What is infrastructure, and why is it important to learn about?

Infrastructure is a term that encompasses all of the basic systems that businesses, communities, or entire states and countries rely on for their regular functioning. Traditionally, infrastructure refers to physical systems such as transportation networks, water pipes and sewage treatment facilities, and the electricity grid. This type of infrastructure is fundamentally important for living our lives in the modern world, and the design and maintenance of these systems is a central concern of city planning. In recent years, infrastructure has also come to mean the computing systems and network architecture that organizations of all kinds rely on for their information technology (IT) needs. IT infrastructure used to consist mostly of on-premise system components and hardware like computers, servers, and local area networks (LANs). However, today’s IT systems increasingly rely on cloud computing infrastructure to provide scalable and secure services such as data storage and compute resources.

What kinds of careers can I have with a background in infrastructure?

If you want to help guide the development of the physical infrastructure systems that are essential to our daily lives, there are several career paths you can consider. Civil engineering careers are an opportunity to oversee the design and construction of infrastructure such as bridges, dams, and power plants. If you want to work on the business side of developing these projects and making sure they are economically sustainable, you may study project finance. And, if your interest is in determining which kinds of infrastructure systems are needed and where to build them, you should look into a career in city planning. On the other hand, if your interest is in information technology (IT) infrastructure systems, you can pursue a career in system administration. These important personnel are responsible for the design, installation, cybersecurity, and day-to-day operation of the IT systems that organizations rely on, from on-premise intranets to cloud-based resources. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , network and system administrators earn a median annual salary of $83,510, and typically have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

Can I learn about infrastructure by taking online courses on Coursera?

Yes! Regardless of whether your interest is in the physical infrastructure systems that are essential to modern life or the IT infrastructure that is nearly as essential to the modern workplace, Coursera offers courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses to fit your needs. You can learn about physical infrastructure design, finance, and even emerging “smart city” systems from world-class universities like Università Bocconi and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne or from leading engineering software company Autodesk. Similarly, if your interest is in IT infrastructure, you can learn from top-ranked schools like University of Minnesota, New York University, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or from leading IT service and cloud computing providers like Google Cloud. No matter how you choose to learn, Coursera lets you view course materials and complete assignments on a flexible schedule so that you can build these valuable infrastructure skills while continuing your existing work, family, or school life.

What skills or experience do I need to already have, before starting to learn infrastructure?

The skills and experience that you might need to already have before starting to learn infrastructure include working with computers and servers, hardware equipment, technology systems and processes, tech vendors, and service providers. When we describe infrastructure, we are referring generally to the implementation and operations of all technology infrastructures in a company or organization. This oversight of all crucial operations may cover data center operations, network and server services, service monitoring, workstation management, storage, and related software. So having skills in these areas or prior work experience would be valuable for you before starting to learn infrastructure.

How do I know if learning infrastructure is right for me?

You may know if learning infrastructure is right for you if you care deeply about getting computer systems and controls in order, and keeping them that way. If you’re an organized person who strives for routine in your daily work processes, then working with systems infrastructure may be a good fit for you. The work in infrastructure involves maintaining reliable computers and systems in a multi-user environment. This work applies to both small and large organizations. You may even learn about setting up cloud infrastructure setups, in both small and large organizations. Ultimately, if you want to work with tools to manage computers, user information, and user productivity, then learning infrastructure may be a good career fit for you.

What topics can I study that are related to infrastructure?

To learn more about infrastructure, you might want to pursue similar topics, like network systems, legacy interfaces, data storage and retrieval, and business software. Having a fuller understanding of these areas may help you in your future work to support your company’s infrastructure goals. If you can, you might also want to know the physical components of hardware, storage systems, data centers, and data warehousing.

What kind of people are best suited for work that involves infrastructure?

The kind of people who are best suited for work that involves infrastructure are organized, analytical professionals who may have had background experience working in computer systems, network support, security management, network systems, and business systems. People who work in infrastructure can generally handle complex issues and challenges, can multitask easily, and are often driven to solve problems when it comes to network integrity and systems management.

