What Is Cloud Computing?

With the migration of data centers and physical servers to Cloud Computing platforms, this area is recognized as one of the most promising and sought-after of today.

Given the importance of this transition, the work of a specialized agent in the area is essential. Learn more about this professional, the Cloud Engineer, in this post.

What Does a Cloud Engineer Do?

In practical terms, this professional needs to analyze the technological infrastructure of companies in order to, from there, identify possibilities for implementing and managing Cloud services.

A point worth highlighting within the area is the fact that it is a relatively recent field within the IT sector. To get an idea, although the concept already existed before, the term Cloud Computing only gained popularity from 2006 onward, when it began to be widely used by the technology industry. This is one of the main reasons for the shortage of qualified professionals in the area in the job market.

Main Responsibilities of the Profession

The day-to-day of a Cloud Engineer is usually quite busy. After all, there are many responsibilities under the purview of this professional, who will be responsible for various actions within companies. Check out a list of their main duties below:

• Identification of solutions for migration to the cloud
• Development and implementation of cloud-based systems
• Application of improvements and monitoring of existing systems
• Ensuring and safeguarding the functioning of the functions, following the company's cybersecurity policies
• Communicating and educating internal teams on the use of the cloud technologies applied.
• Managing the progress of Cloud projects together with other IT areas

What Is Needed to Become a Cloud Engineer?

Given the varied list of duties, the Cloud Engineer also needs to have several technical skills, ranging from negotiation techniques to complex IT knowledge. Check out below the list of the main knowledge that this professional needs to master in order to work in the area:

• Programming (general knowledge);
• Operating systems, network protocols, and the Internet;
• Cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS);
• Understanding of how the main cloud providers work, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure;
• Advanced cybersecurity, with a Cloud focus;
• Proficiency in containerization and virtualization tools, such as Docker and Kubernetes;
• Databases;
• Web services and APIs;
• Advanced English.

In addition, there are also some important behavioral competencies for those who want to grow within the area:

• Focus;
• Good communication;
• Ease in working in a team and leading;
• Management and negotiation skills;
• An analytical vision focused on solving complex problems.

How to Specialize in the Cloud Engineering Area?

To become a professional in the area, in-depth and up-to-date knowledge in the IT area is required.

For this reason, a good option for those who want to enter the area is taking courses such as computer science, software engineering, or information systems.

But it is important not to stop there! To become a specialist in the area and stand out from other professionals, it is also important to seek specific specializations in the area, many of them offered by the cloud storage companies themselves, such as:

• Google Cloud Certification;
• Microsoft Azure Certifications;
• AWS Certification.

A tip to prepare for pursuing these certifications is to take preparatory courses, available on learning sites such as Coursera, Udemy, and Alura.

There are also courses with content exclusively focused on the area. See some examples below:

• Degree in Cloud Computing from FIAP;
• MBA in Cloud Engineering & Architecture from FIAP;
• MBA in Cloud Computing from XP Educação;
• Postgraduate Degree in Cloud Computing Projects from Descomplica.

Finally, it is important to emphasize that, like several other technology fields, the cloud engineering area is in constant evolution. For this reason, it is essential to always stay up to date and be willing to keep learning;

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