AWS Bootcamp: From Novice to Architect
Master AWS cloud architecture in 12 weeks through 74 hands-on modules across 12 progressive phases, capped by a real-world capstone project. Go from zero cloud experience to architect-level foundations with real labs, architecture diagrams, and certification prep.
Created by Samuel Ogunti · Structured, self-paced curriculum
12 Phases to Cloud Career
Each week builds on the last. Start by understanding the cloud, end by architecting and shipping a real project you can show employers.
What You'll Achieve
Design Cloud Architectures
Build highly available, fault-tolerant systems using VPCs, load balancers, auto-scaling, and multi-AZ deployments.
Deploy Real Infrastructure
Go from zero to deploying EC2 instances, S3 buckets, RDS databases, Lambda functions, and CI/CD pipelines on your own AWS account.
Prepare for AWS Certification
Cover the core domains of the AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) exam through hands-on practice and structured learning.
What You'll Learn
From foundational cloud concepts to advanced architectural patterns: everything you need to build and manage production AWS workloads.
Cloud Architecture
Design highly available, fault-tolerant systems using AWS best practices and the Well-Architected Framework.
Security & IAM
Implement defense in depth with IAM, KMS, WAF, and security best practices across every layer.
Compute & Storage
Master EC2, S3, EBS, EFS, and choose the right compute and storage for every workload.
Serverless & Containers
Build with Lambda, API Gateway, ECS, EKS, and Fargate for modern cloud-native applications.
CI/CD & IaC
Automate deployments with CodePipeline, CloudFormation, CDK, and Terraform for repeatable infrastructure.
Monitoring & Cost
Track performance with CloudWatch, optimize costs with Savings Plans, Reserved Instances, and budgets.
Your Learning Path
Follow a structured progression from foundational knowledge to architect-level expertise.
Cloud Foundations & Identity
Understand what cloud computing is, explore AWS global infrastructure (Regions, AZs, Edge Locations), set up your AWS account securely, and master IAM users, groups, policies, roles, and federation.
ReviewNetworking
Design Virtual Private Clouds from scratch: subnets, route tables, internet/NAT gateways, security groups, NACLs, DNS with Route 53, content delivery with CloudFront, and advanced networking patterns.
ReviewCompute
Three compute paradigms: launch and manage EC2 instances (storage, scaling, pricing), build serverless functions with Lambda, and deploy containerized applications with ECS, Fargate, and EKS.
ReviewStorage
Store anything at any scale: S3 fundamentals, security, lifecycle management, Glacier archival, EFS shared file systems, and hybrid storage with Storage Gateway.
ReviewDatabases
Choose the right database: RDS fundamentals and high availability, Aurora, DynamoDB (keys, indexes, capacity), ElastiCache for caching, Redshift for analytics, and purpose-built databases.
ReviewApplication Integration & APIs
Build decoupled architectures: Application and Network Load Balancers, API Gateway for REST APIs, SQS queues, SNS pub/sub, EventBridge event routing, and Step Functions workflows.
ContinueInfrastructure as Code
Define your infrastructure in code: CloudFormation templates and stacks, advanced features like nested stacks and drift detection, AWS CDK with real programming languages, and SAM for serverless deployments.
PreviewCI/CD Pipelines
Automate everything: source control integration, CodeBuild for compilation and testing, CodeDeploy for zero-downtime releases, CodePipeline for end-to-end orchestration, and deployment strategies (blue/green, canary, rolling).
PreviewEncryption & Secrets
Protect data at every layer: AWS Organizations for multi-account governance, KMS for encryption key management, Secrets Manager for credential rotation, and ACM for TLS certificate automation.
PreviewDetection & Compliance
Detect and respond: WAF for web application protection, Shield for DDoS mitigation, GuardDuty for intelligent threat detection, CloudTrail for API auditing, Config for compliance rules, and Security Hub for a unified view.
PreviewOperations & Observability
Operate with confidence: CloudWatch metrics and logs, X-Ray distributed tracing, cost management and optimization, automated backups, disaster recovery strategies, and Systems Manager for fleet operations.
PreviewArchitecture & Capstone
Think like an architect: Well-Architected Framework review, architecture patterns (three-tier, serverless, event-driven), migration strategies, data lakes, ML on AWS, and your capstone project presentation.
PreviewPrerequisites
This bootcamp is designed for beginners. Here's what you need to get started:
- Basic computer literacy and familiarity with web browsers
- Understanding of file systems and command-line basics (helpful but not required)
- An AWS Free Tier account (we'll guide you through setup)
- Curiosity and willingness to learn. no prior cloud experience needed
New to IT? Start with the IT Fundamentals track →
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