The cloud architect job description includes many skills native to IT specialist fields. As more companies venture into uncertain territory with new systems and data processes, they need help updating their systems to take better advantage of the cloud. Building, supporting, and deploying these systems requires someone experienced in cloud applications.
A cloud architect can offer that experience, both in design and assistance. They learn the needs of their client’s company and build a system to match, so communication is paramount. To become a successful cloud architect, here are the skills you need to be a valued applicant in a competitive field.
Responsibilities in the Cloud Architect Job Description
A cloud architect’s job goes beyond the normal routines of IT support. The cloud environment needs specific skills to be properly designed and managed. Their main responsibility is to design a system that can be developed on the cutting edge of cloud technology for their company’s needs.
Many companies are not yet optimized for the cloud environment. The cloud architect gets them up to speed. This means changing their infrastructure to introduce cloud systems but also getting the employees up to speed on how they work.
If cloud technology succeeds for a company’s systems, it should be used every day. Since it’s so important, a cloud architect has to develop the cloud architecture carefully. These systems include how the company develops applications, as well as how they manage their employees’ access and identity. Managing how data is stored and transferred on the company’s network is also essential.
By communicating with other architects and their clients, a cloud architect must value communication. They assess a company’s needs and current systems and build new processes to accommodate them. This includes assessing a company’s current security risks, data storage methods, and employee training. Then, the architect offers their expertise in managing new solutions to gaps in these areas.
Educational Background
Since a cloud architect performs more tasks than the average IT tech consultant, they also have more advanced educational requirements. Therefore, cloud architects often have degrees in computer science or related fields. Many also pursue master’s degrees in engineering or business administration to be more competitive.
In addition to learning the ins and outs of both information technology and business, cloud architects also need experience and certification in certain computer operations. This includes experience in major operating systems like Linux and Unix, a working knowledge of networks (including TCP, HTTP, and DNS), and experience in firewall and basic system security.
The Takeaway
The cloud architect job description matches the high expected pay scale in this competitive and emerging field. Certifications from cloud vendors like Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM make a candidate stand out as more experienced, along with their dense educational background in IT and administration.
Their duties include assessing, building, and managing the cloud environment in a large company. Working with other architects and their client’s employees, cloud architects have the future of a business’s security and networking systems in the palm of their experienced hand.
