Phase 6: Cloud Deployment in Client Environments · 55 min · Python · AWS · GCP

VPC Configuration & Network Isolation

Your AI system lives inside their network. Configure it properly.

Hiring signal: System design for integration interviews test VPC knowledge: candidates who can design private subnets with NAT gateways, configure security groups with least-privilege rules, and explain VPC peering for client-to-deployment connectivity pass. Candidates who deploy to public subnets with 0.0.0.0/0 security groups fail. Cloud provider differences (AWS VPC vs. GCP VPC vs. Azure VNet) are expected knowledge.

What you will learn

Configure VPCs: subnets, route tables, internet gateways, NAT gateways, VPC peering
Set up security groups and network ACLs with least-privilege inbound/outbound rules
Deploy AI workloads in private subnets: no public IPs, NAT for outbound-only access
Connect client VPCs with deployment VPCs: peering, Transit Gateway
Navigate cloud provider differences: AWS VPC vs. GCP VPC vs. Azure VNet

What You'll Learn

This lesson takes approximately 55 min. By the end, you will be able to:

Configure VPCs: subnets, route tables, internet gateways, NAT gateways, VPC peering
Set up security groups and network ACLs with least-privilege inbound/outbound rules
Deploy AI workloads in private subnets: no public IPs, NAT for outbound-only access
Connect client VPCs with deployment VPCs: peering, Transit Gateway
Navigate cloud provider differences: AWS VPC vs. GCP VPC vs. Azure VNet

The Problem

When you deploy AI systems inside a client's cloud environment, you're deploying into their VPC. You need to understand VPC architecture: subnets, route tables, security groups, NAT gateways, VPC peering, and network ACLs. Your network configuration determines whether the system can reach the model API, access databases, and comply with security policies.

Unlock the full lesson

You've read the first 2 sections. The rest of this lesson covers VPC Architecture for AI Workloads, Security Groups: Least-Privilege for AI Workloads, Network ACLs: Subnet-Level Defense, VPC Peering: Client VPC to Deployment VPC, Transit Gateway for Multi-VPC Architecture, Cloud Provider Differences, Practical Application, What Hiring Managers Look For, Resources, Key Takeaways, Next Steps — plus a hands-on lab, quiz, and project artifact.

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