Welcome to the DevOps Introduction Course, where you will gain a solid foundation in DevOps principles and practical skills.
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of DevOps and its key components.
Through hands-on labs and lectures, you'll explore version control, software distribution, CI/CD, containerization, cloud computing, and beyond — the same workflows used by modern engineering teams.
10-week intensive course with practical modules designed for incremental skill development:
| Week | Lab | Module | Key Topics & Technologies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Introduction to DevOps | Core principles, Git workflow, SSH commit signing, PR templates |
| 2 | 2 | Version Control & Advanced Git | Object model, reset/reflog, history visualization, tagging, modern Git commands |
| 3 | 3 | CI/CD with GitHub Actions | Workflow creation, triggers, logs, system information, automation pipelines |
| 4 | 4 | Networking & OS for DevOps | System analysis, boot performance, networking diagnostics, DNS, packet capture |
| 5 | 5 | Virtualization | VirtualBox setup, VM deployment, system information discovery |
| 6 | 6 | Containers with Docker | Container lifecycle, image management, networking, volumes, persistence |
| 7 | 7 | GitOps Fundamentals | Reconciliation loops, drift detection, health monitoring, declarative configuration |
| 8 | 8 | SRE & Monitoring | System metrics, SLAs, website monitoring (Checkly), alerting, reliability engineering |
| 9 | 9 | DevSecOps Tools | OWASP ZAP, Trivy scanning, vulnerability analysis, security integration |
| 10 | 10 | Cloud Computing Fundamentals | Artifact registries (AWS/GCP/Azure), serverless platforms comparison |
| — | 11 | 🎁 Bonus: Web3 Infrastructure | IPFS node setup, decentralized storage, 4EVERLAND deployment, content addressing |
| — | 12 | 🎁 Bonus: WASM Containers | WebAssembly containers, performance comparison, Spin framework, edge computing |
Note: Labs 11-12 are optional bonus labs for extra credit. Complete them to boost your grade or explore cutting-edge technologies!
🌳 View Skill Tree Structure
graph TB
ROOT[🚀 DevOps Mastery]
%% Foundation Branch
ROOT --- FOUND[🏗️ Foundation]
FOUND --- A[📚 Week 1: DevOps Intro<br/>• Principles<br/>• Git Workflow<br/>• PR Templates]
FOUND --- B[🔄 Week 2: Version Control<br/>• Advanced Git<br/>• History Management<br/>• Modern Commands]
%% Development Branch
ROOT --- DEV[👨💻 Development]
DEV --- C[⚙️ Week 3: CI/CD<br/>• GitHub Actions<br/>• Pipelines<br/>• Automation]
DEV --- D[🖥️ Week 4: Networking & OS<br/>• Linux Fundamentals<br/>• DNS/TCP/IP<br/>• System Analysis]
%% Infrastructure Branch
ROOT --- INFRA[🏗️ Infrastructure]
INFRA --- E[💻 Week 5: Virtualization<br/>• VirtualBox<br/>• VMs<br/>• System Discovery]
INFRA --- F[📦 Week 6: Containers<br/>• Docker<br/>• Networking<br/>• Volumes]
%% Advanced Branch
ROOT --- ADV[🎯 Advanced]
ADV --- G[🚀 Week 7: GitOps<br/>• Reconciliation<br/>• Drift Detection<br/>• Health Monitoring]
ADV --- H[🛡️ Week 8: SRE<br/>• Monitoring<br/>• SLAs/SLOs<br/>• Reliability]
%% Production Branch
ROOT --- PROD[🌐 Production]
