Looking to get into The Cloud...

Motty25

Hi,

I have recently decided I want to develop my knowledge skills regarding Cloud Technologies.

Having looked at the various exams, the Cloud+ and the MTA Cloud Fundamentals are the most appealing.

However, I've seen there is also Cloud Essentials.

Would you strongly recommend that I do this before doing any other Cloud exams? It sounds logical but on the CompTIA website and on here, it says it's aimed at IT Executives and is business focused in some parts.

Would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,
Ben

Remedymp

Are you looking to be a developer (devops) or an engineer (datacenter)?

Motty25

Definitely an engineer.

Replicon

Cloud+ is good start but is very basic.
If you are looking to be engineer start with AWS or Azure, if you are looking into the security then CCSK or CCSP.

Remedymp

Replicon wrote: »

Cloud+ is good start but is very basic.
If you are looking to be engineer start with AWS or Azure, if you are looking into the security then CCSK or CCSP.

You can't 'Cert' your way into this area. Almost 80% of our staff are DevOps. The next 10% are just 'Engineers" who managed the hardware configurations and deployments and maintenance. The last 10% is GRC and SecOps. Certifications can't help you at all in this area.

Either you can do the work or you can't.

OctalDump

Remedymp wrote: »

Certifications can't help you at all in this area.

Either you can do the work or you can't.

Heresy!

Cloud+ will give you a starting point, some background. It's vendor agnostic, so doesn't help a lot with getting the hands on experience that employers crave. You could use the study guides, courseware, videos etc and then move onto something better.

AWS certifications assume practical, hands on experience. MS is the same with Azure. But this is true of most certifications, at least that's the official line for most certifications. And it then becomes the same old story: how to get experience when all the jobs require experience.

A certification isn't going to get you all the way there, but studying for a certification and holding a certification help a bit. Sign up for free tier Azure and AWS, and start working it.

Remedymp

OctalDump wrote: »

Heresy!

Cloud+ will give you a starting point, some background. It's vendor agnostic, so doesn't help a lot with getting the hands on experience that employers crave. You could use the study guides, courseware, videos etc and then move onto something better.

AWS certifications assume practical, hands on experience. MS is the same with Azure. But this is true of most certifications, at least that's the official line for most certifications. And it then becomes the same old story: how to get experience when all the jobs require experience.

A certification isn't going to get you all the way there, but studying for a certification and holding a certification help a bit. Sign up for free tier Azure and AWS, and start working it.

Our company (and the previous I came from) do NOT hire based on certification. Unless you can demonstrate the skill set, a cert does not mean anything in the cloud.

For reference, I am a Cloud Security analyst working on AWS.

Motty25

Thanks for your advice everyone. Think I will start with the Cloud+ and see how it goes from there. Don't need to make too many plans at this point.

Hopefully the Cloud+ will benefit me in a similar way to how the A+ did a few years ago. It set me up excellently for various Microsoft exams.

Remedymp

Motty25 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice everyone. Think I will start with the Cloud+ and see how it goes from there. Don't need to make too many plans at this point.

Hopefully the Cloud+ will benefit me in a similar way to how the A+ did a few years ago. It set me up excellently for various Microsoft exams.

Have you thought about Linux Engineer? A lot of what drives the cloud is Redhat and CentOS. So, getting your feet cemented in either the LFCS or LFCE or pursue the RHCE.