Folks, Greetings! This message is for Test Analysts only——> I am planning to conduct some orientation on the usage of Cloud/DevOps practices by the Test Analysts [these are the so called; the legacy Block-Box Testing professionals]. I also run my DevOps Practices group in FB with 600+ Pure global IT professionals. They keep learning through my Cloud/DevOps learning Units. It works well upto knowing the concepts and not to play the project role. To join in any of my groups the following are must to accept as member: 1. You need to connect on Linkedin and send message on which group you want to join. 2. Then come to FB and connect me there with the same message. 3. I am removing the risks with fake ids through the above steps. Hence be patient to follow the above to move further. Please note; I do not allow any marketing people into my group. Only the hardcore IT professionals are allowed after FB/Linkedin profile verification. These extensive efforts are made to educate the real IT professionals to transform into modern IT Stuff easily. Once they learn the concepts they can decide on which role they want to proceed to learn the advanced stuff through my coaching, if needed. Good luck in your Career.
You can see my below blog also:
How Easily A Test Analyst can learn AWS with POCs ?
If you are a Black-box Testing Savvy years together and struck in learning Cloud technology, not able to coupe up for building modern test environments, this is the golden opportunity to learn and compete with others in the projects. After the course you will be able to define/design/execute your test environments in AWS.
Send a message to book for a review call after reviewing the below content/videos.
Are you a Test Analyst ?
Did you do only black-box testing earlier ?
Do you have confusion on learning Cloud computing ?
Do you feel aloof for transforming into Cloud technology ?
Do you need to setup the Test environment with Cloud only ?
Are you not able to catch up the technology skill which job role demands ?
Look for my customized course details for A Test analyst:
We have solutions for your issues, we coach Test Analysts to convert into modern Cloud technology usage [AWS only]. You can learn and do the practice like your black-box test cases. Check the below discussion videos also with a Sr. Test Analyst for AWS course:
Also look into the below video for a lab exercise like your test script steps to easily understand and build the required AWS service.
Look for a NON-IT Compliance Test Engineer performance from the below blogs, connected demos and review calls.
If you are really would like to perform the same way through this course connect me on linkedin to know each of us.
I have made the below video after having calls with many Cloud professionals globally. Many of the Cloud Engineers are failing due to lack of the domain based skills. Even recently in top notch tech news sites they have published on how the Cloud projects are costing more inspite of saving the cost to the organizations. It is eventual to learn the domain based skills for the Cloud/DevOps professionals to meet the delivery cycle time.
Lack of Cloud skills for DevOps Engineer -2 [FAQs]: This video talks on the possibility of lack of Skills for some of the AWS Cloud/DevOps Engineers. Most of the IT employers are looking from the Cloud or DevOps engineers the Environment building automatically with DevOps process/IAC. In this video the DevOps process and its automation process is discussed for feasible interview questions by mapping to the AWS-DevOps. And what role people can learn by self and who are the roles can not learn by self with the reasons.
How A Cloud architect is different from DevOps practices ?
We have been watching on lot of FB Groups and ad sites as “learn DevOps/AWS”. In general everybody believe with these stickers/posters they need to learn AWS and DevOps together is a must for any Modern technology professional.
When we talk about AWS and DevOps they are two different work streams.
Now, one might get the below questions in their mind.
Is a Cloud Architect need to be expert to work on DevOps activities also ?
What are the activities related to Cloud architect ?
Why the Cloud architect need not bother on DevOps ?
Now, let us analyze them as below:
The role of the cloud architect is to migrate the existing IT infrastructure setup into the cloud services. The cloud services can be AWS or Azure or Google cloud [GC] or Alibaba, etc.
From the below picture one can have clarity if they have experience in traditional Infrastructure building practice.
This role need to understand clearly on the usage of those vendor related [AWS/AZURE/GC/Alibaba] cloud services and should have command on mapping the current traditional infrastructure setup to map to the cloud services and plan/design for its transformation with the additional benefits to the management in view of cost and easy operation.
Once the modern application architecture/infrastructure in cloud is operational, then the management can think of introducing the DevOps practices.
To work on DevOps practices, each Cloud services vendor provides their own setup or tools at different processes or pipeline stages. To do these tasks a separate role professionals are required, who are called DevOps Engineers. At this point the role of the cloud Architect is he/she can guide them on the available infrastructure with the Cloud vendor. As per the Cloud architect planning/guidelines the DevOps engineers need to adopt the relevant tools/processes. Basically all the setup is going to be on IAC [Infrastructure As A Code] technics. There can be Configuration tools to create the IAC for different environments. At this point the Cloud architect can monitor these tools implementation as a part of cloud infrastructure implementation.
So, the Cloud architect do not need to make his/her fingers dirty with tools/commands to implement the DevOps processes.
For example; If you read the roles of AWS with different certifications, they mention Solution Architect [SA] separately from DevOps engineer role. They have multiple roles like; Sys ops, Developer, etc. All these roles need to be expert in making their fingers dirty with the relevant AWS services usage/implementation efficiently and effectively . But here the Cloud Architect [which is SA in view of AWS] role is to monitor on their activities only. He/She doesn’t need to put the fingers into techie stuff.
Hope I have given clarity for the above questions.
I get lot of enquiries; as they want to do AWS/DevOps both the courses together. I understood due to lot of training vendors are making their posters on social for their business, these experienced professionals are getting confusion as they need to learn both.
Now, I would like to ask the below questions to you as this blog reader after the above understanding;
Do a modern technology professional need to learn Cloud services and also the DevOps as mandatory ? [Ex: Which is DevOps/AWS].
Answer:It is not. They can choose One route only. If he/she came from the real work experience of Sysadmin/Sys engineer role, the past experiences need to be utilized efficiently in IT Industry. Hence the Scalable role is Cloud architect. In view of AWS it is SA. But they need to have very good command in understanding the traditional architecture and also the cloud services to establish a well suited conversion plan. This role person is responsible to show ROI [Return On Investment] also to the management.
You can also compare the SAA Salary among all the roles being played with AWS:
See the difference on the salary amounts to seek your role as per your professional potentiality.
Question: In the current job market in the JDs they ask on DevOps also for Cloud role why ?
Answer: Please let us note; Many organizations they wanted to use the same resource for Cloud and DevOps Architect/Engineer role to save their IT budget. But they offer more salary for these multi skills. Not only this scenario, there are many companies use multi-cloud technology for their BCP. They will ask these skills also. The skills acceleration is mandated for every Professional now a days. The more skills you acquire the early, your CTC is going to touch the Sky ASAP.
Please watch the below video[It has the detailed JD]:
Please contact if you are really an experienced Professional for Mock interviews practice. I do this as a separate service for global IT Professionals, who are trying for Next role scaling.
A mock interview with an exceptional course POCs performer.
I filter the in-experienced [fake profiled] people in the beginning itself. Hence please be open with me with your profile. Please Let us not waste time.
What is Proxy interview ? [For client who conduct overseas or offsite interview]:
Instead of the candidate answering the questions by a Subject matter expert he/she talks.
These people might have attended 1000s of proxy interviews. You can identify they are very confident in the communication/subject, etc.. You will not find with them any defect!! So there woud’nt be rejection from you. [Infact, they are very hardworkers by doing several POCs practice with reference to the JDs.] Obviously you are forced to select. You might feel you did video interview also. There is a secret you need to understand. This guy sits in the back end of the monitor. The real guy sits infront of the Camera. So you will compare the photo and his face. You will not find any defect in the face right ? How the proxy guy can talk ? There will be splitter kind of equipment connect to the computer to have 2 headsets. So can you find a defect here ? No, it is hard for you to trace!!! The proxy organizers are very talented like hackers. You try to implement a security practice for interview, they identify a loop hole like a hacker and use it to get the approval done by you.
