Cloud Network Architect.
Nico Vibert
@nic972
The Tech industry is slow to recognize the need for an entire new profession: the Cloud Network Architect.
It's somehow expected that Infrastructure engineers become Cloud Architects and somehow learn all aspects of cloud networking - it's not fair on them, just like it wouldn't be fair on me to learn intricacies of storage or database. Cloud Networking should be a dedicated role.
Here are some of the skillsets I expect in a cloud network architect:
- Understanding of connectivity options to the Cloud or between Clouds (an app created in the cloud (or migrated to the cloud) does not exist in a vacuum) - including VPN, Direct Connect or similar, BGP, etc.
- Deep expertise on Internet connectivity. By this mean: Internet peering points, content distribution, DNS, global load-balancing, SSL VPN, about CASB platforms like
- @zscaler, DMZ, etc... - in summary: accessing the Internet securely and quickly or providing web-facing services.
- Understanding of remote sites connectivity (SASE and SD-WAN for example) as cloud network architects will need to provide optimal access to cloud resources for remote and branch users.
- Understanding of cloud native constructs like AWS' Transit Gateway, VPC Peering or security groups. Native cloud networking are all similar...but also different. Good luck to anyone with multi-cloud connectivity requirements (well done to @aviatrixsys for leading the way there)
- Understanding of next-gen firewalling requirements: cloud network engineers often have to manage the network security aspects such as DDoS or encryption & advanced security appliances, including @CheckPointSW, @PaloAltoNtwks or @Fortinet whatever the compliance team requires
- You will not be a Cloud Network engineer without a solid understanding of Infra-As-Code. Working knowledge of Python and/or Terraform is pretty much compulsory.
- On the same lines, an understanding of Git and DevOps practice in general is pretty much a requirement.
- Cloud Network Architects will require an understanding of Kubernetes, micro-services and Service Meshes: many of the customers I talk to are not quite there yet but it's just a matter of time.
- Cloud Network Architects will need to understand how to build highly-available applications across AZs, regions or (God forbid) clouds: from a network perspective, it means an understanding of applications architectures and platforms and tools such as GSLB, DNS and Anycast .
- Logging and visibility: how do I securely log my traffic flows to a centralized SIEM like
- @splunk ? How do I monitor inter-cloud, intra-cloud or hybrid-cloud connectivity when something breaks?
- Is it an overwhelming list of skills ? Perhaps but this is why we cannot expect cloud architects to have them all and why we need a dedicated role to address them.
- Agree/Disagree?
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