PROD --- I[🔐 Week 9: DevSecOps<br/>• OWASP ZAP<br/>• Trivy<br/>• Security Scanning]
PROD --- J[☁️ Week 10: Cloud<br/>• AWS/Azure/GCP<br/>• Registries<br/>• Serverless]
%% Bonus Branch
ROOT --- BONUS[⭐ Bonus Labs]
BONUS --- K[🌐 Lab 11: IPFS/4EVERLAND<br/>• Decentralized Storage<br/>• Web3 Hosting<br/>• Content Addressing]
BONUS --- L[⚡ Lab 12: WASM Containers<br/>• WebAssembly<br/>• Performance<br/>• Edge Computing]
%% Styling
classDef rootStyle fill:#1a1a1a,stroke:#ffffff,stroke-width:3px,color:#ffffff
classDef branchStyle fill:#2c3e50,stroke:#3498db,stroke-width:2px,color:#ffffff
classDef foundationModule fill:#e8f8f5,stroke:#16a085,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
classDef devModule fill:#fdf2e9,stroke:#e67e22,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
classDef infraModule fill:#eaf2f8,stroke:#3498db,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
classDef advModule fill:#f4ecf7,stroke:#9b59b6,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
classDef prodModule fill:#fdedec,stroke:#e74c3c,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
classDef bonusModule fill:#fff3cd,stroke:#f1c40f,stroke-width:2px,color:#2c3e50
class ROOT rootStyle
class FOUND,DEV,INFRA,ADV,PROD,BONUS branchStyle
class A,B foundationModule
class C,D devModule
class E,F infraModule
class G,H advModule
class I,J prodModule
class K,L bonusModule
🏗️ View Technology Stack Layers
flowchart LR
subgraph "🌐 Production & Cloud"
direction LR
I[🔐 Week 9: DevSecOps<br/>OWASP ZAP & Trivy]
J[☁️ Week 10: Cloud<br/>AWS/Azure/GCP]
end
subgraph "⭐ Bonus: Cutting Edge"
direction LR
K[🌐 IPFS/4EVERLAND<br/>Decentralized Web]
L[⚡ WASM Containers<br/>Performance & Edge]
end
subgraph "🎯 Advanced DevOps"
direction LR
G[🚀 Week 7: GitOps<br/>Reconciliation & Drift]
H[🛡️ Week 8: SRE<br/>Monitoring & Reliability]
end
subgraph "🏗️ Infrastructure Layer"
direction LR
E[💻 Week 5: Virtualization<br/>VirtualBox & VMs]
F[📦 Week 6: Containers<br/>Docker Fundamentals]
end
subgraph "🔧 Development Layer"
direction LR
C[⚙️ Week 3: CI/CD<br/>GitHub Actions]
D[🖥️ Week 4: Systems<br/>Linux & Networking]
end
subgraph "🏗️ Foundation Layer"
direction LR
A[📚 Week 1: DevOps<br/>Principles & Git]
B[🔄 Week 2: Git Advanced<br/>Version Control Mastery]
end
A --> C
B --> C
C --> E
D --> E
D --> F
E --> F
F --> G
F --> H
G --> I
H --> I
I --> J
J -.-> K
J -.-> L
classDef foundation fill:#e8f6f3,stroke:#1abc9c,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
classDef development fill:#fef9e7,stroke:#f39c12,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
classDef infrastructure fill:#eaf2f8,stroke:#3498db,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
classDef advanced fill:#f4ecf7,stroke:#9b59b6,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
classDef production fill:#fdedec,stroke:#e74c3c,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
classDef bonus fill:#fff3cd,stroke:#f1c40f,stroke-width:3px,color:#2c3e50
class A,B foundation
class C,D development
class E,F infrastructure
class G,H advanced
class I,J production
class K,L bonus
Your grade comes from labs and exam — with flexible paths to success.
