Real World DevOps Project with Ansible, Docker and GitLab from Coursera

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Dive into a comprehensive DevOps journey where you'll gain hands-on experience with essential tools like Ansible, Docker, and GitLab to automate and streamline software development and deployment processes. You'll develop practical skills in infrastructure provisioning, configuration management, continuous integration, and continuous delivery, enabling you to manage modern DevOps environments confidently.

The course begins with foundational concepts such as setting up VPS, domain registration, DNS configuration, and Linux essentials, ensuring you build a strong base. You will then master Ansible automation, containerization with Docker, and secure communication with WireGuard. As the course progresses, you’ll explore advanced topics like TLS certificates, VPNs, email servers, monitoring with checkmk, backup strategies, and collaborative workflows with GitLab CI/CD pipelines.

Designed as a project-driven learning experience, this course integrates theory with real-world applications, culminating in deploying and managing a fully automated website and infrastructure using modern DevOps tools. By the end, you'll be equipped to implement scalable, secure, and efficient DevOps pipelines in professional settings.

Ideal for IT professionals, developers, and system administrators with basic Linux knowledge, this intermediate-level course requires familiarity with command-line tools and networking fundamentals. Whether you're transitioning into DevOps or enhancing your skills, this course offers practical expertise to accelerate your career in DevOps engineering.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to DevOps and Project Overview

In this module, we will introduce the structure and objectives of the course, starting with the foundational steps required for DevOps projects. You will explore essential tasks such as domain registration, DNS management, setting up a VPS, and configuring storage volumes, laying a strong foundation for your DevOps journey.

Career center

Learners who complete Real World DevOps Project with Ansible, Docker and GitLab will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Software Delivery Automation Engineer

A Software Delivery Automation Engineer focuses on designing, implementing, and maintaining automated systems for software development, testing, and deployment. This role is central to accelerating product delivery and ensuring operational efficiency. This course, "Real World DevOps Project with Ansible, Docker and GitLab," helps build a strong foundation, offering extensive hands-on experience with Ansible for configuration management and infrastructure provisioning. Learners will master Docker for containerization and GitLab for continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines, all vital skills for this profession. The project-driven approach, culminating in deploying a fully automated website and infrastructure, directly prepares individuals to implement scalable and secure automation solutions in professional settings, which is precisely what is sought in a Software Delivery Automation Engineer.

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Infrastructure Automation Engineer

An Infrastructure Automation Engineer is responsible for automating the provisioning, configuration, and management of Information Technology infrastructure to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors. This specific course is exceptionally well-suited for someone pursuing a career as an Infrastructure Automation Engineer. It centers on tools like Ansible for automation and configuration management, where learners will install, configure, and create reusable roles. The course also dives into automating Docker services and resource cleanup, ensuring continuous efficiency. By exploring foundational concepts like Domain Name System configuration and Linux essentials, alongside advanced topics such as GitLab for continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines, learners develop the comprehensive automation skills needed to implement scalable, secure, and efficient infrastructure automation. The practical, project-driven approach solidifies the ability to deploy and manage automated systems effectively.

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Site Reliability Engineering Specialist

A Site Reliability Engineering Specialist combines software engineering principles with operations to build scalable and highly reliable software systems, emphasizing system stability, performance, and monitoring. This course offers practical expertise directly applicable to a Site Reliability Engineering Specialist role. It covers critical areas such as infrastructure provisioning with Ansible, containerization using Docker, and securing services with TLS certificates and VPNs. The module on monitoring with checkmk and backup strategies using Borg/Borgmatic is particularly relevant for ensuring system resilience and data integrity. Furthermore, understanding GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines, honed through deploying a fully automated website, helps learners implement efficient and reliable deployment strategies, making this course highly beneficial for mastering the operational excellence required in site reliability.

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Platform Tooling Engineer

A Platform Tooling Engineer develops and maintains the tools and platforms that enable other engineering teams to build, deploy, and operate software more effectively. This course may be very useful for an aspiring Platform Tooling Engineer by providing hands-on experience with a suite of essential tools. Learners gain expertise in Ansible for automating configurations, Docker for containerization, and GitLab for establishing continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines. The course also explores supporting tools like Traefik for reverse proxying, checkmk for monitoring, and Borg/Borgmatic for backups, all of which are common components of robust engineering platforms. By deploying and managing a fully automated website infrastructure, participants understand how these diverse tools integrate to create a cohesive platform, directly enhancing the skills required to design and support developer enablement tooling.

