Recently, cloud-first or cloud-native is the default standard for building applications. In such a climate, the demand for cloud computing professionals has gone sky-high and refuses to slow down. One of the most important roles in the cloud computing sphere is that of a cloud architect. A cloud architect is responsible for designing and implementing cloud solutions and infrastructure for enterprises. They work in collaboration with business leaders and other team members to understand the requirements and leverage different cloud technologies accordingly to create scalable, secure, and efficient systems in line with the enterprise’s needs.
Considering the huge demand for cloud architects, it would be a good idea to aspire for the role. The first step would be to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge required to be a great cloud architect. Consider learning the best practices and picking up some freelance projects to sharpen your skills and gain some experience. Also, validate your skills and knowledge with a top-notch certification. Something like the AWS Certified Cloud Solutions Architect – Associate would be highly desirable and would add great value to your resume.
Once you have the requisite skills and knowledge, you start applying for jobs or seek a lateral transition within your current organization. The next step in the process would be to crack the interviews. Preparing for interviews can be challenging. There would usually be an HR or a non-technical interview to test your soft skills, cultural fit, etc., and a technical interview to test how sound you are technically for the cloud architect role.
To prepare for the technical interview, you must focus on answering precisely and exhibiting your technical skills. The list below presents some commonly asked questions during cloud architect technical interviews.
- Question # 1: How would you design a hybrid cloud architecture that integrates on-premises infrastructure with public cloud?
To design a hybrid cloud architecture integrating on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services, I would begin by thoroughly assessing enterprise requirements. Then I would focus on evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the environment. Based on the understanding and findings, I would work on building a cohesive and scalable solution. I would begin by identifying the workloads and data that would need the flexibility and scalability offered by the public cloud. I would also identify the sensitive & critical components that would need to be stored on-premises. By doing this, I can ensure the optimal placement of data and resources and make the right choice for cloud services. For connecting the public cloud and on-premises storage, I would evaluate multiple options like site-to-site VPNs or dedicated connections. The connection must be secure and facilitate high-bandwidth communication between the environments. I would also explore data synchronization mechanisms like storage gateways and replication tools. I believe it is important to maintain data consistency and facilitate seamless access across the environments. I would also add a very thorough and robust identity and access management strategy to ensure everything is secure. I would integrate this with on-premises authentication systems as well as the cloud identity and security providers. - Question # 2: How would you weigh in on serverless architecture vs. container-based architecture for deploying applications in the cloud?
Serverless architecture offers many advantages like autoscaling, pay-per-execution pricing, and reduced operational management. So, if we have event-driven workloads with unpredictable traffic patterns, then serverless architecture would be great for that. With serverless, developers can focus on writing code without spending their bandwidth on server provisioning or infrastructure management. However, serverless architecture also makes things quite complex. It has some limitations like customizability and resource allocation issues. Compared to serverless architecture, container-based architecture provides more flexibility and portability. However, they need more upfront configuration and management than serverless architecture. There would also be a bigger resource overhead with container-based architecture since more resources would be needed to manage container runtimes and orchestration systems. - Question # 3: What is cloud governance and how does it help manage cloud resources & meet compliance?
Cloud governance is the implementation of policies, processes, and controls for effective management of cloud resources. It ensures the adherence to organizational policies and standards. There are many tasks and activities conducted as part of cloud governance, like security management, resource provisioning & monitoring, identity and access management, cost optimization, and regulatory compliance. It is vital because it provides a robust framework for security maintenance, risk mitigation, cost optimization, regulatory compliance, etc. in the cloud environment.
These are the top three questions you could get asked in the technical interview for cloud architects. To begin, you can enroll for cloud computing training and certification.
Get AWS Certified to Future-Proof Your Career
As businesses undergo digital transformation, their consumption of IT systems and services undergoes a parallel evolution. Simultaneously, major cloud providers release a staggering array of features and services every year, a pace that far surpasses the traditional hardware development cycles of the past.
Those entrusted with the responsibility of architecting solutions in this dynamic environment must continually adapt and equip themselves with the skills needed to thrive in this new landscape. The role of an AWS Solutions Architect has undeniably evolved over the years, shaped by the forces of technological innovation and the demands of the cloud-native era.
Embracing this evolution and remaining well-versed in the ever-changing AWS ecosystem is essential for architects tasked with designing solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses in the modern IT landscape. By doing so, AWS Solutions Architects can navigate the complexities of this transformative journey and continue to deliver value in an industry defined by perpetual change and innovation.
Enroll in Cognixia’s cloud computing with AWS training course and upgrade your skill set. You can influence your career and future with our hands-on, live, highly interactive, and instructor-led online course. You may benefit in this competitive market by providing an extremely user-friendly online learning experience. We will assist you in improving your knowledge and adding value to your talents by offering engaging training sessions.
Cognixia’s AWS cloud computing certification course discusses the basics of AWS & cloud computing, then moves on to more advanced concepts, like service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), Amazon Private Virtual Cloud (AWS VPC), and more.
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All you need to know to enroll in this course is basic computer skills. Some experience with Linux would be advantageous, but it is not required.
The course is perfect for network engineers, system administrators, and aspirants who have a solid understanding of coding principles or procedures and wish to further their expertise.