Key Points:
- 10 required labs provide 80% of possible grade points
- Bonus labs (11-12) can add up to 22 extra points maximum
- Labs 11 and 12 can substitute for the exam if completed
- Completing only 10 required labs = 80% maximum (without exam or bonus)
- Required Labs (1-10): Core curriculum covering essential DevOps skills
- Bonus Labs (11-12): Optional advanced topics for extra credit
- Task-oriented challenges with clear objectives and deliverables
- Safe environments using containers, local VMs, or cloud platforms
- Real-world workflows mirroring professional DevOps practices
- Progressive difficulty building on previous labs
📋 View All Lab Topics
Required Labs (Weeks 1-10):
- Introduction to DevOps — Git workflow, SSH signing, PR templates
- Version Control & Advanced Git — Object model, reset/reflog, modern commands
- CI/CD with GitHub Actions — Workflows, triggers, automation
- Networking & OS — System analysis, diagnostics, packet capture
- Virtualization — VirtualBox, VM deployment, system discovery
- Containers — Docker lifecycle, networking, volumes, persistence
- GitOps Fundamentals — Reconciliation, drift detection, monitoring
- SRE & Monitoring — Metrics, SLAs, Checkly, reliability engineering
- DevSecOps Tools — OWASP ZAP, Trivy, vulnerability scanning
- Cloud Computing — AWS/GCP/Azure registries, serverless platforms
Bonus Labs (Optional):
- 🎁 IPFS & 4EVERLAND — Decentralized storage, Web3 hosting, content addressing
- 🎁 WASM Containers — WebAssembly performance, Spin framework, edge computing
Bonus Lab Benefits:
- Extra credit toward final grade
- Explore cutting-edge technologies
- Gain competitive advantage in job market
- Optional but highly recommended for A-grade students
graph LR
A[Fork Repo] --> B[Create Branch]
B --> C[Complete Tasks]
C --> D[Push to Fork]
D --> E[Open PR to Course Repo]
E --> F[Submit PR Link via Moodle]
F --> G[Receive Feedback]
style A fill:#e8f8f5,stroke:#16a085,color:#2c3e50
style B fill:#e8f8f5,stroke:#16a085,color:#2c3e50
style C fill:#fef9e7,stroke:#f39c12,color:#2c3e50
style D fill:#eaf2f8,stroke:#3498db,color:#2c3e50
style E fill:#f4ecf7,stroke:#9b59b6,color:#2c3e50
style F fill:#fdedec,stroke:#e74c3c,color:#2c3e50
style G fill:#e8f6f3,stroke:#1abc9c,color:#2c3e50
📋 Detailed Submission Process
Step-by-Step Guide:
-
Fork the course repository to your GitHub account
-
Clone your fork locally:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/REPO_NAME.git cd REPO_NAME -
Create and work on your lab branch:
git switch -c feature/labX # Complete lab tasks, create submission files git add labs/submissionX.md git commit -m "docs: add labX submission" git push -u origin feature/labX
-
Open PR from your fork → course repository main branch
- Navigate to the course repository on GitHub
- Click "New Pull Request"
- Select:
base: course-repo/main←compare: your-fork/feature/labX - Fill in the PR template with task completion checklist
-
Copy the PR URL and submit via Moodle before deadline
🎯 Lab Grading Breakdown
Each required lab (1-10) is worth 10 points:
-
Perfect Submissions (10/10):
- All tasks completed with thorough documentation
- Clear analysis and understanding demonstrated
- Code/commands work correctly
- Submitted on time
- Benefit: Counts toward exam exemption
-
