Kubernetes continues to gain momentum as the premier orchestration platform for containers. As such, cloud native developers are clamoring to enhance their Kubernetes skill set, and many are coming to KubeCampus – Kasten by Veeam’s free learning resource for Kubernetes users – to do just that.
We spoke with a Kubernetes Pro to understand how he’s continuing his Kubernetes learning journey leveraging the labs, resources and community offered on the site. Here’s what he had to say.
Q. What skills did you have prior to coming to KubeCampus?
My background is in virtualization, having worked in the cloud sector for many years. I discovered KubeCampus when containers were becoming popular, and used it to get up to speed on Kubernetes. The hands-on labs I completed on the KubeCampus site were instrumental in preparing for the Certified Kubernetes Administrator exam – a challenging 2-hour practical exam. But I passed, because I was well-prepared.
Q. Why did you decide to learn Kubernetes?
Back when people first started talking about containers and Kubernetes, I didn’t really pay too much attention. But the conversation persisted and I knew it would be an essential skill for moving forward in my career.
Q. What challenges did you face?
At the time, I didn’t have much time – I already had a full-time job. Commercial courses were expensive, and trying to find the right resources as I shuffled through tons of online videos and blogs was a futile endeavor. I was lucky to stumble across KubeCampus, and the rest is history. Learning Kubenertes took 7 months of hard work, but taking and retaking the labs on KubeCampus – which were free – was definitely worth the time invested.
Q. What were you looking for in terms of Kubernetes learning options?
I needed to find a resource with courses I could take at my own pace, at times that were convenient for me. I also wanted access to content like blogs and videos, as well as support from a community of users. KubeCampus met all of those requirements and prepared me to take the CKA exam, which was a key goal.
Q. What did you like about the courses on KubeCampus?
First of all, you have access to a live cluster without having to pay a dime – that’s something commercial Kubernetes classes don’t offer. The hands-on labs give you real-world challenges and scenarios to navigate. It took me some time to understand what I was doing, and to get used to the Kubernetes environment. I would receive failure messages while working through the challenges, then end up cutting and pasting commands to make sure I was inputting them accurately. It was truly a hands-on learning experience.
Once you master the basics, there is so much more to learn, and KubeCampus serves as a valuable resource to update and refresh your skills. It provides a sandbox environment so you can experiment without using live clusters and bone up on various aspects of Kubernetes management, such as networking or automation.
Q. What are your next steps?
No one is 100% proficient in understanding the complexities of Kubernetes – even if they’ve passed the CKA exam. I still run into trouble from time to time, and the platform is always evolving, offering new challenges. KubeCampus provides a self-service reference that I can go back to time and time again, for free, to build the skills that are relevant to my job. Plus, Kasten adds new labs all the time, such as “Introduction to Custom Resource Definitions” and “Kubernetes Observability” – advanced topics that help me leverage the platform to its full capability. There are also tons of blogs and other content added every month. I’ll continue to revisit the site, and take new labs as they become available.
Visit KubeCampus today to start your Kubernetes learning journey!
