Course: Core DevOps Skills

The modern software development landscape is filled with companies trying to find their space in the global market. To expedite the creation of the best software possible, many companies leverage DevOps tools to help ensure the best code is quickly in front of the customer. In this course, learn the differences between software development and software deployment management, in addition to several software deployment models, such as the waterfall, iterative, spiral, V, big bang, and Agile models. Next, examine DevOps, its benefits, and how it differs from previous methodologies. Finally, discover challenges when embracing a DevOps methodology. Upon completion, you'll be able to define the elements of software management and deployments with a focus on comparing and contrasting DevOps to other methodologies.

One of the most important aspects of DevOps is the way in which automation enables continuous processes so that the flow of software development can progress with as few interruptions as possible. In this course you will learn what aspects of automation are integrated into what will later be different stages of a development pipeline. After an overview of DevOps principles and practices, you will explore the concept of "continuous" as it applies to development, integration, testing, deployment, monitoring, and feedback. Then you will examine the idea of configuration management. Next, you will focus on many "as-code" concepts, such as Infrastructure-as-code, content-as-code, DevOps-as-code, and pipeline-as-code. Finally, you will examine the maturity process for an organization to transition from not utilizing DevOps to fully embracing DevOps to the degree that makes sense for the organization.

As with many things in all industries, software development does not exist in a vacuum. The important advances in DevOps software deployment management have been heavily influenced by the principles of the Agile framework. In this course, learn about Agile practices and compare and contrast various elements of Agile and DevOps. Examine Agile and DevOps similarities and differences in methodologies, processes, teams, testing principles, goals/key target areas, and requirements. Finally, investigate the synergy between efforts made in Agile development and the DevOps support of that development. Upon completion, you'll be able to recognize Agile development practices and outline how they compare, differ, or work with DevOps practices.

From the moment a developer has finished their keystrokes to the moment that an end user encounters that software, every piece of software has a journey it must go through. The DevOps pipeline is used to automate and facilitate the steps of that journey. In this course, learn what a DevOps pipeline is and how automation relates to it. Next, explore the source, build, test, deploy, validation, monitoring, and improvement stages of the CI/CD pipeline. Finally, examine the effects of modern computing on the principles of continuous delivery in the pipeline, such as containerization of software and site reliability engineering (SRE). Upon completion, you'll be able to outline how to apply continuous principles in the DevOps CI/CD pipeline.

Voltaire once said, "Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?" We can learn a great deal from the successes and mistakes of others that have taken the journey of DevOps before us. In this course, you will learn about the journey to DevOps maturity taken by various private companies and government institutions. You will see how different organizations used the principles and practices of DevOps and the continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline to create an automated method of managing their software needs. In addition, you will see how some companies, such as Netflix, created innovations in the world of DevOps in order to meet the demands of their industry.

The more things stay the same, the more they also change, and when it comes to developing software, designers have always wanted more tools to make their work perform well and run with stability. Through this course, explore the evolution of classic server and virtual computing that has led to current container-related toolsets. Examine the pros and cons of different types of computing systems. Explore two major container-related toolsets, Docker and Kubernetes. Finally, discover some of the smaller container systems that can be selected for specific needs. After course completion, you'll be able to outline what containers are and differentiate between major container providers.

One of the most commonly recognized types of containers in the market today is the open platform called Docker. Becoming familiar with Docker is a critical step for any modern software developer. Begin this course by exploring the different services provided by Docker, including the details of how the infrastructure workflow of Docker interfaces with the software components being developed. Discover how to provision Docker resources and how Docker images and Dockerfiles are used to create consistent Docker-based container environments. Then, you will focus on managing Docker resources. Finally, you will investigate common use cases to determine how Docker can be used most effectively. When you have completed this course, you will be able to confidently describe Docker containers, the Docker workflow, and successfully manage Docker resources.

No matter what the infrastructure is that you are using to manage your applications, you are likely to find challenges trying to keep up when scaling out as demand for resources increases. The answer to this problem is automation and orchestration, and one of the most common tools for providing automation and orchestration for containers is called Kubernetes. Explore this open-source container orchestration system. You will gain insight into the various terms associated with this software and investigate the common workflow used to produce containers and deploy software to scale. Then, you will discover how to secure a Kubernetes Cluster. Finally, you will examine Kubernetes use cases and identify the differences between Kubernetes and Docker. After course completion, you will be able to work with Kubernetes containers, outline the Kubernetes workflow, and determine its situational usefulness.

Final Exam: Core DevOps Skills will test your knowledge and application of the topics presented throughout the Core DevOps Skills track of the Core DevOps Skills Aspire Journey.