Phase 1: Linux & Python Scripting

In Progress

Python Fundamentals & Syntax Mastery

🔄 Learning

• Variables, data types, and type conversion (100% accuracy on exercises)
• Control structures: if/elif/else, for/while loops (flawless execution)
• Function definition, parameters, return values, and scope
• List, dictionary, and tuple manipulation
• String methods and formatting techniques
• File I/O operations with proper exception handling

Linux Command Line Fundamentals

🔄 Learning

• File system navigation and manipulation (mv, cp, rm, find, locate)
• Text processing tools (grep, sed, awk, sort, uniq, cut)
• HTTP requests and API interaction with error handling
• File permissions and ownership (chmod, chown, umask)
• Process management (ps, top, kill, jobs, nohup)
• I/O redirection and pipes (>, >>, <, |, tee)
• Archive and compression (tar, gzip, zip)

Git & Version Control Mastery

📋 Next

• Repository initialization and configuration
• Staging, committing, and history management
• Branching strategies and merge conflict resolution
• Remote repositories and collaboration workflows
• Advanced features: rebasing, cherry-picking, stashing
• Git hooks and automation integration

Advanced Command Line & Scripting

📋 Planned

• Shell scripting with bash (variables, conditionals, loops)
• Regular expressions in command-line tools
• Advanced text processing with sed and awk
• System monitoring and performance tools
• Network utilities (curl, wget, netstat, ss)
• Environment variables and shell configuration

Advanced Python for System Administration

📋 Planned

• Regular expressions for text processing and log analysis
• Working with CSV, JSON, and XML data formats
• HTTP requests and API interaction with error handling
• Command-line argument parsing with argparse
• Logging configuration and best practices
• Exception handling and debugging techniques

Integration & Professional Development

📋 Planned

• Code Style: PEP 8 compliance and automated formatting
• Documentation: Docstrings, README files, and API documentation
• Version Control: Advanced Git workflows and collaboration
• Testing Strategy: Unit tests, integration tests, and mocking
• Performance: Profiling and optimization techniques

Command Line & Python Integration

📋 Planned

• Using Python to enhance command-line workflows
• Command-line tools written in Python
• Shell scripting that incorporates Python utilities
• Automation of Git workflows with Python
• System administration tasks combining both skill sets

Phase 2: Systems & Automation

Planned

Core System Administration

📋 Planned

• User & Group Management: Advanced permissions, sudo configuration, PAM
• File System Management: LVM, RAID, file system types and optimization
• Process Management: Systemd, service management, resource control
• Network Configuration: Static/dynamic IP, routing, firewall rules
• Package Management: Repository configuration, dependency resolution
• System Monitoring: Log analysis, performance metrics, alerting
• Security Hardening: SELinux/AppArmor, access controls, audit logging
• Performance Tuning: CPU, memory, I/O optimization techniques
• Troubleshooting: Systematic problem-solving methodologies
• Backup & Recovery: Automated backup strategies, disaster recovery

Advanced Automation & Configuration Management

📋 Planned

• Ansible Expertise: Playbooks, roles, variables, and templates
• Infrastructure Automation: Multi-server deployments and orchestration
• Security Automation: Compliance scanning and remediation
• Monitoring Integration: Automated monitoring and alerting setup

DevOps Culture & Integration

📋 Planned

• DevOps Principles: Collaboration, automation, measurement, sharing
• Incident Response: Response procedures, post-mortems, improvement
• Change Management: Safe deployment practices, rollback strategies
• Metrics & Monitoring: SLIs, SLOs, error budgets, and dashboards

Systems Programming & Automation

📋 Planned

• System Monitoring Tools: Custom metrics collection and analysis
• Configuration Management: Python-based configuration deployment
• API Development: REST APIs for system management
• Database Integration: System state persistence and reporting

Phase 3: Networking & Cloud Foundations

Planned

Networking Mastery

📋 Planned

• OSI Model: Layer-by-layer understanding with practical applications
• TCP/IP Stack: Protocol analysis, packet inspection, and troubleshooting
• Subnetting & VLSM: Complex network design and address planning
• Routing Protocols: OSPF, BGP, and dynamic routing concepts
• Switching: VLANs, STP, and Layer 2 technologies
• Network Security: Firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection
• QoS & Traffic Management: Bandwidth management and prioritization
• Network Troubleshooting: Systematic problem-solving with tools
• Wireless Networking: 802.11 standards and enterprise wireless

Azure Cloud Platform Mastery

📋 Planned

• Compute Services: VMs, App Services, Functions, Container Instances
• Storage Solutions: Blob, File, Queue, Table storage with access patterns
• Networking: Virtual Networks, Subnets, NSGs, Load Balancers, Traffic Manager
• Identity & Security: Azure AD, RBAC, Key Vault, Security Center
• Monitoring & Management: Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights
• Security: Defense in depth and zero-trust architectures
• Cost Optimization: Resource management and cost control strategies
• High Availability: Multi-region deployments and disaster recovery

