Learn what cloud computing is, what types of cloud computing exist, what skills and certifications are needed, what roles and responsibilities are available, what benefits and challenges are involved, and what trends and opportunities are emerging.

Cloud computing has evolved from a specialized skill to a fundamental one, appearing in nearly every job posting. Candidates are now expected to have cross-platform expertise rather than being tied to a specific cloud provider. Concepts like scalability, availability, and cost-effectiveness are shared across major providers like AWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure. Startups particularly benefit from cloud computing, enabling rapid scalability without heavy investment. Ultimately, cloud computing allows for achieving more with fewer resources in a cost-effective manner.

You're considering a career in Cloud Computing. What should you know before taking the plunge?

Cloud computing is one of the most in-demand and lucrative skills in the IT industry today. But before you decide to pursue a career in this field, you should know what it entails, what it requires, and what it offers. In this article, we will cover six essential aspects of cloud computing that you should consider before taking the plunge.

1 What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services, such as servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet. Cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), offer various benefits, such as scalability, reliability, security, and cost-efficiency, to their customers. Cloud computing enables businesses and organizations to access and manage their data and applications without having to invest in and maintain their own infrastructure.

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Amar Deep Singh

Transformation Technologist | Cloud Migration Expert | Strategic Partnering Leader | Author of "Building and Delivering Microservices on AWS"
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Cloud computing has evolved from a specialized skill to a fundamental one, appearing in nearly every job posting. Candidates are now expected to have cross-platform expertise rather than being tied to a specific cloud provider. Concepts like scalability, availability, and cost-effectiveness are shared across major providers like AWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure. Startups particularly benefit from cloud computing, enabling rapid scalability without heavy investment. Ultimately, cloud computing allows for achieving more with fewer resources in a cost-effective manner.

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Igor Topalov

Solutions Architect & Consultant | Finding a way to do more using less within the reason and the budget
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Cloud computing is expected phase of the computing development. (In other words this is natural phase of its evolution). From “ad hoc” and very specialized capability (the first “pure” computer has been developed to crack Nazi’s cyphers during WWII) with quite limited availability it has transformed into industrialized service. When some service turns into industrialized commodity, quite naturally shall change the way how it shall be approached. We are no longer shall customize “raw computing power” and tweak it in the way we need it. Now we are to select appropriate service from wide variety of available ones and use it only to the extent of real necessity. Hence, we got to synch.up our needs with supplied services.

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2 What are the types of cloud computing?

There are three main types of cloud computing: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). IaaS provides the basic building blocks of the cloud, such as servers, storage, and networking. PaaS provides the tools and platforms for developing and deploying applications on the cloud. SaaS provides the applications and software that run on the cloud and are accessible through web browsers or mobile devices. Each type of cloud computing has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the needs and preferences of the customers.

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3 What are the skills and certifications for cloud computing?

To become a successful cloud computing professional, you need to have a combination of technical and soft skills. Technical skills include programming languages, such as Python, Java, and C#, cloud platforms, such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, cloud services, such as EC2, Lambda, and Azure Functions, cloud architectures, such as microservices and serverless, and cloud security, such as encryption and authentication. Soft skills include communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Additionally, you may want to obtain one or more certifications from the leading cloud providers, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Azure Administrator Associate, or Google Associate Cloud Engineer. Certifications can help you validate your knowledge and skills, increase your credibility, and boost your career prospects.

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Védric Loïc EBOA EBOLO

Solutions Architect & Product Owner – Observability & Automation | AWS | HashiCorp | Kubernetes & Linux Certified ♾️
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Importance of Skills : Technical Proficiency: Extensive knowledge of the deployment and management of fundamental cloud services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) in cloud environments such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. The following are programming languages: Proficiency in programming languages including Python, Java, and DevOps and Agile Methodologies: Proficiency in Agile methodologies and DevOps tools (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) is essential for optimising the deployment and development of cloud applications. Proficiency in networking principles (e.g., DNS, TCP/IP, HTTP) and cloud security optimal strategies is crucial for safeguarding and maintaining the integrity of data and applications hosted in the cloud.

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4 What are the roles and responsibilities for cloud computing?

Cloud computing offers a variety of roles and responsibilities for different levels of expertise and experience. Some of the common roles are cloud engineer, cloud architect, cloud developer, cloud administrator, cloud consultant, and cloud analyst. Each role has its own scope and focus, but they all share some common responsibilities, such as designing, developing, deploying, managing, and optimizing cloud solutions, ensuring cloud security and compliance, collaborating with other teams and stakeholders, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies in the cloud.

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5 What are the benefits and challenges for cloud computing?

Cloud computing has many benefits and challenges for both the customers and the professionals. Some of the benefits are lower costs, higher performance, greater flexibility, faster innovation, and easier scalability. Some of the challenges are security risks, privacy issues, vendor lock-in, technical glitches, and skills gap. As a cloud computing professional, you need to be aware of both the benefits and the challenges, and be prepared to overcome them with the best practices and strategies.

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Védric Loïc EBOA EBOLO

Solutions Architect & Product Owner – Observability & Automation | AWS | HashiCorp | Kubernetes & Linux Certified ♾️
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Cloud computing provides advantages such as scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. By utilising remote servers for storage and computing, businesses can effectively respond to market demands while also controlling infrastructure expenses. Nonetheless, it presents obstacles including data security concerns, regulatory compliance, and the imperative for ongoing education to stay abreast of swiftly progressing technologies. Organisations that wish to effectively harness the power of cloud computing must strike a balance between these advantages and issues.

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6 What are the trends and opportunities for cloud computing?

Cloud computing is constantly evolving and expanding, creating new trends and opportunities for the customers and the professionals. Some of the current and emerging trends are hybrid cloud, multi-cloud, edge computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, internet of things, blockchain, and serverless computing. These trends offer new possibilities and solutions for various domains and industries, such as healthcare, education, finance, retail, and entertainment. As a cloud computing professional, you need to keep up with these trends and opportunities, and leverage them to enhance your skills and career.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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You're considering a career in Cloud Computing. What should you know before taking the plunge?

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1 What is cloud computing?

2 What are the types of cloud computing?

3 What are the skills and certifications for cloud computing?

4 What are the roles and responsibilities for cloud computing?

5 What are the benefits and challenges for cloud computing?

6 What are the trends and opportunities for cloud computing?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Cloud Computing

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You're considering a career in Cloud Computing. What should you know before taking the plunge?

1

2

3

4

5

6

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1 What is cloud computing?

2 What are the types of cloud computing?

3 What are the skills and certifications for cloud computing?

4 What are the roles and responsibilities for cloud computing?

5 What are the benefits and challenges for cloud computing?

6 What are the trends and opportunities for cloud computing?

7 Here’s what else to consider

Cloud Computing

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