So you are royally! cheated very well to give the offer!!
Where and how these proxy organizing companies work ?
There are numerous body shoppers companies in North America. They take the OPT guys in the 2nd year and groom them to make their mind lazy by giving support by SME and job support also after they started working. They pay around 20-30% of your billing to the candidate and balance to SMEs/Profit share.
During the job how can you find this categories ?:
You avoid giving work from home options. Do a random smoke test daily. The poor guy will be exposed! and be helpless. He/she fails!! Because your greatest IT vendor molded him/her to make their mind lazy!! as impossible to learn anddepend on SME like a drug edict.
For Candidates [Who had Proxy interview]:
What happens after proxy interview in the companies. You may get offer. But they do a smoke test kind of weekly tests. Then You will be burnt due to the client has got some feeling you are not the person spoke to them with the subject expertism during the interview. Hence we have come up with a proposal to get you self ready for interviews. Read the above content and come back for a discussion in a scheduled call. We want the people to self build themselves and not to get into the wrong shoes!! to become like a drug addict!!
For Freshers and intending to attend Proxy interviews !
Are you getting into the wrong shoes [Proxy] for client interviews ?
After you join in job [in India] what happens ?
Are you aware; your profile is going to be in Indian NASSCOM DB to track by your future employers [for Indian jobs].
So, whatever the current employer has the faked profile it is going to be entered by HRs after you are proved as fake profile, into NASSCOM DB.
In such case are you going to be into a right company in future ?
Do you want to destroy your career by proxy agents ?
————————————————————->
Following are the Industry competent courses, the 10+ yrs global IT working professionals are [inclined and] doing currently to become Cloud/DevOps Architects for future IT Needs. Once the basic Infra is made in the Cloud, they need to operate the DevOps Automation only.
It has Stage1 and Stage2 courses. The TOC is discussed in detail, in the below videos: [for any questions please ping me in FB or Linkedin].
Please watch the below video[It has the detailed JD]:
Please contact if you are really an experienced Professional for Mock interviews practice. I do this as a separate service for global IT Professionals, who are trying for Next role scaling.
I filter the in-experienced [fake profiled] people in the beginning itself. Hence please be open with me with your profile. Please Let us not waste time.
What is Proxy interview ? [For client who conduct overseas or offsite interview]:
Instead of the candidate answering the questions by a Subject matter expert he/she talks.
These people might have attended 1000s of proxy interviews. You can identify they are very confident in the communication/subject, etc.. You will not find with them any defect!! So there woud’nt be rejection from you. [Infact, they are very hardworkers by doing several POCs practice with reference to the JDs.] Obviously you are forced to select. You might feel you did video interview also. There is a secret you need to understand. This guy sits in the back end of the monitor. The real guy sits infront of the Camera. So you will compare the photo and his face. You will not find any defect in the face right ? How the proxy guy can talk ? There will be splitter kind of equipment connect to the computer to have 2 headsets. So can you find a defect here ? No, it is hard for you to trace!!! The proxy organizers are very talented like hackers. You try to implement a security practice for interview, they identify a loop hole like a hacker and use it to get the approval done by you.
So you are royally! cheated very well to give the offer!!
Where and how these proxy organizing companies work ?
There are numerous body shoppers companies in North America. They take the OPT guys in the 2nd year and groom them to make their mind lazy by giving support by SME and job support also after they started working. They pay around 20-30% of your billing to the candidate and balance to SMEs/Profit share.
During the job how can you find this categories ?:
You avoid giving work from home options. Do a random smoke test daily. The poor guy will be exposed! and be helpless. He/she fails!! Because your greatest IT vendor molded him/her to make their mind lazy!! as impossible to learn anddepend on SME like a drug edict.
For Candidates [Who had Proxy interview]:
What happens after proxy interview in the companies. You may get offer. But they do a smoke test kind of weekly tests. Then You will be burnt due to the client has got some feeling you are not the person spoke to them with the subject expertism during the interview. Hence we have come up with a proposal to get you self ready for interviews. Read the above content and come back for a discussion in a scheduled call. We want the people to self build themselves and not to get into the wrong shoes!! to become like a drug addict!!
For Freshers and intending to attend Proxy interviews !
Are you getting into the wrong shoes [Proxy] for client interviews ?
After you join in job [in India] what happens ?
Are you aware; your profile is going to be in Indian NASSCOM DB to track by your future employers [for Indian jobs].
So, whatever the current employer has the faked profile it is going to be entered by HRs after you are proved as fake profile, into NASSCOM DB.
In such case are you going to be into a right company in future ?
Do you want to destroy your career by proxy agents ?
————————————————————->
Following are the Industry competent courses, the 10+ yrs global IT working professionals are [inclined and] doing currently to become Cloud/DevOps Architects for future IT Needs. Once the basic Infra is made in the Cloud, they need to operate the DevOps Automation only.
It has Stage1 and Stage2 courses. The TOC is discussed in detail, in the below videos: [for any questions please ping me in FB or Linkedin].
There is a third phase skills upgrade required for the keen people to scale up their profile into Platform Architect either Openshift or Rancher. But looks like from the screened JDs, OpenShift demand is more. Go through the below blog for details:
What is IAAS and how it can be used from traditional setup to the Virtual/Cloud setup ?
What is PAAS and how it can be used from development/customization of the tools ?
What is SAAS and how these can be hosted into the Virtual/Cloud setup ?
If you have a Payroll application and running regularly. And now you found Cloud infra is a sophisticated one rather using the old or outdated systems, you called a Cloud expert. And what questions you need to ask him/her ? How he should answer to provide the solutions ?
This video has the above discussions with different scenarios. Once can brush up their interview skills well on these aspects.
Folks, I feel the IT individual professional need to learn a lot on the accelerating modern technology to implement. A self driven learning can boost the candidate like an Immunity boost to the human Body.
Many people can not do this by self. They need the boosters.
My coaching can work like a booster for you to self motivate and create a courage and confidence to implement these practices. In this post I would like to share the below.
For the course/coaching feedback reviews, from IT and NON-IT Professionals visit:
Following is on the Mock interviews service which I offer:
I have conducted the Mock interviews for One experienced DevOps Sr. professional on the below roles, who attended a crash course in 2 months duration. He gained lot of courage and confidence later on. Now he is a Platform Architect. [not interested to reveal his details, as many people are disturbing him to clarify their non-sense doubts without understanding the value of this course and the curriculum, even after provided the courses specimen openly through blogs/videos]:
1. Cloud Architect role
2. DevOps Architect Partner role
3. DevOps Engineer role
I have listed the above roles related video only in the below blog. He also attended for Sr.SRE roles also.
After completion of two stages of my coaching I do the above kind of mock interviews for my students.
But there is a separate mock interview service also I offer for the experienced Cloud/DevOps Professionals to groom them for interviews. Not for the fake profiles. I reject the fake profiles in my 1st 1-2 calls only.
You can attend “practice mock interviews” sessions. See the samples.
For mock interview on DevOps-Architect practices consulting position:
For a DevOps Engineer – Mock Interview:
READ READ READ CAREFULLY!!! FOR ORIGINAL IT PROFESSIONALS ONLY
HOW PROXY interview companies ARE BEING OPERATED ?
How they have been stealing your jobs in the IT Market ?
THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE ORIGINAL IT PROFESSIONALS AND NOT FOR THE PROXY ORAGANIZERS TO CONTACT.
What is Proxy interview ? [For client who conduct overseas or offsite interview]:
Instead of the candidate answering the questions by a Subject matter expert he/she talks.