Integration & Advanced Scenarios

📋 Planned

• Hybrid Networking: VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, and hybrid connectivity
• Multi-Cloud Patterns: Azure integration with other cloud providers
• Enterprise Integration: On-premises to cloud migration strategies
• Compliance & Governance: Policy management and regulatory compliance

Automation & Infrastructure as Code

📋 Planned

• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform and ARM templates for Azure
• Network Automation: Python scripts for network configuration and monitoring
• Cloud Resource Management: Automated provisioning and deprovisioning
• Monitoring Automation: Custom metrics and alerting setup

Phase 4: Terraform & Advanced IaC Patterns

Planned

Terraform Mastery

📋 Planned

• Terraform Core: Resources, data sources, variables, and outputs
• State Management: Remote state, locking, and team collaboration
• Module Development: Reusable, versioned infrastructure modules
• Advanced Patterns: Conditional logic, loops, and complex expressions
• Testing Strategies: Unit tests, integration tests, and compliance validation
• Multi-Environment Management: Development, staging, production patterns
• Security: Secrets management, secure state storage, and access controls
• Governance: Policy as code and compliance automation
• Performance: Large-scale infrastructure optimization

Container Technology Mastery

📋 Planned

• Docker Expertise: Image creation, networking, volumes, and compose
• Container Security: Scanning, hardening, and runtime protection
• Registry Management: Private registries and image lifecycle
• Orchestration Concepts: Service discovery, load balancing, and scaling
• Kubernetes Fundamentals: Pods, services, deployments, and configuration
• Multi-Stage Builds: Optimization and security best practices
• Container Networking: Advanced networking patterns and troubleshooting
• Persistent Storage: Volume management and data persistence patterns
• Monitoring & Logging: Container observability and debugging

CI/CD & Production Integration

📋 Planned

• Pipeline Design: Build, test, deploy, and rollback strategies
• Testing Integration: Unit, integration, security, and performance testing
• Deployment Patterns: Blue/green, canary, and rolling deployments
• Monitoring Integration: Health checks, metrics, and alerting
• Security Integration: SAST, DAST, and vulnerability scanning

Advanced Python for Infrastructure

📋 Planned

• Terraform Integration: Python tools for infrastructure validation
• Container Automation: Docker SDK and container management scripts
• CI/CD Tools: Custom pipeline tools and integrations
• Testing Frameworks: Infrastructure testing with pytest and custom tools

Phase 5: Advanced Linux & Cloud Architecture

Planned

Enterprise Linux Administration

📋 Planned

• Kernel Tuning: Memory management, I/O scheduling, and CPU optimization
• Storage Systems: Advanced file systems, LVM, and storage optimization
• Network Performance: Advanced networking, bonding, and traffic control
• Security Hardening: Advanced security controls, audit systems, and compliance
• Virtualization: KVM, libvirt, and container runtime optimization
• Troubleshooting: Advanced debugging tools and methodologies

Cloud Architecture & Advanced Azure

📋 Planned

• Enterprise Patterns: Microservices, event-driven, and serverless architectures
• Multi-Region Design: Global distribution, disaster recovery, and data sovereignty
• Security Architecture: Zero-trust, identity integration, and compliance frameworks
• Cost Optimization: FinOps practices and resource optimization strategies
• Integration Patterns: Hybrid cloud, API management, and data integration

Advanced Python for Cloud & Systems

📋 Planned

• Cloud SDKs: Advanced Azure SDK usage and custom integrationss
• Performance Optimization: Profiling, optimization, and async programming
• Security Architecture: Zero-trust, identity integration, and compliance frameworks
• Enterprise Integration: Database connectivity, message queues, and API gateways
• Monitoring & Observability: Custom metrics, distributed tracing, and alerting systems

Phase 6: Configuration Management & Advanced CI/CD

Planned

Advanced Configuration Management

📋 Planned

• Ansible Mastery: Complex playbooks, custom modules, and enterprise patterns
• Inventory Management: Dynamic inventories, group variables, and scaling strategies
• Role Development: Galaxy roles, testing frameworks, and community contribution
• Security Integration: Vault management, credential handling, and compliance automation
• Multi-Cloud Configuration: Consistent configuration across cloud providers
• Compliance Automation: CIS benchmarks, STIG implementation, and audit trails
• Change Management: Configuration drift detection and automated remediation
• Integration Testing: Molecule, TestInfra, and comprehensive testing strategies

Advanced CI/CD & Pipeline Engineering

📋 Planned

• Pipeline Architecture: Multi-stage, multi-environment, and multi-cloud pipelines
• Testing Strategy: Unit, integration, contract, security, and performance testing
• Deployment Patterns: Advanced blue/green, canary, and feature flag implementations
• GitOps Workflows: Git-based operations and declarative infrastructure management
• Security Integration: DevSecOps practices, SAST/DAST integration, and compliance gates
• Artifact Management: Binary repositories, versioning, and dependency management
• Environment Promotion: Automated environment progression and approval workflows
• Monitoring Integration: Pipeline observability, metrics collection, and alerting
• Failure Recovery: Automated rollback, disaster recovery, and incident response

