We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Take this course
Rohan Arora

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the hottest trends in the field of technology nowadays. It provides individuals and organizations with innovative tools and techniques to deploy or migrate their entire infrastructure on to the AWS platform. Therefore, it is quite essential that any AWS aspirant would need to learn all those features and services, that would give him/her enough knowledge and confidence to start his/her career in this very domain.

Read more

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the hottest trends in the field of technology nowadays. It provides individuals and organizations with innovative tools and techniques to deploy or migrate their entire infrastructure on to the AWS platform. Therefore, it is quite essential that any AWS aspirant would need to learn all those features and services, that would give him/her enough knowledge and confidence to start his/her career in this very domain.

This course is meant to get you started in AWS. The title says that it's the hard way to learn to AWS, but it's actually not. It's only the "hard" way because this course instructs you in AWS by slowly building and establishing skills through various theoretical concepts, practical sessions, assignments and quizzes, then applying them to increasingly difficult deployment techniques. By the end of this course, you will have the tools and concepts needed to begin learning more complex AWS topics.

If you work hard, take your time, and build skills, you will learn how to deploy and manage your infrastructure on AWS cloud.

There is no prerequisite required to enroll for this course. It is just that you should have a basic understanding of computers and servers.

Last but not the least - This is just the beginning of this journey and we will study together to achieve best results. Feel free to reach out to me through Udemy, Facebook, Linkedin and E-mail. Also, there would be multiple additions to this course in the near future. Based upon your valuable feedback and market trend, more and more content would be added to this course.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Gain technical expertise in deployment, management, and operations on the aws platform
  • Design and deploy scalable, highly available, and fault tolerant systems on aws
  • Lift and shift of an existing on-premises application to aws
  • Identify appropriate use of aws architectural best practices
  • Estimate aws costs and identify cost control mechanisms
  • Implement and control the flow of data to and from aws
  • Select the appropriate aws service based on compute, data, or security requirements
  • Make architectural decisions based on the aws-recommended architectural principles and best practices.

Syllabus

Students will be able to understand and get themselves acquainted with all basic concepts and terminologies. This will act as a foundation for upcoming sections and lectures.
Read more

Following are the links you can access to download the packages:

1. AWS CLI: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/awscli-install-windows.html

2. Python: https://www.python.org/

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides hands-on experience with core AWS services like EC2, ELB, Auto Scaling, and VPC, which are essential for cloud infrastructure management and deployment
Covers key architectural principles and best practices recommended by AWS, enabling learners to make informed decisions about system design and implementation
Includes quizzes and assignments to reinforce theoretical concepts and practical skills, which helps learners assess their understanding and track their progress
Requires installing and configuring the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), which is a standard tool for managing AWS resources and automating tasks
Teaches how to estimate AWS costs and implement cost control mechanisms, which is crucial for managing cloud budgets and optimizing resource utilization
Instructs learners to download packages from external websites, which may require learners to create accounts and agree to terms of service

