® and Linux® command-line environment. A fundamental knowledge of key information security concepts is also recommended. To obtain this level of skills and knowledge, you can take the following course, available from United States Career Campus:
- CompTIA® A+®: A Comprehensive Approach (Exams 220-901 and 220-902)
- CompTIA® Network+® (Exam N10-006)
- CompTIA® Security+® (Exam SY0-401)
- CompTIA® Linux+™ Powered by LPI (Exams LX0-103 and LX0-104)
- Microsoft® Windows® 10 64-bit with sufficient licenses.
Windows 10 requires activation unless you have volume-licensing agreements. There is a grace period for activation. If the duration of your class will exceed the activation grace period (for example, if you are teaching the class over the course of an academic semester), you should activate the installations at some point before the grace period expires. Otherwise, the operating system may stop working before the class ends.
- A web browser of your choice. Consult the AWS Management Console FAQ to see which browsers are supported ( https://aws.amazon.com/console/faqs/).
- The AWS CLI.
- PuTTY version 0.67 and its companion utilities ( putty-0.67-installer.msi).
PuTTY is distributed with the course data files under the MIT License.
- Bro version 2.5 (bro-2.5.tar.gz).
Bro is distributed with the course data files under the BSD License.
- If necessary, software for viewing the course slides. (Instructor machine only.)
For this course, you will need one computer for each student and one for the instructor. Each computer will need the following minimum hardware configurations:
- 1 gigahertz (GHz) 64-bit processor
- 2 gigabytes (GB) of Random Access Memory (RAM)
- 50 GB storage drive
- Monitor capable of a screen resolution of at least 1,024 x 768 pixels
- Display adapter
- Bootable DVD-ROM and/or USB drive
- Keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device)
- Network cards and cabling for local network access
- Internet access (contact your local network administrator)
- Projection system to display the instructor's computer screen
Lesson 1: Configuring Virtual Servers
Topic A: Create an EC2 Instance
Topic B: Configure an EC2 Instance
Lesson 2: Configuring Virtual Networks
Topic A: Create an Amazon Virtual Private Cloud
Topic B: Configure VPCs
Topic C: Implement Domain Name Services in VPC
Topic D: Implement VPC Peering
Lesson 3: Managing Data Storage
Topic A: Manage Elastic Block Store
Topic B: Manage Elastic File System Storage
Topic C: Manage Simple Storage Service
Topic D: Distribute Stored Content with CloudFront
Lesson 4: Managing Databases
Topic A: Manage Relational Database Service
Topic B: Manage DynamoDB
Topic C: Implement Database Caching with ElastiCache
Lesson 5: Securing AWS Resources
Topic A: Incorporate Security Policies in AWS
Topic B: Secure Data
Topic C: Secure Operating Systems and Applications
Topic D: Secure Network Infrastructure
Topic E: Prepare for Security Assessments
Lesson 6: Managing Identity and Access
Topic A: Manage AWS Accounts and IAM Users
Topic B: Control Access through Security Groups
Topic C: Implement Network ACLs
Lesson 7: Deploying AWS Resources
Topic A: Plan Application Deployments
Topic B: Deploy Infrastructure with CloudFormation
Topic C: Deploy and Manage Applications with Elastic Beanstalk
Topic D: Manage the Stack with OpsWorks
Lesson 8: Monitoring AWS Resources
Topic A: Monitor Resources with CloudWatch
Topic B: Configure Alarms for CPU, Disk, and Network Usage
Topic C: Configure Alarms for Memory Usage
Topic D: Monitor Additional AWS Resources
Lesson 9: Monitoring and Managing Billing
Topic A: Monitor Billing
Topic B: Optimize Cost
Lesson 10: Optimizing Performance
Topic A: Select Remedies for Performance Issues
Topic B: Implement ELB
Topic C: Implement Trusted Advisor