Cloud DevOps Roadmap - Phase 2

Author

Vishakha Sadhwani
April 14, 2025

Alright Tech Explorers, buckle up!

Now that we've got a solid foundation, Phase 2 is where things start to get really interesting.

We're diving into the core practices and tools that define Cloud DevOps.

Let's get into it!

Containerization:

Containerization is like packaging up an application and all its dependencies into a neat, portable box. Docker is the big player here.

Start with the basics first:

  • what Docker Images are (the blueprint),

  • how Docker Containers are created from those images (the running instance),

  • how to define these images using Dockerfiles (instructions for building an image),

  • and how to manage multi-container applications using Docker Compose.

Understanding the benefits of containerization in the cloud – like portability, consistency, and efficient resource utilization – is key.

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Orchestration:

When you have lots of containers running, you need a way to manage them – that's where orchestration comes in.

Kubernetes (often shortened to K8s) is the leading container orchestration platform. Start by diving into it’s fundamental building blocks:

  • Pods (the smallest deployable units),

  • Services (how to expose applications),

  • Deployments (managing application replicas),

  • Namespaces (organizing your cluster) and other objects and resource types..

The goal here is to grasp the basic concepts of how container orchestration works.

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Infrastructure as Code (IaC):

Instead of manually clicking around in a cloud console, IaC is about managing and provisioning your infrastructure using code. You can focus on a few popular tools: Terraform, Ansible, Cloudformation(AWS specific).

  • For Terraform, look for providers (how it interacts with different cloud platforms), Resources (the infrastructure components you manage), and State (how Terraform keeps track of your infrastructure).

  • For Ansible, look at Playbooks (automation scripts), Modules (pre-built actions), and Inventory (the list of machines you're managing).

  • For Cloudformation - look around the configurations with different workflows, connection and custom resource types

Understanding the huge benefits of IaC – like consistency, repeatability, and version control for your infrastructure – is crucial.

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Cloud Provider Fundamentals (AWS/GCP/Azure):

Since we're talking about Cloud DevOps, getting familiar with at least one major cloud provider is essential.

  • Focus on the fundamentals of core services in one of the providers.

  • This includes a basic understanding of their:

    • Compute services (like virtual machines),

    • Storage options (different ways to store data),

    • Security and Networking services (how to connect your resources).

    • Get used to the Command Line Interface (CLI) and Software Development Kits (SDKs) of your chosen provider, as these are powerful tools for interacting with the cloud programmatically.

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Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD):

CI/CD is the backbone of modern software delivery. It's about automating the process of building, testing, and deploying code changes frequently and reliably.

You need to explore the concept of CI/CD pipelines and their many benefits, such as faster release cycles and reduced errors

Get used to some popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, and GitHub Actions, and cover basic pipeline concepts like Build (compiling code), Test (running automated tests), and Deploy (releasing the new version).

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Monitoring & Observability Basics:

You can't improve what you can't measure. Monitoring and observability are crucial for understanding the health and performance of your applications and infrastructure in the cloud.

You need to cover the importance of tracking key metrics and being able to identify and troubleshoot issues quickly. Get used to some basic cloud-based or 3rd party monitoring tools and common metrics to keep an eye on.

Resources:

Phase 2 is all about getting your hands dirty with the core tools and practices that make Cloud DevOps so powerful.

Don't be afraid to experiment with Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, and a cloud provider's CLI. The more you practice, the more these concepts will solidify.

Sample Role Descriptions (Relevant as you progress through Phase 2):

As you gain experience with these core concepts, you might start looking at roles like these:

DevOps Engineer:

We are seeking a passionate DevOps Engineer to join our team and help us build and maintain our cloud infrastructure and CI/CD pipelines. You will work with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), Infrastructure as Code tools (Terraform, Ansible), and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure) to automate and streamline our development and deployment processes. Experience with scripting (Python, Bash) and monitoring tools is highly valued. You will be responsible for ensuring the reliability, scalability, and security of our applications and infrastructure.

Cloud Infrastructure Engineer:

We are looking for a Cloud Infrastructure Engineer to design, build, and manage our cloud environment. You will utilize Infrastructure as Code tools (Terraform, Ansible) to provision and maintain resources on AWS or Azure. Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and a strong understanding of cloud networking and security best practices are essential. You will work closely with development teams to ensure our infrastructure meets their needs for scalability, performance, and reliability.

Get ready for Phase 3, where we'll explore more advanced and specialized areas within Cloud DevOps!