IT Engineer Course

Lesson 1 • Data Representation and Binary Logic

Explains binary, hexadecimal, and encoding schemes used in IT systems. Enables engineers to interpret low-level data, addresses, and error codes accurately.

Lesson 2 • Operating System Concepts

Introduces OS kernel functions, process management, and file systems. Connects hardware knowledge to the software layer engineers manage daily.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Virtualisation

Presents hypervisor types, virtual machines, and resource abstraction. Prepares students for cloud and data centre topics introduced in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Computer Hardware Fundamentals

Covers CPU, memory, storage, and motherboard architecture. Provides the hardware literacy required to size, procure, and diagnose physical systems.

Lesson 1 • Switching and Layer 2 Technologies

Covers Ethernet frames, MAC addressing, VLANs, and spanning tree. Connects physical cabling knowledge to logical network segmentation.

Lesson 2 • Routing and Layer 3 Protocols

Explains static routing, dynamic routing protocols, and inter-VLAN routing. Builds on subnetting to enable end-to-end packet delivery across networks.

Lesson 3 • IP Addressing and Subnetting

Teaches IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, CIDR notation, and subnet calculation. Enables engineers to design and segment networks for performance and security.

Lesson 4 • OSI and TCP/IP Models

Maps the seven OSI layers and the TCP/IP stack to real devices and protocols. Provides the conceptual framework for all subsequent networking topics.

Lesson 1 • Linux Command Line Essentials

Introduces the shell, file system navigation, and essential commands. Establishes the command-line fluency required for all subsequent Linux and automation work.

Lesson 2 • Bash Scripting for Automation

Builds scripting skills from variables and conditionals to functions and error handling. Enables engineers to automate repetitive administration tasks efficiently.

Lesson 3 • Process and Service Management

Teaches process monitoring, systemd service control, and scheduling. Enables engineers to maintain service availability and diagnose performance issues.

Lesson 4 • User and Group Management

Covers creating, modifying, and securing user accounts and groups. Directly supports access control and compliance requirements in enterprise Linux environments.

Lesson 1 • PowerShell for Windows Administration

Develops PowerShell scripting skills for AD, server roles, and reporting. Extends automation concepts from Linux scripting to the Windows ecosystem.

Lesson 2 • Group Policy Management

Explains GPO creation, linking, filtering, and troubleshooting. Connects AD structure to centralised configuration enforcement across the enterprise.

Lesson 3 • Core Windows Server Roles

Configures DNS, DHCP, and file server roles on Windows Server. Builds on networking fundamentals to deliver essential infrastructure services.

Lesson 4 • Windows Server Installation and Configuration

Covers server editions, installation options, and initial hardening steps. Establishes a secure baseline before introducing role-based services.

Lesson 1 • Compute and Storage Services

Covers virtual machine instances, auto-scaling, object storage, and block storage. Translates on-premises hardware knowledge into cloud resource provisioning skills.

Lesson 2 • Cloud Networking and Security Groups

Explains virtual private clouds, subnets, routing tables, and security groups. Applies networking fundamentals to cloud-native network design and segmentation.

Lesson 3 • Cloud Service and Deployment Models

Defines IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and public, private, and hybrid cloud models. Establishes the vocabulary and decision framework for all cloud architecture choices.

Lesson 4 • Identity and Access Management in the Cloud

Teaches cloud IAM roles, policies, and least-privilege principles. Connects on-premises AD knowledge to cloud-native identity and authorisation controls.

Lesson 1 • Endpoint and Server Hardening

Teaches OS hardening, patch management, and endpoint protection strategies. Directly applies Linux and Windows administration skills to reduce the attack surface.

Lesson 2 • Incident Detection and Response

Covers the incident response lifecycle, SIEM basics, and forensic evidence handling. Prepares engineers to contain breaches and restore services systematically.

Lesson 3 • Security Concepts and Threat Landscape

Defines the CIA triad, common attack vectors, and threat actor categories. Provides the conceptual foundation for all defensive controls covered in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Network Security Controls

Covers firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, and network segmentation strategies. Applies networking knowledge to build layered defences against external and internal threats.

Lesson 1 • Version Control with Git

Teaches Git branching strategies, merge workflows, and repository management. Provides the source control foundation required for all pipeline and IaC automation work.

Lesson 2 • Containerisation with Docker

Covers Dockerfile authoring, image layering, and container networking. Builds on virtualisation concepts to package applications as portable, reproducible units.

Lesson 3 • Container Orchestration with Kubernetes

Introduces Kubernetes architecture, workload objects, and service exposure. Extends Docker knowledge to production-grade container management at scale.

Lesson 4 • CI/CD Pipeline Design and Implementation

Explains pipeline stages, artifact management, and deployment strategies. Integrates Git, containers, and IaC into an automated software delivery workflow.

Lesson 1 • Capacity Planning and Performance Tuning

Covers trend analysis, bottleneck identification, and resource right-sizing. Applies monitoring data to proactive infrastructure scaling and cost optimisation.

Lesson 2 • Alerting and On-Call Management

Teaches threshold-based and anomaly-based alerting, routing, and escalation. Enables engineers to reduce alert fatigue and respond to incidents efficiently.

Lesson 3 • SLOs, SLAs, and Error Budgets

Explains service level objectives, agreements, and error budget consumption. Connects monitoring data to business reliability commitments and release decisions.

Lesson 4 • Observability Pillars: Metrics, Logs, and Traces

Defines the three observability pillars and their complementary roles. Provides the conceptual model for selecting and combining monitoring tools effectively.