The cloud is more than a trend; it’s now the way many organizations manage and store their data. As such, companies are investing heavily in the technology that makes it possible, while demand for skilled cloud computing professionals is growing. These professionals have a wide range of projections and job titles, including cybersecurity specialists who focus on keeping data safe in the face of threats and network engineers who design, build and maintain cloud systems. There are also jobs for those with more general IT skills who use cloud platforms to streamline workflow, such as IT directors, administrators and sys admins.
Cloud computing refers to on-demand computing resources and services available over the Internet that eliminate the need to invest in or maintain physical data centers and servers. These resources are categorized as different types of “as-a-service” models, including infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), software-as-a-service (SaaS) and serverless computing.
Each model offers unique advantages, and most developers at large-scale organizations use a combination of these models. IaaS offers full control over IT infrastructure, PaaS simplifies the development process by handling the underlying hardware and software tools, while SaaS delivers ready-to-use applications and serverless computing breaks applications down into smaller components that only run when needed, much like renting an apartment one room at a time rather than the entire house at once.
The best way to start a career in cloud computing is by selecting a well-known platform and creating a free account to begin tinkering with the technologies and building small projects. Then, earning professional certifications in specific areas of cloud computing is a great next step, says Kamyck.