These people might have attended 1000s of proxy interviews. You can identify they are very confident in the communication/subject, etc.. You will not find with them any defect!! So there woud’nt be rejection from you. [Infact, they are very hardworkers by doing several POCs practice with reference to the JDs.] Obviously you are forced to select. You might feel you did video interview also. There is a secret you need to understand. This guy sits in the back end of the monitor. The real guy sits infront of the Camera. So you will compare the photo and his face. You will not find any defect in the face right ? How the proxy guy can talk ? There will be splitter kind of equipment connect to the computer to have 2 headsets. So can you find a defect here ? No, it is hard for you to trace!!! The proxy organizers are very talented like hackers. You try to implement a security practice for interview, they identify a loop hole like a hacker and use it to get the approval done by you.
So you are royally! cheated very well to give the offer!!
Where and how these proxy organizing companies work ?
There are numerous body shoppers companies in North America. They take the OPT guys in the 2nd year and groom them to make their mind lazy by giving support by SME and job support also after they started working. They pay around 20-30% of your billing to the candidate and balance to SMEs/Profit share.
During the job how can you find this categories ?:
You avoid giving work from home options. Do a random smoke test daily. The poor guy will be exposed! and be helpless. He/she fails!! Because your greatest IT vendor molded him/her to make their mind lazy!! as impossible to learn anddepend on SME like a drug edict.
For Candidates [Who had Proxy interview]:
What happens after proxy interview in the companies. You may get offer. But they do a smoke test kind of weekly tests. Then You will be burnt due to the client has got some feeling you are not the person spoke to them with the subject expertism during the interview. Hence we have come up with a proposal to get you self ready for interviews. Read the above content and come back for a discussion in a scheduled call. We want the people to self build themselves and not to get into the wrong shoes!! to become like a drug addict!!
For Freshers and intending to attend Proxy interviews !
Are you getting into the wrong shoes [Proxy] for client interviews ?
After you join in job [in India] what happens ?
Are you aware; your profile is going to be in Indian NASSCOM DB to track by your future employers [for Indian jobs].
So, whatever the current employer has the faked profile it is going to be entered by HRs after you are proved as fake profile, into NASSCOM DB.
In such case are you going to be into a right company in future ?
Do you want to destroy your career by proxy agents ?
Visit the below blog/video also for SRE Engineer role discussion:
What Roles can vanish in IT after Cloud implementation ?:
<—– FINAL NOTE FOR YOU ——-> For AWS Certification coaching
Please note this is going to be methodical coaching with lot of process related scenarios for each sub-topics as per the AWS Certification course contents. Hence we have our USP to differentiate with many others on this coaching. We consider very limited/selective people. Hence sharing you linkedin profile is mandatory. You can connect me there. Before coming please watch all the videos on this webpage and also on youtube channel [Shanthi Kumar V]. We take care of each IT working professional for their career growth well in this competent world to beat the fake profiles well during the job/client interviews. This is the unique services provided by us well in this IT training/coaching industry. We want the existing IT Professionals to continue their ladder climbing.
Visit for curriculum details the relevant blog/Videos:
We have been designing and implementing the traditional networks for about an half decade.
But each of us used to design with our own thoughts or within the given delivery time we used to take short cuts to implement them without following the industry standards. The current IT governance has been grown incrementally into IT industry by doing numerous process improvements by tons of years of experiences.
Now, when we are trying to move the existing systems into cloud the top component need to be analyzed well, which is for Network domains in an organization. So obviously 80% of the networks were not designed as per the current standards. But when we observer the Cloud Services their VPCs are designed by following current standards. So for the current Cloud professionals, there will be a gap in understanding the traditional setup and the VPC planning/designing/implementing successfully.
In the below video these were discussed in some aspects, in a mentoring session towards network conversion and design of VPC.
So now, from the below chart; we will see what kind of defects can be created and the reasons under different management and team practices, and the work culture lacking scenarios.
If you are working in Cloud projects the below video might be for you to scale up with coaching and mentoring on AWS Solutions usage.
One might have AWS-SAA certificate. But they need the domain knowledge also on how/where/when to use these AWS services with an in-depth gap analysis. So this coaching gives you that kind of feeling after completion. If you are really keen and ready to spend weekly 15+ hrs for self practice, this might be suitable to scale up in the Cloud era.
So now, from the below chart; we will see as per this blog subject what kind of costly defects can be created and the reasons under different management and team practices, and the work culture lacking scenarios.
How the Costly Cloud Defects can be controlled ?
You can watch the below video.
If you are working in Cloud projects this might be for you to scale up with coaching and mentoring on AWS Solutions usage.
One might have AWS-SAA certificate. But they need the domain knowledge also on how/where/when to use these AWS services. So this coaching gives you that kind of feeling after completion. If you are really keen and ready to spend weekly 15+ hrs for self practice, this might be suitable to scale up in the Cloud era.
So now, we will see as per this blog subject what kind of defects can be created under the below scenario:
Assume the a Cloud engineer joined newly in a job. He might be a fresher for IT and learnt AWS through either online or class room training sessions. He is highly self motivated and proactive. Being fresher with less CTC the employer hired him, instead of taking the infra experienced IT professional with costly CTC. Now they have given the below tasks to complete in a certain hours.
Need to create N number of EC2s and install some software in Y days.
Need to connect those EC2s using SSH and to test the loaded software.
What the Cloud Engineer has done with his mind set and by having limited infra exposure/knowledge ?
a) He created each EC2 separately. Because he did not practice on Boot strapping or IAC options.
b) He installed the required software in each EC2 by using SSH connection. And tested them once they are configured. Which is typical traditional sysadmin activity. But he is using the VMS.
What is the expectation from the Cloud expert/manager [who doesn’t give guidance, but he is more capable in tracking the work ? – we can see many such managers in IT field as trackers to crack the work culture!! ] ?
The manager expect him to write and run a JSON or YAML script to do all the above tasks.
And he expected him to do in a day or two.
But this poor fresher has taken a week time to complete the job by sitting on week-end also.
The management has planned to allocate the planned EC2s on 4th day to distribute to the technical staff where they are going to use for some other technical tasks. But its delayed due to a fresher is deployed for this activitiy.
Now, you as An Experienced Cloud Architect what you are suppose to do while recruiting a fresher for this kind of work?
Are you going to check by which tool he can write JSON or YAML scripts in AWS ?
Is he capable of creating EC2s with bootstrapping options also to install libs and software to save time ?
Is he capable of using Cloudformation template [by creating] along with Ansible to setup small EC2 servers/configurations ?
Do you think if he knows the above tools usage only, is it enough to do the work or plan/design the script properly ?
Are you going to check the Domain infra knowledge also with the candidate ?
Is the planned person and the executor are the same ?
If they are not the same, how the communication happened in between them ?
To meet the schedule; with what techniques/tools to use in the project, was it kept in the Cloud design specifications ? Was it communicated to the Cloud Engineer ?
Was it communicated clearly to the low level resources in the project [Like; Cloud Engineers, Architects, etc] on the design and tools usage as a standard ?
Did they estimate the competency of the existing resources ?
Are there any initial training/mentoring/knowledge transfer activities are lacking ?
So, finally what are the management related process defects you can find in this scenario as an experienced Cloud Architect ?
Obviously, many such kind of questions can strike to the mind set of experienced Infra professionals to dig the root causes of these defects. Such kind of situations are happening across Cloud projects and they are increasing the projects cost instead of decreasing. In many news or blogs we have been watching the management is spending more than the past infra cost for Cloud, so what for ? Because of having not the work culture matured managers in IT ?
