Cloud computing is a critical technology that drives the popular web applications and services people use every day, from collaborative tools like Google Docs and Office 365 to media streaming services and internet-based video games. As organizations adopt new technologies to meet business needs, a career in cloud computing can offer opportunities to improve efficiency, increase productivity and innovate.
A career in cloud computing can be as broad or focused as you want, depending on your specific expertise and the role that interests you. A tech-savvy IT director, for example, oversees the functioning of the organization’s technology tools and processes and may manage multiple departments in addition to his or her own team of IT professionals. A system administrator (or sys admin) works to configure, manage, support and troubleshoot multiuser computing environments.
Software engineers write, update and test code for computer programs to help businesses accomplish internal or customer-facing business objectives. These professionals can also build websites or other applications for the cloud to gain hands-on experience and earn professional certifications.
With a cloud infrastructure as a service (IaaS) model, cloud vendors host everything from servers and networks to storage arrays, operating system software, middleware and databases in their data centers. Developers can access the resources they need through a menu to design, build, deploy, update and scale applications.
Increasingly, cloud services incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) to provide actionable insights and automate tasks. This integration can help drive innovation and enable businesses to more thoughtfully leverage the power of the cloud.