Module: Cloud-based Deployment

Learn to deploy your web applications using a cloud-based provider (CloudBees).

Learning Outcomes

Use cloud-based deployment effectively

You can use the CloudBees service to host your web application in the cloud, and create a custom domain name for your application.

Readings

Cloud-based Deployment

Introduction to cloud-based deployment.

Screencast 11 min

Cloud-based Deployment (by CloudBees)

What I said, except 80% less time and 200% more cool.

Screencast 2 min

Introduction to ClickStart

Using the ClickStart deployment wizard for CloudBees.

Screencast 2 min

CloudBees Readings

Links for getting started with CloudBees and Play

Experiential Learning

A21: Get started with CloudBees

Signup, use clickstart, install the CloudBees SDK

Practice WOD: DeploySurferpedia

Deploy Surferpedia to the cloud.

Practice WOD: CustomDomainName

Buy a domain name and point it to your Surferpedia application

Practice WOD: ModalDialog

Add a modal dialog to your Surferpedia application.

Assessments

Group WOD: Surferpedia Updates

Outcomes assessed: Acquire capability with the Eclipse IDE, Create standards compliant Java code, Write code efficiently, Design using Twitter Bootstrap, Design using Play Framework, Use cloud-based hosting effectively, Work effectively in a group, Use cloud-based deployment effectively

Rx: < 40 min Av: 40-50 min Sd: 50-60 min DNF: 60+ min or incorrect

Students worked in groups in-class to extend the Surferpedia application with a listing of updates and deploy the results to CloudBees

Discussion:

  • All groups were able to implement the enhancement.
  • Two groups failed to deploy to CloudBees.

Cloud-based Deployment Technical Essay

Outcomes assessed: Create high quality technical writing

This assessment evaluated the ability of students to write a high quality technical essay summarizing their experiences doing the Cloud-based Deployment practice WODs.

Discussion:

  • This week I took points off if the blog post was little more than “I did the assignment in this amount of time.” Those kind of postings are simply “homework assignment turn-ins”, not actual technical writings that would be of interest to others.
  • I know you might have the feeling that the “real work” is doing the assignment, and the blog post is just a silly thing added on to the end, but in the long run, your blog posts are going to count as much or more toward your reputation as your ability to add a checkbox into a form. Some of you are actually taking the time to think through the implications of what you’re doing in class, while others do not appear to be taking the effort.

Individual WOD: Surferpedia Footstyle

Outcomes assessed: Acquire capability with the Eclipse IDE, Write code efficiently, Design using Twitter Bootstrap, Design using Play Framework, Use cloud-based hosting effectively, Use cloud-based deployment effectively

Rx: < 30 min Av: 30-45 min Sd: 45-60 min DNF: 60+ min or incorrect

Students worked individually to extend the Surferpedia application to indicate if a surfer uses regular or goofy foot style and deploy the results to CloudBees. About 8 files and 100 LOC changed.

Discussion:

  • Most students reported this to be an “easy” WOD.