Scale in the Cloud

Overview

Many analysts hit a ceiling when raster datasets outgrow their local machines. Processing slows down, memory runs out, and deadlines slip. This course gives you the practical skills to move past those limits by setting up cloud-based raster workflows on AWS. You will launch and configure an EC2 instance with GDAL installed, run raster processing tasks both locally and in the cloud to compare performance, and store raster data in Amazon S3 using lifecycle policies to manage costs as datasets grow. Each topic pairs short videos and readings with hands-on activities where you do the actual work, coach-guided reflections that build analytical thinking, and practice quizzes to check your understanding. A final graded assessment validates your ability to apply these skills in realistic scenarios. No prior AWS experience is required. By the end, you will be able to set up a cloud compute environment, evaluate when cloud processing is worth the investment, and design a storage strategy that balances accessibility with cost control.

Syllabus

Launch a Cloud Environment for Raster Processing

Hello and welcome! This content was developed by Goran Trajkovski and will be presented by Sam Schindler, who will walk you through it. In this module, you will set up a cloud-based compute environment for raster processing on AWS. You will launch an EC2 instance, install and configure GDAL, and verify that the environment is ready for production raster workloads.

Analyze Local vs. Cloud Processing Performance

In this module, you will learn how to evaluate whether cloud-based raster processing delivers meaningful performance benefits compared to local execution. You will run the same raster processing task in both environments, measure execution time and resource usage, and interpret the results.

Store and Manage

In this module, you will upload raster datasets to Amazon S3, organize them for analytical access, and apply lifecycle policies to control storage costs as data ages. You will configure transition rules that automatically move older rasters to cheaper storage tiers and validate that the policies work as expected.