Some companies prefer a master's degree.Īdditional certifications, both vendor-specific and vendor-neutral, may be necessary. Most cloud architect jobs require a bachelor's degree in an area such as computer science, engineering or mathematics. What qualifications and certifications does a cloud architect need? The cloud architect should be an effective communicator and have skills that overlap with other members of the cloud team. They should understand big data architecture and design principles. Architects should understand the costs of different services and implementations and be able to balance those costs. Many cloud architects have a significant software development background which often includes languages like Java, Python or C#. They should also understand the infrastructure of main cloud providers like Azure, Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services. Cloud architects should understand domain name system, TCP/IP and HTTP. Examples include Windows, Solaris, Linux and Ubuntu. Architects must understand the spectrum of OSes that exist in the complex enterprise cloud ecosystem. This will ensure that only authorized people or code can access applications. They should be able to design infrastructure with enterprise data security and identity and access management in mind. Architects should be able to understand how to provision virtual machines efficiently and integrate them with cloud technologies. Cloud architects should be able to handle benefits and risks when implementing key management points in cloud operations and set boundaries with competing organizational interests. They should use automation for maintenance of certain areas of cloud infrastructure. Cloud architects should be able to coordinate different applications together in the cloud environment. The hard skills necessary for a cloud architect include the following:.They should be adaptable and be able to plan for and carry out changes in the program. Cloud architects should be a change agent in their organization, suggesting ways to push the program forward. They should be able to work effectively with other architecture team members and delegate responsibilities. Cloud architects should be able to communicate complex technical concepts to team members. They should be able to organize and plan programs around an organization's cloud implementation. The soft skills necessary for cloud architects include the following: Once the architecture is established, the cloud architect's job is to maintain the architecture and monitor its performance according to business objectives.Ĭloud architects should have in-depth job-related knowledge and abilities to perform their job duties effectively.Ĭloud architects require a combination of soft, or non-technical skills, and technical skills to be successful. It is the role of the architect to ensure that all these pieces work in harmony.
After adoption, the architect is tasked with developing the architecture, which spans several areas of IT including application development, data management, and identity and access management. The cloud architect should be able to communicate effectively with cloud providers and third parties that are involved in the program. Another aspect of this is vendor management. Part of the process of cloud adoption is managing the cultural change in the organization that comes with changing infrastructure, employee roles and procedures. If the company does not already use cloud infrastructure, the architect's role is to help determine the need for cloud infrastructure and manage its adoption. The responsibilities of the cloud architect are as follows:
The main responsibilities of a cloud architect are to plan, design, implement and maintain all cloud environments in the organization. What are the job responsibilities of a cloud architect? Architects ensure service-level agreement requirements are met. Companies that hire cloud architects either use cloud services or are planning to move to the cloud.Ĭloud architects may also be involved in the legal areas of cloud computing and may negotiate contracts and work with legal and procurement departments.
Additionally, they act as consultants to their organization and need to stay current on the latest trends and issues. Cloud architects oversee application architecture and deployment in cloud environments - including public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. This includes cloud adoption plans, cloud application design, and cloud management and monitoring. Nicholas Rando, Senior Production EditorĪ cloud architect is an IT professional who is responsible for overseeing a company's cloud computing strategy.