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

Packt

Microsoft Azure for ASP.NET Core

Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Azure, ASP.NET, Azure Active Directory, OAuth, Serverless Computing, Virtual Machines, Windows PowerShell, .NET Framework, Authentications, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), C# (Programming Language), Cloud Applications, Database Administration, Bash (Scripting Language), Databases, Identity and Access Management, Application Deployment, Data Storage, NoSQL, Application Security

Google Cloud

Mitigating Security Vulnerabilities on Google Cloud en Français

Skills you'll gain: Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks, Cloud Security, Data Loss Prevention, Google Cloud Platform, Continuous Monitoring, Threat Detection, Email Security, Data Security, Security Management, IT Automation, System Monitoring, Real Time Data

Packt

Advanced Automation Frameworks and Continuous Integration

Skills you'll gain: GitHub, Jenkins, Git (Version Control System), CI/CD, Continuous Integration, Test Automation, Selenium (Software), Browser Compatibility, Unit Testing, Test Data, Regression Testing, Software Testing, Test Execution Engine, Test Case, Python Programming, Debugging

Illinois Tech

Cloud: Software as a Service - Bachelor's

Skills you'll gain: Cloud-Native Computing, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Computing, Cloud Platforms, Public Cloud, Software As A Service, Application Deployment, Cloud Services, Cloud Security, Microservices, Amazon Web Services, Serverless Computing, Service Oriented Architecture

Google Cloud

Managing Security in Google Cloud en Français

Skills you'll gain: Identity and Access Management, Cloud Security, Google Cloud Platform, Security Controls, Cloud Computing, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Security Management, Cloud Infrastructure, Firewall, Network Security, Multi-Factor Authentication, User Accounts, Load Balancing

Packt

Cryptography, Network Security, and Application Security

Skills you'll gain: Cybersecurity, Network Security, Cloud Security, Application Security, Information Systems Security, Cryptography, Endpoint Security, OSI Models, Encryption, Infrastructure Security, Wireless Networks, Malware Protection, Public Key Infrastructure, Mobile Security, Network Protocols, Data Integrity, Virtualization

Packt

Cisco CCNP Data Center DCCOR (350-601)

Skills you'll gain: Data Centers, Ansible, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Network Architecture, Border Gateway Protocol, Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), Network Administration, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Network Protocols, Data Storage, Network Security, Virtualization, Automation, Configuration Management

LearnQuest

Secure SD Branch

Skills you'll gain: Threat Detection, Software-Defined Networking, Network Performance Management, Network Architecture, Network Planning And Design, Network Security, Network Administration, Network Routing, Wide Area Networks, Network Monitoring, Disaster Recovery, Cybersecurity, Performance Tuning, Cloud Computing Architecture, General Networking, Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), Infrastructure Security, Network Infrastructure, Computer Networking, Local Area Networks

Google Cloud

Dataplex: Qwik Start - Console

Skills you'll gain: Data Lakes, Google Cloud Platform, Data Management, Cloud API, Data Infrastructure

Google Cloud

Introduction to Migration Center Servers Assessments

Skills you'll gain: Data Import/Export, Cloud Technologies, IT Automation, Data Migration, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Management, Microsoft Azure

Board Infinity

Getting Started with Cloud Foundry

Skills you'll gain: Cloud Foundry, Application Deployment, CI/CD, Cloud Platforms, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Service Management, Cloud Security, Platform As A Service (PaaS), Containerization, Event Monitoring

Status: Free

Coursera Project Network

تصميم نظام تكنولوجيا المعلومات على Azure:إنشاء بنية تحتية

Skills you'll gain: Cloud Hosting, Cloud Infrastructure, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Platforms, Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS), IT Infrastructure, Cloud Computing, Virtual Machines, Virtualization, Network Infrastructure

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