So, one need to rethink on their environment also for further progress/process improvements. Even in case of a fresher, an experienced person would have been deployed also he might have done the same way due to lack of IAC/Infra creation knowledge. This comes from the experience or exposure or practice only. Hence the Cloud professionals including so called managers are also mandated to learn these techniques.
Some of them in the past I have observed during my Cloud consulting activities. With that knowledge only I have simulated these defects from my management experience. But these are the realistic issues appearing in Cloud projects.
I have given some solutions related to some of the above technical needs through videos/blogs where a fresher can learn well:
So now, as per this blog subject what kind of defects can be created under the below scenario:
Assume the Cloud Architect assumed the Application level session management is applied in their applications as per the development standards. So with this standards, they can track the sessions used by different users. So the ELB Session management is disabled under cost savings by the Cloud architect. But unfortunately, the past developers not followed the session management standards across the business modules. So when user is trying to create a checkout process in an e-commerce site, his session was appearing with timeout. So this should be the defect from the past application design level defect. So, the business users complained it as it is moved to Cloud the application is not working. So the issues were triggered against the Cloud team rather than the right communication was not followed in the project. The responsible CTO/CIO people never implemented such kind of review process to make sure the application details to supply in all aspects, for right Cloud services designing. Their focus was more on cost savings!!
My questions for Cloud Architect and their management is:
Why did the Cloud Architect assumed without confirming from the right technical people on the session management used for all the modules ?
Do the Cloud Architect need to know the application details also himself without having support from the top people ?
When the Cloud Architect designed the cloud services plan, why the right [top] people did not review and realize it ?
What kind of IT Governance was implemented or enforced here by the CTO/CIO with Cloud Transformation projects ?
Did the management feel they need to safeguard all the role people in IT or just by putting pressure they do create the defects and finally they realize the process defects ? And ultimately pinks slips will be ready for wrong people to get fired ?
What is the management maturity we can find in such kind of situations ?
Did the management realize the Cloud roles correctly and completely and they supported them in this scenario ?
Caution to Cloud professionals:
Hope you as Cloud Architect, could catch what are the specifications you need to ask upfront when they ask you to create such kind of infra in Cloud. You and your team need to realize the Cloud professional role is not just to operate the screen flows as we learnt from the typical Cloud Trainings!! You need to understand the application domain knowledge also.
To know the real specifications for your role visit:
With reference to the booming Cloud Market [refer to some of my videos/blogs] and the Conversions to Cloud by different business organizations; Globally millions of IT professionals were mandated to learn the Cloud technologies to sustain their jobs in IT.
When we talk about these converted IT Professionals, they were forced to move into Cloud due to the sustainability of their job.
At the same time their employers are also enforced by their management to accelerate the cost savings for IT infra.
So how they do the planning for Cloud ?
On top there can be a CTO/CIO plans it to convert into Cloud. And they have the complete knowledge of the infrastructure with reference to their technology being used for business systems.
There will be Cloud Architects, they are responsible to create the Cloud implementation design.
Then the plan and the design is released to the Cloud engineers by allocating the tasks.
In between due to lack of [turn around] time, the Cloud engineers are pressured to create the environments. Here everybody can find one point, the management did not plan the knowledge transfer perfectly to the low level people. Then they can create many costly defects as per their knowledge and experience. So there is no ‘uniformity was followed’ in this case. It need not be a cost effective solution the Cloud Architects or Cloud Engineers have done. And there was no review also done. Once the monthly Cloud bill is arrived they will realize on it. Then they can realize the costly burning/bill happened by comparing to their planned cost saving on Infra. So this way they are enforced to track the resources who created these costly defects.
The following picture has got this kind of analysis. And what are the basic reasons the Architects and Engineers are not able to understand the domain conversion scenarios, when the management plans and release it for implementation.
Here we need to remember, every IT Professional need to realize that one fine day the current size of the resources will not be there in any project due to Cloud and the automation implementation is happening.
So the self matured professional need to realize where they are lacking and step down to learn those from experts, on war footing basis to prove and safeguard their jobs in IT.
To know the real practices lacking and the root causes towards creating these costly defects, visit the below video based blog. It can show the ways to improve your Cloud projects ROI.
Due to lacks of certified professionals are available globally in the market, to differentiate them on their needs/selection, most of the clients are asking on the real experience gained or aware of it on the candidate what he/she has ?
In my coaching I concentrate to gain the real Cloud Architecture implementation experience by the participant rather than pushing the course to them. Verify the videos.
Contact for your real Cloud experiences learning and gaining with me and crack the interviews to get offers in AWS Roles globally or even you can transition to the role in the same company after facing the client interview. Please connect me on FB and have a discussion on your background and the needs/goals. I am looking for the serious learners.
For more details on course samples, visit the following blogs/videos/Feedback also.
It was from one of the working IT Professionals interview on my course. He has 9.5 yrs sysadmin experience. He answered the below questions:
1. What did you expect from my course before joining ?
2. How did you feel on the material ?
3. How did you feel on explanation ?
4. How did you feel on the chapter wise questions practice ?
5. Did you get any job experience feeling from my course ?
6. If your current company put you on AWS tasks also, what is your confidence level ?
7. Finally, what is your target for your exam prep ?
8. How are you going to RE-use material ?
9. How are you going to RE-use Lab sessions ?
In some of my Youtube videos you can find his attended sessions also!!
You can see from the below Facebook page also:
This is available on my youtube channel also:
Analyze AWS Solutions Architect – Associate Exam Guide series-1:
You can find the analysis through this discussion video with a Built Solutions Architect:
Why the Certified AWS-Solutions Architects are being served Pinkslips ?
What could be the reasons ?
Do they understand the role clearly what the Client expects ?
Why the management is so aggressive to prove the Cloud implementation as per Schedule with ROI ?
Once the Cloud Migration Schedule is started why the IT Budget is freezed ?
Why do they attempt on Contractors as 1st instance to cut the staff ?
What the IT services companies can do with the Client terminated contracts ?
Please read the below content patiently and watch videos for solutions to protect your current Cloud role. Connect with me on linkedin to get a special coaching to rebuild your current role as per your client expectations.
If you are a Black-box Testing Savvy years together and struck in learning Cloud technology, not able to coupe up for building modern test environments, this is the golden opportunity to learn and compete with others in the projects. After the course you will be able to define/design/execute your test environments in AWS.
Send a message to book for a review call after reviewing the below content/videos.
Are you a Test Analyst ?
Did you do only black-box testing earlier ?
Do you have confusion on learning Cloud computing ?
Do you feel aloof for transforming into Cloud technology ?
Do you need to setup the Test environment with Cloud only ?
Are you not able to catch up the technology skill which job role demands ?
We have solutions for your issues, we coach Test Analysts to convert into modern Cloud technology usage [AWS only]. You can learn and do the practice like your black-box test cases. Check the below discussion videos also with a Sr. Test Analyst for AWS course:
Also look into the below video for a lab exercise like your test script steps to easily understand and build the required AWS service:
We have a “Pay As You Learn” [monthly] Option for working IT Professionals.
I have made the below video after having calls with many Cloud professionals globally. Many of the Cloud Engineers are failing due to lack of the domain based skills. Even recently in top notch tech news sites they have published on how the Cloud projects are costing more inspite of saving the cost to the organizations. It is eventual to learn the domain based skills for the Cloud/DevOps professionals to meet the delivery cycle time.
Lack of Cloud skills for DevOps Engineer -2 [FAQs]: This video talks on the possibility of lack of Skills for some of the AWS Cloud/DevOps Engineers. Most of the IT employers are looking from the Cloud or DevOps engineers the Environment building automatically with DevOps process/IAC. In this video the DevOps process and its automation process is discussed for feasible interview questions by mapping to the AWS-DevOps. And what role people can learn by self and who are the roles can not learn by self with the reasons.