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Containerization and Orchestration Specialist

A Containerization and Orchestration Specialist designs, implements, and manages container-based application deployments, leveraging tools to automate their lifecycle and scaling. This course provides essential, hands-on experience for a Containerization and Orchestration Specialist. Learners will master containerization with Docker, deploying applications and exploring advanced Docker concepts. The course covers crucial aspects like securing infrastructure with Transport Layer Security certificates and integrating with GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines to automate container deployment. By understanding how to manage Docker services and automate resource cleanup, participants gain practical skills in maintaining containerized environments. The project-driven learning, culminating in deploying a fully automated website, demonstrates how to effectively utilize Docker within a comprehensive framework, making this course highly beneficial for specializing in container technologies.

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Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

A Cloud Infrastructure Engineer designs, implements, and manages an organization's cloud-based infrastructure, focusing on scalability, security, and efficiency. This course provides a robust skill set for aspiring Cloud Infrastructure Engineers. It covers foundational concepts like setting up Virtual Private Servers, Domain Name System configuration, and Linux essentials, crucial for any cloud environment. Learners will gain practical experience with Ansible for infrastructure automation and configuration management, a cornerstone of cloud operations. Expertise in Docker for containerization and secure communication with WireGuard translates directly to building and managing secure, resilient cloud services. The hands-on project of deploying and managing an automated website helps learners understand how to integrate various tools to create a functional and secure cloud-native solution, which is a key responsibility for a Cloud Infrastructure Engineer.

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Continuous Integration Delivery Engineer

A Continuous Integration Delivery Engineer specializes in designing, implementing, and optimizing continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines to accelerate software releases. This course is highly relevant for individuals aiming for a Continuous Integration Delivery Engineer role. The curriculum provides in-depth exposure to GitLab and GitLab Runner, teaching learners how to manage Git repositories and automate software build and deployment. Practical skills in containerization with Docker, learned through deploying applications, are crucial for creating reproducible and efficient delivery workflows. The project-driven experience of deploying websites through GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery directly prepares learners to build and manage robust pipelines. This course offers comprehensive preparation for establishing the automated, efficient, and reliable software delivery systems crucial to modern development.

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Release Management Engineer

A Release Management Engineer oversees the planning, scheduling, and control of software releases, ensuring smooth and efficient delivery from development to production. This course can be very helpful for a Release Management Engineer by providing a deep dive into the technical underpinnings of modern software delivery. Learners will gain proficiency in GitLab for continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines for automating deployments and learn about containerization with Docker, which is central to consistent release environments. The course's focus on maintaining and automating infrastructure, including Docker services and Linux Containers, is directly relevant to ensuring release stability. By understanding the practical aspects of deploying and managing a fully automated website infrastructure, individuals may better coordinate release efforts, identify potential bottlenecks, and ensure the integrity and security of the release process, making them more effective in managing complex software rollouts.

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Automation Scripting Specialist

An Automation Scripting Specialist creates and maintains scripts and programs to automate repetitive Information Technology tasks, streamlining operations and improving efficiency across various systems. This course directly contributes to developing the core competencies required for an Automation Scripting Specialist. Learners will gain extensive practical experience with Ansible for configuration management and infrastructure automation, a key scripting tool. The course emphasizes automating Docker resource cleanup and keeping services up to date, showcasing real-world scripting applications. Furthermore, developing a Python application for operational tasks within the GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery pipeline directly hones scripting skills. By mastering the automation of infrastructure provisioning, deployment, and maintenance, individuals will be well-equipped to design and implement robust, efficient automation solutions across diverse enterprise environments.

