Ever since its inception, cloud computing has been the buzz word with businesses and companies. The demand is ever-increasing as more and more domains are being automated and supported by AI. Hence, what will increase along is the demand for cloud professionals who are not obsolete and can manage the newer technological trends efficiently.
Let us begin with understanding what does cloud computing mean;
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing refers to delivering internet-based computing services like storage, servers, software, networking, intelligence and analytics to ensure a faster and cheaper mode of operation. The services can be majorly categorized under three heads- SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a service). These internet-hosted services help improve economies of scale as they are cheaper and provide high-end flexibility and speed.
With advancing technology and digitization revolutionizing the world, you need to stay updated especially on the technology end.
Here are the top 6 cloud computing skills you should learn in 2020 to stay ahead;
- Cloud Security or Cybersecurity:- The alarming rate of cybercrime and data breaching is a matter of high concern with both businesses and clients. Companies spend highly on ensuring that their data is secure yet, thieves and breachers find some or the other way to leak out the information. Cybersecurity is an extremely popular and demanded skill that you must consider learning to be among the most eligible candidates. Cloud computing professionals who specialize in cloud security or cybersecurity skills are an asset to both the cloud providers and businesses using it. The responsibility lies shared between both parties to ensure the security of data. Merely relying on a firewall is not sufficient these days, you have to have that extra knack of safeguarding your precious data which is at the easy disposal of an evil eye.
- AI and Machine Learning:- Artificial intelligence lies in almost everything we use today. Right from our smartphones, to smart home devices every gadget is now powered by artificial intelligence and what works in the background is called machine learning. With humans slowly losing their retention power and memory, the machines are learning newer skills. Artificial Intelligence has penetrated across several industries like Healthcare, entertainment, automobile to name a few and there is no looking back. More and more functions are getting automated with the finest robots working intelligently as humans, the scope for error reduces to almost zero. Hence, a cloud professional who possesses the skill to curate such machines is a priced possession to IT companies these days. Machine learning is designing such smart machines that they eventually learn human skills over time with experience. Technologies like Alexa, Siri, chatbots are few examples that gradually become smart by just experiencing what humans do in a particular situation. predictive analysis is another aspect that is gaining popularity over time.
- Cloud migration (deployment within multi-clouds):- A lot of businesses are in outlook for professionals who can help them move their data on the cloud. This process is called cloud migration. It is one of the most complex processes in cloud computing as data confidentiality is at stake and eventually, the workload is so high that there a drag and delay in the delivery. The need for professionals who can well manage and handle such migration from physical storage to a cloud is increasing thence. Also, some businesses believe in opting for the best service out of the lot and end up being in collaboration with multiple cloud service providers. This calls for the need of a professional who can work across various cloud service providers to be able to ensure a smooth workflow. These may include names like Google Cloud, AWS, Azure etc.
- Serverless Architecture:- With the advancement in technology, a lot of cloud services are being offered serverless. The applications can be moved from one cloud to another without a need for a server that requires the utmost precision and high-end programming skills. Such services are easier to be rectified and improved. If you are a cloud professional looking out for a breakthrough jump in career, learning serverless architecture skills can help you find such a spot.
- DevOps and Quality Assurance:- DevOps refers to Developmental Operations that take into account the complete lifecycle of a software right from planning to deployment and maintenance. The demand for skilled DevOps professionals is increasing day by day as more and more functions are getting automated. Quality Assurance is not a related domain to DevOps but highly dependent. If the development of software is not precise and efficient then the quality will always remain in question. As a software professional, you not only need to have programming skills but also a clear understanding of what your client demands from you. Hence, a cloud professional with a combination of these two skills is an asset to both the stakeholders.
- Linux:- Linux is going to be the most demanded skill in 2020 as most of the clouds are powered by Linux including parallel processing clouds like Azure. As the applications are getting more and more open-ended, the demand for Linux professionals is increasing at a rapid speed. Businesses are on a consistent lookout for cloud professionals who master in Linux including skills like building and architecting, administering and maintaining Linux-based applications.
These top 6 cloud computing skills can help you gain an enormous boost in your career. Even if you go for any one of these skills, there will be no dearth of opportunities for you in the cloud world.