Confluent Apache Kafka: Cluster Operations and Configuration Training Course

Module 1: Overview of Confluent Apache Kafka Architecture and Cluster Setup

• An introduction to Apache Kafka and the Confluent Platform.
• Core concepts: brokers, producers, consumers, and topics.
• The function of Kafka in data streaming and messaging workflows.
• Confluent platform enhancements: REST Proxy, Schema Registry, and Control Center.
• Cluster architecture: understanding brokers, partitions, and replication.

Module 2: Configuring Zookeeper Quorums

• Overview of Zookeeper.
• Zookeeper's specific role within a Kafka cluster.
• Determining appropriate Zookeeper quorum sizes.
• Best practices for Zookeeper configuration.
• Implementing SSH on target servers.
• Hands-on: Configuring Zookeeper (both as a team and as a service).
• Utilizing the Zookeeper Command Line Interface (CLI).
• Hands-on: Establishing a Zookeeper quorum.
• Understanding the Zookeeper internal file system.
• Key performance factors impacting Zookeeper.
• Demo: Exploring Zookeeper management tools and Zoonavigator.

Module 3: Kafka Cluster Configuration

• Fundamentals of Kafka.
• Core configuration practices.
• Hands-on: Configuring Kafka on a single broker.
• Hands-on: Executing essential Kafka commands.
• Hands-on: Setting up a multi-broker Kafka cluster.
• Hands-on: Testing the Kafka cluster.
• Verifying connectivity to your Kafka cluster.
• Configuring Advertised.listeners: a critical setting.
• Topic configuration guidelines.
• Setting up message ingestion and delivery across topics.
• Hands-on: Demonstrating Kafka's resilience capabilities.
• Performance considerations: I/O, network, RAM, CPU, and OS.
• Additional factors influencing Kafka performance.
• Hands-on: Modifying broker configurations.

Module 4: Advanced Kafka Configuration

• Configuring Landoop Kafka Topics UI, Confluent REST Proxy, and Confluent Schema Registry.
• Message sending and receiving via CLI, Java, and Spring Framework.
• Utilizing metrics and monitoring tools (Confluent Control Center, Elasticsearch, etc.).
• Managing log files and offsets.
• Strategies for high availability and disaster recovery.
• Achieving high availability through replication.
• Performance tuning for producers and consumers.
• Developing disaster recovery strategies.
• Controlling failover and executing data recovery.
• Setting up connectors.
• Implementing Kafka Connect.
• Enhancing Kafka security features.

Summary and Next Steps