The Linux Foundation and edX offer free cloud infrastructure MOOC
Let's be honest. Do you often feel like you really don't know the cloud that well? I know I do, and I work with it every day and I write about it every week. That's where the newest Linux Foundation and edX free massive open online course (MOOC) LFS151, an Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies comes in.
Understanding cloud technologies tops the list of most important skills for any developer, sysadmin or emerging DevOps professional. If you don't believe me, just try to hire a cloud expert. Good luck!
This course won't turn you into an expert, but it will at least get you on your way. It provides a primer on cloud computing and DevOps software. It will cover next-generation cloud technologies like Docker, CoreOS, Kubernetes, and OpenStack. The course will also provide an overview of software-defined storage and networking solutions and a review of DevOps and continuous integration best practices.
Cloud
The class is not exclusively focused on open-source cloud software. Mark Hinkle, The Linux Foundation's VP of marketing and a cloud expert in his own right, told me at the Great Wide Open conference, that it covers the fundamentals of cloud computing irregardless of platform.
The course instructors are Chip Childers and Neependra Khare. Chip Childers is the VP of technology at the Cloud Foundry Foundation, an open-source platform-as-a-service (PaaS) industry consortium. Neependra Khare offers training and consulting services around container technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, and CoreOS. He is also the author of Docker Cookbook.
This cloud class is the second edX MOOC offered by The Linux Foundation. Its first course, Intro to Linux, has had more than 500,000 students globally so far and continues to enroll new ones.
"The response to our first edX course was powerful, demonstrating the understanding among students and early career professionals all over the world that open source is the pathway to a lucrative career in technology," said Jim Zemlin, The Linux Foundation's executive director, in a statement. "With Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies, anyone can begin learning the fundamentals of building and managing some of today's most pervasive software, giving professionals a strong position in the IT talent market."
The course includes twelve chapters, each with a short quiz at the end. A final exam is also required to complete the course. Students may take the complete course at no cost, or add a verified certificate of completion for $99. Class registration is now open for Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies.
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