System Design - Technology Selection from Udemy

Technology selection is a core component of system design. Once an architect identifies the components needed for the system, he/she needs to select a technology for each component. This course will help aspiring architects select the appropriate technology for each of the component. This course is structured into the following topics.

Database selection - We explain how SQL and NoSQL technologies are architecturally different and the scenarios under which each should be used. We also cover specialized databases that handle specific scenarios like Text search, Compound search and persistent data structures. We define a decision framework that leverages all these aspects to select the database for every scenario.
Data warehouses and data lakes - We cover why the OLAP queries that data warehouses run requires a fundamentally data layout pattern. We discuss how data lakes and warehouses need to be designed and provide a reference architecture. We also discuss the Event Hub pattern that is becoming very relevant in modern platforms.
Compute selection and Cache design - In this topic, we cover the tradeoffs associated with various compute platforms and how an architect should make the selection. We also discuss the need for caching and the aspects that need to be kept in mind, while designing a caching solution.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Select the appropriate technology for your system
Understand how to select the appropriate database

Understand how to select the appropriate compute platform
Understand when to cache and how to design your caching system

Select the appropriate technology for your system
Understand how to select the appropriate database
Understand how to select the appropriate compute platform
Understand when to cache and how to design your caching system

Syllabus

Introduction

Course overview

How to select the appropriate database technology for any system component

SQL versus NoSQL part 1

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores database selection, covering SQL and NoSQL technologies, which are essential for designing modern data architectures

Discusses data warehouses and data lakes, explaining the architectural patterns needed for OLAP queries and modern data platforms

Examines compute platform selection and cache design, which are crucial for optimizing system performance and scalability

Includes an assignment on technology selection, providing hands-on experience in applying the learned concepts

Reviews summary

Technology selection for system design

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation for selecting appropriate technologies in system design. Students particularly highlight the clear explanations of architectural differences between SQL and NoSQL databases and the value of the database decision framework presented. Reviewers appreciate the coverage of essential topics like data warehouses, data lakes, compute selection, and cache design. While some feel it offers a good high-level overview, they note it may require additional study for deeper dives into specific technologies or advanced scenarios.

Offers a good intro, but not deep dive.

"This course is great for a high-level understanding, but you'll need to do more research for specifics."

"It provides a solid overview of the concepts, which is perfect for beginners or those needing a refresher."

"Good as an introduction to system design tech selection, but lacks deep vendor-specific details."

"It gives you the 'why' and 'when' but less of the 'how' for specific technologies."

Valuable for aspiring system architects.

"Highly relevant course content for aspiring system architects like myself."

"This course addresses core challenges faced by architects daily."

"Understanding these concepts is crucial for making sound architectural decisions."

"I feel better equipped to discuss technology choices in a professional setting."

Covers key areas like data, compute, and cache.

"The course touches upon all the critical areas of technology selection - databases, data lakes, compute, and cache."

"I liked that it didn't just focus on databases but also included compute and caching strategies."

"Covering data warehouses and data lakes along with databases gives a comprehensive view."

"The topics covered are highly relevant for anyone involved in system design."

Provides a useful framework for tech selection.

"The database decision framework is practical and directly applicable to real-world scenarios."

"I found the structured approach to technology selection very useful for making informed choices."

"Applying the decision framework presented in the course helped me solidify my understanding."

"It's great to have a concrete framework to guide my technology selection process."

Explains SQL vs NoSQL differences well.

"Really appreciate the clarity provided on the architectural differences between SQL and NoSQL."

"The section on database selection, especially SQL vs NoSQL, was incredibly clear and helpful."

"I finally understand the core distinctions and use cases for different database types after this module."

"The explanation of SQL versus NoSQL architectures was very insightful for my work."

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 System Design - Technology Selection with these activities:

Review Database Concepts

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Reviewing fundamental database concepts will provide a solid foundation for understanding the database selection module.

Browse courses on Database Management Systems

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Review the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases.
Study common database architectures and design patterns.
Practice designing simple database schemas.

Read 'Designing Data-Intensive Applications'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the concepts discussed in the course, particularly regarding database selection and data warehousing.

View Designing Data-Intensive Applications: The Big... on Amazon

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Read the chapters on database technologies and data warehousing.
Take notes on key concepts and design patterns.
Reflect on how the concepts apply to real-world scenarios.

Caching Scenario Exercises

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Practicing caching scenario exercises will help you develop your intuition for when to use a cache and how to design a caching system.

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Find or create a set of caching scenario exercises.
For each scenario, determine whether caching is appropriate.
If caching is appropriate, design a caching system for the scenario.
Evaluate the performance of your caching system.

Four other activities

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Technology Selection Matrix

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Creating a technology selection matrix will help you organize your knowledge and make informed decisions when selecting technologies for different system components.

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Identify the key criteria for technology selection.
Research different technologies for each component.
Evaluate each technology against the key criteria.
Create a matrix summarizing your findings.

Blog Post: SQL vs NoSQL

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Creating a blog post comparing SQL and NoSQL databases will reinforce your understanding of their architectural differences and use cases.

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Research the key differences between SQL and NoSQL databases.
Identify scenarios where each type of database is most appropriate.
Write a blog post summarizing your findings.
Publish the blog post on a platform like Medium or your personal website.

Design a Data Warehouse

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Designing a data warehouse will allow you to apply the concepts learned in the data warehousing module and solidify your understanding of OLAP queries and data layout patterns.