What are the benefits of taking an online Infrastructure course?

Online Infrastructure courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Infrastructure skills. Choose from a wide range of Infrastructure courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Infrastructure courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Infrastructure, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Infrastructure Courses - Learn Infrastructure Online

Google Cloud

Introduction to Cloud Next Generation Firewall

Skills you'll gain: Firewall, Network Security, Cloud Security, Cloud Infrastructure, Threat Modeling, Cloud Management, Network Monitoring

Johns Hopkins University

HDFS Architecture and Programming

Skills you'll gain: Apache Hadoop, File Systems, Big Data, Data Structures, Java Programming, Infrastructure Architecture, File Management, Systems Architecture, Data Processing, Distributed Computing, Data Storage, Development Environment, Scalability, Application Programming Interface (API)

Google Cloud

Architecting with Google Kubernetes Engine: Workloads 한국어

Skills you'll gain: Kubernetes, Cloud-Native Computing, Google Cloud Platform, Application Deployment, Cloud Applications, Load Balancing, Scalability, Containerization, Data Storage, Cloud Computing, YAML, General Networking

Packt

Advanced Cloud Management and AWS Fundamentals

Skills you'll gain: AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Identity and Access Management, Amazon Web Services, Cloud Management, Cloud Computing, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Storage, Cloud Technologies, Server Administration, Private Cloud, Cloud Security, User Accounts, Docker (Software), Scalability

Google Cloud

Getting Started with Terraform for Google Cloud - 日本語版

Skills you'll gain: Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Terraform, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Infrastructure, Configuration Management, Command-Line Interface

Packt

Azure SQL Data Warehouse Synapse Analytics Service

Skills you'll gain: Data Migration, Microsoft Azure, Data Warehousing, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Cloud Computing, Performance Tuning, Cloud Security, Apache Spark, Data Security, Database Management, Data Integration, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Pipelines, Scalability, System Monitoring

Microsoft

Cybersecurity Planning, Management, and Compliance

Skills you'll gain: Cloud Security, Cyber Security Policies, Security Management, Data Management, Records Management, Cloud Computing Architecture, Data Security, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Cloud Computing, Data Governance, Personally Identifiable Information, Information Privacy, Threat Detection, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Platforms, Cybersecurity

LearnKartS

GCP Security and Networking

Skills you'll gain: Identity and Access Management, Network Monitoring, Google Cloud Platform, Network Administration, Network Security, General Networking, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Continuous Monitoring, Cloud Security, Network Routing, Network Architecture, Cloud Storage, Key Management, Firewall, Cloud Infrastructure, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Encryption, Scalability

University of Colorado Boulder

Sustainable Cities Case Studies

Skills you'll gain: Land Management, Public Works, Civil Engineering, Community Development, Environmental Issue, Environment and Resource Management, Mitigation, Economic Development, Natural Resource Management, Water Resources, Policty Analysis, Research, and Development, Environmental Policy, Geographic Information Systems

Packt

Advanced Network Security and Endpoint Strategies

Skills you'll gain: Network Security, Hardening, Endpoint Security, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Firewall, Cloud Security, Infrastructure Security, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Network Infrastructure, Identity and Access Management, Security Controls, Enterprise Security, System Configuration, Email Security, Wide Area Networks

Google Cloud

Architecting with Google Kubernetes Engine: Foundations 한국어

Skills you'll gain: Kubernetes, Containerization, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Services, Cloud Management, Application Deployment, Cloud Computing, Command-Line Interface

Illinois Tech

Cloud: Platform as a Service - Bachelor's

Skills you'll gain: Serverless Computing, Containerization, Platform As A Service (PaaS), Cloud Security, Cloud Platforms, Information Management, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud-Native Computing, Cloud Computing, Cloud Management, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Development, Application Deployment, Database Administration, Public Cloud, Database Management, DevOps, Microservices, Scalability, Machine Learning

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