Below is a structured table of problem areas, each with a primary and secondary tool recommendation to guide your learning in MLOps and Machine Learning. This table will serve as a roadmap, helping you learn and master the essential skills and tools in each area.
| Problem Area | Domain | Most Recommended Tool | Second Recommended Tool | Description / Learning Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Knowledge | MLOps Introduction | N/A | N/A | Start with MLOps basics, covering CI/CD for ML, model lifecycle, and pipeline fundamentals. Resources: Courses, documentation on MLOps concepts from Google, Microsoft, or AWS. |
| Environment Setup | Containers | Docker | Podman | Learn Docker basics for containerizing models, deploying environments, and bundling dependencies. Essential for reproducible environments. |
| Container Orchestration | Kubernetes | OpenShift | Master Kubernetes for managing containerized workloads at scale. Start with basics (pods, deployments), then explore more complex topics (networking, storage). | |
| Data Management | Workflow Orchestration | Apache Airflow | Prefect | Use Airflow to create data pipelines and schedule ETL workflows, Prefect for simpler, Pythonic workflows. Build basic to complex data processing pipelines. |
| Feature Engineering & Storage | Feast (Feature Store) | Delta Lake | Feast handles feature storage and serving, especially for real-time ML. Delta Lake helps manage data lineage and data versions. | |
| Experiment Tracking | Experiment Logging | MLflow | Weights & Biases (W&B) | Start with MLflow for tracking experiment parameters, results, and metadata. W&B offers a richer interface and deeper integrations. |
| Visualization | TensorBoard | Weights & Biases (W&B) | TensorBoard is ideal for visualizing deep learning training. W&B provides broader visualization across models and datasets. | |
| Model Versioning | Model Tracking & Registry | MLflow | DVC (Data Version Control) | MLflow handles model versioning and packaging; DVC offers data and model versioning in Git for reproducibility. |
| Model Training | Training Environment | Jupyter Notebooks | Google Colab | Use Jupyter for local experiments, Google Colab for cloud-based training with GPU access. Develop familiarity with these interactive environments. |
| Framework – Classical ML | scikit-learn | XGBoost | Start with scikit-learn for foundational ML algorithms; XGBoost for more complex ensemble models. Great for both experimentation and deployment readiness. | |
| Framework – Deep Learning | PyTorch | TensorFlow | PyTorch for flexible, research-oriented workflows; TensorFlow for large-scale, production-grade models. Learn basics, then progress to advanced training techniques. | |
| Distributed Training | Horovod | Distributed TensorFlow | Horovod integrates with PyTorch and TensorFlow, making distributed training simpler. Useful for handling large datasets and models. | |
| Model Testing & Validation | Unit Testing | Pytest | Unittest | Pytest is versatile and widely used for writing test cases; Unittest provides a more basic alternative in Python’s standard library. |
| Data Validation | Great Expectations | Pandera | Great Expectations is a robust tool for data quality checks; Pandera integrates with Pandas for schema and data validation. | |
| Model Testing | Deepchecks | alibi-detect | Deepchecks automates tests for data and model validation, alibi-detect helps detect data and concept drift. | |
| Model Deployment | Model Serving | TensorFlow Serving | TorchServe | TensorFlow Serving and TorchServe are model-serving frameworks optimized for TensorFlow and PyTorch, respectively. They streamline deployment into production. |
| API Creation | FastAPI | Flask | FastAPI is ideal for building APIs for model inference; Flask is simpler but also effective for deploying models. | |
| Kubernetes Integration | Kubernetes | Knative | Kubernetes manages containerized deployments; Knative simplifies serverless deployments on Kubernetes. | |
| Monitoring & Logging | Infrastructure Monitoring | Prometheus + Grafana | DataDog | Prometheus and Grafana are open-source tools for monitoring metrics; DataDog is a more complete observability platform with ML integrations. |
| Model Monitoring | Evidently AI | Fiddler AI | Evidently AI monitors model drift, performance degradation, and data quality; Fiddler AI adds explainability and additional ML-specific metrics. | |
| Logging | ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) | Fluentd | ELK Stack is widely used for centralized logging; Fluentd is an alternative for aggregating logs across environments. | |
| CI/CD in MLOps | CI/CD Pipelines | GitHub Actions | Jenkins | GitHub Actions integrates directly with GitHub for CI/CD; Jenkins is highly customizable for more complex CI/CD pipelines. |
| CI/CD in Data Pipelines | DVC Pipelines | Tecton | DVC Pipelines are Git-integrated for version-controlled ML pipelines; Tecton supports feature pipelines for real-time model deployment. | |
| CI/CD in Model Pipelines | Kubeflow Pipelines | MLflow Pipelines | Kubeflow Pipelines is Kubernetes-native for end-to-end ML workflows; MLflow Pipelines allows for modular pipeline building in MLflow. |
Suggested Learning Plan
- Start with Foundations: Learn MLOps basics, environment setup with Docker and Kubernetes, and workflow orchestration with Apache Airflow or Prefect.
- Model Experimentation and Tracking: Work with Jupyter Notebooks, MLflow for experiment tracking, and try basic visualizations with TensorBoard.
- Model Training and Testing: Gain experience with PyTorch/TensorFlow for deep learning and scikit-learn for classical ML. Use Pytest and Great Expectations for testing workflows.
- Model Packaging and Versioning: Use MLflow for tracking and model versioning, and Docker for containerizing models.
- Deployment and Monitoring: Practice deploying models using TensorFlow Serving or FastAPI, and set up monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana.
- Advanced CI/CD Workflows: Explore CI/CD with GitHub Actions or Jenkins, and dive into Kubeflow Pipelines for building end-to-end MLOps pipelines.
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- DevOps Certified Professionals (DCP)
- Site Reliability Engineering Certified Professionals (SRECP)
- Master in DevOps Engineering (MDE)
- DevSecOps Certified Professionals (DSOCP)
URL - https://www.devopsschool.com/certification/
My Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshkumarin
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