Observability & Site Reliability Engineering

📋 Planned

• SLI/SLO Design: Service level indicators, objectives, and error budget management
• Monitoring Strategy: Metrics, logs, traces, and comprehensive observability
• Incident Management: Response procedures, post-mortems, and continuous improvement
• Chaos Engineering: Failure injection, resilience testing, and system hardening
• Performance Engineering: Capacity planning, optimization, and scalability analysis

Enterprise Automation Framework Development

📋 Planned

• Custom Tool Development: Enterprise-grade automation tools and frameworks
• API Integration: REST/GraphQL APIs, webhook systems, and event-driven automation
• Database Integration: Configuration management databases and state tracking
• Monitoring Integration: Custom metrics, alerting systems, and dashboard automation

Phase 7: Kubernetes & Cloud-Native Architecture

Planned

Kubernetes Deep Dive

📋 Planned

• Control Plane Components: API server, etcd, scheduler, and controller-manager
• Node Components: kubelet, kube-proxy, and container runtime integration
• Workload Management: Pods, ReplicaSets, Deployments, StatefulSets, and DaemonSets
• Service Networking: Services, Ingress, Network Policies, and DNS
• Storage: Persistent Volumes, Storage Classes, and stateful application patterns
• Configuration: ConfigMaps, Secrets, and environment management
• RBAC, Pod Security Standards, Network Policies, and admission control
• Monitoring: Metrics collection, logging aggregation, and distributed tracing
• Scaling: Horizontal/Vertical Pod Autoscaling and cluster scaling strategies
• Troubleshooting: Debugging techniques, performance analysis, and log analysis

Cloud-Native Architecture & Service Mesh

📋 Planned

• Microservices Patterns: Decomposition, communication, and data management
• Service Mesh: Istio/Linkerd implementation, traffic management, and security
• Event-Driven Architecture: Event streaming, message queues, and async patterns
• Serverless Integration: Function-as-a-Service and event-driven computing
• Data Architecture: Distributed databases, event sourcing, and CQRS patterns
• Cluster Management: Multi-cluster architectures and federation strategies
• GitOps: ArgoCD, Flux, and declarative deployment patterns
• Security Hardening: Supply chain security, image scanning, and runtime protection
• Disaster Recovery: Backup strategies, cross-region replication, and failover procedures

Security Integration & DevSecOps Engineering

📋 Planned

• Security Automation: SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning in pipelines
• Container Security: Image scanning, runtime protection, and compliance validation
• Infrastructure Security: Policy as code, compliance automation, and audit trails
• Incident Response: Security incident management and forensic procedures

Phase 8: Platform Engineering & Advanced Specialization

Planned

Internal Developer Platform Design

📋 Planned

• Developer Experience Design: Self-service platforms and developer productivity
• Service Catalog: Service discovery, documentation, and lifecycle management
• Template Systems: Scaffolding, cookiecutter templates, and standardization
• Integration Patterns: Tool chain integration and workflow automation
• Metrics & Feedback: Developer productivity metrics and continuous improvement

Cloud Security Architecture Specialization

📋 Planned

Zero Trust & Hybrid Architecture Foundations

• Never trust, always verify - fundamental security paradigm
• Identity as the new perimeter - authentication and authorization centrality
• Continuous validation - ongoing verification vs. one-time checks
• Micro-segmentation principles - isolating resources and communications
• East-west traffic inspection - lateral movement prevention
• Software-defined perimeters - dynamic boundary creation
• Federated identity management - connecting disparate identity systems
• Single sign-on (SSO) patterns - centralized authentication flows
• Attribute-based access control (ABAC) - context-aware authorization

Cloud Security Architecture Specialization

📋 Planned

Modern Governance & Compliance Automation

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles - declarative vs. imperative approaches
• Version-controlled governance - policy management through code repositories
• Automated compliance - continuous monitoring and enforcement
• Risk assessment methodologies - qualitative and quantitative approaches
• Control mapping - connecting business requirements to technical controls
• Compliance inheritance - how controls flow through architectures
• Evidence collection - automated audit trail generation
• Separation of duties - role-based control enforcement

Cloud Security Architecture Specialization

📋 Planned

Current Secure Multi-Cloud Architecture

• Layered security model - multiple overlapping controls
• Fail-safe design principles - secure defaults and graceful failures
• Security boundary definition - understanding trust boundaries
• CAP theorem implications - consistency, availability, partition tolerance trade-offs
• Byzantine fault tolerance - handling malicious actors in distributed systems
• Cryptographic protocols - securing communications and data
• Shared responsibility model - understanding provider vs. customer responsibilities
• Immutable infrastructure - security through replaceability
• Container security model - isolation and image security

Cloud Security Architecture Specialization

📋 Planned

Modern Threat Modeling & Business Integration

• Threat modeling methodologies - STRIDE, PASTA, DREAD principles
• Attack tree analysis - systematic breakdown of attack paths
• Risk quantification - converting threats to business impact
• Return on Security Investment (ROSI) - measuring security value
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) - comprehensive cost analysis
• Risk transfer mechanisms - insurance, contracts, shared responsibility
• Risk communication - translating technical risks to business language
• Security culture - building organization-wide security awareness
• Change management - implementing security improvements effectively