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Getting Started with Amazon Neptune

AWS Instructor

Amazon Neptune is a fully managed service you can use to operate graph databases without worrying about hardware provisioning, software patching, setup, configuration, or backups.

In this course, you will learn the benefits and technical concepts of Neptune. If you are new to the service, you will learn how to start using Neptune through a demonstration using the AWS Management Console. You will learn about the native architecture and how the built-in features can help you simplify any application that uses connections among data.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores Amazon Neptune, which simplifies graph database operations by handling hardware, software, and backups
Demonstrates how to use the AWS Management Console to start using Neptune, which is a core AWS service
Details the native architecture and built-in features, which helps simplify applications using connected data

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Reviews summary

Beginner introduction to amazon neptune

According to learners, this course provides a clear and effective introduction to Amazon Neptune. Students appreciate how it covers the core concepts and benefits of the service, making it a good starting point for those new to graph databases on AWS. The explanations of the native architecture are highlighted as particularly useful. However, many reviewers note that while it's a solid overview, the course lacks practical, hands-on labs beyond a basic console demonstration, feeling too theoretical at times. Students suggest it only scratches the surface and requires further study or practice for real-world application.
Lays a solid groundwork for beginners.
"Solid foundation laid out. The explanation of the native architecture was particularly useful..."
"The course delivers on its promise to get you started. Great starting point before diving into documentation."
"Perfect for someone just starting out with Amazon Neptune."
"I found it a very good initial step to understanding Neptune."
Effectively covers core concepts and benefits.
"Excellent introduction to Amazon Neptune. Covers the core concepts and benefits clearly."
"Clear explanations of graph database concepts within the Neptune context."
"Quick and efficient way to understand the basics of Amazon Neptune. The modules are well-structured and easy to follow."
"I gained a good grasp of the fundamentals of Amazon Neptune from this course."
Not standalone for real-world use.
"Requires further study."
"The 'getting started' part felt incomplete without more practical steps."
"You will need to find other resources to really implement Neptune."
"This course serves as an introduction but isn't sufficient for deployment."
Good start, but doesn't go deep enough.
"It's okay as a starting point, but doesn't go deep enough into practical application or integration with other services."
"Explains what Neptune is, but lacks detailed examples of querying or schema design."
"Too basic and theoretical. Disappointing."
"I felt this course only scratched the surface of Neptune's capabilities."
Demo is basic, lacks real hands-on practice.
"I wish there were more hands-on labs beyond just the initial console demo. It felt a bit too theoretical in parts."
"The 'demonstration' was just a walkthrough, not a real hands-on lab. Didn't feel like I actually 'got started'..."
"The console demo was simple but not very engaging."
"Could use more exercises to practice using Neptune myself."

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 Getting Started with Amazon Neptune with these activities:
Review Graph Database Concepts
Reviewing graph database concepts will provide a solid foundation for understanding Amazon Neptune's architecture and capabilities.
Browse courses on Graph Databases
Show steps
  • Read articles and blog posts about graph databases.
  • Watch introductory videos on graph database concepts.
  • Familiarize yourself with common graph database terminology.
Read 'Graph Databases' by Ian Robinson, Jim Webber, and Emil Eifrem
Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of graph database principles, enhancing your ability to work with Amazon Neptune.
View Graph Databases: New Opportunities for... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book cover to cover.
  • Take notes on key concepts and examples.
  • Try implementing some of the examples using a graph database.
Follow AWS Neptune Tutorials
Following AWS-provided tutorials will give you hands-on experience with Neptune and its features.
Show steps
  • Find the official AWS Neptune tutorials.
  • Work through the tutorials step-by-step.
  • Experiment with different configurations and data sets.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Read 'Practical Gremlin' by Kelvin R. Lawrence
Learning Gremlin will enable you to effectively query and manipulate data in Amazon Neptune.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book and practice the Gremlin queries.
  • Experiment with different Gremlin functions and operators.
  • Apply Gremlin to solve real-world graph problems.
Build a Simple Social Network Graph
Building a project will solidify your understanding of Neptune and its application in real-world scenarios.
Show steps
  • Design the graph schema for a social network.
  • Populate the graph with sample data.
  • Implement queries to find connections between users.
  • Visualize the graph using a graph visualization tool.
Write a Blog Post on Neptune Use Cases
Writing a blog post will help you synthesize your knowledge and share it with others.
Show steps
  • Research different use cases for Amazon Neptune.
  • Choose a specific use case to focus on.
  • Write a clear and concise blog post explaining the use case.
  • Include code examples and diagrams to illustrate your points.
Create a Presentation on Neptune Architecture
Creating a presentation will force you to deeply understand Neptune's architecture and how it works.
Show steps
  • Research the architecture of Amazon Neptune.
  • Create a slide deck outlining the key components.
  • Prepare a script to explain each slide in detail.
  • Practice delivering the presentation to a friend or colleague.

