Curriculum Overview: Provisioning and Operating in the AWS Cloud

This curriculum covers Domain 3.1 of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam. It focuses on the diverse methodologies used to create, manage, and monitor resources within the AWS ecosystem, ranging from manual web interfaces to automated Infrastructure as Code (IaC).

## Prerequisites

Before starting this module, students should have a foundational understanding of:

• Basic IT Concepts: Understanding of servers, networking, and databases.
• Cloud vs. On-Premises: The fundamental difference between owning physical hardware and consuming resources as a service.
• General Web Navigation: Familiarity with browser-based management interfaces.

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## Module Breakdown

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## Visual Overview of AWS Management

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## Learning Objectives per Module

Module 1: Methods of Access

• Compare and Contrast the AWS Management Console (visual), the AWS CLI (command line), and SDKs (programmatic).
• Identify use cases for the AWS Console Mobile Application.

Module 2: Automated Provisioning

• Define Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and the role of AWS CloudFormation as the "source of truth."
• Explain the benefit of using AWS Service Catalog for maintaining a library of approved templates.

Module 3: Configuration Management

• Distinguish between the three flavors of AWS OpsWorks (Puppet, Chef Automate, and Stacks).
• Describe how AWS Systems Manager provides a unified interface for patching and state management.

Module 4: Observability

• Differentiate between CloudWatch (performance monitoring) and CloudTrail (user activity logging).
• Understand the role of AWS Config in inventorying resource configurations.

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## Success Metrics

To master this curriculum, a student must demonstrate the ability to:

• Decide between programmatic access and the Management Console based on a business requirement (e.g., manual vs. repeatable tasks).
• Explain how CloudFormation automates resource creation across multiple regions.
• Identify which service to use for tracking "who did what" in an AWS account (CloudTrail).
• Select the appropriate tool for managed Chef/Puppet environments (OpsWorks).

[!IMPORTANT] A key exam skill is evaluating requirements to determine whether to use one-time operations (Console) or repeatable processes (CLI/IaC).

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## Real-World Application

In a professional setting, these skills translate to:

• Cloud Architect: Designing automated templates (CloudFormation) to deploy entire environments in minutes rather than weeks.
• DevOps Engineer: Using SDKs to integrate AWS services directly into custom application code.
• Compliance Auditor: Utilizing CloudTrail and AWS Config to ensure all changes to the infrastructure meet regulatory standards.

Infrastructure as Code Workflow

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## Tooling Examples