The demand for cloud architects continues to rise exponentially, with the Bureau of Labour Statistics estimating an additional 12,000 positions required every year until 2024.
A cloud architect is ultimately responsible for the success of a company’s cloud technology deployment. Responsible for the initial scoping and design of cloud infrastructure solutions, right through to implementation and day-to-day management of the cloud deployment.
The role itself is highly technical and requires a wide range of expertise in different cloud technologies across infrastructure, networking, security, and even DevOps. With most organizations tied to one cloud provider, cloud architects will typically develop their knowledge and skill set aligned to one cloud platform.
One of the best ways to enhance and prove your skills as a cloud architect is to pursue a relevant certification. In addition to this, you will also become more employable and in time command a higher salary. To support you in this process, we have researched and identified 5 key certifications for the modern cloud architect.
CompTIA Cloud+
If you’re starting out your career and have yet to establish yourself as a cloud architect, the CompTIA Cloud+ is an excellent building block.
This vendor-neutral certification is the only performance-based IT certification to test your skills and experience across broader IT systems operations, regardless of platform. It’s also happens to be the only cloud-focused certification approved by the U.S. Department of Defense.
If you’re pursuing this certification, you will be required to pass the new CV0-003 exam. Lasting 90 minutes, you’ll face 90 multiple choice and performance-based questions that validate skills to deploy, automate, and secure cloud environments.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
If you want to prove your skills as an accomplished cloud architect on the AWS platform, the Certified Solutions Architect Associate credential is a must-have.
You’ll need at least a year of hands-on experience working with the AWS platform for the knowledge required to pursue the exam. With skills split across compute, networking, storage, and database AWS services. Plus, working knowledge of deploying, managing, and operating AWS workloads.
The exam itself, the SAA-C02, is a combination of 65 multiple choice and multiple response questions set over a 130 minute period.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
To set yourself apart from most AWS cloud architects, achieving the Certified Solutions Architect Professional credential will enter you into an elite group.
A significant step beyond the Associate certification, you’ll need at least two years of experience across the AWS platform. Including specialist experience with advanced platform features like AWS APIs, AWS CloudFormation templates, and the AWS Management console. As well as experience designing a hybrid architecture of AWS technologies and on-premises solutions.
The SAP-C01 exam is 3 hours in duration, requiring you to face 75 advanced questions that are either multiple choice or multiple response. Important to note, you do not need to have achieved the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification prior to attempting the Professional exam.
Google Certified Professional: Cloud Architect
To establish yourself as a leading cloud architect with the Google Cloud Platform, you’ll want to achieve the Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect certification.
Passing a 2-hour exam of multiple choice and multiple select questions, you’ll prove the skills needed to design, develop, and manage robust, secure, scalable, and highly available solutions on the Google Cloud platform.
Recommended experience is surprisingly minimal, with only 6 months hands-on expertise in working with the Google Cloud Platform suggested. To put yourself in the best position to pass the exam, check out the Google Cloud Architect learning path. A series of 5 courses and 5 skill badges designed to develop the skills and knowledge required.
Those pursuing the Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect certification will be delighted to know it’s been named the highest paid IT certification for the past 3 years running.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
The Azure Solutions Architect Expert is Microsoft’s flagship certification for their Azure cloud platform. It’s rumoured to be the most difficult of the cloud architect certifications to achieve, so attaining it will place you at the very pinnacle of the profession.
You’ll be required to pass two exams, AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design. In doing so, you’ll prove advanced skills in designing and implementing infrastructure, monitoring, security, data storage, and business continuity solutions across the Azure platform.
To build the skills required, you can follow Microsoft’s free online learning path comprised of 10 cloud architect courses related to Azure platform.
Summary
Pursuing and attaining just one of these cloud architect certifications will set you apart from your peers. Proving you have valuable and relevant expertise on your chosen cloud platform.
As organizations evolve and the prevalence of hybrid cloud solutions across multiple cloud providers become increasingly common, cloud architects may find themselves needing to develop skills across multiple cloud platforms in future. Something to watch out for.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in CloudProfs issue 7. Read the full issue here.