Unit 6 Assignment: Cloud Monitoring Strategy Development
Overview
In today’s cloud-first business landscape, infrastructure must be scalable, cost-efficient, and resilient to fluctuating demand. In this project, you will assume the role of a cloud solutions architect for a fictional e-commerce company, TechMart. Your mission is to evaluate their existing cloud setup and propose a robust infrastructure design that supports peak traffic, enhances performance, and optimizes cost, while ensuring high availability and observability.
Purpose
This assignment allows you to apply end-to-end cloud architecture and operations knowledge. You will design a dynamic infrastructure, deploy it using a leading cloud platform, validate its scalability, and fine-tune it based on test data. The deliverables simulate real-world expectations in enterprise environments — combining technical, operational, and financial considerations into a cohesive solution.
Associated Skills
Designing fault-tolerant and scalable cloud architectures Implementing real-time monitoring and metrics dashboards Applying cloud-native cost optimization techniques Configuring load balancing and traffic routing policies Enabling automated infrastructure scaling with smart policies Instructions
Phase 1: Infrastructure Design and Planning
Step 1: Requirements Analysis
Analyze TechMart’s cloud pain points — seasonal demand surges, inconsistent latency, rising costs, and limited visibility. Capture:
Scalability requirements during Black Friday and other high-load events Target response time and availability metrics Budget thresholds and cost-efficiency goals Step 2: Architecture Blueprint
Design a complete cloud architecture diagram with:
Web Tier: Load balancers, front-end servers, CDN App Tier: Microservices and API gateway Data Tier: Primary/replica databases, caching strategies Monitoring Layer: Observability stack and alerting systems Deliverable:
A design report with:
A concise needs analysis summary Annotated architecture diagram Justification for chosen services and tools Estimated cost projections Phase 2: Implementation and Configuration
Step 3: Infrastructure Deployment
Set up a cloud environment in AWS, Azure, or GCP:
Configure load balancing with SSL termination, health checks, routing Implement auto-scaling groups for application layers Set performance-based triggers using metrics like CPU, memory, request count Deploy monitoring dashboards and alert thresholds Step 4: Cost Optimization Strategy
Evaluate your architecture for:
Overprovisioning or idle instances Opportunities for reserved or spot instance usage Lifecycle policies for storage classes Service limits and billing configurations Deliverable:
A technical implementation report containing:
Screenshots of cloud configurations Auto-scaling policy details Monitoring dashboard views Cost optimization spreadsheet and summary Phase 3: Testing and Optimization
Step 5: Performance Testing
Simulate user load and stress scenarios:
Conduct load tests using JMeter or cloud-native tools Trigger failover scenarios to test high availability Validate auto-scaling accuracy and monitoring alerts Step 6: Refinement and Tuning
Improve system performance and efficiency:
Adjust scaling cooldowns and threshold sensitivity Refine load balancing rules or caching behavior Minimize alert fatigue with focused metric tuning Document final configuration changes Deliverable:
A performance analysis report featuring:
Testing outcomes with commentary Before-and-after performance visuals Final tuning decisions and cost/ROI review
- Executive Summary Presentation
o Summary of the business problem and technical solution
o Architecture overview with diagrams
o Financial overview and ROI case
o Risk mitigation strategies and timeline
- Technical Documentation Package
o Full design and configuration documentation
o Setup instructions and implementation notes
o Monitoring and troubleshooting playbooks
- Reflection Paper
o Key learnings and skills applied
o Project challenges and how they were solved
o Professional relevance and next steps in your cloud career
Technical Accuracy
Proper use of cloud-native services Sound architectural choices and justifications Fully functional implementation with valid scaling and monitoring logic Documentation Quality
Professionally structured reports and visual clarity Step-by-step documentation of setup and decisions Strong visual support via diagrams and screenshots Innovation and Presentation
Creative use of modern cloud tools Forward-looking improvements and recommendations Clear, persuasive communication of technical solutions Submission Requirements
Submit a DOCX file named: LastName_FirstName_CloudProject.docx 5-7 page limit Ensure all screenshots and links are active and accessible Submit via LMS by the assigned due date: Tuesday, 11:59 PM ET Evaluation Criteria:
Your assignment will be evaluated based on the following rubric: