Cloud Architecture is currently a very highly demanded service within the business world. With the Cloud being such a popular technology, those who are knowledgeable and skilled in the technology are in demand. But what example is Cloud Architecture? Any IT company worth their salt nowadays will include Cloud architecture among their available services. Case in point, TechQuarters, a company we spoke to that provides outsourced IT support London businesses have been using for years, has an entire range of services relating to the Cloud – including Cloud Migration, which involves building a client’s cloud infrastructure from scratch.
Below we will get further into what Cloud Architecture entails.
What is Cloud Architecture
Cloud Architecture earned its name due to the fact that practitioners are tasked with the responsibility of building the digital infrastructure necessary to host data, apps, and more, in the Cloud. Just like how a conventional architect has to design a structure or environment, make sure that it all fits together and functions correctly, and ensure it fulfils the requirements that whoever will be using it needs, so does a Cloud Architect.
Whether you’re building a bridge, or a park, or a Cloud environment, you need to understand the purpose of what you’re building; you also need to understand the client – i.e. what their needs are, what their preferences are, etc. A Cloud environment may not be a physical space with physical materials needed to build it, it still needs to be designed and built to strict conventions.
Cloud Architect Responsibilities?
Cloud Architects are responsible for designing and implementing Cloud infrastructures – there are companies like TechQuarters, who specialise in managed IT services London businesses use, who help their customers build Cloud environments from scratch, using public cloud services like Microsoft Azure. This in itself is a big responsibility. But within that, there are a range of smaller responsibilities around that. This may include the following:
- Identifying the client’s business challenges, and seeing how Cloud-based solutions can be leveraged against those challenges.
- Identifying best practices for an organisation’s Cloud infrastructure (and potentially training staff in them).
- Outlining the rules and protocols for governing an organisation’s Cloud infrastructure.
- Outlining the security protocols for an organisation’s Cloud infrastructure (and possibly also monitoring it for the organisation).
- Continually assessing an organisation’s infrastructure for potential vulnerabilities.
- Outlining Budgets For Both Initial And Ongoing Investments.
As Cloud technology usually requires a significant (if not complete) overhaul of an organisation’s infrastructure, and also pervades every aspect of an organisation, the role of a Cloud Architect is very important, with very high stakes. The responsibilities listed above are just a fraction of what someone in this role will need to attend to.
What Skills Does Cloud Architecture Require?
Whether you’re looking to pivot into Cloud Architecture from a different role, or you’re looking at it as a career goal for when you enter the job market, you will need to ensure you have the right skills for the role. Below is a brief list of the fundamental skills needed to be a Cloud Architect:
- Java, Python or C# – it is very good to have a software dev background (a lot of cloud architects do), because understanding programming, and being literate in programming languages is crucial to developing logical solutions in the Cloud.
- Network Technologies – DNS, TCP/IP, HTTP, CDN, VPN. These are all technologies and protocols that you should be familiar with. As a Cloud Architect, you will be using services like Route 53 and CloudFront as you design your cloud network.
- Data Storage – a key element of cloud infrastructures is almost always the data storage component, and this will factor into most cloud architect’s work, so having a good working knowledge of the technology is a must.
- Data & Network Security – ensuring the data is securely stored in an environment is very important. Principles such as Identity and Access Management will play an important role.