If you are looking for AWS Architect Solutions support under freelance mode, please contact and fix up appointment for a project review.
Details are given in the below Vcard.
Also;
If you have got AWS Conversion project newly and your resources are new for this technology, we work as shadow resources for your teams under freelance mode. Contact with details.
Please note for authentication we need your Linkedin Profile URL.
Folks, Please Note… 1. This is not a job support!! 2. We will not work like a Proxy/Job support. [Please don’t contact for this need]. 3. It will be accepted only on an Activity based, after thorough review/verification with MOU. 4. Read the detailed Vcard.
For Corporate Training division/unit only [not to their vendors] please!
Folks Greetings!
How to Convert your existing infra teams into AWS with POCs easily to prove in client interviews through seasoned mentors?
In the Current IT Trend, new technologies are getting transformed with cheaper cost in view of man power, operations and infra. In such case some companies might feel to serve pink slips to the traditional employees. But when you recruit new staff how much you spend on them ? And if you coach the existing staff to transform into new era, what will be the cost and ROI ? I do this kind of resources transformation activities on my own by coaching the experienced IT Professionals on new technology like; AWS Cloud, etc. For example, you can see my blog/coaching videos on my coaching for 10-15+ yrs global IT Folks:
The below blog is the latest one. You will be able to connect to the current Global IT needs and what I offer:
If any corporate is serious in looking to sustain their traditional staff and reuse them efficiently/effectively, I will be there behind them to support till they transform into their client requirement/project for billability. Looking forward for your cost savings exercise response.
Please Note:There is a difference between training and coaching or building teams for projects. For your existing IT Professionals you need to give coaching [through seasoned professionals] not the training. Then they will be productive.
!!For Working IT Infra Professionals only!! For learning AWS.
<==== Before Click … Please Read….this======>
Come to a call to know our new scheme “Pay As You Learn”, monthly basis. The total AWS Course it takes around 5 months as part time basis with weekly one on one class hours with POCs to learn AWS through some chapters.
Please note each of our catching capability varies. This effort need to be understood by the individuals before talking on your interest/effort/affordability.
This is similar to a performance activity how the RM measures to each of us in a project.
Please note each aspired Cloud architect need to spend 200+ hrs before starting their role.
Hence in one month or few hours if somebody says you will be come a Solution Architect, they are bluffing you.
You need to learn and do practice on AWS services extensively like an implementable solution. This way our course builds you into new technology era.
========================================>
Many companies they do skill test by giving a scenario to develop through AWS Console or CLI. This way they can filter your profile to find its authenticity “actual” or “fake”. You all know in the global IT Market lot of fake profiles are floating around. So the recruiters are finding challenges to filter them. By attending skill test you will be proved you are the original professional infront of the fake profiles.
But if you want to learn this new technology, you were not habituated like developers [as they keep updating their knowledge, for their bread and butter by spending weekly some hours] to accelerate the skills in new technology implementation.
So, what you need to do ?
You need an individual coaching to speed up this learning activity.
It should not be in group or online training!!
Read the below contents from the picture for details, what way I can help/support you.
You can choose the course ‘A’ or ‘B’. Then if you want to have POCs development knowledge, after completion of “B”, you can join.
In the Bottom the Courses TOC discussion videos are given for your perusal.
For Freshers “Course-A” is suitable.
We have a “Pay As You Learn” [monthly] Option for working IT Professionals.
If you are a technical designer for any Infra design or software architecture, you should know the “Simple Ques Service” from AWS. Provided, you are working in that Cloud environment. The attached video had the discussion on this topic with some live scenarios comparison. You will get to know implementation scenarios also.
If you are interested in session management look into this:
1. How Active Directory [AD] File server [FS] can be connected to AWS ? 2. How NAT Gateways can be connected to AD FS ?
Very important and Critical topic is: Session management. It covers… 3. What is Session management ? 4. How ELB [Elastic Load Balancer] can be utilized to create session management tasks in AWS ? 5. What are the application level session management ? 6. What are sticky sessions ? 7. How to use sticky sessions in AWS ?
You watch all these in a class video, were discussed with live scenarios/examples, which URL is attached below:
Let us take a scenario of files copy from one machine to another machine.
You need to do the following:
We need to copy the files into a pen drive or HDD or Copy them into a shared network drive.
If you copy them into HDD or Pen drive, you need to connect to other machine to copy them into 2nd machine.
Now in Cloud using AWS; to know ” how we can do this activity ” we can see from the below steps:
You need to have one EC2. [in this example, I have created one EC2 Windows server. Then attached one EBS Volume [which is equivalent of HDD or a Pen drive].
I made this EBS Volume as an HDD to this server.
Then I created some .txt files to take backup of these files.
Then I have created the backup of these files using AWS Snapshot process.
And attached this Snapshot to another 2ndEBS Volume.
I have created 2ndEC2 with the same configuration.
And attached the 2nd EBS .
Then I released it as HDD.
Finally, those two text files can be seen in this 2nd EC2.
These detailed steps were drawn in the attached video with “AWS live exercise class lesson of 1.45 mts. duration”.
The similar exercises were given during the Cloud Engineer interviews. So if you are appearing for the interview this might be useful one.
If you have patience and time, you can watch it in the below link. And practice it for your interviews.
What are the Skills required for a Cloud Architect ?
How best you can utilize this role as efficient IT Management practitioner ?
Are you an IT management practitioner who wants to take your cloud migrations to the next level? Look no further than the role of Cloud Architect! While many organizations use this role for DevOps practices, it’s important to dedicate a separate Cloud Architect role for efficient and effective cloud migrations.
In 2017, Gartner published a list of activities and required skills for the Cloud Architect role, and while you may not be able to use all of them, there are some key activities that can help you see a difference in your business. By separating this role from DevOps activities, you can focus on Cloud Infrastructure Planning, Designing, Building, and Implementing to meet your business needs.
This separation can help to resolve burning issues related to DevOps and Cloud faster and reduce risks. If you’re an IT management practitioner who wants to implement these practices, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Facebook. Check out my groups for IT professionals, where I post valuable discussions, videos, and blogs to help you take your cloud migrations to the next level.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to optimize your cloud migrations and drive your business forward. Dedicate a Cloud Architect role and see the difference it can make.
Finally, I would say you are mandated to separate this role from DevOps Activities assigning and dedicate the role for;
Cloud Infrastructure Planning,
Designing,
Building and
implementing effectively for business needs
So many burning issues related to DevOps and Cloud can be separated and resolved faster to move forward. This way many risks can be reduced!!
If you are an IT management practitioner; and would like to get any clarifications to implement these practices you are advised to contact me on FB and have a call.
Visit my current running facebook groups for IT Professionals with my valuable discussions/videos/blogs posted:
What is infra scaling and how Autoscale works in AWS ?
In any traditional infrastructure, we can see scaling up and down the network or servers can be done through tools or manually.
In Cloud service we can do these activities using a Cloud service.
If we consider the AWS services, Autoscale is the service to monitor and add the needed VMs or delete the unused instances from the network [VPC/Subnet].
The attached video has the class discussion on this topic.
Let us assume an international bank has daily transactions files in different global regions. Those need to be shared across globe for different business users purpose in each country. They should be able to access them for their dashboards. This example talks on this kind of cross data sharing scenario using “S3-Bucket Cross Region Replication [CRR]”.
At the end of this blog, you can find the same scenario simulation using AWS S3-Buckets.
I have made a scenario based “AWS services usage” blog in this content. Which can be considered as a Proof of Concept [POC] Project also.
