A Cloud DevOps Engineer is a professional who plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between development and operations teams to ensure seamless deployment, continuous integration, and delivery of software applications in cloud-based environments. They are responsible for creating and maintaining robust and scalable infrastructures, automating processes, and optimizing system performance. In this blog post, we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Cloud DevOps Engineers.

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Main Responsibilities of a Cloud Devops Engineer

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Cloud Devops Engineer:

Analyze

Analyze, design and evaluate task automation scripts and systems.

Architect

Architect solutions for Data Science leveraging cloud technologies.

Assess

• Assess and develop new cost savings measures to implement for enterprise and application usage.

• Assess user workloads to determine which cloud services can and should be applied.

Assist in

• Assist development teams in tool training and troubleshooting.

• Assist in selecting appropriate cloud services based on project requirements.

• Assist with transition of colleagues and services from a legacy operating model to cloud operating.

Attend

Attend to day-to-day trouble tickets as well as project workloads.

Automate

• Automate Cloud Landing Zone Creation and deployment.

• Automate testing processes to maintain code quality.

• Automate the provisioning of resources and configuration management.

Build

• Build and automate the provisioning of data analytics infrastructure and cloud-native services.

• Build continuous improvements in application and infrastructure deployments.

• Build operational documentation.

• Build Scripts to Automate Operations.

Capture

Capture and share best practice knowledge with the internal technical teams.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth operations.

• Collaborate with developers to streamline application deployment.

Complete

Complete training per development plan and maintain certifications in accordance with focus area.

Conduct

• Conduct 5-whys incident reviews to analyze failures and prevent a recurrence.

• Conduct code reviews and collaborate with developers to improve code quality.

• Conduct regular backups and implement disaster recovery plans.

• Conduct regular performance testing and optimization.

Contribute

Contribute towards shaping the architecture, design and scalability of our processes and pipelines.

Create

• Create and maintain the build process and dashboard monitoring systems.

• Create Day2 Operations blueprints (like Backup, Incident Handling, Tuning, Scaling - Up or Down).

• Create solutions for a more connected, mobile and secure life.

Define

Define GCP's access control and role settings (IAM).

Delivery

Delivery team is responsible for building and maintaining the cloud platform.

Deploy

• Deploy a Centralized Logging solution with ELK Stack.

• Deploy and configure cloud services in Azure and AWS, such as AWS Lambda.

• Deploy and Configure databases and other programs on servers, both on prem and cloud.

Design

• Design and implement Finastra Enterprise Cloud Patterns & Practices.

• Design authority for Finastra Enterprise Cloud Patterns & Practices.

• Design automated deployment processes for cloud environments.

Develop

• Develop and implement automated scripting, ensuring compliance with organizational regulations.

• Develop and maintain automation procedures to assist with infrastructure automation.

• Develop and maintain operational runbooks.

• Develop and maintain up-to-date, clear, and effective operations automated responses and playbooks.

• Develop, document and maintain installation, provisioning, security and configuration procedures.

• Develop, maintain, and analyze automation processes and tooling for our AWS data lake environment.

• Develop security governance framework to harden CSPs account security.

Document

Document tools and processes on Keurig wiki.

Drive

• Drive continuous improvements of application and infrastructure deployments.

• Drive operational cost reductions through service optimizations and demand based auto scaling.

Educate

Educate stakeholders about DevOps and technologies specifically.

Enable

Enable data and analytics opportunities by developing and delivering cloud-native services.

Ensure

• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and security standards.

• Ensure data backup and disaster recovery procedures are in place.

• Ensure security best practices are followed in all stages of development and deployment.

• Ensure timely resolution of issues and customer requests.

Establish

• Establish DevOps best practices.

• Establish standards and repeatable processes for managing change across environments, taking.

Estimate

Estimate costs for application infrastructure.

Evaluate

• Evaluate and recommend tools and technologies to enhance productivity.

• Evaluate existing processes & tools and implement changes for better efficiency.

Execute

Execute changes on production systems whenever necessary.

Facilitate

Facilitate the cloud solution design and build process with IT and Business stakeholders.

Foster

Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team.

Handle

Handle seamless upgrades of infrastructure and services through automation.

Help

• Help the team on defining and deploy a solution for Threat and Vulnerability Management.

• Help the team on defining and incorporated Terraform.

Identify

• Identify and execute on cloud cost optimization opportunities.

• Identify, gather, analyze, and automate responses to key performance metrics, logs, and alerts.

Implement

• Implement and maintain continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.

• Implement CI processes and Cloud solutions framework.

• Implement enterprise cloud security, including default governance and compliance standards.

• Implement highly scalable applications and script frameworks.

• Implement infrastructure as code (IaC) practices for efficient management.

• Implement load balancing and auto-scaling strategies.

• Implement monitoring and logging solutions for improved visibility.

Install

• Install and Configure ArcGIS Enterprise.

• Install software and maintain HA production systems.

Integrate

• Integrate Blueprints with ITSM & Integration Tools (like ServiceNow and Morpheus).

• Integrate private and public cloud management infrastructure with application deployment processes.

Keep

Keep up to date with new cloud services and how they may be leveraged across Data Science.

Maintain

Maintain documentation for infrastructure and processes.

Manage

• Manage and maintain cloud-based infrastructures efficiently.

