Later in this chapter, productivity tools are discussed as a part of the role of CSA. To get access to the various tools and platforms mentioned, here is a list of locations where cloud provider platforms and tools can be accessed:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) account: Navigate via the browser to https://aws.amazon.com/ and click on the image that reads Create an AWS Account in the upper-right corner of the page
• Microsoft Azure subscription: Navigate via the browser to https://azure.microsoft.com/ and click on the image that reads Free account in the upper-right corner of the page
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) account: Navigate via the browser to https://cloud.google.com/ and click on the image that reads Start free in the upper-right corner of the page
• Lucidchart: Navigate via the browser to https://www.lucidchart.com/ and click on the image that reads Sign up free in the upper-right corner of the page
• Visio: Navigate via the browser to https...

To appreciate and understand the role of CSA better, we should begin with a timeline of cloud computing to see how/why the industry needed this role. Cloud computing democratically offers computing capabilities and services via the internet. It has evolved generationally from the ideation of several foundational concepts and principles over roughly the last 60-70 years to current and emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing (QC) are currently at the center of shaping the ongoing evolution of cloud computing:

1950s – History tends to repeat itself, and cloud computing is no exception. One of the cloud’s attractive characteristics is the fact that the consumer of cloud services only pays for what they use. This harkens back to the 1950s when gigantic mainframes were shared by leasing time through the terminals connected to them. Fast-forward to the present, and this aligns with the responsibility of the...

In this section, we need to cover common cloud concepts and some misconceptions that still exist today. There is a base level of understanding regarding cloud computing and cloud providers that a CSA needs to provide workloads that are optimized for cost, availability, supportability, performance, and security. The following topics will be discussed to achieve a base level of understanding for a CSA.

Today, there are many cloud computing providers globally. As identified previously, AWS (https://aws.amazon.com), Microsoft Azure (https://www.azure.com), and GCP (https://cloud.google.com) are the three top providers by market share. There are other providers in the cloud computing space, such as IBM, Oracle, Salesforce, and Alibaba, but this book will focus on the top three since the skills are completely transferrable from one cloud provider to another unless otherwise mentioned.

Cloud service models

Within cloud computing, three common cloud service models...

The evolution of cloud computing has created a demand for a new type of SA: a CSA. Cloud consumers eventually realized that cloud computing is more nuanced than on-premises. Architects made certain assumptions about the infrastructure when architecting on-premises solutions. For example, concepts such as network faults rarely got considered in solution design due to the infrequency of the faults happening. If a network outage, intermittent or not, made a database inaccessible, the client trying to connect to the database would try once and then fail. Transient network faults happen from time to time in the cloud, and architects need to design around these faults. The cloud has many other examples of different considerations, all of which have helped define the role of CSA.

A traditional SA focuses on on-premises solutions, while a CSA extends their role to the cloud. A CSA designs and develops platforms and applications for various organizations that use cloud...

While the CSA role is attractive to many, there are potentially both benefits and drawbacks to the career. Variables such as industry, regulations, and pace of innovation for the solutions being designed can all impact the overall job satisfaction of a CSA. Other factors, as described in the following sections, can also determine the overall satisfaction of the role.

High demand and specialized skills for designing and implementing cloud-based solutions give CSAs high earning potential. Various sources report that CSAs in the United States earn an average annual salary of $125,000 to $175,000, which exceeds the national average by far. Experience level, location, industry, and certification are some factors that affect the salary.

Keeping up with the latest trends and technologies in cloud computing gives CSAs continuous learning opportunities. Cloud computing changes and evolves fast and demands constant updating of skills and knowledge....

Within the cloud computing ecosystem, there are several domains that many CSAs end up specializing in. Data, AI, infrastructure, security, and applications are all areas of specialization in which a CSA can develop expertise. The reason is that the cloud has become vast with service offerings and different environments to provision workloads to. It has become exceedingly difficult to maintain an elevated level of expertise in all aspects of cloud computing.

A CSA focused on data brings expertise in the storage, processing, and security of data to the cloud. Storage can include something as simple as object storage to complex data storage systems such as graph or schema-less repositories. Processing includes data retrieval, transformation, summarization, and analytical opportunities in a secure, reliable way. When considering industries such as healthcare or financial services, security becomes very important when...

Every CSA has a set of tools they prefer to use to design, develop, and deploy cloud computing solutions. There are several options, and each individual product has certain features that draw attention. Regardless of the tool chosen for a specific purpose, there are design tools, development tools, and operational support tools, all required to be successful in the CSA role.

Design tools are typically used to represent logical solution designs. Each cloud provider has a set of icons that represent the various products and services they offer to the CSA. A logical design can be a very useful tool to help a CSA propose a design to the solution stakeholders and get feedback on any areas that may need to be reconsidered.

Lucidchart and Visio are the most common, but there are many options and price points to suit everyone in the CSA role.

Development tools are important as every service or product provisioned might be prototyped as a proof...

In summary, we covered the role of CSA by starting with a brief history of cloud computing and the enabling capabilities that were developed to run software and services on a platform provided by a cloud provider. Many primitive constructs necessary to enable cloud infrastructure were developed back as long ago as the 1950s. Today, cloud computing continues to evolve and provide new features at a rapid pace.

Next, we explored some common cloud capabilities that a CSA needs to have a deep understanding of to be successful. Whether building an IaaS or a PaaS solution or leveraging a SaaS product, a CSA needs to understand how they fit together. Hybrid cloud solutions can contain edge computing and on-premises services or data and add complexity to a solution design. To stay consistent in the adoption and continued usage of cloud computing, a CSA should pay close attention to the CAF to start and apply the WAF to each solution to ensure best practices and industry standards...