How to Become a Cloud Architect?
Aspiring to build your career as a cloud architect? Here we bring the cloud architect career path that will take you ahead towards success.
Cloud computing is more than just a new technological revolution. It is one of the proven ways for enterprises to reduce their costs and achieve better focus on core business operations. Companies could now host their entire computing infrastructure on the cloud without the need for on-premises hardware. However, architecture of the cloud infrastructure of enterprises remains a formidable requirement.
Therefore, the cloud architect career path is one of the promising alternatives for candidates aspiring to have a promising career in the cloud. Cloud architecture is undoubtedly necessary for including all the technology that the organization uses alongside enabling people to use them. The career prospects for cloud architects are numerous, albeit with limited guidance.
The following discussion would help you reflect on the answers for ‘how to become a cloud architect’. It would help if you understood the definition of a cloud architect and their job roles. Then the discussion would reflect on the question of ‘is cloud architect a good career?’ by showcasing average salary estimates. In addition, the following discussion will help you find the essential cloud architect skills that you need to acquire. Finally, readers could find out the important certifications that they should earn for a promising cloud architect career path.
What is a Cloud Architect?
The foremost concern in ‘how to become a cloud architect’ is the definition of a cloud architect. The cloud architect is an IT professional responsible for the cloud computing strategy of an organization. Cloud architecture involves the various components and subcomponents that you need for cloud computing. The components in cloud computing architecture generally refer to the front end platform, cloud-based delivery, back end platforms and a network.
Cloud architects have to follow the recommended best practices for cloud architecture and methods for converting technical requirements of clients into a full-fledged cloud solution. Therefore, you can clearly notice that the cloud architect career path would focus on reducing the gaps between complicated business issues and cloud solutions.
Job Description of Cloud Architects
The next important factor for candidates aspiring to become a cloud architect is the job description. A detailed overview of the cloud architect job description could help readers what to expect in the job of a cloud architect. Here are some of the important pointers that you may come across in the job description of a cloud architect.
- Planning and designing a cloud environment
- Guidance for project development or deployment
- Maintain ownership of the systems throughout the entire lifecycle (including initiation, operations, retirement and replacement)
- Delivery of expertise in complete infrastructure
- Acknowledging the relevant systems for concerned business
- Understanding the functionalities needed by a business and its competitive advantages
- Selection of right vendors for the business
- Adoption of APIs and standards
- Integration of the components acquired from various suppliers
Important Skills Required for Cloud Architects
Now, the focus of our discussion shall move towards an outline of important cloud architect skills. Expertise in the following areas can simplify the prospects for an individual to become a cloud architect.
- Fluency in at least one operating system such as Linux, Windows, UNIX, Ubuntu and Solaris is mandatory for cloud architects.
- Candidates aspiring for a cloud architect career path should also have comprehensive fluency in networking concepts. The important networking concepts include DNS, TCP/IP, HTTP and IP addresses.
- Another important basic skill for a cloud architect refers to experience in using at least one high-level scripting language such as Python.
- Finally, candidates should gain promising knowledge in the basic security concepts such as firewalls.
The skills mentioned here do not outline the definitive list of skills that you need to become a cloud architect. On the other hand, you will have to explore many other aspects, such as day-to-day expectations from cloud architects. Furthermore, candidates should also look out for the updated technologies that they should learn for the role of cloud architects.
Salary of Cloud Architects
With so much responsibilities and skill requirements, it is inevitable to wonder whether cloud architect is a good career path. The best information to clarify such doubts is the estimate of cloud architect salary. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary of a cloud architect in the US is $153,318.
However, competent cloud architects with a proven professional track record could earn up to $250,000 annually on an average. Therefore, you can clearly notice the promising potential that you can extract from a cloud architect career path.
Certifications for Cloud Architects
The career path of a cloud architect definitely appears favorable, doesn’t it? However, you have to know where to find the ladder through which you can take your first step in your climb to a thriving cloud architect career. The ladder we are talking about here refers to certifications for a cloud architect.
You can find three notable public cloud platforms offering cloud architect certifications. As a certified cloud architect, you can present a better claim to high-paying jobs and gain the attention of employers faster. Here are the three notable certifications that you can pursue to become a cloud architect.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification helps in proving your technical expertise in design and deployment of solutions on AWS with traits of higher scalability, availability and fault-tolerance.
Microsoft Certified Azure Architect
Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect certification is also a notable certification that can help you establish credibility as a cloud architect. Candidates have to clear two certification exams AZ-300 and AZ-301 for achieving the Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect certification.
Google Cloud Platform Cloud Architect
The Google Cloud Platform Professional Cloud Architect certification is another prominent certification for cloud architects. It helps in proving your capabilities for enabling clients to translate their business requirements into cloud solutions with the help of Google Cloud technologies.
Are You Ready to Become a Cloud Architect?
That’s it! You have now covered all the basics in a cloud architect career path. However, the journey and efforts don’t end here. A certification is only proof of your skills as a cloud architect and not a guarantee for high-paying jobs. With the certification, you can access many job opportunities in renowned companies worldwide.
For example, Netflix is one of the notable users of AWS while Samsung, Adobe and Apple iCloud use Microsoft Azure. Start with a job and earn experience in cloud architecture with practical involvement in various projects.
Slowly, you can build your credibility and reputation as a reliable cloud architect. Subsequently, you can uncover hidden opportunities for taking your career further. Start right now!
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