Top
image credit: Adobe Stock

What is a cloud architect, and how do you become one?

April 19, 2022

Category:

Being a cloud architect is not for everyone. Candidates are required to have strong technical skills, and the assignments for this occupation combines technology and art. Three of the most significant benefits are: encouraged creative expression, well above average compensation, and vast employment opportunities. Thus, education and certification in this field is an excellent investment in the future. Bearing these notable benefits in mind, what exactly is a cloud architect, and what are the most valuable cloud certifications? 

What exactly is a cloud architect?

The job of a cloud architect in an organization using cloud-based solutions is to implement and optimize cloud services. In short, the cloud architect is responsible for designing and building a cloud implementation from idea to end product.

During the design process, the architect must balance business needs with developer needs. In addition to the obvious security concerns, there is also the issue of optimizing project costs. Depending on how big the company is, a cloud architect’s responsibilities could shift towards only design aspects—leaving the actual build to the rest of the IT team.

A cloud architect is not only responsible for designating the right cloud services for the project, but also to identify those that are not suitable. Specifically, during cloud design, he or she will provide a process that will coordinate and align optimization across the company, and provide access to every structure in the business.

Areas of knowledge of a cloud architect 

In order to stay relevant in the workforce, a cloud architect needs to adopt a continuous learning mindset, and have strong knowledge about cloud services and server servicing. Knowledgeability about operating systems (such as Linux, Solaris, Ubuntu, Unix, and Windows), cybersecurity and programming languages are also valuable skills. 

In addition, the cloud architect should also be a specialist in security software, as he is the one who decides on the location of the company’s data in the cloud. Moreover, when designing a product or solution for a company, it is always necessary to consider the specific business conditions and related legal issues.

How much does a cloud architect make?

The estimated average salary in the United States is $128,941 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges in Glassdoors’ proprietary Total Pay Estimate model, and is based on salaries collected from users. The estimated additional pay—cash bonuses, commission, tips, and profit-sharing—is $20,592 per year. 

Ten most valuable cloud certifications

Whether you’re just getting into cloud computing or you’re ready to take the next step in your IT career, CIO.com compiled a list of the most valuable and sought-after cloud computing certifications to offer guidance. 

The Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect certification covers the skills and knowledge IT professionals need to work with Google Cloud technologies.

The Google Certified Professional Data Engineer certification is designed for data engineers working with the Google Cloud Platform. 

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is designed for solutions architects with one or more years of experience designing systems on AWS. The certification validates your knowledge of application architecture and competence in deploying secure applications on Amazon’s cloud. 

The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate certification is designed for systems administrators with at least one year of experience in deployment, management and operations on AWS. 

The AWS Certified Developer – Associate certification is designed for cloud professionals working in development who have one or more years of experience developing and maintaining AWS-based applications.

The Microsoft Certified Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification validates knowledge of cloud concepts and Azure. The exam covers the fundamentals of cloud concepts, core Azure services, Azure pricing SLAs and lifecycles.

The Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate certification is for IT professionals working in cloud environments using Azure. 

The Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification is for cloud professionals responsible for advising stakeholders, and building reliable cloud solutions based on business requirements. 

The Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification is offered through the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, known as (ISC)². CompTIA Cloud+.

The CompTIA Cloud+ certification is designed to validate that cloud professionals have the skills necessary to maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure services.

In the epoch of the digital age, this occupation will only increase in value and relevancy, which is why embarking on the road to becoming a cloud architect is a worthy investment—with numerous benefits, and significant purpose.