Question:

As a former system engineer and IT engineer with experience in various on-prem and cloud technologies, I am facing a layoff in October and need to update my skills for the job market. What are the most relevant and in-demand areas of study for system admin/engineer roles in 2024? Specifically, I am interested in knowing:

– How prevalent are Azure and AWS in the industry, and what are the best practices for managing hybrid and cloud-based workloads?

– How valuable is my on-prem equipment and knowledge, and should I invest in upgrading or replacing it?

– How can I leverage my home lab and my VCP-DCV certification to learn new skills and demonstrate my competencies?

– What are the benefits of obtaining an E3 license and integrating it with my existing Active Directory and Windows DNS setup?

Answer:

How to prepare for system admin/engineer roles in 2024

The IT industry is constantly evolving, and system admins and engineers need to keep up with the latest trends and technologies to stay relevant and competitive in the job market. In this article, we will answer some common questions that system admins and engineers may have about updating their skills and knowledge for 2024.

Azure and AWS are two of the most popular and widely used cloud platforms in the industry, and they are expected to grow even more in the coming years. According to a report by Gartner, the global public cloud market is projected to reach $364.1 billion in 2022, up from $257.5 billion in 2020. Azure and AWS account for more than half of the market share, with 20.3% and 31.7% respectively.

As more and more organizations migrate their workloads to the cloud, system admins and engineers need to be proficient in managing hybrid and cloud-based environments. Some of the best practices for doing so are:

• Understand the cloud service models and offerings: Azure and AWS offer different types of cloud services, such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and function as a service (FaaS). System admins and engineers need to understand the benefits and limitations of each service model, and how to choose the best one for their specific needs and goals.
• Leverage the cloud-native tools and features: Azure and AWS provide various tools and features to help system admins and engineers monitor, manage, secure, and optimize their cloud resources. For example, Azure Monitor, Azure Security Center, AWS CloudFormation, AWS CloudTrail, and AWS Lambda are some of the cloud-native solutions that can simplify and automate various tasks and processes in the cloud.
• Adopt the cloud best practices and standards: Azure and AWS have their own set of best practices and standards for designing, deploying, and operating cloud solutions. System admins and engineers need to follow these guidelines to ensure the performance, reliability, scalability, security, and compliance of their cloud workloads. For example, the Azure Well-Architected Framework and the AWS Well-Architected Framework are two comprehensive resources that provide the best practices and recommendations for building and maintaining high-quality cloud applications.

How valuable is my on-prem equipment and knowledge, and should I invest in upgrading or replacing it?

On-prem equipment and knowledge are still valuable and relevant in the IT industry, especially for system admins and engineers who work with hybrid and multi-cloud environments. On-prem equipment and knowledge can provide several advantages, such as:

• More control and customization: On-prem equipment and knowledge allow system admins and engineers to have more control and flexibility over their hardware, software, and network configurations. They can tailor their solutions to their specific requirements and preferences, and avoid the potential limitations and constraints of the cloud providers.
• More security and compliance: On-prem equipment and knowledge can help system admins and engineers to meet the security and compliance standards of their organizations and industries. They can implement their own security policies and measures, and comply with the regulations and laws that may not be fully supported by the cloud providers.
• More cost-effectiveness: On-prem equipment and knowledge can help system admins and engineers to reduce their operational and maintenance costs, especially for workloads that have predictable and stable demand, and do not require frequent scaling or updating. They can also leverage their existing investments and assets, and avoid the potential hidden or unexpected costs of the cloud providers.

However, on-prem equipment and knowledge also have some drawbacks, such as:

• More complexity and maintenance: On-prem equipment and knowledge require system admins and engineers to manage and maintain their own infrastructure and resources, which can be complex and time-consuming. They also need to keep up with the technological changes and innovations, and upgrade or replace their equipment and knowledge accordingly.
• More risk and vulnerability: On-prem equipment and knowledge expose system admins and engineers to more risk and vulnerability, especially in terms of availability, scalability, and security. They need to ensure the backup, recovery, and redundancy of their systems and data, and protect them from natural disasters, cyberattacks, and human errors.

