This course focuses on Amazon Web Services (AWS) database services and how they map to common game use cases. Learners will dive into the technical and business reasons to use one service over another, best practices, and service combinations. Additionally, we will share reasons not to use certain services and reasons that prevent the use of a specific service. We will also discuss the migration of on-premises or other database solutions to AWS services. Throughout this course we will be using an example game concept, Farm the Moon, to show common use cases and the AWS services used to run them.

The modules in the course are as follows:

•       Module 1: AWS for Games - Databases
•       Module 2: AWS for Games - Databases: Use Cases
•       Module 3: AWS for Games - Databases: Migration Support and Tools
•       Module 4: AWS for Games - Databases: Course Conclusion

To earn credit for the course, you must complete all four modules. However, you can also focus on only what you need and you are not required to complete all four modules.

• Course level: Intermediate
• Course duration: 2 hours
  
  

Activities

This course includes video presentations, e-learning interactions, and knowledge checks.

Course objectives

In this course, you will learn how to do the following:

•       Select the appropriate AWS database for a game storage or data retrieval requirement.
•       Explain in general terms at least one purpose, value proposition, and key differentiator for each of the AWS databases with the aid of a quick reference guide.
•       Map specific gaming use cases to each of the AWS databases with 100-percent accuracy.
•       Identify at least one of the AWS migration tools available to migrate databases from on premises to AWS given various scenarios.
•       Identify the features of the Amazon in-memory databases.
•       List at least one performance, reliability, and simplicity feature of Amazon in-memory databases, specifically, Amazon MemoryDB for Redis and Amazon ElastiCache for Redis.
•       Recognize best practices with 100-percent accuracy when provided best practices and distractors in a given scenario.
  
  

Intended audience

The target audience for this course includes the following: 

•       Game designers responsible for conceptualizing game plots and storylines, levels and environments, character interactions, and other creative aspects
•       Game developers responsible for the creation of software and programming logic that creates the mechanics of the game
•       Game administrators responsible for the continuous, optimal performance of gaming infrastructure, software systems, and databases
•       Solutions architects responsible for designing game backends that follow best practices for architecture design, performance, reliability, and security
•       DevOps engineers responsible for designing, deploying, and maintaining the cloud infrastructure that powers game backends
  
  

Prerequisites

We recommend that attendees of this course have the following:

•       Familiarity with game development in the cloud
•       General familiarity and understanding of databases
•       Basic familiarity with the use of databases to store game data and state
•       Completion of Getting Started with AWS Game Tech – Part I and Getting Started with AWS Game Tech – Part II.
  
  

Course outline

The course contains four modules that can be completed in any order and used as a reference as needed.

Module 1: AWS for Games - Databases (30 minutes)

• Lesson 1: How to Use This Module
• Lesson 2: AWS for Games Database Solutions
• Lesson 3: Review
• Lesson 4: Module Assessment
• Lesson 5: Next Steps
• Lesson 6: Feedback

Module 2: AWS for Games - Databases: Use Cases (45 minutes)

• Lesson 1: How to Use This Module
• Lesson 2: Overview
• Lesson 3: Amazon DynamoDB for Inventory
• Lesson 4: Amazon DocumentDB and Player Profiles
• Lesson 5: Amazon MemoryDB for Social Platforms
• Lesson 6: Amazon RDS for Purchase and Payment Platforms
• Lesson 7: Amazon Aurora for Matchmaking
• Lesson 8: Amazon ElastiCache for Leaderboards and Scoreboards
• Lesson 9: Amazon Neptune for Recommendation Engines
• Lesson 10: Review
• Lesson 11: Module Assessment
• Lesson 12: Next Steps
• Lesson 13: Feedback

Module 3:  AWS for Games - Databases: Migration Support and Tools (30 minutes)

• Lesson 1: How to Use This Module
• Lesson 2: Migration Support and Tools
• Lesson 3: Review
• Lesson 4: Module Assessment
• Lesson 5: Next Steps
• Lesson 6: Feedback

Module 4:  AWS for Games - Databases: Course Conclusion (15 minutes)

• Lesson 1: How to Use This Module
• Lesson 2: Course Review
• Lesson 3: Course Assessment
• Lesson 4: Next Steps
• Lesson 5: Feedback