Strong Submissions (8-9/10):
- All tasks completed with minor issues
- Good documentation and analysis
- Minor improvements needed
-
Passing Submissions (6-7/10):
- Core tasks completed
- Basic documentation present
- Some areas need improvement
-
Below Passing (<6/10):
- Incomplete tasks
- Insufficient documentation
- Major gaps in understanding
Bonus Labs (11-12):
- Worth up to 12 points each
- Maximum 22 bonus points total (capped to maintain grade scale)
- Can replace the exam requirement if both completed
- Same quality standards as required labs
- No penalty for not completing them
Late Submissions (Required Labs Only):
- Maximum score: 6/10
- Accepted within 1 week after deadline
- No credit after 1 week
- Does not apply to bonus labs
🏆 Exam Exemption Policy
Path 1: Exam Exemption (Traditional)
Qualify by:
- Submitting all 10 required labs on time
- Scoring 8/8 on at least 8 required labs
- Minimum average of 7.0/8 across required labs
Result: Skip exam, receive full 20 exam points
Path 2: Bonus Labs Replace Exam
Complete both Lab 11 AND Lab 12 with passing scores:
- No exam requirement
- Bonus points replace the 20 exam points
- Must still complete all 10 required labs
Path 3: Maximum Score Strategy
Combine all components:
- Complete 10 required labs (80 pts)
- Take exam (20 pts)
- Complete bonus labs (22 pts)
- Total: 122 pts available (capped at 100 for final grade)
Important Notes:
- Completing only 10 labs = 80% maximum (B grade)
- Need exam OR bonus labs to reach A grade
- Bonus labs provide safety buffer for required lab scores
- Late required lab submissions max out at 6/8 points
| Component | Points | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Required Labs (1-10) | 80 points | 10 labs × 8 points each (80% of grade) |
| Final Exam | 20 points | Comprehensive assessment OR skip if both bonus labs completed |
| Bonus Labs (11-12) | +22 points max | Lab 11: 10 pts, Lab 12: 12 pts (capped at 22 total) |
| Total Base | 100 points | Required to pass: 60+ points |
| Maximum Possible | 122 points | With bonus labs (capped at 100% for final grade) |
📈 Grading Scale
| Grade | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100+ | Mastery of core concepts, innovative solutions, exceptional documentation |
| B | 75-89 | Consistent completion, solid understanding, minor improvements needed |
| C | 60-74 | Basic competency demonstrated, needs reinforcement in some areas |
| D | 0-59 | Fundamental gaps, re-attempt required |
Grade Calculation Examples:
Scenario 1: Standard Path (Labs + Exam)
Required Labs: 72/80 points (9 labs at 8pts each)
Exam: 18/20 points
Total: 90/100 = A
Scenario 2: Labs Only (80% Maximum)
Required Labs: 80/80 points (perfect scores)
No Exam: 0/20 points
Total: 80/100 = B (cannot exceed 80% without exam/bonus)
Scenario 3: Labs + Bonus (No Exam)
Required Labs: 75/80 points
Bonus Lab 11: 12/12 points
Bonus Lab 12: 10/10 points
Total: 97/100 = A (bonus labs replace exam)
Scenario 4: Maximum Score
Required Labs: 80/80 points
Exam: 20/20 points
Bonus Labs: 22/22 points
Total: 122 points → capped at 100/100 = A+ with buffer
"Complete all 10 required labs to earn 80%. Add exam (20%) OR both bonus labs (22%) to reach higher grades. Maximum 122 points available, capped at 100% for final grade."
