Degree Specialization inVIRTUALIZATION AND CLOUD COMPUTING

Advance your IT career by customizing your skills while you prepare for industry certifications.

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Modern day technology is fast, complex, and absolutely necessary for the growth, stabilization, and day-to-day functions of organizations across the globe. The core technology that provides cloud service and deployment models, with the flexibility of “capacity on demand” and “pay as you go” computing resources, is virtualization.

More than ever, employers are focused on cost-effective ways to utilize IT services. This increasing demand has made cloud computing a lucrative opportunity for professionals with the right skills and credentials. According to Forbes, the average median salary is $124,300 and the top hiring companies include Amazon, Dell EMC, and VMware.

Jump-start your transition or further your career with specialized competencies in virtualization and cloud computing in our accelerated, five course specialization.

Are you an IT professional working in one of the following fields?

• Desktop administration.
• IT architecture.
• Application management.
• IT management.

If so, CSU-Global’s virtualization and cloud computing specialization is a great way to increase your value at your current organization, or another organization. In addition to earning a specialization, you’ll also be prepared for four sought-after industry certifications.

Earn a Specialization with Your Bachelor’s Degree

Quickly and simply add virtualization and cloud computing to your degree to stand out to future employers. This specialization is available to undergraduate students in the following programs:

• B.S. in Information Technology
• B.S. in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies
• B.S. in Management Information Systems and Business Analytics

Industry Certification

CSU-Global is committed to ensuring that our students remain knowledgeable and competitive in the IT profession. We understand how important professional certification is to advancing your career in this field, which is why we’ve aligned our curriculum with the following industry certifications:

1. CompTIA Network+ (N10-006) Network Pro: Certify that you have the knowledge and skills required to troubleshoot, configure, and manage common network wireless and wired devices.
2. CompTIA Cloud+: Demonstrate you ability to implement and maintain cloud technologies.
3. VMware Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals: Prove your skills and abilities in identifying technical requirements for managing a VMware vSphere 6 environment.
4. Microsoft Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 (70-246): Exhibit your ability to build service templates and successfully manage System Center components and Private Cloud operations.

After completing the virtualization and cloud computing specialization, students will be prepared to sit for these exams with minimal preparation. That means you can quickly add these certifications, along with your specialization, to your resume for increased career opportunities.

Program Description

CSU-Global’s virtualization and cloud computing specialization is a 15 credit hour sequence of undergraduate level IT coursework. Eight week courses provide students with an in-depth review and analysis of virtualization and cloud computing technologies across a variety of platforms.

This specialization prepares students to implement and manage virtual and cloud technologies within an enterprise. The coursework provides a combination of both theoretical and professional competencies, while preparing students for highly valued virtualization certifications.

Learning Outcomes

• Troubleshoot and administer a complex network environment.
• Compare and contrast between various cloud models.
• Evaluate business opportunities to utilize or migrate to virtualization solutions.
• Implement best practices and strategies used for securing virtual environments.
• Maintain and secure a virtualized server infrastructure.

Courses

The virtualization and cloud computing specialization is available to undergraduate students in the information technology and management information systems and business analytics programs. Courses are listed in order of completion:

• ITS439: Virtualization Technology Fundamentals

  This course provides students with an introduction to the concept of virtualization. Virtualization is achieved through the use of both hardware and software in a manner that gives the perception that a physical environment exists when, in fact, it may not. Students will understand how operating systems in a computer utilize virtual memory to provide applications with the ability to run better and faster without adding more physical memory. Students will explore the concept of server virtualization, which similarly gives the appearance and benefit of having multiple processors running simultaneously. Students will evaluate the present status and future direction of virtualization. Actual virtualization software will be used to provide students with a real-world experience. This course aligns with the VMware Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals certification. Prerequisite: ITS315. Course not eligible for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit.

• ITS441: Cloud Technology Fundamentals

  Students in this course are introduced to the concepts of cloud technology, which has caused a paradigm shift in electronic storage and security. Students will understand the manner in which companies utilize their cloud-based servers and other storage devices to dynamically adjust the available storage based on demand. Students will also gain an understanding of the added security risks that companies are now faced with as a result of cloud technology. In this course, students will learn about implementations of cloud technology, including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. In addition, cloud-based data storage solutions will be covered. This course maps to and adheres to the CompTIA Cloud+ certification. Prerequisite: ITS439. Course not eligible for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit.

• ITS442: Enterprise Cloud Computing

  This course emphasizes the business applications of cloud computing. Students will learn about cloud computing concepts, architecture, and service management. They will understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with a cloud computing platform for business applications, such as those related to financial feasibility, business benefits, and security risks. Students will learn to apply standards and best practices to evaluate alternative cloud solutions in determining which is most appropriate for a given business environment. This course also includes a teamwork component that is based on project management principles to design a cloud-based application. Prerequisite: ITS441

• ITS443: Server Virtualization Technologies

  Students in this course will learn the skills to design, implement, manage, and maintain a virtualization infrastructure using current Microsoft Virtualization technologies. The course provides details on how to deploy and manage Hyper-V and Remote Desktop Services on Windows Servers. The course also provides details on how to manage a server virtualization environment by using System Center products such as System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), System Center Operations Manager, System Center Data Protection Manager, and System Center Configuration Manager. In addition, students will explore the Windows Azure capabilities for virtual machines and managing a hybrid cloud, including Windows Azure’s Internet as a Service (IaaS) and storage capabilities. This course aligns with the Microsoft Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 exam 70-246. Prerequisite: Experience with Windows Servers. Prerequisite: Experience with Windows Servers; ITS442

• ITS446: Securing Virtual and Cloud Systems

  Students in this course are introduced to the concepts of virtualization security including the types of virtualization, the importance of securing virtualized networks and discussions of the various virtualization program offerings. Additionally, students in this course are introduced to the concepts of cloud security. Students will understand the strategy for securely implementing network policies and integrating virtual networks into the existing physical infrastructure. Students will also gain an understanding of how to analyze and implement security for public and private clouds. In this course, students will learn about implementations of effective practices for securing virtual machines without creating additional operational overhead for administrators. In addition, students will learn how to protect networks, operating systems and applications in various cloud deployments. Prerequisite: ITS443