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Define the business requirements for the data warehouse.
Design the data model and schema.
Select the appropriate data warehousing technology.
Implement the data warehouse and test its performance.

Read 'Database Internals'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the underlying technologies used in database systems, which can inform your technology selection decisions.

View Database Internals: A Deep Dive into How... on Amazon

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Read the chapters on storage engines and indexing.
Take notes on key concepts and implementation details.
Reflect on how these internals affect database performance and scalability.

Career center

Learners who complete System Design - Technology Selection will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Solutions Architect

A solutions architect designs and implements information systems. To succeed as a solutions architect, you need to understand the tradeoffs between different technologies. This course provides a specific focus on technology selection, which is a core component of system design. By learning how to select databases, design data warehouses and data lakes, and evaluate compute platforms, you will be better prepared to choose the right technologies for your solutions. The course's coverage of SQL versus NoSQL databases, specialized databases, and caching strategies is particularly relevant to the work of a solutions architect.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solutions Architect

Data Architect

A data architect designs and manages the data infrastructure for an organization. Data architects need to have a deep understanding of data storage, data warehousing, and data processing technologies. The course's discussion of data warehouses, data lakes, and the Event Hub pattern are directly applicable to the responsibilities of a data architect. The course also covers SQL and NoSQL databases, which are essential technologies for managing and accessing data. The frameworks for database selection can be useful in choosing the optimal data storage solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Cloud Architect

A cloud architect designs and manages cloud-based infrastructure and services. Selecting the right technologies is crucial for building scalable and cost-effective cloud solutions. This course helps aspiring cloud architects choose the appropriate technologies for each component of their systems. The course covers compute selection, caching design, and database selection, all of which are critical considerations in cloud architecture. Understanding the tradeoffs between different compute platforms, as covered in this course, is particularly valuable.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Enterprise Architect

Enterprise architects are responsible for aligning IT strategy with business goals. This requires a broad understanding of various technologies and how they can be used to support business objectives. This course helps enterprise architects make informed decisions about technology selection. The course's coverage of database selection, data warehousing, and compute platforms provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies that are relevant to enterprise architecture. The course's focus on architectural differences between technologies will assist in making strategic decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Enterprise Architect

Software Architect

A software architect designs the structure of software systems. A critical part of this role is choosing the right technologies for each component. This course directly addresses this need by focusing on technology selection. Topics covered throughout the course such as SQL and NoSQL database selection, data warehouses and data lakes, and compute selection can help aspiring software architects make informed decisions about the technologies they use in their designs. Understanding caching solutions, as taught in this course, is also essential for building performant and scalable software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

System Designer

System designers create detailed plans for complex systems. Technology selection is a core component of this process and is the primary emphasis in this course. Gaining a better understanding of considerations for database selection, data warehouse design, and appropriate compute platforms helps aspiring system designers make more informed choices. Specifically, the discussion in the course about SQL versus NoSQL technologies, along with the section on specialized databases, is highly relevant to designing effective systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for System Designer

Application Architect

An application architect focuses on the design and implementation of software applications. Selecting the right technologies is essential for building applications that meet performance, scalability, and security requirements. This course helps application architects make informed decisions about technology selection, covering topics such as database selection, data warehousing, and compute platforms. The lessons on caching and its design is particularly useful for application architects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Application Architect

Platform Engineer

Platform engineers build and maintain the underlying infrastructure that supports software applications. A key part of this role involves selecting the right technologies for the platform. This course helps platform engineers make informed decisions about technology selection, covering topics such as database selection, data warehousing, and compute platforms. The course’s discussion of OLAP queries and data layout patterns is particularly valuable for designing efficient platforms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Platform Engineer

Database Administrator

A database administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining databases. The course touches upon the knowledge of database selection between SQL and NoSQL, which may be useful for a database administrator. The course also covers specialized databases, data warehouses, and data lakes. This can help database administrators stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Data Engineer

Data engineers build and maintain the data pipelines that move and transform data. The course may be useful in understanding the technologies involved in data warehousing, data lakes, and the Event Hub pattern. Understanding data layout patterns, as covered in this course, can help data engineers design more efficient data pipelines.

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Technical Lead

Technical leads oversee development teams and make key technology decisions. Making informed technology choices is a large part of the job, and this course may be useful in covering the tradeoffs associated with various compute platforms. It also covers database selection, data warehousing, and caching, all of which are important considerations when leading a technical team.

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Systems Analyst

Systems analysts evaluate existing systems and recommend improvements. When identifying optimal database solutions, the course's focus on database selection and SQL versus NoSQL may be useful for systems analysts. The course also covers data warehousing and compute platforms, which are relevant to analyzing and improving systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

IT Consultant

IT consultants advise organizations on how to use technology to achieve their business goals. This course may be useful in helping IT consultants make informed recommendations about technology selection. The course's coverage of database selection, data warehousing, and compute platforms provides a broad understanding of the technologies that are relevant to IT consulting.

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Technical Product Manager

Technical product managers are responsible for the strategy, roadmap, and feature definition of a technical product. This course may be useful in understanding the underlying technologies that support the product. The course's coverage of database selection, data warehousing, and compute platforms can help technical product managers make informed decisions about product features.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Product Manager

Business Intelligence Analyst

Business intelligence analysts analyze data to identify trends and insights. The course may be useful for business intelligence analysts who work with data warehouses and data lakes. Understanding the differences between OLTP and OLAP, as covered in this course, can help business intelligence analysts extract meaningful insights from data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst

System Design - Technology Selection

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Technology selection for system design

Activities

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