I am Just an Architect With His Head in the Cloud

"Cloud Architect" has become a trendy title in the information technology sector.

Ask many people the career path they want, and they'll respond "cloud architect."

But, what is a cloud architect, really? People often repeat the buzzy phrase without knowing what it entails. Not to worry though, we're here to help you clear the air.

What is a Cloud Architect?

Let's first define what cloud architecture generally means. Cloud architecture refers to the various components that form a cloud computing system.

It refers to how individual technologies combine to create cloud environments where numerous computers share resources from a single network.

A cloud architect is a person responsible for conceptualizing and developing cloud architecture. They're responsible for converting the technical concepts and requirements for a project into a working cloud system.

A cloud architect is typically in charge of a company's cloud strategy, a very delicate role. Their duty is critical because failure in a company's cloud system can affect all the aspects of its business.

Hence, enterprises often seek highly-skilled cloud architects and pay top dollar for them. It's no surprise that the profession of a cloud architect has become trendy as of late, given the prestige and monetary resources businesses now assign to them.

The cloud computing sector is already huge yet growing enormously. According to research firm Markets and Markets, the global cloud computing market is expected to grow from $445 billion in 2021 to $947 billion in 2026. Hence, cloud architects are well-positioned to ride this growth wave. It's a wise career choice.

How Do I Become a Cloud Architect?

You've heard good things about the profession of a cloud architect. But, how can you become one? There are several vital steps to take to become one, and it starts with some initial skills you must have.

Skills Required to Become a Cloud Architect

• Computer Programming

  
  

Every cloud architect must be well versed in computer programming. The most common coding languages used in cloud architecture are Java, Python, and C++, but there are many more you can learn.

You need computer programming skills to convert technical requirements into real projects. Likewise, a good cloud architect should be able to program quickly to create a proof of concept for the desired product.

• Networking

You can't create a reliable cloud solution without sufficient knowledge of computer networking. A good cloud architect must know how to interact with the various components that make up a computer network.

For example, you should know how to use a content delivery network for geographic distribution or a virtual private cloud (VPC) to isolate parts of your cloud network.

• Security

Security is essential to any cloud network. Cloud computing has brought many benefits, but one of its drawbacks is opening up enterprises to a higher risk of compromise.

According to IBM, the average cost of a cloud breach is $4.2 million, so you want to avoid that.

Every cloud architect must implement advanced security measures to protect their enterprise from compromise.

• Databases

Every cloud architect must know how to work with various database technologies.

Many data storage options are available, so you're free to choose anyone. For example, you can use Amazon S3 for object storage or Hadoop clusters for analyzing large amounts of structured data.

• Platform

A good cloud architect must be well-versed with general or specialized cloud platforms. For example, a cloud architect in a finance firm should be familiar with the MQL5 Cloud Network, a specialized distributed network for finance experts developing and deploying automated trading models.

The MQL5 Cloud Network reached a capacity of 34,000 agents in January 2022, according to Bloomberg. The network continues to grow due to users of MQL5.community, selling idle time of their computers' processors.

The above list isn't exhaustive. There are many other things a cloud architect must know, but we listed the most basic ones.

Cloud Architect Certification

It's essential to learn the skills required for a cloud architect. But, many people won't believe you have the skills if you don't have evidence to back it up. Professional certificates are the easiest way to signal your cloud architecture expertise to prospective employers.

The highly sought-after certificates in the cloud industry are from three cloud providers; Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's biggest cloud computing provider by volume and sales. Hence, enterprises around the globe give greater credence to official AWS certifications.

AWS currently offers 11 certificates covering both basic and specialty cloud topics.

They're four certificate tiers; Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty. Foundational covers six months of AWS knowledge, Associate covers one year, Professional covers two years, and Specialty for an unspecified amount of time.

Microsoft Azure

Azure is the second-biggest cloud provider trailing AWS. It's the cloud computing unit of tech giant Microsoft.

Microsoft offers 12 cloud certifications with 14 exams classified into three levels; Fundamental, Associate, and Expert. Some are role-based, including Azure Administrator, Azure Solution Architect, Azure AI Engineer, etc.

A Microsoft Azure certification will help you understand how to use the cloud platform effectively.

Google Cloud Platform

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is the third-biggest cloud provider, owned by tech giant Google. The company currently offers ten role-based certifications, including for a specialized Cloud Architect.

The Cloud Architect certification takes you through the fundamentals of the Google Cloud Platform, including Kubernetes, BigQuery, App Engine, and Cloud Firestore. It'll give you the chance to build and deploy solutions in live GCP environments.

Getting a cloud certification isn't always easy, mainly for high-level ones. Endeavor to study as required to pass the certification exams.

I've been certified. What next?

Enterprise spending on cloud computing is ballooning. According to Gartner, more than half of enterprise IT spending by 2025 will be on cloud services.

You can observe virtually endless growth in this sector. A certification from a leading cloud provider paired with your innate cloud computing knowledge will open up many opportunities.

With sufficient cloud computing knowledge and certification to prove it, you can offer your services to employers. The demand is outsized, so you shouldn't have problems finding a job.

The IT world is your oyster as a certified cloud developer. You have endless opportunities to apply your expertise in this sector.