💡 Tips for Success
Lab Completion Strategy:
- Weeks 1-10: Focus on required labs first
- After Week 10: Tackle bonus labs if time permits
- Start each lab early - don't wait until the deadline
- Read instructions thoroughly before beginning
- Test all commands/code before documenting
Prioritization:
- Must Do: Labs 1-10 (required, gives 80% max)
- Must Do One Of:
- Final exam (20 pts) OR
- Both bonus labs (22 pts max)
- Should Do: Bonus labs to skip exam or boost grade
- Nice to Have: All components for maximum buffer
Documentation Best Practices:
- Use clear Markdown formatting with headers
- Include both outputs AND analysis
- Explain WHY, not just WHAT you did
- Screenshot key results for proof
- Organize files logically in the lab folder
Git Workflow:
- Always work on feature branches, never on main
- Use descriptive commit messages (e.g.,
docs: add lab1 submission) - Push regularly to avoid losing work
- Open PRs to the course repository, not your fork
- Review the PR checklist before submitting
Time Management:
- Allocate 3-5 hours per required lab
- Allocate 4-6 hours per bonus lab (more complex)
- Break labs into manageable tasks
- Use lab deadlines visible in Moodle
- Review previous labs before starting new ones
Bonus Lab Strategy:
- Complete if you have time after required labs
- Prioritize if aiming for exam exemption
- Excellent for portfolio building
- Great for learning cutting-edge tech
Getting Help:
- Review lab guidelines and examples
- Check course documentation and resources
- Discuss concepts with classmates (collaboration encouraged)
- Attend office hours or ask on course forum
- Submit questions early - don't wait until deadline
📅 Recommended Study Schedule
Weekly Pattern (10-week course):
Weeks 1-10 (Required Labs):
- Day 1-2: Attend lecture, review materials
- Day 3-5: Complete hands-on lab
- Day 6: Document findings, take screenshots
- Day 7: Review, polish submission, submit PR
After Week 10 (Bonus Labs - Optional):
- Week 11 equivalent: Lab 11 - IPFS/4EVERLAND
- Week 12 equivalent: Lab 12 - WASM Containers
- Can be done during/after exam prep period
Before Each Lab:
- Review previous lab concepts
- Ensure development environment is ready
- Read entire lab instructions first
- Identify any prerequisites or installations needed
After Each Lab:
- Reflect on key learnings
- Note challenges for future reference
- Review instructor feedback when provided
- Connect concepts to real-world scenarios
Exam Preparation (if needed):
- Review all lab submissions
- Revisit key concepts from lectures
- Practice commands and workflows
- Focus on understanding, not memorization
🔗 Essential Links
Course Materials:
- Moodle Course Page - Lectures, deadlines, grades
- Course Repository - Lab assignments and resources
DevOps Fundamentals:
Version Control:
CI/CD:
Containers & Orchestration:
Cloud Platforms:
Bonus Lab Technologies:
🛠️ Required Tools & Software
Core Tools (Needed for most labs):
- Git (version control)
- Docker (containerization)
- Text editor (VS Code, Vim, etc.)
- Web browser (Chrome, Firefox)
- Terminal/Command line
Platform-Specific:
- Windows: WSL2, PowerShell, or Git Bash
- macOS: Homebrew, Terminal
- Linux: Native terminal, package manager (apt/yum)
Lab-Specific Tools (install as needed):
- Lab 3: GitHub account
- Lab 5: VirtualBox
- Lab 8: Checkly account (free tier)
- Lab 9: OWASP ZAP, Trivy
- Lab 11 (Bonus): 4EVERLAND account
- Lab 12 (Bonus): WasmEdge runtime
Installation Guides:
- Tools installation instructions provided in each lab
- Most tools run in Docker containers (minimal setup)
- Cloud services use free tiers (no payment required)
📖 Learning Resources by Topic
Week 1-2: Git & Version Control
Week 3: CI/CD
Week 4: OS & Networking
Week 5-6: Virtualization & Containers
Week 7: GitOps
Week 8: SRE
Week 9: DevSecOps
Week 10: Cloud
Bonus: Web3 & WASM
Upon successful completion of this course, you will have:
✅ Practical DevOps Skills — Hands-on experience with industry-standard tools
✅ Portfolio of Work — 10+ documented lab projects showcasing your abilities
✅ Version Control Mastery — Advanced Git workflows and collaboration practices
✅ CI/CD Experience — Automated pipeline creation and deployment strategies
✅ Container Knowledge — Docker and orchestration fundamentals
✅ Cloud Familiarity — Understanding of major cloud platforms and services
✅ Security Awareness — DevSecOps practices and vulnerability management
✅ SRE Principles — Monitoring, reliability, and incident management skills
Bonus Achievements (if completed):
⭐ Web3 Experience — Decentralized storage and hosting knowledge
⭐ Edge Computing Skills — WebAssembly and next-gen container technology