Summary

This course is designed to teach you about managing application containers, using Kubernetes. We've built this course in partnership with experts such as Kelsey Hightower and Carter Morgan from Google and Netflix’s former Cloud Architect, Adrian Cockcroft (current Technology Fellow at Battery Ventures), who provide critical learning throughout the course.

Mastering highly resilient and scalable infrastructure management is very important, because the modern expectation is that your favorite sites will be up 24/7, and that they will roll out new features frequently and without disruption of the service. Achieving this requires tools that allow you to ensure speed of development, infrastructure stability and ability to scale. Students with backgrounds in Operations or Development who are interested in managing container based infrastructure with Kubernetes are recommended to enroll!

In this course you will learn to:

• Containerize an application by creating Docker config files and build processes to produce all the necessary Docker images
• Configure and launch an auto-scaling, self-healing Kubernetes cluster
• Use Kubernetes to manage deploying, scaling, and updating your applications
• Employ best practices for using containers in general, and specifically Kubernetes, when architecting and developing new microservices

Expected Learning

If you’re currently involved in infrastructure management — as a sysadmin or a developer — this course will enable you to build on that experience, and master the most cutting edge tools and practices in automation and distributed system management. For students who might be new to the field, this course is an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with microservices, containers, Docker, Kubernetes and deployment patterns; you’ll even run your first application on your very own Kubernetes cluster in the cloud!

Syllabus

Lesson 1 - Introduction to Microservices

• Learn how 12-factor apps and the microservices design pattern make modern applications easier to deploy and maintain.

Lesson 2 - Building the Containers with Docker

• Use Docker to build container images that package an application and its dependencies for deployment on a single machine.

Lesson 3 - Kubernetes

• The infrastructure to support an application at scale is as important as the application itself. See how Kubernetes allows you to focus on the big picture.

Lesson 4 - Deploying Microservices (From Image to Running Service)

• Go beyond the theoretical concepts and try out Kubernetes so that you can use it to manage real world apps.

Required Knowledge

Prior to taking this course you should possess the following experience and skills:

• Comfortable using Linux command line tools
• Fluent in at least one programming language
• Familiar with general virtualization concepts