About this course
Compare data lakes and lakehouses through three free IBM video explainers. This compact course introduces the data-lake concept, its use in cloud environments and the motivation behind lakehouse architecture. The focus is choosing a useful mental model for analytical storage rather than building a vendor-specific deployment.
What you can learn
- Data lake concepts
- Cloud analytical storage
- Lakehouse architecture
- Structured and unstructured data
- Architecture comparison
- Data organization
Course at a glance
| Provider | IBM |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · IBM Technology |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Beginner — WikiFree audience assessment |
| Language | English |
| Selected lessons | 3 |
| Video duration | 28m · allow extra time for reflection and practice |
| Details checked | 9 October 2026 |
Inside the course
Start with what a data lake stores, then consider cloud deployment and the lakehouse approach. Compare how raw information and organized analytical tables can serve different stages of a data workflow.
Try this learning exercise
For a fictional media service, list structured subscription records, event logs and uploaded content. Sketch where each could land in a data lake and which curated tables analysts would need later.
How to follow the course
Choose a lesson from the list or search for a specific topic. Use Previous and Next to continue, and mark lessons complete as you go. Progress is saved in this browser without a WikiFree account.
Each course retains its relevant lessons, including videos also used in another course. Numbered series follow their original lesson or part order. Only reviewed advertisements, unrelated items and identical repeated playlist entries are excluded. Source recordings may have been made at different times.
Free access, requirements and certificates
The selected public YouTube videos are free to watch. No paid subscription, payment card or examination is required for this video learning path. WikiFree independently organizes IBM Technology explainers and tutorials for self-paced study. This listing is not an official IBM qualification and does not include an IBM certificate, graded assignment or instructor feedback.
Basic database concepts are useful. No cloud account or paid storage is needed for the lessons or written exercise.
Official IBM Technology playlist source ↗
Use this course in a learning path
Related courses for your next step
- Compare another approachFree Data Fabric Course: Governance and Observability
Focus: Data fabric concepts · Connected data systems
Beginner - Explore a higher-level optionFree Simplilearn Course: HDFS Architecture and Distributed Storage
Focus: HDFS Architecture · Distributed Files
Intermediate
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free Data Lakes Course: Cloud Lakes and Lakehouse Design | Beginner | Data lake concepts · Cloud analytical storage · Lakehouse architecture | 28m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Data Fabric Course: Governance and Observability | Beginner | Data fabric concepts · Connected data systems · Data governance | 33m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Simplilearn Course: HDFS Architecture and Distributed Storage | Intermediate | HDFS Architecture · Distributed Files · HDFS Commands | 3h 33m of video; practice time is additional |
Provider: IBM. Videos play from the IBM Technology channel on YouTube.
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