If you are new for cloud technology, I have made a video cum blog for you to understand its initiation/evaluation concepts. This video is more useful for PMs/Cloud Architects/DevOps role based people.
In this AWS exercise, I have described/demonstrated on WordPress[WP] infrastructure creation using a free tier account.
At the end of this blog a micro level lab practiced steps are copied and a recorded video is there on my channel.
I would like to explain from architecture/design perspective through this blog, before you go to Lab steps. After doing this exercise, simply and finally we can come into the following conclusions:
a) Creating a blogging infrastructure can be fully automated through AWS services. b) Infrastructure can be created at any time on-demand without any up-front commitment for how long we will use it in AWS. c) We can pay for our infrastructure depending on how many hours we use it. d) Infrastructure consists of several parts, such as; i) virtual servers, ii) load balancers, and iii) databases. e) Infrastructure can be deleted with one click without costing to us.
This process is powered by AWS automation. So it will not be billed to our free tier account after deletion!!.
First let us analyze on WP and its components.
How a WordPress infrastructure can be planned?
Assume we have a startup company, which publishes more white papers and blogs.
Assuming; our startup company currently uses WordPress[WP] to host over 500 blogs on our own servers. The blogging infrastructure must be highly available, because customers don’t tolerate outages of any servers. To evaluate whether a migration is possible through AWS services, we need to do the following three Activities planning and try out with AWS free-tier account:
A) Set up a highly available blogging infrastructure in AWS. B) Estimate monthly costs of the infrastructure.
C) Finally, Delete our blogging infrastructure to save cost from free-tier account.
For our understanding on WP;
WordPress[WP] is written in PHP and uses a MySQL database to store data.
Apache is used as the web server to serve the blog pages.
With this information in our mind, we map our requirements to AWS services to test the infrastructure creation.
Now, let us analyze on “what are the AWS services required for our WP test infrastructure?”.
We need the below AWS services to do this activity: I. Elastic Load Balancing (ELB), II. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), III. Relational Database Service (RDS) for MySQL and IV. Security groups.
Let us analyze what are the functions/benefits of these AWS services.
I. Elastic Load Balancing (ELB):
AWS offers a load balancer as a service. The Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) distributes traffic to a bunch of servers behind it in a cloud environment. It’s highly available by default.
Let us assume our startup company’s blogs are published globally. From many countries these can be accessed by the users. Assume there are lot of users access this content globally. Then in traditional method your load is not balanced without having physical servers connected through VPNs/networks, etc. in different locations. Think about the Hardware/Software/maintenance/FMG cost for this traditional infrastructure. We can not think it being a startup company to spend much. No way!! Hence we need to depend on cloud service provider.
With AWS ELB, this can be balanced by distributing the blog users traffic to different virtual servers under cloud environment. To denote this distributed load balancing architecture, I have collected a diagram on;
WordPress infrastructure and Load Balancing through ELB AWS service. Which is pasted here for your clarity on the ELB function.
II. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2):
It is A virtual server which is provided by the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service of AWS. We will use a Linux server with an optimized distribution called Amazon Linux to install Apache, PHP, and WordPress during our exercise. Please note; we are not limited to Amazon Linux only; we can also choose Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat, or Windows. Virtual servers can fail at any time, so we need at least two of them for contingency planning. The load balancer will distribute the traffic between them. The beauty of AWS service in case of a server failure is; the load balancer will stop sending traffic to the failed server, and the remaining [contingency] server will need to handle all the requests until the failed server is replaced. Let us not worry on this communication! You will be intimated the status through alerts.
A sample architecture diagram is pasted here FYI with two EC2 instances.
III. Relational Database Service (RDS) for MySQL:
WordPress relies on the popular MySQL database. AWS provides MySQL as a Relational Database Service (RDS). We can choose the database size (like; storage, CPU, RAM), and RDS takes care of the rest (backups, updates). RDS can also provide a highly available MySQL database by replication.In traditional [non-cloud] model we had the similar setup. It occurs huge costing. By using AWS cloud services this can be easily maintained with minor costing only.
On this context; from the below diagram we can see the MYSQL features from AWS services offering.
V. Security groups:
In every application architecture we need to have the security features in place. Either these can be embed in the applications or through security tools it can be applied. So the entire architecture is protected that way.
But in cloud services many providers provide these services differently with their services offering.
The Security groups are a fundamental service of AWS to control network traffic like a firewall in traditional systems. Security groups can be attached to a lot of services like ELB, EC2, and RDS. For example; with security groups, we can configure our load balancer as below:
It only accepts requests on port 80 from the internet. Web servers only accept connections on port 80 from the load balancer. And MySQL only accepts connections on port 3306 from the web servers. If we want to log in to our web servers via SSH, we must also open port 22. Similar ways the architecture setup can be configured.
FYI, I have considered a diagram from AWS docs; which denotes a typical AWS multi-tier approach security services with a Firewall:
As shown in the above diagram, A security group acts as a virtual firewall for our instance to control inbound and outbound traffic. When we launch an instance in a Virtual Private Cloud[VPC], we can assign the instance to up to five security groups. It means in any VPC AWS provides five different security groups.
So, now what is our start company plan for security?:
Let us assume our startup company’s blogging infrastructure consists of two load-balanced web servers running a) WordPress and b) a MySQL database server.
The following tasks are performed automatically in the background through AWS:
Configuring WordPress to use the created RDS MySQL database
Starting Apache.
Before going to the above steps, I would like to show the below diagram for your understanding on “The setup of WP hosting on AWS”. You can download it through the URL given and see it as an image file for your understanding.
Now, let us recap our beginning conclusions for this blog. We need to do the below activities till end of the exercise.
Creating a blogging infrastructure.
Analyzing costs of a blogging infrastructure.
Exploring a blogging infrastructure.
Shutting down a blogging infrastructure.
Deleting infrastructure from AWS Account.
1. What actions we need to consider for Creating blogging infrastructure in AWS?: To create the blogging infrastructure we need the below steps to follow on AWS console.
Note: Please note time to time the screen flows [micro level steps] might change on AWS, but the process should be the same to understand on creation of this WP infra.
Click Services in the navigation bar, and click the Cloud-Formation service.
Click on Create Stack to start the four-step wizard.
Now we will see what are these 4 steps wizard process it contains.
I. Creating a blogging infrastructure: Step 1 of 4
You need to name your infrastructure. Enter “wordpress” as the Name. For Source option, select and Specify an Amazon S3 Template URL as shown in the screen [lab exercise screen]. Copy this URL and save somewhere in a text file for future reference/usage. About this process, during lab demo you will understand clearly.
II. Creating a blogging infrastructure: Step 2 of 4
Click Next to set the KeyName to “vskumarkey” [example only, you can give any name], for Step 2 of 4. Click Next to create a tag for our infrastructure into next screen. These steps can be seen clearly in lab practices steps.
III. Creating a blogging infrastructure: Step 3 of 4
A tag consists of a key-value pair and can be used to add information to all parts of our infrastructure. We can use tags to differentiate between testing and production resources, add the cost center to easily track costs in our organization [if any], or mark resources that belong to a certain application if we host multiple applications in the same AWS account.
In this example, we will use a tag to mark all of our resources that belong to the “wordpress system”. This will help us later to easily find our infrastructure. Use “system” as the key and “wordpress” as the value. Click Next. Finally, we will see a confirmation page for Step 4 of 4. For clarity look into lab steps.
IV. Creating a blogging infrastructure: Step 4 of 4
In the Estimate Cost row, click Cost. This will open a new browser tab in the background. Keep this browser open only. We will come back to this screen later. Switch back to the original browser tab and click Create. We can see next Review screen in the next page.
