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A cloud engineer plays a crucial role in the development, management, and optimization of cloud infrastructure. As more companies adopt cloud services, the demand for cloud engineers is steadily increasing. But what exactly does a cloud engineer do, and how can one become a cloud engineer? Let’s explore further.
In Information Technology, a cloud engineer is a specialist who principally deals with the management and maintenance of cloud infrastructure. There are different tasks for every role, including cloud service architecture, development, or administration. The role falls into one of three categories:
1. Cloud Architecture: Cloud architects design and implement cloud infrastructure that meets a company's technical requirements, ensuring scalability, security, and performance.
2. Cloud Development: The development of the cloud relies on the action of software developers who write code and develop applications so they understand the services in the cloud perfectly.
3. Cloud Administration: As a cloud administrator, engineers maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure to make sure everything operates smoothly. They manage cloud services, monitor performance, and handle security to ensure everything runs smoothly on cloud platforms.
Cloud technology, also known as cloud computing, has revolutionized the operation of businesses. It offers easy data storage, updating of software, and accessibility across platforms. As a cloud engineer, your task is to keep this giant network of services running.
Cloud computing industry is fast booming. More and more organisations continue to opt for cloud services, thereby creating a demand for experienced cloud engineers. As of April 2023, data from Glassdoor shows that the average annual salary for a cloud engineer in India is ₹6,00,000, which is equal to USD 7,200 per annum. However, it would rather be the case, considering that the need for cloud infrastructure and services continues to soar.
The worldwide cloud computing market is said to grow in size beyond the estimate, and it has been envisaged that the Indian public cloud services market will be above $13 billion by 2026. This boom is likely to maintain the usual skyrocketing numbers for the cloud engineering profession; thus, many people can get high-paying job offers, and their salaries could be increased.
The tasks of a cloud engineer vary depending on their specific focus, but some common
duties include:
Migrating Systems to the Cloud: Helping organisations transition their data and systems to cloud services, ensuring smooth and secure migrations.
Configuring Cloud Infrastructure: Setting up and managing cloud infrastructure, including virtual machines, storage, and networking to meet the company’s needs.
Building Cloud Applications: Developing applications and databases that operate efficiently within cloud services, optimising them for scalability and performance.
Monitoring Cloud Services: Continuously monitoring cloud infrastructure to ensure optimal performance, security, and cost management.
To start a career as a cloud engineer, you must develop the right skills and experience.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
To excel in cloud computing, gaining knowledge in the following areas is key:
1. Cloud Platforms: Master a key large cloud platform like AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud; that way, you can use your understanding and build upon that of other services.
2. Programming: Languages Python, Java, Golang, and many more form the base for building different kinds of cloud services
3. Networking and Security: There are basic requirements regarding network architecture in Cloud, which will form part of a cloud engineer.
4. Operating Systems: Familiarity with operating systems like Windows and Linux is required to administer cloud services.
The key skills needed to become a good cloud engineer cannot be learned solely from books; they are developed through practical experience. You can look for job positions that involve hands-on work with cloud infrastructure or create your own accounts on emerging cloud service platforms to experiment on your own.
A cloud certification is a great way for you to validate your skills. It can boost your level of credibility as a cloud engineer. If you have just started, foundational certifications will be good enough, including Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, and so on.
The cloud engineer technical interview mostly includes questions on cloud services, cloud infrastructure, and problem-solving scenarios in the real world. Practicing mock interviews and reviewing technical questions help one build confidence.
Starting from the post of junior cloud engineer or some related IT job like system engineer or network administrator is very common. Once having gained enough experience, a more specialized role, like that of a cloud architect or a cloud solutions engineer, could be moved into. Lastly, higher salaries and further responsibility go with senior positions: senior cloud architect or principal cloud engineer.
To be a cloud engineer, technical expertise in cloud computing, cloud infrastructure, and cloud services is required. With appropriate skills, hands-on experience, and certifications, unlock a great career in such a growing field. Increasingly adopting cloud services is an emerging trend among all organizations; hence, the requirements for skilled cloud engineers will keep on increasing, providing exciting new career prospects and competitive packages.
