Online Self-Service Learning Platform for Application-Inspired Cloud Development and Operations (DevOps) Curriculum

Cloud-hosted services are being increasingly used in hosting business and scientific applications due to cost-effectiveness, scalability, and ease of deployment. To facilitate rapid development, change and release process of cloud-hosted applications, the area of development and operations (DevOps) is fast evolving. It is necessary to train the future generation of scientific application development professionals such that they are knowledgeable in the DevOps-enabled continuous integration/delivery automation. In this article, we present the design and development of our “Mizzou Cloud DevOps platform,” an online self-service platform to learn cutting-edge Cloud DevOps tools/technologies using open/public cloud infrastructures for wide adoption amongst instructors/students. Our learning platform features scalability, flexibility, and extendability in providing Cloud DevOps concepts knowledge and hands-on skills. We detail our “application-inspired learning” methodology that is based on integration of real-world application use cases in eight learning modules that include laboratory exercises and self-study activities. The learning modules allow students to gain skills in using latest technologies (e.g., containerization, cluster and edge computing, data pipeline automation) to implement relevant security, monitoring, and adaptation mechanisms. The evaluation of our platform features a knowledge growth study to assess student learning, followed by a usability study to assess the online learning platform, as well as the curriculum content as perceived by instructors and students across multiple hands-on workshops.

I. Introduction

The term DevOps, coined nearly a decade ago, aimed to merge key practices in software development (Dev) and information technology operations (Ops) [1]. While definitions vary, its core objective is to automate and unify Dev and Ops processes for agile teams, enabling faster and more reliable software development, testing, and deployment. DevOps ultimately seeks to shorten the application development life cycle while ensuring high-quality, defect-minimized software accessibility to users through automation in integration, testing, maintenance, and delivery.