This module looks at Cloud Computing and automation as an area of increasing importance within the enterprise environment. This module will look at the usage of Cloud Computing and using Amazon Web Services (AWS) or other suitable cloud solutions as a base for the practical work. Within this module you will look at the usage case of the different aspects of this technology and get to understand the impact of decisions which are made.

For students studying this module in the UK, you will be learning how to use the Amazon Web Services cloud environment as a member of the AWS Academy program, and you will also be studying towards your AWS Certified Solutions Architect industry certification.

Additionality we will look at automation techniques which allow an infrastructure to adapt quickly to the needs of the company. These changes can be simple upgrades or complete reconfiguration which needs to be carried out in a scalable and reliable manner.

1. RESEARCH AND EVALUATE DIFFERENT AUTOMATION TECHNIQUES USED WITHIN DIFFERENT ORGANISATIONS
Knowledge and Understanding,
Analysis,
Enquiry

2. INVESTIGATE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE HOW AUTOMATION CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE AN ORGANISATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
Analysis,
Enquiry,
Knowledge and Understanding

3. IMPLEMENT A CLOUD BASED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A GIVEN SCENARIO WHICH WILL AID A SME TO IMPROVE ITS BUSINESS PERFORMANCE AND MEET REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
Application

4. CRITICALLY EVALUATE NEW APPROACHES IN AUTOMATED SERVICES AND EVALUATE THE BENEFITS AND THE RISKS FOR WITHIN A COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT
Enquiry,
Problem Solving,
Reflection,
Communication.

An assignment (3000 words) comprising:
Assessment point 1 weighted at 50% analysis; demonstration and justification of Cloud-based design for an enterprise design (Learning Outcomes 3 and 4)
Assessment point 2 weighted at 50% a Research portfolio (Learning Outcomes 1 and 2) which will be looking at Automation techniques

The modern enterprise needs to be able to react to changes in the infrastructure quickly to ensure that they retain the level of service which is expected. This module will look at two aspects of this which is Cloud computing and automation techniques. Cloud computing is now widely used in the commercial world as this gives the enterprise the flexibility to grow and adapt as required. This module will enable you to research the usage of Cloud Computing by using Amazon Web Services (AWS) or other suitable cloud solutions as a base for your practical work. Within this module you will look at the usage case of the different aspects of this technology and develop an understanding of the impact of decisions which are made. Additionally, we will look at some of the automation techniques which are now used to monitor and react to changes within an organisation. There are a number of standards for this and we will look at these and where they can be used.

With this you will look at a range of topics including (but not exhaustive):
Adoption Models
Security
Regulations
Databases
Loosely Coupled and Stateless systems
Security of data and the systems
Elastic Computing
Networking
Storage options
Monitoring techniques
Automation techniques for an infrastructure
Scripting for the automation of changes

The lectures given will be covering the theoretical content of the course giving the students a detailed understanding of the technology.

The tutorial sessions will be provided to allow for discussion and practical exercises to be carried out. In the first part of the course the tutorial sessions will be used to allow the student to experiment within a cloud environment. This will supplement their theoretical understanding of the technology. We will also look at automation technology for operating systems and networking equipment within the tutorials.

Baron; (2016), "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official Study Guide: Associate Exam"; Sybex; ISBN 1119138558
Jackson and Goessling; (2018), "Architecting Cloud Computing Solutions: Build cloud strategies that align technology and economics while effectively managing risk"; Packt Publishing; ISBN 178847242X
Edelman, Lowe, and Oswalt; (2016), "Network Programmability and Automation: Skills for the Next-Generation Network Engineer"; O'Reilly Media; ISBN 1491931256

Access to virtual machines within the desktop environment.

None