Lesson 1Object storage internals: eventual consistency, REST APIs, buckets, metadata, scalability and use casesThis section looks inside object storage systems, focusing on RESTful access, buckets, and metadata. Learners study eventual consistency, distribution and scaling mechanisms, and the workloads that benefit most from object storage designs, especially for Gambian businesses handling large files.
Buckets, objects, and key namingREST APIs and common operationsEventual consistency behaviorsMetadata indexing and searchScaling out capacity and throughputObject storage use cases and limitsLesson 2Cloud storage models: IaaS block storage, managed file storage, object storage, and differences from on-premises storageThis section explores cloud storage options, including IaaS block, managed file, and object storage. Learners compare durability, performance, and cost, and see how cloud services differ from traditional on-premises storage designs and operations suitable for Gambian enterprises.
IaaS block storage characteristicsManaged cloud file storage servicesCloud object storage featuresDurability, availability, and SLAsCost models and lifecycle policiesHybrid and multicloud storage patternsLesson 3RAID families and trade-offs: RAID 0/1/5/6/10, rebuild behavior, write penalty, and when to use eachThis section details major RAID levels, including 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, and how they balance performance, capacity, and resilience. Learners analyze rebuild behavior, write penalties, and practical guidance on selecting RAID for various workloads in local Gambian setups.
RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 fundamentalsParity, mirroring, and striping basicsWrite penalty and random I/O impactRebuild times and failure riskRAID selection for key workloadsRAID vs. erasure coding overviewLesson 4Block storage vs. file storage vs. object storage: definitions, access patterns, metadata differencesThis section defines block, file, and object storage and how applications interact with each. Learners compare access patterns, namespace organization, and metadata handling to understand which model best suits different workload types for Gambian applications.
Block storage concepts and LUN usageFile storage namespaces and sharesObject storage flat namespace modelMetadata handling in each modelTypical workload access patternsChoosing the right storage modelLesson 5Storage area network (SAN): Fibre Channel and iSCSI basics, LUNs, zoning, multipathingThis section introduces SAN concepts, including Fibre Channel and iSCSI, and how they present block devices as LUNs. Learners explore zoning, masking, and multipathing to design resilient, high-performance shared storage fabrics for Gambian networks.
SAN vs. NAS: conceptual differencesFibre Channel fabric fundamentalsiSCSI concepts and connectivityLUN provisioning and maskingZoning strategies and securityMultipathing and path failoverLesson 6Direct-attached storage (DAS): architecture, use cases, limitations, performance characteristicsThis section examines direct-attached storage, where disks connect directly to a host. Learners review common architectures, performance behavior, scalability limits, and when DAS is appropriate compared with NAS or SAN based solutions in Gambian small businesses.
Typical DAS hardware topologiesLocal RAID controllers and JBODPerformance traits and bottlenecksScalability and manageability limitsDAS use cases and best fitsComparing DAS with NAS and SANLesson 7Network-attached storage (NAS): protocols (SMB, NFS), typical deployments, concurrency and permissionsThis section introduces NAS concepts, focusing on how SMB and NFS expose shared folders over the network. Learners examine deployment patterns, concurrency handling, and permission models that protect data and control multiuser access in Gambian teams.
NAS vs. file server: key differencesCore NAS components and data pathsSMB protocol basics and capabilitiesNFS protocol basics and versionsPermissions, ACLs, and identity mappingTypical NAS deployment patternsLesson 8Performance metrics and capacity metrics: IOPS, throughput, latency, capacity planning basics, utilization and growth forecastingThis section explains key performance and capacity metrics, including IOPS, throughput, latency, and utilization. Learners practice interpreting metrics, planning capacity, and forecasting growth to maintain reliable, efficient storage systems for Gambian operations.
Defining IOPS, throughput, and latencyQueue depth and workload profilesMonitoring tools and key indicatorsCapacity planning and headroomUtilization thresholds and alertsGrowth forecasting and trend analysisLesson 9Backup vs. archive vs. replication: objectives, retention models, RPO/RTO basics, and common strategiesThis section clarifies the distinct goals of backup, archive, and replication. Learners study retention models, RPO and RTO targets, and how to combine technologies and schedules to meet compliance, recovery, and business continuity needs in Gambia.
Backup goals and recovery scenariosArchive use cases and compliance needsReplication types and topologiesDefining RPO and RTO requirementsRetention policies and data lifecycleCommon enterprise protection strategies