• Manage internal IT assets.

• Manage large projects or smaller engagements independently using your business and technical skills.

• Manage source control systems.

• Manage the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) infrastructure.

• Manage version control and code repositories.

Mentor

Mentor other team members and help train them on processes and features.

Monitor

• Monitor and manage application and system logs.

• Monitor applications and provide after-hours support for the applications.

• Monitor system performance and troubleshoot issues promptly.

Optimize

• Optimize cloud resources to avoid wastage and control costs.

• Optimize the infrastructure for cost efficiency and scalability.

Orchestrate

Orchestrate and Integrate Cloud (Hybrid and multi) operations.

Oversee

Oversee the planning and completion of appropriate actions to address critical risks.

Participate in

• Participate as an escalation point in 24x7 on-call rotation.

• Participate in on-call rotations as needed.

• Participate in on-call support and incident management.

• Participate in team activities such as peer code reviews and design collaboration efforts.

• Participate in the review of operational processes and procedures for efficiency and improvement.

• Participate in the service.

• Participate in the team's rotating on-call.

Perform

Perform root cause analysis of incidents and implement preventive measures.

Plan

Plan deployment strategy for web applications.

Produce

Produce and maintain documentation on installations, procedures, and requirements for systems.

Provide

• Provide guidance on integration technology, automation and coding languages.

• Provide service support by participating in regular on-call shifts responding to service issues.

Release

Release management in an operational setting.

Research

• Research new services and software and provide feedback / suggestions to government leadership.

• Research new technologies that will improve Operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Resolve

Resolve incidents and support the development team in debugging issues.

Review

Review, setup and maintain the CI / CD environment end-to-end.

Setup

Setup and utilize monitoring, usage tracking and logging systems.

Source

• Source code management GitHub.

• Source Control expertise (Git / TFS / Subversion).

Stay updated with

Stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies.

Strive

Strive to always make work more efficient, focused on the right priorities, and more fun.

Support

• Support Cloud workloads migration from non-LZ accounts to LZ environment.

• Support specific customer issues through assessment, interpretation, resolution or recommendations.

Take

Take ownership of code repository management, as well as test, integration and deployment management.

Troubleshoot

• Troubleshoot and resolve software issues relevant to the team's domain.

• Troubleshoot and Support user issues as they arise.

• Troubleshoot systems and analyze failures providing recommendations on performance.

Understand

Understand the unique needs and objectives of each team.

Update

Update / maintain Cloud and DevOps solution design documentation.

Verify

Verify testing plans and identify corrective actions as required.

Work with

• Work closely with development teams to improve the maintainability and reliability of services.

• Work closely with team members in a collaborative, agile environment.

• Work on creating standard AMIs (Linux and Windows).

• Work on the backlog of LZ enhancement or new feature requests.

• Work on the backlog of new AWS LZ Account requests.

• Work on tuning SecurityHub.

• Work with application owners / developers to advance their Cloud DevSecOps maturity.

• Work with internal data providers to grant and ensure access to data.

Write

Write or otherwise contribute to AWS customer-facing publications such as whitepapers and blog posts.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Cloud Devops Engineer:

1. Proficiency in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

2. Strong understanding of CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, or CircleCI.

3. Hands-on experience with configuration management tools like Ansible, Chef, or Puppet.

4. Knowledge of containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.

5. Scripting skills in Python, Bash, or Ruby for automation tasks.

6. Familiarity with version control systems like Git.

7. Experience with monitoring tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, or Nagios.

8. Solid understanding of networking principles and protocols.

9. Knowledge of database management systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or NoSQL databases.

10. Ability to implement security measures and best practices in cloud environments.

11. Familiarity with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.

12. Proficiency in Linux/Unix operating systems and command-line tools.

13. Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills.

14. Understanding of Agile methodologies and DevOps practices.

15. Knowledge of logging and centralized log management systems.

16. Experience with build tools like Maven, Gradle, or npm.

17. Proficiency in cloud storage and data management solutions.

18. Knowledge of virtualization technologies like VMware or Xen.

19. Familiarity with container orchestration platforms like Docker Swarm or Amazon ECS.

20. Expertise in infrastructure monitoring and alerting tools like ELK Stack or Splunk.

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Cloud Devops Engineer:

1. Strong problem-solving skills to identify and resolve complex technical issues.

2. Excellent communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams.

3. Adaptability and flexibility to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

4. Strong analytical thinking and decision-making abilities.

5. Ability to work well under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

6. Attention to detail to ensure accuracy in infrastructure management.

7. Teamwork and collaboration skills to foster a positive work environment.

8. Proactive mindset to anticipate and address potential challenges.

9. Continuous learning and curiosity to stay updated with evolving technologies.

10. Strong time management and prioritization skills to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Conclusion

A Cloud DevOps Engineer plays a pivotal role in the successful implementation and management of cloud-based infrastructures. Their responsibilities encompass a wide range of tasks, from automating processes to optimizing system performance, all while ensuring security, scalability, and reliability. To excel in this role, a combination of technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills is required. By mastering the hard skills and nurturing the soft skills mentioned in this blog post, aspiring Cloud DevOps Engineers can position themselves as valuable assets in the ever-evolving world of cloud computing and DevOps.