CNIT 155:
AWS Cloud Practitioner

  Course Information for Fall 2023

Upon completion of this course, a student will be able to:

1. Examine and explain the Classic Data Center (CDC).
2. Analyze the Virtualized Data Center (VDC) and its networking components.
3. Manage business continuity in the Cloud.
4. Compare different models of Cloud computing.
5. Evaluate security issues in Cloud infrastructure and migration.

  Instructor Information

By appointment via CityZoom. Please email your instructor inside of Canvas using Inbox to arrange for a meeting time.

  Course Requirements

Since your instructor is AWS Cloud Practitioner certified and approved as an AWS Academy Educator, students enrolled in CNIT 155 are going to be receiving free access to AWS Academy materials and online labs.

In addition to AWS Academy online materials, you do have a required textbook to purchase or rent. It will run you between $20 - $50.

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, STUDY GUIDE, Foundation (CLF-C01) Exam 2019, Ben Piper, David Clinton, Sybex, A Wiley Brand. ISBN: 978-1-119-49070-8.

The textbook is needed and will be used starting in week 1 of the course.

The above textbook is required. Students who wait 3 or 4 weeks to obtain a textbook or never obtain a textbook have a very difficult time succeeding in this course. You can find this textbook at the CCSF bookstore or order online through amazon.com or half.com or elsewhere.

1. Chrome - fully supported by Canvas and AWS, although other browsers can be used
2. SSH client (such as PuTTY)
3. Image manipulation software such as IrfanView (freeware) or MS Paint

Class attendance is required. In an online class this means logging into the class as well as engaging academically in course activities such as quizzes, discussion forums, and assignments. You are required to log into the class at least once per week, although 3 or 4 times per week is recommended. Your instructor reserves the right to drop any student who does not log in AND engage academically in course activities for more than 2 1/2 weeks. Although your instructor reserves the right to drop any student for lack of attendance, students should not depend on your instructor to do so. It is the student's responsibility to complete the online form in MyRAM Portal that is needed to drop or withdraw from this class. If you simply stop attending class, the student will probably receive a failing grade for the course.

Take time to learn how your financial aid works: If your instructor withdraws the student due to lack of attendance based on the above policy and it is after the standard drop with full refund period, then the student most likely will be financially liable to pay for the entire cost of the course. A student needs to be sure that he/she will be able to actively engage in the class on a regular basis from the start of the semester all the way through to the very last day. If the student can not make this semester long committment, then the student should make sure he/she drops the course prior to the deadline to receive a full refund.

Please be aware of the the information on the list of Important Dates including the last day to drop classes with a full refund.

  Grading

A = 90% +
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = 59% or below

Homework assignments, labs, and activities make up 31% of your final grade and are due on Tuesdays by 10 p.m. Please see the Schedule for homework assignment due dates. Note: Week 7 - Quiz 2 and Week 16 - FINAL EXAM are exceptions with different due dates.

Your lowest AWS Academy lab or activity score will be dropped.

Late Homework: Homework may be accepted up to 1 week late but with a 20% penalty. I will allow only two late homework assignments from each student.

Participation makes up 15% of your final grade. Participation points are based on posting to the appropriate chapter Discussions on a weekly basis. Discussions submitted after the due date do not earn points.

1. You will be asked to reflect on chapter Review Questions (RQ) each week. There are 12 chapters, and you are required to post 10 reflections to earn full participation points. Only reflections posted by the assigned weekly due date will earn points. Maximum points = 40.
2. You also will be asked to engage in Discussions (D) with your classmates on topics related to the 10 AWS Academy modules. Maximum points = 20.

Please note: In preparation of certification, each knowledge check, quiz, and the final exam are to be completed without notes, without referencing the textbook, without searching for answers on the Internet or any other place.

As part of the AWS Academy, there are 10 learning modules for the AWS Cloud Foundations course. Please refer to the Schedule for Knowledge Check (KC) due dates. Each module has a Knowledge Check worth 10 points each for a total of 100 points. Knowledge Checks may be taken multiple times with your highest score counting. The Knowledge Check may be completed up to 1 week late, but with a 20% late penalty. After that time the Knowledge Check is no longer worth any points.

There will be 4 short multi-chapter/module quizzes which make up 15% of your grade. Please refer to the Schedule for quiz 1, 2, 3, and 4 dates and material covered. The quizzes will be multiple choice, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank. You get 1 attempt at each quiz. A quiz may be taken up to 1 week late but with a 20% late penalty. After that time the quiz is no longer worth any points.

CERTIFICATION: The goal of this course is to learn basic cloud computing concepts as well as become AWS Cloud Practitioner certified. Becoming AWS Cloud Practitioner certified is highly achievable by the end of the course. A student may either successfully obtain the AWS Cloud Practitioner certifcation with verifiable proof by the last day of the course and receive an automatic course grade of an A, or the student must take the final exam. The cost of the certification exam is $100 and must be completed at a 3rd party testing center or at home arranged through an approved 3rd party monitor over the Internet. Your choice: verifiable obtainment of the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification by the last day of class OR take the course final exam. The final exam is worth 15% of your grade and is comprehensive. The final exam will be multiple choice, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank. The final exam must be taken during the scheduled week - Tuesday, December 13 - SATURDAY, December 16 by 10 p.m. PST - no exceptions. There is no make-up final exam. Please mark your calendar.

You are responsible for knowing these dates and completing your knowledge checks, quizzes, and final exam by the due date. Do not wait until the last minute to take your online exams or complete your homework. If you run into technical or other difficulties at the last minute, you will still be responsible for completing your homework assignments, labs, activities, knowledge checks, quizzes, and final exam by the due date.

  Academic Accommodation