Career center

Learners who complete Getting Started with Amazon Neptune will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Cloud Solutions Architect
A Cloud Solutions Architect designs and implements cloud computing strategies, translating technical requirements into architecture and design. This course on Amazon Neptune introduces essential concepts of a cloud-based graph database system. This can help Cloud Solutions Architects to understand how graph databases may be used in various applications. This course describes the native architecture of a graph database and how its features simplify data relationships, which is something a Cloud Solutions Architect might consider in their responsibilities. The course's hands-on demonstration helps to learn cloud services.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Solutions Architect
Cloud Consultant
A Cloud Consultant advises organizations on adopting and using cloud technologies. This course introduces Amazon Neptune which is a managed cloud-based graph database service. This course’s introduction to the service may help with making recommendations for clients who might benefit from graph databases. The course outlines how its features can simplify applications which helps to understand ease of use. A Cloud Consultant may find the course helpful for understanding the technology.
See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Consultant
Database Administrator
A Database Administrator is responsible for the performance, integrity, and security of a database system. This course on Neptune introduces a managed approach to graph databases, which can be useful for those planning to oversee database systems. This course's discussion of the features and architecture of graph databases can help a Database Administrator's understanding when working with graph-based data structures. The course introduces the fundamentals of database setup and use which can help with this career role. A demonstration using a console may be helpful as well.
See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator
Data Engineer
Data Engineers build and maintain the infrastructure that enables data analysis and reporting. This course about Amazon Neptune may be helpful as it covers a managed service for graph databases. A Data Engineer needs to understand various storage methods, and this is an introduction. This course outlines the architecture and built-in features, which directly relates to the tasks faced by a Data Engineer, such as data modeling. Learning about connection structures can be beneficial in understanding the relationships in the data. This course may help a data engineer to understand how graph databases can work.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer
Information Architect
An Information Architect structures and organizes information for usability. This course discusses a graph database system which directly concerns the structuring of data. An Information Architect should know how different database systems are used. This course introduces the benefits and technical concepts of a particular database system. The course's explanation of data connections and relationships can help build a foundation for this role. This is especially true if an Information Architect wants to explore how data is connected.
See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect
Technology Consultant
A Technology Consultant advises clients on how to use technology to meet business goals. The course on Amazon Neptune introduces a cloud-based database system, which may be relevant. This course may be helpful to a consultant who makes recommendations for database systems. This course's coverage of its architecture and simplification features can help a Technology Consultant understand how this service fits into a business. This course may be valuable for understanding the pros and cons of a particular technology.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technology Consultant
Software Developer
Software developers create applications using various languages and tools. This course on Amazon Neptune may be useful for developers interested in integrating graph databases into their applications. Understanding the benefits and technical concepts of Neptune, as discussed in this course, helps a Software Developer to choose or implement suitable database systems for a project. The course's description of the native architecture and how built-in features may simplify applications can help with software design and implementation. This course can help developers understand the connections between data.
See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer
Business Intelligence Analyst
Business Intelligence Analysts use data to help companies make strategic decisions. This course about Amazon Neptune introduces the architecture and management of a specific database system. Understanding how different types of databases work is useful to a Business Intelligence Analyst. The course's description of data relationships and application simplifications may be valuable. This course introduces a technique for managing connected data which may be useful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts evaluate and improve technology systems within an organization. This course on using Amazon Neptune may be useful to Systems Analysts as it introduces a specific database technology. This course's hands-on demonstration shows practical steps of setup and use of the console, which can help with understanding databases. This course may be helpful as it covers architecture, which in turn can apply to how systems are used.
