Overview

• Total Duration: 8 weeks
• Weekly Study Frequency: 4 days per week (each session lasts 2-3 hours)
• Study Goal: Thoroughly understand the 8 core topics of the C1000-172 exam and be well-prepared for test scenarios.
• Study Methods:
  • Pomodoro Technique: Study in 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks; after 4 intervals, take a 15-20 minute break.
  • Forgetting Curve Review: Review each week’s content 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after the initial study to reinforce long-term memory.

Week-by-Week Study Plan

Weeks 1-2: Compute Options and Designing Cloud Solutions

Objective: Master the IBM Cloud’s compute options and understand the principles of designing cloud solutions that meet business needs.

Week 1: Compute Options

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Learn about Virtual Server Instances (VSI).
    • Goal: Understand VSI configurations, advantages, and specific use cases.
    • Action: Study CPU, memory, and storage configurations for VSI, and compare with on-premises resources.
  • Task 2: Dive into Bare Metal Servers.
    • Goal: Grasp the dedicated hardware setup and high-performance benefits.
    • Action: Identify scenarios where Bare Metal is preferred (e.g., high-performance computing, databases).

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Explore the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service (IKS).
    • Goal: Understand container orchestration, autoscaling, and Kubernetes management.
    • Action: Study Kubernetes architecture and run a sample deployment if possible.
  • Task 2: Understand Cloud Foundry as a Platform-as-a-Service.
    • Goal: Learn how Cloud Foundry simplifies application development.
    • Action: Review multi-language support and benefits of Cloud Foundry for developers.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Study IBM Cloud Functions (Serverless).
    • Goal: Understand event-driven functions and when to use serverless computing.
    • Action: Review IBM Cloud Functions’ usage and create a simple function (if possible) to practice.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Practice
    • Goal: Consolidate understanding of all Compute Options.
    • Action: Review notes, quiz yourself on key concepts, and do practice questions if available.

• Review Schedule: Review Compute Options on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 8.

Week 2: Designing Cloud Solutions

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Learn about Microservices and Serverless Architecture.
    • Goal: Understand the principles, benefits, and scenarios for both architectures.
    • Action: Create a comparison chart for microservices vs. serverless, focusing on flexibility and scalability.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Study Resource Optimization and Cost Management.
    • Goal: Learn methods to control costs through efficient resource allocation.
    • Action: Study IBM Cloud’s cost management tools and document strategies for scaling resources effectively.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Learn about High Availability and Data Privacy/Compliance.
    • Goal: Understand multi-region and multi-zone deployments for uptime and compliance strategies.
    • Action: Focus on cross-region redundancy, automatic failover, and GDPR compliance standards.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Test
    • Goal: Ensure understanding of Designing Cloud Solutions.
    • Action: Review core concepts, practice with scenarios, and test yourself with example questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Designing Cloud Solutions on Day 3, Day 5, and Day 9.

Weeks 3-4: Data Analytics and Data Management and IBM Cloud Storage Options

Objective: Understand data management options, including storage types, and master different IBM Cloud storage solutions.

Week 3: Data Analytics and Data Management

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Study Relational Databases (e.g., IBM Db2).

    • Goal: Understand relational databases and ACID properties.
    • Action: Review transaction handling and explore database structures.

  • Task 2: Learn about NoSQL Databases (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra).

    • Goal: Compare NoSQL databases to relational databases for handling unstructured data.
    • Action: Document the differences and preferred use cases for NoSQL in real-time applications.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Study Data Lakes and Data Warehouses.
    • Goal: Understand the differences and how each supports business intelligence.
    • Action: Review IBM Cloud’s Object Storage for data lakes and Db2 Warehouse for data warehousing.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Understand Real-Time Data Processing and Data Governance.
    • Goal: Learn about IBM Event Streams for real-time data and data governance principles.
    • Action: Document IBM Event Streams’ Kafka capabilities and review data classification strategies.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Practice
    • Goal: Solidify knowledge of data analytics and management.
    • Action: Quiz yourself on each component and practice with real-life application scenarios.

• Review Schedule: Review Data Analytics and Management on Day 4, Day 6, and Day 10.

Week 4: IBM Cloud Storage Options

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Explore Object Storage.
    • Goal: Understand tiered storage options (standard, archive, cold).
    • Action: Study scenarios for each tier and review multi-region availability.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Study Block Storage.
    • Goal: Understand high-performance IOPS and persistent data.
    • Action: Document use cases for databases and compare block storage to other options.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Learn about File Storage and Archive Storage.
    • Goal: Understand multi-client access for file storage and the low-cost benefits of archive storage.
    • Action: Study scenarios where each type is most suitable and document cost-saving advantages.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Test
    • Goal: Test understanding of IBM Cloud storage options.
    • Action: Review key differences among storage types and complete practice questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Storage Options on Day 5, Day 7, and Day 11.

Weeks 5-6: IBM Cloud Networking Options and Security

Objective: Learn IBM Cloud networking and security features to ensure application flexibility, performance, and security.

Week 5: IBM Cloud Networking Options

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Study Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).
    • Goal: Understand isolated network environments and subnets/security groups.
    • Action: Review VPC configuration and compare it with traditional network security.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Learn about Direct Link and VPN.
    • Goal: Understand secure connections from on-premises to IBM Cloud.
    • Action: Compare Direct Link with VPN and note scenarios for using each.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Study Load Balancer and CIS (Content Delivery Network and DDoS Protection).
    • Goal: Learn how load balancing and CDN improve performance.
    • Action: Document traffic distribution, protocol support, and DDoS protection benefits.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Test
    • Goal: Reinforce knowledge of networking configurations.
    • Action: Review networking scenarios, quiz yourself, and practice with mock questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Networking Options on Day 6, Day 8, and Day 12.

Week 6: Security

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Study Identity and Access Management (IAM).
    • Goal: Understand MFA and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).
    • Action: Review IAM policies and practice setting up roles and permissions.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Learn about Encryption (data at rest and in transit).
    • Goal: Understand how encryption protects stored and transmitted data.
    • Action: Document encryption methods and explore HTTPS and VPN encryption.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Study Key Management Services and Network Security.
    • Goal: Understand key management with Key Protect and DDoS/firewall protection.
    • Action: Review PCI/HIPAA compliance and firewall setup.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Comprehensive Test
    • Goal: Assess knowledge of IBM Cloud security.
    • Action: Review security configurations and complete sample security-focused questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Security on Day 7, Day 9, and Day 13.

Weeks 7-8: IBM Cloud Resiliency Features and Observability Capabilities

Objective: Develop expertise in IBM Cloud’s resiliency and observability features for maintaining uptime and performance.

Week 7: IBM Cloud Resiliency Features

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Study Multi-Region and Multi-Zone Deployment.
    • Goal: Understand cross-region redundancy and failover techniques.
    • Action: Document how cross-region redundancy enables disaster recovery.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Explore Backup and Recovery.
    • Goal: Learn backup and disaster recovery methods, including RPO and RTO.
    • Action: Study IBM Cloud Backup’s features and document RPO/RTO scenarios.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Learn about Load Balancing and Autoscaling.
    • Goal: Understand how these tools ensure stable, high-performance services.
    • Action: Document autoscaling strategies and use cases.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Practice
    • Goal: Confirm understanding of resiliency features.
    • Action: Complete resiliency-related scenarios and test questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Resiliency Features on Day 8, Day 10, and Day 14.

Week 8: Observability Capabilities

• Day 1:

  • Task 1: Study Monitoring and Alerts.
    • Goal: Learn real-time monitoring with Grafana and set up custom alerts.
    • Action: Practice creating alerts for different thresholds.

• Day 2:

  • Task 1: Explore Log Management.
    • Goal: Understand centralized log storage and analysis techniques.
    • Action: Practice filtering logs and identify common troubleshooting methods.

• Day 3:

  • Task 1: Learn Distributed Tracing and Error Monitoring.
    • Goal: Understand how to trace requests and manage error events.
    • Action: Document error troubleshooting steps and trace a sample request.

• Day 4:

  • Task: Review and Test
    • Goal: Verify knowledge of observability tools.
    • Action: Review observability cases, and complete observability-focused practice questions.

• Review Schedule: Review Observability on Day 9, Day 11, and Day 15.

Week 9: Comprehensive Review and Mock Exams

• Tasks:
  1. Comprehensive Review: Dedicate 1 hour per core topic for a detailed recap.
  2. Mock Exams: Complete at least two full-length practice exams to simulate real test conditions.
  3. Mistake Analysis: Review and analyze errors to reinforce weak areas.

By following this structured plan, applying the Pomodoro technique for focus, and reviewing consistently based on the Forgetting Curve, you will build a strong foundation in IBM C1000-172 topics and maximize your chances of success on the exam.