Hamza

How to become a better server-side/Cloud/DevOps engineer using iximiuz Labs? Based on my own experience and hearing back from hundreds of engineers who actually achieved their learning goals, a sequence that has traditionally led to the most solid understanding and the most transferable knowledge is: Linux → Networking → Containers → {Kubernetes, Cloud} Jumping straight into learning the higher-level components, such as AWS VPC, Security Groups, Internet Gateways, or even Kubernetes, is not uncommon, but in my experience, it often results in longer mastering time and the need to "re-learn" from scratch after switching from AWS to Azure or from Kubernetes to Nomad or AWS ECS. In contrast, when you first learn about LANs (L2 broadcast domains, typical switch topologies, etc.), then L3 routing, iptables, and NAT, understanding what VPC and Security Group actually are becomes much easier. One more great thing about this approach is that focusing on fundamentals makes the knowledge transferable sideways, too. For instance, container networking (Docker's typical bridge network) and Kubernetes' Node and Pod networking rely on the same L2 broadcast domains, L3 routing, and iptables concepts from above, even if some of the primitives will be virtualized (e.g., a Linux bridge is a virtual switch and a network namespace is an analog of an isolated network node). This is why at iximiuz Labs, we focus on the fundamentals of the server-side tech and avoid covering topics like "5 ways to configure AWS NAT Gateway in 2026" 🤦‍♂️ Where to start with iximiuz Labs as a Linux/DevOps beginner? At the moment, for a Linux/DevOps beginner, the best place to start is the hands-on Docker roadmap labs.iximiuz.com/roadmaps/docker. I recommend trying to solve challenges there, starting from the top, and always following the links to the theoretical materials that most challenges include. And of course, don't forget to check the Solution tab if you get stuck or even if you've solved the challenge - there might be an alternative or simpler way, and the editorial solution may shed some extra light on what’s going on under the hood. Another beginner-friendly piece is the L2 Networking Fundamentals course, augmented by these L3 challenges: - [course] Computer Networking Fundamentals For Developers, DevOps, and Platform Engineers labs.iximiuz.com/courses/comput… - [challenge] Configure Routes to Connect Two Private Networks labs.iximiuz.com/challenges/net… - [challenge] Enable Internet Access for a Private Network with a NAT Gateway labs.iximiuz.com/challenges/net… The above networking materials can be taken before, after, or in parallel with the Docker roadmap. After getting through a couple of dozen Docker challenges and studying the networking fundamentals materials, it's a great time to take the Container Networking from Scratch tutorial labs.iximiuz.com/tutorials/cont…. The applicability of the knowledge you'll get from it is much broader than just Docker bridge networks - it's the foundation everyone needs before approaching the more complex Kubernetes networking model, and it'll also come in handy while learning other virtualization tech (e.g., Firecracker, QEMU, VirtualBox VMs, Lima, Kata Containers, etc.). While going through the above materials, you'll get to solve many practical Linux problems. Some in the form of complementary challenges, some as subtasks of Docker or networking challenges. In any case, you'll become much more fluent and confident in using the terminal and operating servers. Finally, I want to emphasise that iximiuz Labs is not a single course but a holistic learning and experimentation platform. One of the key features of iximiuz Labs is its Playgrounds labs.iximiuz.com/playgrounds. In essence, they are remote, preconfigured Linux VMs that are ideal for practicing Linux, networking, Docker, or Kubernetes in a safe, controlled environment. Most of the platform's learning materials embed a playground on the side to help you practice what you've just read, but you can (and should) use standalone playgrounds for your learning tasks, too. A typical example: while studying system design, you may want to explore the traditional 3-tier architecture of web applications, and the best way to do it is to actually deploy an API server, a database, and a client app with your own hands using your own or some well-known examples like github.com/dockersamples/…

100k views on my talk! Thank you all for the support! youtu.be/eIoohUmYpGI?si…