When it comes to wide area networking, large global enterprises have some unique challenges to ensure that networking capabilities keep up with their complex business requirements.
The most obvious challenge is the sheer scale of WAN operations. A very large enterprise could have hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of locations around the world—and this makes the cost multipliers huge. Changing the cost equation for branch access can mean a difference in saving versus spending millions of dollars per month.

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SYS-CON Events announced today that Twistlock, the leading provider of cloud container security solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON’s 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Twistlock is the industry’s first enterprise security suite for container security. Twistlock’s technology addresses risks on the host and within the application of the container, enabling enterprises to consistently enforce security policies, monitor and audit activity and identify and isolate threats in a container or cluster of containers.

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The age of Digital Disruption is evolving into the next era – Digital Cohesion, an age in which applications securely self-assemble and deliver predictive services that continuously adapt to user behavior. Information from devices, sensors and applications around us will drive services seamlessly across mobile and fixed devices/infrastructure. This evolution is happening now in software defined services and secure networking. Four key drivers – Performance, Economics, Interoperability and Trust – will shape the way users, service providers and the industry creates the foundation for the next networking era.

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Cloud is a lot more pervasive than one may have imagined and in this article, we will focus on the various ways in which cloud technology is making home security systems robust and impenetrable. The term ‘Internet of Things’ gets thrown around quite a lot when we talk about cloud technology in domains outside of computer systems. But cloud technology in areas like home security is not merely about IoT. Cloud is a lot more pervasive than one may have imagined and in this article, we will focus on the various ways in which cloud technology is making home security systems robust and impenetrable.

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The cloud skills gap is widening and almost 40% of businesses are now struggling to find the qualified employees they need, according to Microsoft’s recent Cloud Skills Report. This is an incredible opportunity for professionals who can prove their cloud knowledge.

Determined professionals validate their knowledge and set themselves apart from the competition with training and certifications. The same report from Microsoft also found that tech leaders believe professionals with formal qualifications in cloud technologies are vital for success.

But as new certifications are introduced from every major cloud provider, where should you invest your time? These are the six cloud certifications to boost your career in 2017.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is established as the market leader in cloud, bringing in a titanic $12 billion for the Amazon subsidiary in 2016 –  a 55% increase over the same period last year. AWS continues to expand with plans to open a fifth European region in Sweden.

Launched in May 2013, AWS offer three certification tracks – Architecting, Developing and Operations – designed to teach professionals the skills they need to use AWS. Each certification track is composed of two levels: Associate and Professional.

The first level of the Architecting track, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification, is built for professionals who want to design and deploy applications and systems on AWS.

Professionals that achieve this certification will learn how to build and deploy applications on AWS, that make use of key cloud features, like scalability and high availability. 

Despite being the first certification in the Architecting track, this is not entry-level. You must have in-depth programming experience and good prior knowledge of AWS before attempting the certification exam. To help professionals get to grips with the cloud provider, AWS recommend this online exam workshop.

The Certified Solutions Architect – Associate proves to employers, partners and clients that you’re a skilled AWS pro. Because of this, it consistently ranks as one of the highest paying certifications; AWS Architects earn a median salary of £75,000 (ITJobsWatch, 2017).

Microsoft MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure

Despite Amazon’s massive global cloud market share, Microsoft’s cloud offering, Azure, is catching up. Azure’s popularity is increasing in Europe and recent reports rank Azure above AWS as the dominant provider of IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service).

The MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure was introduced late in 2016 as part of a major restructure of Microsoft certifications. The overhaul saw Microsoft retire the MCSE: Private Cloud certification, alongside 24 other certifications.

This is Microsoft’s most advanced cloud certification and should be considered the crowning achievement of a cloud professional’s career. It recognises your ability to run efficient, modern data centres and qualifies you for high-responsibility jobs like cloud architect.

To achieve it, you’ll need to first obtain one of four Microsoft MCSA certifications:

• MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA: Windows Server 2016
• MCSA: Cloud Platform
• MCSA: Linux on Azure

As each MCSA requires 2-3 exams, this is a long-term investment. Once you’re MCSA is attained, you’ll then need to pass one additional elective exam to obtain your MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure certification. There a wide range of potential choices, including these relevant exams:

• 70-473 – Designing and Implementing Cloud Data Platform Solutions
• 70-532 – Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions
• 70-533 – Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
• 70-534 – Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions

(ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Because migrating to the cloud can often result in unforeseen security vulnerabilities businesses are increasingly investing in better cloud security. As a result, the cloud security market is expected to reach £7 billion by 2019 and there is a massive demand for professionals with these skills.

