Containerization with Docker and Kubernetes

Information Technology and Digital Systems October 25, 2025
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Introduction

Containerization, spearheaded by Docker and orchestrated by Kubernetes, has become the de facto standard for deploying modern, scalable, and portable applications. This comprehensive course provides a hands-on mastery of both technologies, starting with building efficient Docker images and culminating in the deployment and management of complex multi-container applications on a Kubernetes cluster. Participants will learn how to leverage containers for consistency across environments, enabling faster development cycles and robust, self-healing infrastructure, a fundamental requirement for modern DevOps and cloud-native applications.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the core concepts of containerization and its benefits over traditional virtualization.
  • Build optimized, multi-stage Docker images using best practices from a Dockerfile.
  • Deploy, manage, and network single and multi-container applications with Docker.
  • Understand the core architecture of a Kubernetes cluster (Master, Nodes, Kubelet).
  • Use YAML manifests to deploy and manage workloads with Kubernetes objects (Pods, Deployments, Services).
  • Implement persistent storage for stateful applications in Kubernetes.
  • Configure networking and expose applications using Services and Ingress.
  • Perform rolling updates, rollbacks, and self-healing operations within a cluster.

Target Audience

  • DevOps Engineers and Site Reliability Engineers (SREs).
  • Software Developers seeking to containerize their applications.
  • System Administrators transitioning to cloud-native infrastructure.
  • Cloud Architects designing container-based solutions.
  • Individuals preparing for the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam.

Methodology

  • Extensive hands-on labs building Docker images and deploying them to a Kubernetes cluster.
  • Individual exercises writing and debugging YAML manifests for various K8s objects.
  • Group activities focused on migrating a monolithic application into a containerized microservice architecture.
  • Scenario-based troubleshooting of application and cluster failures.

Personal Impact

  • Acquire fluency in Docker and Kubernetes, the core technologies of modern cloud-native computing.
  • Increase efficiency and collaboration by ensuring consistent environments from development to production.
  • Enhance ability to design and manage highly scalable and resilient application infrastructure.
  • Gain a competitive edge for roles in DevOps, SRE, and Cloud Architecture.
  • Develop systematic skills for managing the lifecycle of complex, distributed applications.

Organizational Impact

  • Significantly reduced infrastructure costs and improved resource utilization.
  • Faster application deployment and development cycles (CI/CD enablement).
  • Increased application stability and availability through Kubernetes' self-healing capabilities.
  • Enhanced portability of applications across public clouds and on-premises data centers.
  • Standardized application packaging and dependency management across the organization.

Course Outline

Unit 1: Docker Fundamentals and Image Management

Introduction to Docker
  • The container paradigm: process isolation vs. full virtualization.
  • Docker components: Daemon, Client, Images, Containers, Registry.
  • Installing Docker and initial configuration.
  • Basic container commands (run, ps, stop, exec).
Building and Optimizing Images
  • Writing a Dockerfile with best practices and layer caching.
  • Optimizing image size using multi-stage builds.
  • Tagging, versioning, and pushing images to a Docker Registry (e.g., Docker Hub).
  • Introduction to Docker volumes for persistent data.

Unit 2: Docker Networking and Compose

Container Networking
  • Docker network drivers (Bridge, Host, Overlay).
  • Creating custom bridge networks for container communication.
  • Publishing ports and mapping between host and container.
  • Troubleshooting network connectivity between containers.
Multi-Container Applications with Compose
  • Defining multi-service applications using the `docker-compose.yml` file.
  • Managing service dependencies and application stacks.
  • Using Docker Compose for local development and testing.
  • Moving from Docker Compose to Kubernetes concepts.

Unit 3: Kubernetes Architecture and Core Objects

Kubernetes Cluster Architecture
  • Master components: API Server, etcd, Scheduler, Controller Manager.
  • Node components: Kubelet, Kube-proxy, Container Runtime.
  • Installing and configuring a local cluster (e.g., Minikube or kind).
  • Using `kubectl` for cluster interaction and administration.
Core Workload Objects
  • Pods: the smallest deployable unit and its lifecycle.
  • Deployments: declarative updates and ensuring desired state.
  • ReplicaSets and ensuring application scaling and availability.
  • Managing configuration with ConfigMaps and Secrets.

Unit 4: Kubernetes Networking, Storage, and Operations

Networking and Services
  • Kubernetes service types (ClusterIP, NodePort, LoadBalancer).
  • Ingress controllers for external access and SSL termination.
  • DNS-based service discovery within the cluster.
  • Container Network Interface (CNI) and networking add-ons.
Storage and Operations
  • Persistent Volumes (PV) and Persistent Volume Claims (PVC).
  • Storage Classes and dynamic volume provisioning.
  • Rolling updates and managing deployment strategies.
  • Monitoring, logging, and health checks (Probes).

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