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Reviews summary

Practical foundation in core aws services

According to learners, this course provides a largely positive introduction to core AWS services, focusing on a practical, hands-on approach. Students particularly praised the useful labs and demos which helped solidify understanding. The instructor is often cited as responsive and providing clear explanations. However, some learners note that due to the rapid pace of AWS changes, certain sections may feel somewhat outdated, requiring external lookups. While the description states no prerequisites, students suggest having a basic technical background improves the learning experience. Overall, it's seen as a solid foundation for those starting their AWS journey, though supplemental learning may be needed for the very latest features or deeper dives.
Pacing is steady, provides foundational overview, not deep dives.
"Covers a good range of foundational services like EC2, VPC, ELB, Auto Scaling."
"The pace through the initial concepts was steady and manageable."
"It's a solid intro but don't expect deep dives into every single service option."
"Provides good breadth across key AWS areas."
Instructor is responsive and explanations are generally clear.
"The instructor was quick to answer my question about a lab error."
"Explanations for complex topics like Route 53 routing policies were easy to follow."
"Appreciate the engagement from the course creator."
"Instructor provides clear guidance through the material."
Strong emphasis on practical, hands-on exercises.
"Building the Non-Default VPC step-by-step in the labs was the best way to grasp it."
"The hands-on demos for EC2 security groups made them much clearer than just theory."
"I really liked configuring the Auto Scaling group with a Load Balancer; very practical."
"The labs provided are very useful for learning by doing."
May require basic technical background despite no prerequisite.
"While it says no prerequisites, a basic understanding of IT concepts is needed."
"Found it challenging at first without prior command line experience."
"Better suited if you're comfortable with networking basics."
"Helps if you understand general server concepts before starting."
AWS changes rapidly, some content may be outdated.
"Some sections seemed a bit outdated due to recent AWS updates."
"Wish the course was more current with the latest service features."
"Had to look up some things externally as the console interface changed."
"It's a challenge for any AWS course, but keeping up with changes is key."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learn AWS The Hard Way with these activities:
Review Networking Fundamentals
Solidify your understanding of networking fundamentals to better grasp VPC concepts and configurations within AWS.
Browse courses on Networking Fundamentals
Show steps
  • Review the OSI model and TCP/IP stack.
  • Practice subnetting calculations.
  • Study common networking protocols.
Read 'Official (ISC)² Guide to the CCSP CBK'
Expand your knowledge of cloud security best practices to better understand security considerations within AWS.
Show steps
  • Read each domain carefully.
  • Take notes on key concepts.
  • Relate concepts to AWS services.
Read 'AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate SAA-C03 Exam Guide'
Supplement your learning with a comprehensive exam guide to reinforce key concepts and prepare for AWS certification.
Show steps
  • Read each chapter carefully.
  • Complete the practice questions.
  • Review areas where you struggle.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
AWS CLI Command Practice
Reinforce your understanding of AWS CLI commands by practicing common tasks such as launching EC2 instances, creating S3 buckets, and configuring IAM roles.
Show steps
  • Set up the AWS CLI on your local machine.
  • Practice creating and managing EC2 instances.
  • Practice creating and managing S3 buckets.
  • Practice configuring IAM roles and policies.
Create a VPC Design Diagram
Visualize your understanding of VPCs by creating a detailed diagram showcasing subnets, route tables, internet gateways, and NAT gateways.
Show steps
  • Plan your VPC architecture.
  • Create a diagram using a drawing tool.
  • Label all components clearly.
  • Document the purpose of each component.
Follow AWS Documentation Tutorials
Deepen your understanding of specific AWS services by following official AWS documentation tutorials. This will expose you to best practices and advanced configurations.
Show steps
  • Choose a tutorial related to a specific AWS service.
  • Follow the tutorial step-by-step.
  • Experiment with different configurations.
Deploy a Simple Web Application
Apply your knowledge by deploying a simple web application using EC2, ELB, and Auto Scaling. This will solidify your understanding of these core AWS services.
Show steps
  • Create an EC2 instance with a web server.
  • Configure an Elastic Load Balancer (ELB).
  • Set up an Auto Scaling group.
  • Deploy your web application.

Career center

Learners who complete Learn AWS The Hard Way will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Cloud Engineer
A Cloud Engineer designs, implements, and manages cloud infrastructure. This course helps build a foundation in the practical aspects of AWS, specifically focusing on deployment and management which are essential for a cloud engineer. The course provides hands-on experience with various AWS services including EC2, load balancers, and Auto Scaling, which are at the core of a cloud engineer's daily work. Furthermore, learning to design and deploy scalable and fault-tolerant systems as taught in this course directly applies to cloud engineering principles. The course work using command line interface is also directly applicable to the work of a Cloud Engineer.
DevOps Engineer
A DevOps Engineer automates and streamlines the software development lifecycle, which involves deploying and managing infrastructure. This course will help an aspiring DevOps Engineer understand how AWS infrastructure is built and managed, particularly through the use of EC2, Elastic Load Balancing, and Auto Scaling as covered in the course. This course provides practical skills to manage AWS infrastructure through CLI, which would help a DevOps Engineer. The course also explores concepts such as VPC and security groups, which are very important for the work of a DevOps engineer. This course's focus on hands-on deployment also helps a DevOps engineer better understand their workflows.
Solutions Architect
A Solutions Architect designs and implements technical solutions to meet business needs. This course helps develop a deep understanding of AWS services, which are frequently used to build solutions. A solutions architect must be knowledgeable of how to design scalable and fault-tolerant systems on AWS, which is a core element of the course. The architectural principles and best practices that are emphasized in this course is also essential for a solutions architect. The course's exploration of VPCs and security groups also enhances the knowledge base of a solutions architect. This course provides a hands-on approach to deploying and managing infrastructure which helps the solutions architect.
Systems Administrator
A Systems Administrator manages and maintains computer systems, which now often encompasses cloud infrastructure. This course provides a strong understanding of how to deploy and manage servers on AWS, which is a critical part of the role of a systems administrator today. This course works through topics such as EC2, EBS volumes, security groups and Elastic IP addresses, which are frequently used by systems administrators. The hands-on approach of this course is useful for a system administrator that is looking to use AWS. Concepts covered, such as Auto Scaling and load balancing, are also relevant to modern system admin work.
Cloud Consultant
A Cloud Consultant advises organizations on how to best leverage cloud technologies. This course will help them better understand the practical aspects of AWS deployment and management, which in turn would help them make more informed recommendations to clients. This course provides a solid foundation in core AWS services, which the consultant would need in order to be effective. The ability to identify appropriate AWS services based on compute, data, or security requirements learned in this course is vital to a cloud consultant. The principles and best practices of AWS taught within this course are also useful for a cloud consultant who needs to be knowledgeable on these topics.
Network Engineer
A Network Engineer designs and maintains an organization's network infrastructure, which increasingly involves cloud networking. This course will help a network engineer better understand AWS networking concepts, such as VPCs, subnets, and route tables. The course's practical approach to setting up and configuring VPCs will be useful for a network engineer, as well as the course's lessons on load balancing and security. A network engineer must be knowledgeable of the best practices and principles of AWS, and these are explored in the course. The command line interface of the course is also helpful for those who work on networking.
Infrastructure Engineer
An Infrastructure Engineer builds and maintains the technology infrastructure of an organization. This course will help them understand how to deploy and manage infrastructure on the AWS platform. This course provides a foundation of AWS services such as EC2, load balancing, and Auto Scaling. Topics such as VPCs, security groups, and command line interface, are also covered in this course, which are essential for an infrastructure engineer. An infrastructure engineer that wishes to work with AWS should consider this course for its hands-on implementation of infrastructure.
Site Reliability Engineer
A Site Reliability Engineer ensures the reliability and availability of a system. This course will help the Site Reliability Engineer focus on fault tolerance in AWS. The practical, hands-on approach to deploying and managing infrastructure taught in this course, will improve their practice. The course covers key components of infrastructure such as EC2, load balancing, and Auto Scaling, which are useful for a Site Reliability Engineer. This course also helps SREs handle the flow of data to and from AWS. The understanding of AWS architecture and scaling that this course provides is crucial for SREs.
Cloud Support Specialist
A Cloud Support Specialist provides technical support for cloud services. This course helps them better understand the practical aspects of AWS, particularly the deployment and management concepts that are crucial for diagnosing and resolving issues. The hands-on approach of this course is particularly important so that the cloud support specialist can understand and replicate issues that may be encountered. The practical experience gained through this course with EC2, EBS, load balancing and Auto Scaling, provides a good foundation for a cloud support specialist. The course also helps establish basic understanding of AWS' services.
Technical Trainer
A Technical Trainer educates others on how to use technology. This course provides a trainer with a deep understanding of AWS and its various components, including EC2, load balancing, and Auto Scaling, which they can then teach to others. The trainer would also benefit from the hands-on approach of this course, as the trainer would need to demonstrate practical implementation skills to others. The course would also help them learn how to deploy scalable and fault-tolerant systems on AWS. This course can help a technical trainer be more effective in AWS topics.
IT Project Manager
An IT Project Manager oversees IT projects, and may need to have some level of understanding of the underlying technologies involved. This course may help an IT Project Manager working on cloud projects to have a better understanding of the key AWS services and their functions. Specifically, the course helps an IT Project Manager understand the deployment and management of infrastructure, as well as best practices. While this course does not directly address project management, the IT project manager would be able to follow along with their team's technical work with a better understanding of AWS after taking this course.
Database Administrator
A Database Administrator manages database systems. This course may be useful for Database Administrators in understanding how databases are deployed and managed on AWS. The course's focus on core AWS services such as EC2 and VPC helps the Database Administrator understand where their databases might reside. This course might help provide a basis for deeper exploration of AWS databases. While this course does not deal directly with databases, understanding the infrastructure in the cloud may help Database Administrators in their work.
Data Scientist
A Data Scientist uses data to create insights. This course may help a Data Scientist understand the underlying infrastructure where they might be doing their work, which could be on AWS. The course provides a foundational understanding of AWS services. The course covers the basics of cloud computing that a data scientist might encounter. This course may be useful to the Data Scientist in working with other members of their team. This course may also introduce the Data Scientist to some general IT terminology.
Technical Writer
A Technical Writer creates technical documentation for various audiences. This course may be useful for a technical writer that wishes to write about AWS technology. The course provides a solid foundation of AWS terminology and its components. By taking the course, the technical writer may be better equipped to write technical documents about AWS. The course covers services like EC2, load balancing, and Auto Scaling, which would need to be documented by a technical writer. The hands-on approach may help the technical writer better understand the technical concepts.
Product Manager
A Product Manager oversees the strategy and development of a product. This course may be useful for a Product Manager who works on cloud-based products, by helping them understand the underlying technologies. The course provides an overview of AWS services that could be helpful for product decisions. A Product Manager who works on cloud based infrastructure can use the general AWS knowledge they gain through this course. While the course does not cover product management principles, it can help the Product Manager be more informed when working with their development team.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Learn AWS The Hard Way.
Comprehensive guide to preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam. It covers all the key concepts and services required for the exam, including EC2, S3, VPC, and IAM. This book is useful as a reference tool and provides additional depth to the existing course.
Provides a comprehensive overview of cloud security principles and practices. While not specific to AWS, it provides a strong foundation in cloud security concepts that are essential for working with AWS. This book is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference, but it is commonly used by industry professionals.

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Similar courses

Similar courses are unavailable at this time. Please try again later.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser