Lesson 1S3 usage patterns: storing uploads, logs, and static assets; lifecycle policies, versioning, and cross-region replication (CRR) considerationsMaster common S3 usage patterns for uploads, logs, and static assets. Learn to design bucket layouts, enable versioning, configure lifecycle policies, and plan cross-region replication to balance durability, cost, and compliance in South African contexts.
Designing S3 bucket structure and prefixesStoring user uploads and large objectsManaging logs and analytics data in S3Configuring lifecycle and storage classesEnabling versioning and CRR safelyLesson 2Hybrid patterns: streaming logs to S3 via Fluentd/Fluent Bit or CloudWatch Logs, offloading large binary uploads to S3 with presigned URLsImplement hybrid patterns that integrate EC2 with S3 for logging and large uploads. Learn to stream logs using Fluentd, Fluent Bit, or CloudWatch Logs, and offload large binaries to S3 using presigned URLs from your applications in South Africa.
Streaming logs to S3 with FluentdUsing Fluent Bit on EC2 for log shippingForwarding CloudWatch Logs to S3Designing presigned URL upload flowsSecuring presigned URLs and time limitsLesson 3Data locality and performance: using S3 Transfer Acceleration, caching with CloudFront or local caches, and S3 Select for partial readsLearn how data locality affects latency and throughput when using S3 with EC2. Explore S3 Transfer Acceleration, CloudFront caching, local caches, and S3 Select to optimise partial reads and reduce data transfer overhead for South African users.
Choosing S3 regions for low-latency accessConfiguring S3 Transfer Acceleration endpointsUsing CloudFront to cache S3-hosted contentDesigning EC2 local caches for hot dataOptimising S3 Select for partial object readsLesson 4EBS volume types and selection rationale: gp3 vs gp2, io2/io2 Block Express for high IOPS, st1/sc1 for throughput-heavy workloadsCompare EBS volume families and choose the right type for each workload. Understand gp3 versus gp2, when to use io2 or io2 Block Express for high IOPS, and how st1 or sc1 fit throughput-heavy, sequential workloads in South Africa.
Comparing gp2 and gp3 capabilitiesWhen to choose io2 or io2 Block ExpressUsing st1 for streaming and big dataUsing sc1 for cold, infrequent accessMixing volume types within one workloadLesson 5IOPS and throughput planning: provisioning IOPS (io2) vs gp3 baseline + provisioned IOPS, burst considerations, and cost tradeoffsPlan IOPS and throughput for EBS volumes by understanding gp3 baselines, provisioned IOPS, and io2 capabilities. Evaluate burst behaviour, queue depth, and cost tradeoffs to meet performance targets without overspending in South African setups.
Understanding EBS IOPS and throughput limitsPlanning gp3 baseline and extra IOPSWhen to use provisioned IOPS on io2Modelling burst behaviour and creditsBalancing performance needs with costLesson 6Security for storage: encrypting EBS and S3, IAM policies, bucket policies, VPC endpoints for S3, and SSE-KMS vs SSE-S3Secure your storage by encrypting EBS and S3, designing IAM and bucket policies, and using VPC endpoints. Learn differences between SSE-KMS and SSE-S3, key management practices, and how to restrict network access paths for South Africa.
Enabling default EBS encryptionConfiguring S3 bucket encryption policiesDesigning IAM and bucket policiesUsing S3 VPC gateway endpointsChoosing SSE-KMS versus SSE-S3Lesson 7Separate EBS volumes for application data: logs, temp files, uploads — recommended volume type for each and mount strategiesSeparate application data onto dedicated EBS volumes for logs, temp files, and uploads. Learn recommended volume types, mount strategies, and how isolation improves performance, durability, and operational flexibility in South African environments.
Separating OS, logs, and data volumesChoosing volume types for logs and tempMounting uploads on dedicated volumesUsing labels and fstab for stable mountsRotating and archiving log volumesLesson 8Root volume design: recommended volume type, size baseline, encryption (KMS CMKs vs AWS-managed keys), and snapshotabilityDesign robust root volumes for EC2 instances by selecting appropriate EBS volume types, baseline sizes, and encryption strategies. Learn snapshot practices, backup automation, and how root volume design affects instance recovery in South Africa.
Choosing EBS type for EC2 root volumesSizing root volumes for OS and logsEncrypting root volumes with KMS CMKsUsing AWS-managed keys for simplicityCreating and restoring root volume snapshotsLesson 9Instance store usage: when ephemeral instance storage is appropriate and strategies to mitigate data lossExplore when ephemeral instance store is appropriate for high-speed, nonpersistent data. Learn patterns for caching, scratch space, and temporary queues, plus strategies to replicate or checkpoint data to durable storage for South African workloads.
Identifying workloads suited to instance storeMapping instance store to file systemsUsing instance store for caches and scratchReplicating data to EBS or S3 regularlyHandling instance failures and data lossLesson 10Sizing strategy: initial sizing, monitoring growth, lifecycle policies, and using Elastic Volumes to resize live volumesDevelop a sizing strategy for EBS volumes that accounts for growth, performance, and cost. Learn to estimate initial size, monitor utilisation, apply lifecycle policies, and use Elastic Volumes to resize without downtime in South Africa.
Estimating initial EBS size and IOPS needsMonitoring volume usage and growth trendsApplying lifecycle policies to cold dataResizing volumes with Elastic VolumesCoordinating file system expansion onlineLesson 11File system choices and tuning: ext4, xfs, and mount options for performance and recoveryUnderstand how to choose and tune Linux file systems on EBS and instance store. Compare ext4 and XFS, select mount options for performance and safety, and configure journaling, TRIM, and alignment for reliable recovery in South African contexts.
Comparing ext4 and XFS for EC2 workloadsCreating and formatting file systems on EBSMount options for performance and durabilityTuning journaling, TRIM, and alignmentFile system checks, repair, and recovery steps