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Solutions Architect Infrastructure Automation

A Solutions Architect Infrastructure Automation designs comprehensive technical solutions for automating infrastructure provisioning, management, and deployment across an enterprise. This is a role that typically requires an advanced degree or significant experience. This course may be very helpful for a Solutions Architect Infrastructure Automation, as it provides a practical, project-driven foundation in key automation technologies. Learners gain expertise in Ansible for configuration management, Docker for containerization, and GitLab for continuous integration and continuous delivery orchestrating deployment pipelines. The course's breadth, covering Virtual Private Server setup, Domain Name System, WireGuard Virtual Private Networks, monitoring with checkmk, and backup strategies, offers a holistic view of the interconnected components within an automated solution. This comprehensive exposure, culminating in a fully automated website and infrastructure, equips learners with the hands-on understanding necessary to design scalable, secure, and efficient automation architectures.

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Modern System Administrator

A Modern System Administrator manages and maintains an organization's computer systems and servers, with a strong emphasis on automation, cloud technologies, and streamlined operations. This course is an excellent fit for a Modern System Administrator looking to advance or pivot. It starts with foundational concepts like setting up Virtual Private Servers, domain registration, Domain Name System configuration, and Linux essentials. Learners will master Ansible for automating system configuration and infrastructure tasks, which is indispensable for managing modern environments efficiently. Practical experience with Docker for containerization, securing infrastructure with Transport Layer Security certificates, and implementing monitoring with checkmk ensures systems are robust and observable. The focus on GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines also introduces concepts of automated deployment, moving beyond traditional manual administration to a more proactive, automated approach.

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Information Security Analyst Infrastructure

An Information Security Analyst Infrastructure focuses on protecting an organization's Information Technology infrastructure from cyber threats, often by implementing and monitoring security measures. This course may be useful for an Information Security Analyst Infrastructure by deeply exploring practical security implementations. Learners will gain hands-on experience securing infrastructure with certbot and Transport Layer Security certificates, establishing secure Virtual Private Network connections with WireGuard, and understanding fundamental Linux security practices like file permissions. Although not solely a security course, the curriculum embeds security in every step of the journey, from Domain Name System configuration to mail server setup with iRedMail. Understanding how modern, automated infrastructure is built and secured, including backup strategies with Borg/Borgmatic, provides a strong practical context for identifying vulnerabilities and implementing robust defenses in an infrastructure environment.

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Technical Operations Lead

A Technical Operations Lead manages a team responsible for the day-to-day operations, performance, and reliability of Information Technology systems and services, often setting technical direction. This course may be useful for a Technical Operations Lead by providing a comprehensive, hands-on overview of modern operational tools and practices. The curriculum covers essential skills in infrastructure provisioning, configuration management with Ansible, containerization with Docker, and continuous integration and delivery using GitLab. Participants will also explore critical operational aspects such as monitoring with checkmk, backup strategies with Borg/Borgmatic, and maintaining Docker services. By working through a real-world project to deploy and manage a fully automated website, a Technical Operations Lead can gain a practical understanding of how to implement and oversee scalable, secure, and efficient operational pipelines, enabling them to guide their teams effectively.

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Backend Software Engineer Operations Focus

A Backend Software Engineer Operations Focus develops server-side applications with a strong understanding and responsibility for their deployment, scaling, and operational health. While primarily a development role, this course may be very useful for a Backend Software Engineer Operations Focus. Learners will gain practical insights into deploying applications using Docker and automating deployments through GitLab continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines. The course also teaches how to develop supporting Python applications for operational tasks, directly bridging the gap between development and operations. Understanding infrastructure provisioning with Ansible, monitoring with checkmk, and managing secure communication with Transport Layer Security certificates equips engineers to design more robust, deployable backend services. This comprehensive exposure to the 'how' of operations empowers developers to write code that is inherently more production-ready and manageable.

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Network Systems Engineer

A Network Systems Engineer designs, implements, and manages an organization's network infrastructure, ensuring connectivity, security, and performance. This course may be helpful for a Network Systems Engineer, particularly one looking to integrate network management with modern infrastructure automation. Learners will acquire foundational knowledge in Domain Name System configuration, network bridges, and setting up secure Virtual Private Network connections with WireGuard. The course also covers implementing Traefik as a reverse proxy and load balancer, and deploying Pi-Hole for network-wide Domain Name System resolution and ad-blocking, offering practical experience with network services. While not a pure networking course, understanding how these network components integrate into a fully automated, secure infrastructure using tools like Ansible and Docker can significantly enhance a Network Systems Engineer's ability to support modern, automated environments and collaborate with operations teams.

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