CAREER PROJECT · Advanced · 2–3 weekends

AWS VPC + RDS Web Application

Deploy an app across public/private subnets with controlled networking and an RDS database.

VPCSubnetsRDSSecurity groupsNetworking

Start Project → Track Proof Cloud / AWS Engineer projects

WHAT THIS PROJECT PROVES

Make the engineering visible.

This brief is designed as portfolio evidence for a Cloud / AWS Engineer path. The goal is not to claim a hiring outcome; it is to make your implementation, judgment and tradeoffs easier to inspect.

SKILL SIGNAL

VPC

Show where VPC affected a real decision in the project. Include the implementation, constraint, test or measurement that makes the skill verifiable.

SKILL SIGNAL

Subnets

Show where Subnets affected a real decision in the project. Include the implementation, constraint, test or measurement that makes the skill verifiable.

SKILL SIGNAL

RDS

Show where RDS affected a real decision in the project. Include the implementation, constraint, test or measurement that makes the skill verifiable.

SKILL SIGNAL

Security groups

Show where Security groups affected a real decision in the project. Include the implementation, constraint, test or measurement that makes the skill verifiable.

SKILL SIGNAL

Networking

Show where Networking affected a real decision in the project. Include the implementation, constraint, test or measurement that makes the skill verifiable.

BUILD PLAN

Finish the core before expanding the scope.

Use this as a project sequence, not a rigid tutorial. Your stack can change; the evidence should still show what you built, why you built it that way and how you know it works.

Define the scope and success criteria

Turn the brief into a small finishable system. Decide what the core AWS VPC + RDS Web Application must do, what you will deliberately leave out, and how you will show that it works.

Build the core workflow

Deploy an app across public/private subnets with controlled networking and an RDS database. Keep the first pass focused on the main user or system flow before adding stretch features.

Add engineering proof

Create network diagram and live app. Document the decisions, failure states, tests, performance, security or operational tradeoffs that matter for this project.

Ship and package the evidence

Publish the strongest artifacts, including rds config notes, security rules, recovery notes. Make it easy for a reviewer to understand the problem, architecture, tradeoffs and what you personally implemented.

PORTFOLIO PROOF CHECKLIST

Leave artifacts a reviewer can inspect.

A strong project page should make it possible to understand the system without guessing what you personally built.

Network diagram

Live app

RDS config notes

Security rules

Recovery notes

A concise README explaining the problem, architecture and tradeoffs

A working demo, API example or reproducible run path

Evidence of testing, monitoring, performance, accessibility or reliability where relevant

RESUME / PORTFOLIO FRAMING

Describe what you actually did.

Deployed a database-backed application in an AWS VPC with segmented networking, security groups and managed RDS storage.

Use this as a starting structure, then replace it with your real implementation details, metrics and constraints. Do not claim outcomes you did not measure.

Validate the shipped project →

INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS

Be ready to defend the decisions.

These prompts turn the project from a repository link into a technical conversation about judgment, tradeoffs and evidence.