Thinking like a Cloud Solution Architect

If you’re into tech and good at juggling lots of different ideas, like understanding both the big business picture and technical details, then you’re on the right track to be a great cloud architect.

Being a top-notch architect means getting the whole picture of what an architect does and picking up the key skills for the job. It’s all about being able to think wide - from business stuff (think finance, health sciences, you name it) to working out tech problems with the engineers on your team.

What is architecture?

• Plan
• Design
• Deployment

Architecture involves three main phases. The planning phase is the first step, where we decide what we want to build. This applies to any project, whether it’s a data pipeline or a modern skyscraper. The planning phase is where we set our goals. Next, we move to the design phase. This is where we work out the details of how our project will come to life. This phase is very important for architects because this is when we turn our goals and ideas, from a business or practical standpoint, into a detailed plan. Finally, there’s the deployment phase, where the actual building or creation happens. This phase requires a lot of technical skills, like software engineering and network engineering. During this phase, an architect will work closely with engineers to make the plan a reality.

The Role of a Cloud Architect

A cloud architect plays a specific role, which can be likened to a bridge. On one side of this bridge, we have individuals who may come from the business side or from specialized domains like life sciences. These individuals are the project sponsors and end-users, the ones who will ultimately use the system we’re constructing. Additionally, there may be subject matter experts in specific fields. For instance, in the healthcare industry, you might collaborate with experts in compliance and privacy.

On the other side of the bridge, we have the technical team, which includes developers, network engineers, and database experts. These individuals possess in-depth knowledge of structuring databases and designing data storage systems. They handle the technical aspects of the project. The architect has a central position because they must have the ability to comprehend the desires of sponsors, subject matter experts, and end-users. They then translate these requirements into a technical framework that the technical team can use as a blueprint for deployment. In essence, the architect bridges the gap between non-technical stakeholders and the technical implementation team.

Essential Skills for a cloud Architect

To excel in the role of an architect, three key skill sets are required. Let’s break them down:

1. Technical Expertise: Many architects have a background in engineering, and some continue to work as engineers. As architects, we leverage our technical know-how to bridge the gap between non-technical stakeholders and the technical implementation team. This expertise is fundamental to our role.

2. Domain Knowledge: Understanding the language and concepts used by subject matter experts, users, and sponsors is vital. Regardless of whether the project involves insurance, manufacturing, construction, or life sciences, architects need to grasp the basics of the domain. While we don’t need to be domain experts, we must comprehend what others are communicating.

3. Collaboration: Collaboration is a crucial pillar of our skill set. Architects often work alongside domain and technical experts who possess in-depth knowledge in specific areas like network engineering, database design, or biochemistry. It’s essential to recognize that architects aren’t expected to be the ultimate experts in every field. Instead, we must know when to tap into the expertise of others. Being able to work effectively with diverse experts and acknowledge our own limits is key to success.

In the world of cloud architecture, professionals are often described as having a “mile-wide and an inch-deep” knowledge base. This means that while we need to have a broad understanding of various domains, we don’t have to be experts in every detail. Our role is to create a technical framework that harnesses the domain knowledge and technical expertise of the entire team, ultimately ensuring the success of the project.

The Cloud Architecture Wheel:

As architects, we must encompass various domains in our thinking, such as compute, storage, and networking, along with management-oriented aspects like cost control, security, and compliance. The extent to which each of these sub-domains is emphasized can vary based on the project’s nature.

Imagine this as a wheel with different segments, where the size of each segment adjusts according to the project’s requirements. Let’s explore different scenarios:

Back Office Batch Processing: In projects that deal with non-sensitive data, like back-office batch processing, the architect’s focus might primarily revolve around optimizing storage and compute resources. Cost control is paramount, and monitoring needs may be minimal due to the project’s simplicity.

Medical IoT Devices: On the contrary, projects involving medical IoT devices, collecting data from individuals for healthcare purposes, place substantial importance on computing and storage. There’s a strong emphasis on monitoring to ensure immediate problem detection. Security is a critical concern, especially for safeguarding personally identifiable information (PII) and preventing data breaches.

Machine Learning: Projects in machine learning, such as credit card fraud prediction, demand significant attention to computing resources, especially for computationally intensive deep learning techniques. Storage and observability are also vital components. Machine learning operations (MLOps) play a role in continuously building and deploying models. Security considerations vary based on data types.

In any architectural project, these domains come into play, although the time and effort allocated to each depend on the project’s specific needs and characteristics.

In Summary Architects need to address various domains in their projects, and the emphasis on each domain varies based on the project type and its specific requirements.