IT Transformation

Key certifications and trends for engineers in public and hybrid clouds

2024-03-12 15:32
In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing, engineers looking to add value in the realm of public and hybrid clouds must focus on acquiring a blend of certifications and understanding emerging trends. As we head into 2024, several key learning paths and certifications stand out for engineers aiming to excel in public and hybrid cloud environments.

Essential Cloud Certifications

  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate: Demonstrates your ability to deploy and manage workloads on AWS with a strong understanding of AWS technology, security controls, and compliance requirements.
  • Google Certified Professional (GCP) Cloud Architect: Validates your skills in designing, developing, and managing secure, scalable, and dynamic solutions on Google Cloud.
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals: Equips you with foundational knowledge of cloud concepts within Azure, including public, private, and hybrid cloud models, as well as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS​​.
These certifications are crucial as they validate an engineer's expertise in designing, deploying, and managing applications and infrastructure on leading cloud platforms, reflecting a comprehensive grasp of cloud technologies that are fundamental to modern IT infrastructures.

Emerging Trends to Watch

  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Gaining prominence for automating and streamlining infrastructure management processes, reducing the divide between application development and cloud infrastructure​​.
  • Security-First Approach (DevSecOps): Integrating security into every stage of the development lifecycle, ensuring that security measures are built in from the start​​.
  • Platform Engineering: By 2026, a significant number of large software engineering organizations will establish platform engineering teams to provide reusable services, components, and tools for application delivery​​.
  • AI/ML Integration: AI-based systems built around cloud-native tools are fundamentally a cloud adoption story, with AI and ML applications driving innovation across various industries​​.
Moreover, the shift towards secure multi-cloud environments necessitates a strong focus on strategies like centralized identity and access management, consistent security policies, and collaboration with cloud service providers to ensure a balanced approach to security, innovation, and cloud strategy​​.
Adopting hybrid cloud technology, which combines the strengths of both public and private clouds, offers scalability, flexibility, improved data security, and cost efficiency. This approach has seen significant traction across industries such as finance, healthcare, gaming, and manufacturing, indicating its broad applicability and potential for innovation​​.
In summary, engineers aiming to provide value in public and hybrid cloud environments should pursue recognized certifications and stay abreast of emerging trends. This combination of formal qualifications and awareness of the latest developments will equip engineers with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complex cloud landscape effectively.