How the cloud administrator or architect looks like? How does it feel to work on the cloud?

It is great for the IT Pros to work in the cloud environments. Trust me!

As administrator

Are you bored to do the same thing again and again? You will not have to!

In usual circumstances the user (customer, developer…) gives you a list of requirements. The user for example wants three VMs with load balancer, with connection to the SAN and maybe with some applications. If you are admin from the pre-cloud era you have to copy sysprepped VMs or do new installations, send ticket to the network guys that will give you IP addresses and VLANs, send ticket to the storage group and get some LUNs and after hours of manual configuration you can deliver these three VMs in a final state. And a week later you will get the same order and you have to do these things that you have done hundreds of times again. Boring!

As cloud administrators you are configuring services and the user just have to ask for them and have them for example in 30 minutes (depending on the requirements and your datacenter). The initial configuration does take much longer then delivery of the one service (those three VMs) but when you are ready the real time and cost savings begin.

As cloud admin you will always be in good mood because you will not be overloaded and you will work in predefined schedule without worrying that something bad would happen. Your clusters and whole clouds are highly available and everything is tested before it is released into the production or before maintenance of the existing services and tools.

Of course sometimes bad things happen but if your processes, HW and people are working together then you will be happy, the customer will be happy and your bosses and their bosses will be very happy.

As architect

Nothing is more fun than designing clouds or their parts. Trust me! It is boring to do similar designs again and again or to supervise the same implementation again and again.

The cloud is currently the highest level in the IT and if you enjoying your work as an architect as I am you will be very happy when you start with clouds and with the possibilities that the clouds are giving to you.

My recommendations for the architects

If you want to be a cloud architect here are my recommendations for the architects that I am following:

• Do not forward all non-architectural work to your subordinates.
• Do the administration. Trust me, it is fun! And it is very important to understand what your admins do.
• Automate! It is even more fun! And you will closely work with your admins and that is very important.
• Do the designs and use the most advanced processes and technologies.
• Work together with other teams.
• Get your hands dirty together with your admins. You have to work with them and from time to time you have to do their job. Do not worry. In cloud environment it is fun!