Background

In cloud computing, there are various roles, such as cloud architect, cloud platform architect, cloud solutions architect, and cloud security/data/network architect. The lack of a collective agreement on the definitions and responsibilities of each role is evident to anyone navigating these roles. 

The software engineering field, which is much older and more mature than cloud computing, poses similar challenges. Many terms and roles might have different meanings, and there may be no standard definition. This is due to the rapidly evolving nature of the industry, where today’s definitions and standards may not be relevant in ten years. 

Nevertheless, the lack of role definitions could introduce complexities and confusion for those occupying the roles and those interacting with them. Cloud architecture and the role of a cloud architect are new compared to software engineering. In this post, I will focus on the architecture role in cloud computing and how it differs from the software architect role. 

Introduction

There are specialized cloud architect roles (such as cloud security architect, cloud data architect, and cloud network architect), which will not be discussed here. Within the cloud infrastructure domain, there are two distinct architect roles with some similarities and differences. 

The most common role is the Cloud Solutions Architect. This role is well-defined in each cloud provider’s documentation, and there are usually certifications available. Certifications are valuable as they are well-defined by the cloud provider and encompass the skills and knowledge needed to become a solutions architect. 

The other role is often called a Cloud Architect, or more specifically, a Cloud Platform Architect. The platform architect has a more holistic view of the organization and its adoption of cloud computing. 

In the remainder of this post, I will compare these two roles and provide some common definitions (though not standard or industry-wide accepted). Additionally, I will discuss the software architect role to complement the comparison. These definitions help understand the roles of various stakeholders and how we can collaborate to achieve business goals. 

Cloud (platform) Architect  

The cloud platform architect is usually a role in the organizations which have Cloud Center of Excellence (CCOE) or cloud platform(s) team. The responsibilities of this team are to design, build and manage a secure, scalable and efficient cloud infrastructure also known as a landing zone. The role of the cloud platform architect within this team is to devise a cloud strategy aligned with business needs. Then translate the strategy into standardized cloud design and practices. The platform architect is also responsible for the overall evolution of the cloud platform and landing zones to support business and industry direction.   

Key responsibilities: 

• Develop strategies for cloud adoption and migration, ensuring alignment with business objectives. 

• Oversee the overall design and implementation and operations of the landing zones. 

• Manage organization cloud infrastructure, with respect to security, compliance, cost optimization, sustainability and operational performance.  

• Communicating and collaborating with a wide range of IT and business professionals to create value through cloud adoption, cloud migration and cloud modernization.  

Key Technical Skills: 

• Cloud Platforms: Proficiency in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Staying up to date with new services and innovations in the cloud industry.  

• Networking: Understanding of cloud networking concepts and services. 

• Security: Knowledge of cloud security best practices, identity and access management (IAM), and compliance standards. 

• DevOps and automation: Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools like CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and automating cloud operations 

Key Soft Skills: 

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to design effective cloud landing zones. 

• Communication: Excellent communication skills to collaborate with various teams and stakeholders. 

• Leadership: Ability to lead projects and guide teams through cloud adoption and implementation. 

• Strategic Thinking: Capability to align cloud strategies with business goals and objectives. 

• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to new technologies and changing business requirements. 

Cloud Solutions Architect 

As the name implies, a solutions architect is architecting a cloud solution for a particular use case. They ensure that the solution meets the business requirements, is scalable, secure, and cost-effective. Their role involves understanding the problem domain, selecting the appropriate cloud services, and architecting a solution that aligns with the functional and non-functional requirements.  

It is important to note that solutions architect is usually responsible for the cloud infrastructure of the application.  

Key responsibilities: 

• Design and manage the infrastructure and services in a cloud landing zone to support specific applications and workloads. 

• Choose appropriate cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). 

• Disaster Recovery: Plan for data backup and recovery in case of failures.  

• Automation: Use tools to automate deployment, scaling, and management tasks. 

• Performance Optimization: Monitor and optimize the performance of cloud services.  

Key Technical Skills: 

• Cloud Platforms: Proficiency in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or other cloud platforms. 

• Architecture Design: Strong understanding of architecture design patterns and best practices for cloud solutions. 

• Networking: Knowledge of cloud networking, including virtual networks, DNS, Gateways, load balancing, CDN, hybrid connectivity and VPN, network security and monitoring.  

• Security: Expertise in cloud security, IAM, and compliance standards. 

• Database Management: Understanding of cloud-based databases and data storage solutions. 

• Application Development: Knowledge of software development and deployment in cloud environments. 

Key soft skills: 

• Problem-Solving: Necessary for finding innovative solutions within the cloud landing zones 

• Communication: Essential for effectively conveying complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and collaborating with various teams 

• Customer Empathy: Understanding and addressing customer needs and pain points.  

Software architect 

The software architect role is more related to software engineering practice as opposed to cloud practices. The software architect is mainly focused on designing the application or workload itself. The design decisions of the software architect are highly relevant to cloud solutions architect who design the infrastructure for the application or workload. These two roles can be combined as one.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Architectural Design: Creating and maintaining the architecture of software systems. 

• Technical Leadership: Guiding development teams and making critical technical decisions. 

• Quality Assurance: Ensuring the software meets quality, performance, and security standards. 

• Stakeholder Communication: Communicating effectively with stakeholders to understand requirements and constraints. 

• Technology Evaluation: Assessing and selecting appropriate technologies and tools. 

Key technical skills: 

• Software Design Patterns: Proficiency in various design patterns and architectural styles. 

• Programming Languages: Strong coding skills in multiple programming languages. 

• System Integration: Knowledge of integrating multiple systems and services. 

• Performance Optimization: Skills in optimizing software performance and scalability. 

Key soft skills:  

• Communication: Ability to convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. 

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills to identify and resolve issues. 

• Mentorship: Coaching and mentoring team members. 

• Collaboration: Working well with cross-functional teams. 

Similarities in responsibilities and skills 

The similarities between these three architect roles are many. I want to highlight my favorite similarities regarding these roles’ responsibilities.   

• Requirement gathering: Gather and evaluate functional and non-functional requirements for the system 

• Decision-making: Make informed decisions based on prior knowledge and current requirements, tradeoffs, and limitations 

• Design architecture: Design architecture diagrams for the target system 

• Documentation: Log all the design considerations and architectural decisions along with the design diagrams 

• Leadership and mentorship: Leading and guiding team members  

• Strategic thinking: Be forward-thinking and adaptive while considering business objectives and industry changes 

Takeaways

This post defines three architect roles, highlighting their similarities and key differences. It aims to help professionals and organizations understand these roles better. Remember, these roles and definitions can vary across companies and may overlap. 

[The article is written by me, assisted by AI]

References of the AI

• [1] Software Architect vs Cloud Architect – Memi Lavi 
• [2] Solutions Architect vs Software Architect: What’s the Difference? 
• [3] Solutions Architect vs. Cloud Architect: What Are the Differences … 
• [4] Cloud Architect
• [5] Developer to (software) Architect blog
• [6] AWS Solutions Architect Job Description [Updated for 2025] 
• [7] Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert