“The increasing presence of cloud computing and mobile smartphones is driving the digitization of everything across both consumer and enterprise domains. It is hard to imagine any area of human activity which is not being re-engineered under this influence, either at present or in the very near future.”
- Geoffrey Moore
Everything is present in the cloud today. Cloud has now become the commodity for every kind of business because every business wants economic, easy, and fast technology to thrive their business and earn great ROIs. Therefore there is a huge number of jobs available on job portals, in every location.
With increasing cloud adoption across every corner of the world, there are jobs available for professionals who are perfectly skilled, trained, and certified. The top clients of cloud providers state that they find it difficult to hire professionals who present the best of their skills and leverage cloud services to the fullest.
Cloud computing helps organizations in many ways. It helps in:
- Creating new applications and services
- Data storage, backup as well as recovery
- Video and audio streaming
- Hosting of blogs and websites
- Software delivery on demand
- Analysis of data, pattern identification, and making predictions
This is why most organizations have made it compulsory to possess cloud computing certifications aligned according to their job role. Since cloud computing is the field that is rendered highest-paying by many portals, professionals show their interest in Cloud Architect training to have a lucrative career in the cloud which is the hottest technology prevailing in the IT industry.
Further in this article, we will explore what a cloud architect is and their roles and responsibilities.
Who is a Cloud Solutions Architect?
A cloud solutions architect or simply, a cloud architect is a professional responsible for managing the cloud architecture in an organization, especially when the cloud technologies are continuously evolving. Cloud computing architecture encompasses all that is needed for cloud computing such as servers, storage, front-end platforms, delivery, and networks that are needed to manage cloud storage.
As a solutions architect, you are typically a member of the solutions team who is accountable for designing one or more applications or services for your organization. To become a successful cloud architect you need to possess both technical and business skills. For strategic planning, you may be required to work with an enterprise architect. You may also be responsible for making technical decisions related to the solutions and their impact on possible business outcomes. This information is then used by development members for implementing the solution.
Role of a Solutions Architect
Since the adoption of cloud computing is multidimensional, cloud adoption becomes complex. For handling this level of complexity there must be a responsible architectural leader to lead and guide the organization through the transformation to the cloud. For this task, organizations have made it mandatory to hire a cloud architect within.
A cloud architect helps in navigating the cloud adoption of an organization, helps to avoid risk, and ensures a smooth transition.
One of the most sought-after positions among developers is that of a Solutions Architect. You, as a Solutions Architect, have to examine the architecture of the current system and are responsible for developing and integrating solutions according to customer requirements.
When the requirements of customers are being transformed into solutions by system analysts, Solutions Architect comes into action. You need to organize, motivate, and guide the team while doing so.
You may also be required to do programming, testing, and implementing software systems and applications. You have to select technologies that are appropriate for building solutions. Also, you are responsible for maintaining a balance between architectural issues and enterprise concerns.
Responsibilities of a Cloud Solutions Architect
As stated by Gartner, the three prime responsibilities of a Cloud Solutions Architect are:
- Directing cultural change required for cloud adoption
- Building and coordinating cloud architecture
- Developing cloud strategy and aligning the process of adaptation
Apart from these primary responsibilities, Gartner states the daily responsibilities of a Cloud Architect are:
- Creating a ‘cloud broker’ team
- Identifying talent with required skills
- Assessing software, applications, and hardware
- Operations at scale
- Choosing cloud providers and screening third-party services
- Look after governance and risk mitigation
- Estimating costs and managing budgets
- Developing best practices for cloud within an organization
- Work with IT security to control privacy and build incident-response procedures
A solution architecture serves as a channel between enterprise architecture and technical architecture.
To summarize, roles and tasks carried out by a cloud solutions architect are:
- Conduct architectural evaluation, design, and analysis of enterprise-related system
- Provide assistance
- Monitoring systems
- Working with the sales team
- Conveying system requirements
- Looking after assigned programs
- Ensuring on-time delivery
- Identifying customer requirements, analyzing alternatives, and conducting recommendations of solutions
Skills Required for a Cloud Solutions Architect
Since cloud architecture is a dynamic field, you need a specific skill set to be an efficient Solutions Architect. So, you have to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies regarding the cloud.
According to Gartner, the skills required to become a successful Cloud Solutions Architect are:
- Application Architecture
- Integration Architecture
- Input and Output
- Governance
- Automation and Orchestration
- Security
- Communication and collaboration
- Delegation
- Finance and legal experience
- Company and vertical experience
- Procurement and vendor management
- Change agency
- Program Leadership
- Managing Schedule
- Leading the team
- Problem-solving
Become a Cloud Solutions Architect
The average annual salary of a cloud solutions architect is USD 128,418, according to PayScale. The salary ranges between USD 82,309 and USD 185,208 based on experience, skills, certifications, and location.
If you wish to become a Cloud Solutions Architect and have a lucrative career in the cloud, you can take up an online training course. There are many reliable sources that can prepare you for the certification exam and guide you all through making a career as a Solutions Architect.
You can learn at your own pace, have round-the-clock teaching assistance, an enterprise-class learning management system, come across real-life projects, and have hands-on practice sessions. Also, there are doubt sessions conducted by industry experts and career guidance on the completion of the course.
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