Now, our infrastructure will be created. This Review screen shows that wordpress is in the state of CREATE_IN_PROGRESS. It takes 15-20 mts to complete this process.
Now, please take a look at the result by refreshing the page. Select the “WordPress” row, where Status should be CREATE_COMPLETE. If the status is still CREATE_IN_PROGRESS, be patient until the status becomes CREATE_COMPLETE.
Switch to the Outputs tab [below part of the screen], which is the Blogging infrastructure result. There we can find the URL to our “wordpress system”; click it to visit the system.
What is AWS Automation here?:
As we have discussed in the beginning of this blog, one of the key concepts of AWS is automation. We can automate everything. In the background, our blogging infrastructure was created based on a blueprint with its automation. So the above mentioned [10] tasks have been performed in the background by AWS cloud formation service. You can see the beauty of this automation during lab demonstration.
Blogging infrastructure result:
Now we’ve created our blogging infrastructure, let us take a look at it. Our infrastructure consists of the following as we discussed in this blog:
Web servers
Load balancer
MySQL database
Now; we will use the resource groups feature of the Management Console to get an overview.
Exploring the created WP Blogging infrastructure
Now let us understand;
What is Resource Group in AWS?:
A resource group is a collection of AWS resources.
Resource is an abstract term for something in AWS like an EC2 server, a security group, or a RDS database.
Resources can be tagged with key-value pairs. In such case; let us note we can have more than one key-value pairs.
Resource groups specify what tags are needed for a resource to belong to the group.
Furthermore, a resource group specifies the region(s) where the resource should reside in. It means globally these resource groups can be deployed for its functioning.
We can use resource groups to group resources if we run multiple systems in the same AWS account. This way we are sharing the resources among the projects or app architectures.
Let us note that we have tagged the blogging infrastructure with the key “system” and the value “wordpress”.
As an example; from now on, we will use this notation for key-value pairs: (system:wordpress). We’ll use that tag to create a resource group for our WordPress infrastructure. For further clarity please look into the lab steps/video.
Now let us understand;
How to create a resource group in AWS?:
In the AWS part of the top navigation bar, click Create a Resource Group.
Set Group Name to “wordpress” or whatever you like.
Add the tag system with the value wordpress.
Select the region N. Virginia [for example]. [I have used my existing account]
Save the resource group.
It will take you to next screen shown in next page. Follow the below steps.
How to see the Blogging infrastructure web servers via resource groups details?:
Select Instances under EC2 on the left to see the web servers.
By clicking the arrow icon in the Go column, you can easily jump to the details of a single web server.
Now, You are looking at the details of your web server, which is also called an EC2 instance.
Details of web servers running the blogging infrastructure:
On this screen the interesting/important details are as below:
Instance type: It tells us about how powerful your instance is.
Public IP address: The IP address that is reachable over the internet. You can use that IP address to connect to the server via SSH.
Security groups: If you click on View Rules, you’ll see the active firewall rules like the one that enabled port 22 from all sources (0.0.0.0/0).
AMI ID: Let us recollect that we used the Amazon Linux operating system (OS). If you click the AMI ID, you will see the version number of the OS, among others.
We also need to know the utilization of webservers, like how we used to monitor in live [for production boxes].
Looking for webserver utilization and metrics in AWS:
2. In the screen; Select the Monitoring tab to see how your web server is utilized.
3. This will become part of our job: really knowing how the infrastructure is doing.
4. AWS collects some metrics and shows them in the Monitoring section. If the CPU is utilized more than 80%, you should add a third server to prevent page load times from increasing.
Now let us understand on;
How to check the Blogging infrastructure load balancer via resource groups?:
We can find the load balancer by selecting Load Balancers under EC2 on the left to the page.
By clicking the arrow icon in the Go column, you can easily jump to the details of the load balancer.
Now, we are looking at the details of your load balancer.
Here; the most interesting part is, “How the load balancer forwards traffic to the web servers?“.
The blogging infrastructure runs on port 80, which is the default HTTP port.
The load balancer accepts only HTTP connections to forward to one of the web servers that also listen on port 80.
The load balancer performs a health check on the virtual servers attached.
Both virtual servers are working as expected, so the load balancer routes traffic to them.
How to check the MySQL server ?:
Details of the MySQL database which stores data for the blogging infrastructure
Now; let’s look at the MySQL database. You can find the database in a resource group named wordpress.
Select DB Instances under RDS at left.
By clicking the arrow icon in the Go column, you can easily jump to the details of the database.
Now the details of our MySQL database are shown in the screen.
The benefit of using RDS is that we no longer need to worry about backups because AWS performs them automatically.
Updates are performed by AWS in a custom maintenance window. Keep in mind that you can choose the right database size in terms of storage, CPU, and RAM, depending on your needs.
AWS offers many different instance classes, from 1 core with 1 GB RAM up to 32 cores with 244 GB RAM.
Note:I would like to emphasize to compare the traditional [non-cloud] approach. We were using scheduler to backup the DB periodically. Some times we used to shutdown the live systems to take the backups. So, from AWS RDS services we do not need interruption to the business to take backup, RDS takes care everything. We can save the role of sysadmin/DBA while using the AWS services. This way the resources efforts and business services down time are saved.
As we planned three activities for this whole exercise as on now; we have completed the activity of “A) Set up a highly available blogging infrastructure in AWS.”
Now, we are going to work on; “B) Estimate monthly costs of the infrastructure.”
As the part of this exercise is’ cost estimation also need to be done.
To analyze the cost of our blogging infrastructure, we will use the AWS Simple Monthly Calculator.
Recollect that we clicked the Cost link in the previous section to open a new browser tab.
Now, switch to that browser tab, and you will see a screen as shown in the below chart.
To Estimate of our Monthly Bill, and expand the Amazon EC2 Service and Amazon RDS Service rows.
Now, Let us see and understand the below chart.
Now it’s time to evaluate costs. We can see on How much does it cost?
In this example, our infrastructure will cost is around $60 per month.
Let us keep in mind that this is only an estimate.
We are billed based on the actual usage till the end of the month.
Everything is on-demand and usually billed by hours of usage or by gigabytes of usage.
But what influences the usage for this infrastructure?
Let us analyze different situations and identify the costing parameters as below:
Traffic processed by the load balancer: Let us assume; Expect the costs to go down in during festival/vacation season like; “December and the summer”. When the people are on vacation and not looking at our blogs.
Storage needed for the database: If our startup company increases the number of blogs, the database will grow, so the cost of storage will increase this way.
Number of web servers needed:A single web server is billed by hours of usage. If two web servers are not enough to handle all the traffic during the day, we may need a third server. By default we need to keep in our AWS/EC2 setup. In that case, we will consume more hours of virtual servers.
Now we had a clear overview of the blogging infrastructure creation and its cost estimation/Analysis. Similar way you will be able to do for your AWS migration projects also.
Now; with reference to the 3rd step, it is time to shut down the infrastructure and complete our AWS migration evaluation exercise.
Let us recap our planned 3rd activity;
C) Finally, Delete our blogging infrastructure to save cost from free-tier account.
Now, go to the CloudFormation service in the Management Console and do the following:
Select the WordPress row.
Click Delete Stack, as shown in top of the screen.
After you confirm the deletion of the infrastructure, it takes few minutes for AWS to delete all of the infrastructure’s dependencies.
Please note; this is an efficient way to manage our infrastructure.
Just as the infrastructure’s creation was automated, its deletion is also completely automated.
You can create and delete infrastructure on-demand whenever you would like, and you only pay for infrastructure when you create and run it.
