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

App Deployment, Debugging, and Performance - Português

Skills you'll gain: Cloud-Native Computing, Cloud Applications, Application Deployment, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Google Cloud Platform, Continuous Deployment, Application Performance Management, Computing Platforms, Containerization, Cloud Computing, Debugging

Google Cloud

Introduction to Data Engineering on Google Cloud - 简体中文

Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Data Sharing, Data Migration, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Storage, Metadata Management, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Processing, Data Infrastructure, Data Storage, Data Lakes, Data Warehousing, Data Transformation, Cloud Computing, Automation, Serverless Computing

Google Cloud

Scaling with Google Cloud Operations - Português Brasileiro

Skills you'll gain: Cloud Management, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Computing, IT Infrastructure, Cloud Services, Infrastructure Architecture, Operational Excellence, Cost Management, Identity and Access Management, Budget Management, System Monitoring, Corporate Sustainability, Billing, Client Support

Google Cloud

Gemini for Cloud Architects - Bahasa Indonesia

Skills you'll gain: Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform, Generative AI, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Cloud Infrastructure, DevOps, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Shell Script

Google Cloud

Networking in Google Cloud: Hybrid and Multicloud - Español

Skills you'll gain: Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Google Cloud Platform, Multi-Cloud, Hybrid Cloud Computing, Cloud Computing Architecture, Cloud Computing, General Networking, Network Routing, Wide Area Networks, Network Infrastructure, Cloud Security

Google Cloud

Gemini for Cloud Architects - Deutsch

Skills you'll gain: Google Cloud Platform, Generative AI, Kubernetes, Application Deployment, Cloud Infrastructure, Shell Script, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Cloud Computing, Cloud Computing Architecture, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)

Google Cloud

Gemini for Cloud Architects - Português Brasileiro

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

Google Cloud

Planning for a Google Workspace Deployment - Español

Skills you'll gain: Data Migration, User Provisioning, Change Management, Google Workspace, Email Security, Cloud Computing, Interoperability, System Implementation, End User Training and Support

Google Cloud

Introduction to AI and Machine Learning on GC - Indonesian

Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, Google Cloud Platform, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Big Data, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, Predictive Modeling, Data Pipelines

Google Cloud

Vector Search and Embeddings - Deutsch

Skills you'll gain: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Information Architecture, Google Cloud Platform, Natural Language Processing, Application Programming Interface (API), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning Methods, Cloud Computing

Google Cloud

Securing and Integrating Components of Your App - Português

Skills you'll gain: Cloud-Native Computing, Cloud Applications, Google Cloud Platform, Application Development, Application Programming Interface (API), Serverless Computing, Authentications, Identity and Access Management, Cloud Computing, Event-Driven Programming, Node.JS, Microservices, Authorization (Computing)

Google Cloud

Gemini for DevOps Engineers - 简体中文

Skills you'll gain: Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform, DevOps, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), Cloud-Native Computing, Development Environment, CI/CD, Artificial Intelligence

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Explore the Infrastructure Course Catalog

App Deployment, Debugging, and Performance - Português

Introduction to Data Engineering on Google Cloud - 简体中文

Scaling with Google Cloud Operations - Português Brasileiro

Gemini for Cloud Architects - Bahasa Indonesia