(ISC)2’s Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) validates cloud security skills at the highest level. Backed by two leading non-profits – the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and (ISC)2 – this certification proves expert knowledge of cloud cyber security and information management.

The CCSP builds on existing high-level (ISC)2 certifications and holders of the renowned CISSP are prequalified to take the CCSP exam. Otherwise, you’ll need to meet a lengthy set of prerequisites, including professional experience across multiple CCSP domains, like cloud data security, operations and legal/compliance.

However, it’s well worth it. The CCSP is a reflection of industry best-practices for cloud security and demonstrates your expert knowledge of cloud application, platform and data infrastructure security.

You’ll also get to grips with a focus on compliance, legality, audit processes and privacy – particularly important when GDPR is introduced in May 2018.

If your role involves managing and securing cloud environments, (ISC)2’s CCSP is one of the best certifications you can get.

CompTIA Cloud+

CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor neutral certifications and has issued over two million certifications since its formation in 1993. Alongside industry stalwarts, like the immensely popular CompTIA A+, CompTIA also provides two cloud certifications.

The CompTIA Cloud+ is a robust certification aimed at IT professionals with 1-2 years’ experience working in networking, storage or data centre administration. Don’t confuse it with CompTIA’s Cloud Essentials Certification, aimed at non-IT professionals.

Passing the Cloud+ will prove your knowledge of cloud models, virtualisation, infrastructure, security, resources management and business continuity.

For professionals who already hold CompTIA certifications, like Server+, Network+ or Security+, the Cloud+ is the next logical step.

Whilst this is a great certification path, you won’t need to study any other CompTIA certifications to sit the CompTIA Cloud+. And with a wide variety of topics, you’ll get a solid base of cloud knowledge, making this certification a great way to kick off any career in cloud technology in 2017.

Cisco CCNA Cloud

Cisco’s CCNA Cloud is regarded as a challenging certification to achieve, but it’s well worth the investment. Cisco sets the industry standard for network equipment; wherever you work, there’s a good chance you’ll be working with Cisco equipment.

The CCNA Cloud focuses on preparing professionals for on-the-job situations, including how to perform crucial administration and maintenance tasks. You’ll study the basics of Cisco cloud infrastructure and administration, including services like: Cisco UCS and server virtualisation, United Fabric and Unified Storage.

Despite a lack of any official prerequisites, professionals must still be realistic about their own experience before attempting the two certification exams: CLDFND & CLDADM. Even with a solid networking background and certifications like CCENT or Network+, professionals may still struggle to master this challenging certification.

Microsoft MCSA: Linux on Azure

The MCSA: Linux on Azure certification arrived at the end of 2015, providing Linux specialists with a path to transfer their Linux skills directly into the Azure cloud.

Achieve this certification and you’ll learn to deploy, configure, host and manage Linux websites on Azure. You’ll also learn how to take advantage of Azure’s key features like Windows PowerShell and Xplat-CLI and study Azure Active Directory implementation, virtual machines and virtual networks – all incorporating Linux.

And with more than one million Azure servers running on Linux, this certification will be highly sought after in 2017.

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Cloud usage is accelerating at a rapid rate, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Right now, 90 percent of all companies are using the cloud in some way, and, in the next 10 years, spending on public cloud alone is slated to multiply by a factor of five to $500 billion, according to recent studies by North Bridge and Wikibon.

Enterprises are launching new infrastructure at a furious pace, migrating workloads of all kinds and big chunks of data to public and private cloud environments. Many of these enterprises are generating tangible results – cutting out costs, increasing agility and getting products to market faster.  

But cloud initiatives don’t come without growing pains. If they aren’t managed closely, cloud projects can spiral out of control quickly, leaving a trail of data breaches, regulatory fines and cost overruns. What organizations need is a strong governance program to ensure that their move to the cloud starts smoothly and continues to perform at peak levels over time.

It should come as no surprise that some companies reap greater benefits from the cloud than others. In a recent survey of nearly 400 senior managers, CloudHealth identified a class of “cloud leaders” that are outperforming their peers based on a series of best practices they’re deploying in the cloud. These companies grow revenue 2.3 times faster than their peers. They also move faster, display more agility and position themselves as more likely to see the cloud drive competitive advantage.

Governance is a key differentiator for companies that leverage their clouds efficiently. As companies grow their cloud environments they have to conduct a balancing act between agility and control. They want to be flexible, get to market quickly and innovate, but they need to institute processes to ensure secure, effective and efficient use of IT resources.

The best of the best accomplish this using centralized governance. According to the survey, cloud leaders are twice as likely to have instituted centralized governance plans for migrating workloads to the cloud. And once the workloads are up and running, the survey found, cloud leaders display a series of best practices that effectively govern their cloud operations and protect their organizations from risk.

What are the most important facets of a cloud governance program? Based on the cloud leaders survey and anecdotal evidence we’ve observed from working with some of the most active cloud users in the world, here are six best practices for governance success:

Designate someone to oversee governance

When your organization has hundreds, if not thousands, of cloud instances spread across departments and locales, it’s not hard to lose track of how cloud services are being used. There needs to be accountability – and the easiest way to ensure this is to put one person in charge.

An organization can assign any number of names to this role – Cloud Optimization Manager, Cloud Governance Manager or, one we’ve heard repeatedly, Cloud Steward. The important thing is to be clear on this person’s duties. The individual must have a business sense for the corporation and an ability to cross and influence departments and LOBs. The governance leader needs to have a strong technology sense for the corporation with access to devops, monitoring, API and security level expertise. The individual also will need to lead a cross functional team that defines best practices for building functional business groups across cloud resources and assets.

This role is emerging. According to the survey, cloud leaders are 2.5 times as likely to have a role dedicated to cloud optimization and governance. Having this “Cloud Steward” designated and empowered gives an organization a head start toward getting a cloud program under control. 

Pursue a clearly articulated strategy of leveraging advanced pricing vehicles

A strong governance strategy can help an organization keep costs under control and manage the financial risks of a cloud environment. Controlling costs is a complicated discipline, with many factors to consider. But one way to get started is to simply set up a system to stay current with costs structures in the market.

Across the board, cloud leaders showed a better understanding of pricing structures and could control cost (even when dealing with a variety of vendors, pricing plans and billing structures). The survey concluded that cloud leaders are 1.5 times as likely to leverage pricing strategies from cloud providers based on forecasted use by workload. They’re also 2.5 times as likely to have a comprehensive, clearly articulated strategy for managing the cost of cloud deployments.

Manage by exception

Proactive monitoring and alerting mechanisms will detect abnormal behavior. This can explain why cloud leaders are nearly three times as likely to identify and mitigate cloud computing risks “somewhat or extremely fast.”

Closely monitor internal cloud use

Just as monitoring and alerting can help organizations manage security threats, they can help keep costs under control by flagging improper use of services or unexpected outages. Many unauthorized uses stem from the spread of “shadow IT.” According to a recent survey by North Bridge and market watcher Wikibon, nearly two thirds of large enterprises have a cloud governance policy in place to help control shadow IT. The same survey revealed that a third of cloud services are “not allowed” by IT, meaning they present a risk to the organization.

Clearly, the increased availability of cloud applications puts a strain on IT departments. Having clear governance practices that define who can use what resources and when can eliminate a lot of confusion and risk in the organization.

Have a standard reference architecture

Knowing what is and what is not permitted in terms of usage prevents users from relying on inefficient methods that drive costs higher. For example, there can be a policy limiting the amount of time a development program can be run in the cloud, so that the development team doesn’t run something over an entire weekend, wasting money. Guidelines can also govern factors such as maximum thresholds for memory and minimum thresholds for performance, with the goal of optimizing efficiency in the cloud and keeping costs in control.

Ensure that governance is an ongoing effort

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of governance is the fact that it’s not a “set it and forget it” practice. Organizations need to regularly update policies to reflect changing services, cost structures and usage patterns for continuous optimization. Tellingly, cloud leaders are 4.6 times as likely to see cloud deployment optimization as a continual process, rather than a one-time exercise. They get it.

Conclusion

Cloud computing is the new normal. Adoption is growing rapidly, and the enterprises that are using cloud wisely are able to conduct business in dramatically different ways. To get the most out of the cloud, while keeping a lid on cloud complexity, organizations need to establish clear, concise governance practices. Doing a good job on cloud governance will set organizations on the right path to long-term success.

Enterprise architects are increasingly adopting multi-cloud strategies as they seek to utilize existing data center assets, leverage the advantages of cloud computing and avoid cloud vendor lock-in. This requires a globally aware traffic management strategy that can monitor infrastructure health across data centers and end-user experience globally, while responding to control changes and system specification at the speed of today’s DevOps teams.
In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Josh Gray, Chief Architect at Cedexis, will cover strategies for orchestrating global traffic achieving the highest-quality end-user experience while spanning multiple clouds and data centers and reacting at the velocity of modern development teams.

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