Azure Cloud Architect: Can They Get You The Results You Need?

Dan Jones (Product Sales Lead) 20-Dec-2022 09:34:00

Azure support

If you're overseeing cloud infrastructure on Azure, ensuring its effectiveness is crucial. You might be contemplating whether engaging an Azure cloud architect is the optimal solution for addressing performance or cost-related concerns in your business.

In this blog post, we'll outline the role and responsibilities of an Azure cloud architect and explore how they can assist your existing team. Additionally, we'll provide guidance on selecting the most suitable Azure cloud architect for your specific requirements.

Understanding the Role of an Azure Cloud Architect:

Azure cloud architects are tasked with designing, constructing, and overseeing Azure cloud solutions. Collaborating closely with clients, they comprehend their needs and formulate Azure solutions aligned with those requirements. Proficiency in Azure services, coupled with the ability to create scalable, resilient, and secure solutions, is imperative for Azure cloud architects.

These professionals must possess a profound grasp of Azure pricing and billing structures. Typically, their background lies in software engineering or systems administration. Some Azure cloud architects extend their expertise to other cloud platforms, such as AWS or Google Cloud Platform.

What are the limitations of an Azure architect?

Azure is complex, and Azure architects must have a deep understanding of the Microsoft platform in order to create solutions that meet the needs of their clients. Azure architects must be able to translate the requirements of their clients into Azure solutions. Azure architects also need to be able to work with other teams in order to ensure that the solutions they create can be successfully implemented.

While Azure architects have a great deal of responsibility, there are also several limitations that come with the job.

Azure Changes: New features and services are being released all the time. As a result, Azure architects must be constantly learning in order to keep up with the latest changes, but they cant know everything.
Range of Azure services: Azure is a large platform, and it can be difficult to find all of the information that an architect needs in order to create a solution. Especially as new ones are released all the time and the documentation is not always up to date.
Experience: While an architect may be highly skilled in one area of Azure, they may not have the same level of expertise in another area. As a result, an architect may need to rely on other team members in order to complete a project.

Also, an Azure architect is often brought into an organisation for a discrete piece of work, they act in a consultancy role for a project or a migration. This is okay for the scope of the piece of work they are commissioned to carry out, but often the longer-term goals of the project are lost.

For example, an architecture that is put in place with a roadmap for how it will scale out can quite quickly become out of date due to changes in the Azure platform.

Selecting the Right Azure Cloud Architect:

Azure cloud architects are in high demand as more and more companies move to the cloud. But how can you be sure that the Azure cloud architect you hire is the right fit for your company?

Here are a few things to look for:

Experience with Azure: Ensure the architect has hands-on experience with the Azure platform. Inquire about specific projects they've worked on and their respective roles.
Familiarity with Existing IT Infrastructure: Verify that the architect understands your company's current IT infrastructure. This includes comprehending on-premises systems and their potential integration with Azure.
Communication Skills: Assess the architect's communication style. They should be adept at conveying complex technical concepts in simple language and collaborating effectively with other team members.

By taking the time to ask the right questions, you can be confident that your company will be well-positioned for success in the cloud.

The cost of working with an Azure Cloud Architect compared to a cloud management solution

The cost of working with an Azure Cloud Architect compared to cloud management software varies depending on the size and complexity of the Azure solution. However, as a general rule, the main advantage of working with a cloud management solution is that you can bolt on professional services as you need them so this gives you a much lower spend.

Also, a cloud management solution will include automation which will allow a lot of the day-to-day monitoring to be done automatically which again lowers the dependence on an Azure architect to diagnose issues or fix them. If you want to find out more about getting the right Azure architecture first time read our article here.

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