MongoDB Technical Administration and Operations Training Course

Module 1: Introduction and MongoDB Architecture (4h)

Key Topics:

• Evolution and the MongoDB ecosystem
• Common use cases, advantages, and limitations
• Core architecture: instances, processes, and configuration

Practical Application:

• Interactive exploration: connecting using Mongo Shell/CLI
• Creating a sample database and collection

Module 2: Installation and Initial Configuration (6h)

Key Topics:

• Hardware and resource prerequisites
• Installation procedures on Linux (deb/rpm), Windows, and macOS
• YAML configuration files (mongod.conf): dataDir, logDir, bindIp, port
• Startup parameters and systemd/service management

Practical Application:

• Deploying instances on local VMs or Docker containers
• Modifying configurations for development versus production environments
• Verifying secure remote connectivity

Module 3: Data Modeling and Basic Operations (5h)

Key Topics:

• BSON documents, collections, and databases
• Data modeling strategies: embedding vs. referencing; design patterns
• Foundational indexing concepts
• Executing operations via Mongo Shell and driver-based scripting

Practical Application:

• Modeling a specific use case, such as an inventory or billing system
• Implementing CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations
• Applying schema validation using JSON Schema in MongoDB

Module 4: Indexes and Performance (4h)

Key Topics:

• Types of indexes: simple, compound, multikey, text, and geospatial
• Analyzing query execution plans using explain()
• Impact of indexing on write performance and memory usage

Practical Application:

• Populating collections with test data
• Comparing query performance with and without indexes; interpreting explain() output
• Optimizing indexes based on access patterns

Module 5: Security (5h)

Key Topics:

• Authentication methods: SCRAM, LDAP/Kerberos (overview)
• Creating users and defining custom roles
• Implementing TLS/SSL between clients and servers
• Encryption at rest: key management configuration
• Foundational audit logging

Practical Application:

• Creating users with least-privilege access
• Configuring TLS on local instances
• Testing unauthorized access attempts and reviewing audit logs

Module 6: Replication and High Availability (6h)

Key Topics:

• Replication fundamentals: Primary, Secondary, and oplog
• Configuring replica sets: initiation, membership, and arbitration
• Monitoring cluster status and election processes
• Maintenance tasks: adding/removing members and adjusting priorities

Practical Application:

• Deploying a three-node replica set (local or VM-based)
• Simulating a primary node failure to observe failover behavior
• Rebuilding secondary nodes and restoring replica consistency

Module 7: Sharding and Horizontal Scalability (6h)

Key Topics:

• Sharding concepts: shard key, config servers, and mongos router
• Shard key selection strategies and associated risks
• Deploying config servers, shards, and mongos instances
• Data rebalancing and chunk migration

Practical Application:

• Setting up a basic sharded cluster
• Inserting large datasets to observe data distribution
• Exploring shard key modifications and understanding their limitations

Module 8: Backup, Restore, and Disaster Recovery (4h)

Key Topics:

• Native tools: mongodump/mongorestore and filesystem snapshots
• Backup strategies for replica sets and sharded clusters
• Using Cloud Manager/Ops Manager for backup operations
• Disaster Recovery (DR) planning: RTO and RPO considerations

Practical Application:

• Executing backup and restore operations on a test database
• Simulating data loss and recovering from backups
• Developing a DR plan for a hypothetical scenario

Module 9: Monitoring and Alerts (4h)

Key Topics:

• Monitoring tools: mongostat, mongotop, and Cloud Manager/Atlas Monitoring
• Integration with Prometheus and Grafana (concepts and examples)
• Key performance metrics: CPU, memory, I/O, oplog size, and latencies
• Alerting mechanisms: defining thresholds and notification workflows

Practical Application:

• Deploying a local or container-based monitoring agent
• Configuring basic dashboards with sample metrics
• Generating load to trigger and observe alerts

Module 10: Maintenance, Upgrades, and Best Practices (4h)

Key Topics:

• Upgrade strategies for replica sets and sharded clusters
• Data cleanup, compaction, and integrity verification
• Log analysis and regular audit practices
• Automating routine tasks (scripts, cronjobs, Ansible, Terraform)
• Data retention and archiving policies

Practical Application:

• Simulating minor and major upgrades in a controlled setting
• Writing automation scripts for backups and monitoring
• Creating a recurring maintenance checklist

Summary and Next Steps