See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst
Data Scientist
Data Scientists analyze complex data to derive insights and develop models to solve business problems. While this course focuses on a particular database technology, it introduces a graph database, which is important for data scientists to know. This course helps a Data Scientist understand methods of storing and querying data. The course's discussion of features that simplify application usage may be useful for data scientists who collaborate on or build applications. The course may help to understand how this specific technology might be used in data analysis.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist
Machine Learning Engineer
Machine Learning Engineers build and maintain machine learning systems. This course introduces Amazon Neptune, a graph database system, which is useful for certain machine learning applications, such as knowledge graphs. Machine Learning Engineers benefit from understanding the different types of databases. Although this course does not deal specifically with machine learning, the principles of managing and using data sources might apply. The course introduces graph database principles which might be used in this field.
See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer
Technical Support Engineer
Technical Support Engineers provide technical assistance to users of products or services. This course on Amazon Neptune may be helpful for understanding the technical aspects of a specific technology. A Technical Support Engineer may need to understand how a graph database works to be able to offer support. This course's explanation of architecture and features can help with troubleshooting. This course is useful for individuals who need hands-on experience.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Engineer
Research Scientist
Research Scientists conduct experiments and gather data to advance scientific knowledge. While this course does not explicitly focus on scientific research, it introduces a data management tool that might be helpful. A Research Scientist can use graph databases to understand relationships in data. This course will introduce the concepts of a specific database and its technical capabilities. The course's discussion of data connections and application simplification may be relevant to a Research Scientist who needs to work with large datasets.
See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist
IT Project Manager
An IT Project Manager plans, executes, and closes technology projects. An IT Project Manager may benefit from this course on Amazon Neptune to understand a new database technology. Understanding the technical details of a project is crucial. This course introduces the basics of a managed database system, including setup and architecture. Although, an IT project manager may not use it directly, this course provides an overview that can help in conversations about the use of the service.
See salaries and explore the career path for IT Project Manager
Network Engineer
A Network Engineer designs, implements, and manages computer networks. This course on Amazon Neptune may be helpful as it introduces the underlying technologies that support database operations. The course discusses the native architecture of Neptune, which may be relevant to the network infrastructure required to support this type of service. While the role does not generally involve database management, awareness of database systems is beneficial. This course's focus on a managed service may be interesting to professionals in this field.
See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

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 Getting Started with Amazon Neptune.
Cover image
Graph Databases
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of graph databases, covering their underlying principles, data modeling techniques, and query languages. It valuable resource for understanding the theoretical foundations of graph databases, which are essential for effectively using Amazon Neptune. While not specific to Neptune, it provides the necessary background for understanding how Neptune works and how to design graph-based applications. This book is commonly used as a reference by database professionals.
Graph Databases: New Opportunities for Connected...
Paperback
$$
Graph Databases
Paperback
$$
Graph Databases: New Opportunities for Connected...
Kindle Edition
$$
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Focuses on the Gremlin graph traversal language, which key component of Amazon Neptune. It provides practical examples and guidance on how to use Gremlin to query and manipulate graph data. Understanding Gremlin is crucial for effectively interacting with Neptune. This book is more valuable as additional reading to deepen your understanding of graph querying.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check

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Introductory
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Institution
Amazon Web Services
Instructor
AWS Instructor
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores Amazon Neptune, which simplifies graph database operations by handling hardware, software, and backups
Demonstrates how to use the AWS Management Console to start using Neptune, which is a core AWS service
Details the native architecture and built-in features, which helps simplify applications using connected data
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