<===== I copied the relevant lab practiced steps for your easy use ======>
These steps were used as on dated: 9th Sept 2018 on my free-tier account for student purpose. The AWS might change its Screens flow or UI part time to time. Hence from the above blog narration some detailed steps are given in the below lab practice steps for your easy use/practice.
2. Login to the account. 3. Click on Services. 4. Please note we need to use Cloudformation service of AWS in this exercise. Hence click on Cloudformation. 5. You will be shown the screen to create a new stack. Click on it. Note as mentioned in my blog it has 4 step process. 6. Now, select a sample template. Choose WordPress blog. It creates/shows the S3 template url. 7. Copy the S3 Template URL into a file for future usage. 8. Now, click on Next to go to next screen. 9. Under Specify Details columns, mention the details. 10. Please note my Infra name I want to give “wordpress”. 11. It has the predefined DB “wordpressdb”, I will keep it. 12. I can give DB Passwords, as required in the entry boxes/columns. 13. Dbuser “vskumarwp”. It has instance type t2.small. 14. Now, as you are aware we need to have the local SSH keys which we have created earlier. I have some keys I have selected one. [If you are new for this account, create the SSH keys…] 15. I need to give the range of IPs to be used for our wp servers. I want to use 192.168.116.9/15. 16. Now, need to click on next… Please note the above steps are required for you….
17. Let me give System as “worpress” and key as “system” as mentioned in my blog. 18. I want to skip ARN value in this exercise, due to as I mentioned in blog I would like to follow. I will not have any ARN, Hence monitoring is not mandated for me in this exercise. Then press “Next”.
19. Now, we will see the review screen as mentioned in Blog. On reveiw screen press Create button. 20. We are in creation process screen as mentioned in Blog. CREATE COMPLETE IS DONE NOW.
21. Now let me click on my instance vskumarwp.
22. Now, go to the top navaigation bar and select the resource groups. 23. Select create resource group. You will get a new screen which has some entries and selections. Give tag key as “worpress” and press create group. 24. Next screen it shows wordpress as the resource group name.
25. Now, go to EC2 instance from the left side shown. Now, you can see in bottom of the screen as mentioned in the blog.
26. I can see ELB by clicking on ELB option in the left panel. Please note I have not given the ARN. Hence the Monitoring option is not selected. Due to it might charge me.
27. You can see the cloud watch options through monitoring button in the below part of the screen.
28. Please note the security groups are attached by default.
29. Please note if I want to use this EC2 instance which is prepared for WP, I need to launch in AWS services live. Which is going to be billed. Hence I will stop at this point.
30. The FINAL step is to delete the Instance of WP. I will go to cloudformation option. Then it displays the current instance. I will select it and go to actions and select the DELETE STACK Option. It prompts for ‘YES/NO’, Select Yes. It can take some time to perform deletion.
31. Once it is deleted it will comeback to the Stack creation screen. Please note I have checked it, there are no existing instances in my current account. We can see it as terminated instance.
32. So, this way we can create infra and delete it very easily.
33. So, let us have a final conclusion, section from blog.
34. Please call me if you need any coaching for AWS course…. THANKS FOR WATCHING MY VIDEOS/BLOGS ……..
For the above steps a 40 mts videos has been made and hosted on my channel. Please look into it also.
================= End of Lab practice ===============================>
Now, after doing all the above steps we can compare our conclusions mentioned in the beginning of this blog. I copied the same for your cross check!!
a) Creating a blogging infrastructure can be fully automated through AWS services. b) Infrastructure can be created at any time on-demand without any up-front commitment for how long we will use it in AWS. c) We can pay for our infrastructure depending on how many hours we use it. d) Infrastructure consists of several parts, such as; virtual servers, load balancers, and databases. e) Infrastructure can be deleted with one click without costing to us. This process is powered by AWS automation. So it will not be billed to our free tier account after deletion.
I assume now, you are a fearless user of AWS to create the infrastructure through your free-tier account and delete and maintain the account without a cost to your CC/Account.
If you are interested to learn Virtualization with Vagrant visit:
If you are not a student of my class, and looking for it please contact me by mail with your LinkedIn identity. And send a connection request with a message on your need. You can use the below contacts. Please note; I teach globally.
This blog is created as an video also. There are series of videos made till end of the lab session. At the end, the lab practices are also recorded for your use with your free AWS account.
For some more AWS Specimen POCs visit the below FB web pages:
If you want to learn indepth Cloud/DevOps Architec role with Infra setup upto IAC Automation the following course can help you to convert into the demanding role:
Many people might feel the Cloud Architect and DevOps Architect can play dual roles. As per my observation yes, many small and medium level organizations are utilizing the IT Professionals in the same manner. I wrote a blog for these roles segregation with their main Activities. I felt this might help to some of the practitioners.
With reference to my previous blog on Cloud Architect role comparison with DevOps, there were questions on DevOps architect role comparison.
Identifying the Sprint cycles for different projects.
Identifying the different environments needs including the different test levels requirements.
Plan/design the environment specifications to build Infrastructure As A Code [IAC] and guide the DevOps Engineers.
At the same time he/she need to collaborate with the Cloud Architect to seek the permissions/approvals to utilize the cloud environment on these environmental requirements/setup.
Both these architects need to measure the cost of this Infrastructure to estimate and get approval from the management.
The DevOps Architect is also responsible to plan for different production deployments. He/She need to work together with the Cloud Architect to establish this setup.
In the current trend the containerization is accelerating with Cloud technology. Both these architects need to keep working on these areas to reduce the Virtual Machines cost by replacing with containers. At the same time these two people need to think on converting the applications into Microservices slowly with the Agile methods. This will have easy maintenance in future and also the further cost can be reduced in view of infrastructure and the man power. And their guidelines need to submit to management as a proposal. These two people are also responsible to upgrade their teams skills on the new trends in Cloud technology.
If you ask me the question who are the team members for these roles;
DevOps Engineers will report to DevOps Architect.
Cloud/system engineer reports to Cloud Architect.
So these architects need to manage their teams well in view of their skills augmentation and the tasks rolling as per the DevOps Speed/Velocity concepts.
What kind of IT Professionals can be converted into DevOps Architect ?
Basically, the DevOps activities are related to more on Practices and Culture. If your background is related to the below areas in the past, your profile might suit to convert by learning the above mentioned skills.
You might have worked on Deployment areas
Worked in release management
Worked in Development processes implementation areas.
You should be savvy in implementing the Agile/Scrum/Lean practices.
You should have worked as a Servant leadership role also. [Even as a Scrum master]. In many cases this role is responsible to mentor the teams on different practices implementation by gearing up the teams to follow DevOps Velocity.
You should have worked in Identifying the retrospective issues very well and implemented the improvements in different Sprint cycles.
He/she should be savvy in learning new technology and transform the knowledge to the teams well. This knowledge should be very simple on the tools features related areas and how they can utilize them in their setup ? How they can reduce the efforts and cost to the company with a ROI Demonstration. They need to prove it to management with a POC.
This person is responsible to show some ROI as Cloud Architect does it on DevOps New practices implementation.
The DevOps Architect reports to the DevOps Practices head or CIO or CTO. Where as the Cloud Architect reports to CIO or CTO. Depends on the size of the organization, there can be Chief Cloud architect also, where all the Cloud architects report to this position.
This video has the discussion on AWS S3 Bucket/Objects Pre-signed URL. 1. What is S3 Pre-signed URL ? 2. How it can be made for Bucket and objects ? 3. How to share the Bucket objects in Cross Region replication ? 5. What are the security/access levels need to be followed to share to users ? 6. How these features can be used for a Movies hosting site for a limited period ?
This has the discussion video on S3 Logging, Events and the pattern usage also.
How A Cloud architect is different from DevOps practices ?