Therefore, system admins and engineers need to weigh the pros and cons of their on-prem equipment and knowledge, and decide whether to invest in upgrading or replacing them based on their current and future needs and goals. They also need to consider the trade-offs and synergies between their on-prem and cloud solutions, and find the optimal balance and integration between them.

How can I leverage my home lab and my VCP-DCV certification to learn new skills and demonstrate my competencies?

A home lab and a VCP-DCV certification are two valuable assets for system admins and engineers who want to learn new skills and demonstrate their competencies. A home lab can provide a safe and convenient environment for system admins and engineers to experiment with different technologies and scenarios, and practice their skills and knowledge. A VCP-DCV certification can validate their expertise and proficiency in VMware vSphere, which is one of the most widely used and respected virtualization platforms in the industry.

Some of the ways to leverage a home lab and a VCP-DCV certification are:

• Expand the scope and scale of the home lab: System admins and engineers can expand the scope and scale of their home lab by adding more hardware, software, and network components, and creating more complex and realistic scenarios. They can also use their home lab to simulate and test hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and learn how to integrate and manage their on-prem and cloud solutions.
• Explore the latest and emerging technologies and trends: System admins and engineers can use their home lab to explore the latest and emerging technologies and trends in the IT industry, and learn how to apply them to their work and projects. For example, they can use their home lab to learn about containerization, microservices, serverless computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain, and how they can enhance and transform their system administration and engineering tasks and processes.
• Update and renew the VCP-DCV certification: System admins and engineers can update and renew their VCP-DCV certification by taking the latest exams and courses that cover the most recent versions and features of VMware vSphere. They can also use their home lab to prepare and practice for the exams and courses, and reinforce their learning and understanding of VMware vSphere.
• Pursue higher-level and specialized certifications: System admins and engineers can pursue higher-level and specialized certifications that can further demonstrate their skills and competencies in system administration and engineering. For example, they can pursue the VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) or the VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) certifications, which are the next levels after the VCP-DCV certification. They can also pursue certifications in other domains and platforms, such as Azure, AWS, Cisco, Red Hat, and Linux.

What are the benefits of obtaining an E3 license and integrating it with my existing Active Directory and Windows DNS setup?

An E3 license is a subscription plan that provides access to various Microsoft products and services, such as Office 365, Windows 10 Enterprise, and Enterprise Mobility + Security. Integrating an E3 license with an existing Active Directory and Windows DNS setup can provide several benefits, such as:

• Enhanced productivity and collaboration: An E3 license can enable system admins and engineers to use the latest and most advanced versions of Office 365 applications, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams. These applications can help system admins and engineers to create, edit, share, and communicate their work and projects more efficiently and effectively. They can also use the cloud-based features and functionalities of Office 365, such as OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange Online, to store, sync, and access their files and data from anywhere and any device.
• Improved security and compliance: An E3 license can provide system admins and engineers with more security and compliance options and tools, such as Windows Defender, BitLocker, Azure Information Protection, and Microsoft Intune. These options and tools can help system admins and engineers to protect their devices, data, and identities from unauthorized access and threats, and comply with the policies and regulations of their organizations and industries. They can also use the hybrid identity and access management capabilities of Azure Active Directory, which can integrate with their existing Active Directory and Windows DNS setup, to manage and control their users and resources across their on-prem and cloud environments.
• Increased flexibility and scalability: An E3 license can offer system admins and engineers more flexibility and scalability in terms of their deployment and usage of Microsoft products and services. They can choose between the per-user or per-device licensing models, and adjust their subscription plans according to their changing needs and demands. They can also use the Windows 10 Enterprise features and functionalities, such as Windows Autopilot, Windows Virtual Desktop, and Windows Update for Business, to deploy, manage, and update their Windows devices more easily and efficiently.

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hope this article draft is helpful for you. Please let me know if you have any feedback or questions. 😊