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Cloud Foundations Brief: Explain an App's Architecture + Your Learning Plan

The capstone project for Cloud Computing Foundations — a free Data & Tech course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A single shared document link containing: a chosen app described in context, a clear mapping of the app to the four service types (compute/storage/networking/databases) with reasons, its service model and a fast/reliable design using regions/AZs/scaling/availability, a shared-responsibility security list plus cost-control habits, and your own provider choice, foundational certification target, study order, free-tier experiment, and career lane.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose ONE simple, real-world app to analyse — pick something you understand, like a food-delivery app, a photo-sharing app, an online store, or a fintech wallet. In 3-4 sentences, describe what the app does and roughly how many users it might serve, so the rest of your brief has context.
  2. Map the app to the FOUR core service types from Lesson 3. For each of compute, storage, networking, and databases, explain in plain English what the app uses it for (e.g. 'compute runs the order logic', 'object storage holds the food photos', 'a SQL database keeps customers and orders', 'a load balancer and CDN serve users fast') and WHY that choice makes sense. Name realistic example services where you can (e.g. EC2/Lambda, S3, RDS, a load balancer/CDN).
  3. Explain the app's service model and reliability using Lessons 2 and 5. State whether the app (or its pieces) is best described as IaaS, PaaS or SaaS and why; then describe how you'd make it fast and reliable using regions (which region, near which users), availability zones, scaling/auto-scaling, and high availability — in a couple of clear sentences.
  4. Address security and cost using Lesson 6. List 3-4 specific things that fall on the customer's side of the shared-responsibility model for this app (e.g. MFA, least privilege, not leaving storage public, encryption), and name 2-3 concrete habits to keep the cloud bill under control (e.g. switch off unused resources, billing alerts, staying in the free tier, the right pricing model).
  5. Write YOUR own certification and learning plan using Lessons 4 and 7. State which provider you'll learn first and why (AWS, Azure, or GCP), which foundational certification you'll target (Cloud Practitioner, AZ-900, or Cloud Digital Leader), a rough month-by-month order of what you'll study, one hands-on free-tier thing you'll try, and which career lane (cloud engineer, DevOps, or cloud security) you're aiming at.
  6. Combine everything into one clean, well-organised document (Google Doc, Word, or Notion), set sharing to 'anyone with the link can view', and submit the link.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Clear, sensible choice of app with enough context, and a correct mapping to all four core service types (compute, storage, networking, databases) with plausible example services and sound reasons for each30%
Accurate use of the service models (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS) and the reliability concepts — regions near the right users, availability zones, scaling/auto-scaling, and high availability — to explain how the app stays fast and up25%
Correct grasp of the shared-responsibility model (3-4 real customer-side security tasks) plus concrete, realistic cost-control habits20%
A realistic, personal learning plan: a chosen provider with a reason, the right foundational certification, a sensible study order, a hands-on free-tier step, and a target career lane20%
Overall clarity, organisation, and plain-English explanation that shows genuine understanding rather than copied jargon5%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Cloud Computing Foundations before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Cloud Computing Foundations is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Cloud Computing Foundations is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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