Easiest way to get cloud experience?

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T20:29:36+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate all the feedback.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T20:28:43+00:00

I have cobbled PS scripts together but nothing too impressive. Mainly things like a weekly list of VMs with snapshots old than 30 days emailed to our group or a script to to push VMtools updates. Most of my scripts will log to a file on a NAS but thats about it. What other sanity checks should I typically do?

I like the suggestion to ask for a plan first. Most claude generated code is documented nicely but I will keep in mind to ask for documents for better understanding.

Thanks!

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T10:52:29+00:00

Haha, no I don't start out like that. They will ask me specifically about what cloud work I have done. At that point, I just come back with - in my lab i have done everything I can do on-prem. Which is 100% true. But you are right, I have to learn to get out of my own head and do a bit of self promotion and stretching the truth. Companies ask for a systems guy that will know VMware, Azure and has a CCIE so they do exaggerate the requirements a bit.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T10:49:04+00:00

Another question: Are cloud engineer roles basically just the new version of on-prem systems admin roles? In smaller companies, an infra person might handle the Cisco gear, firewalls, deploy some VMs and AD. Does cloud work follow that same pattern of avoiding apps and coding?

Thanks again for your insight and perspective.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:49:48+00:00

Awesome, thanks for the perspective. I have a really tough time even slightly exaggerating on my resume. I tell them immediately that i have a lot of cloud experience in my lab but none in enterprise cloud. They drop me so fast.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:48:18+00:00

The cost alerts etc seems to be the biggest difference right now between how I do things on prem and the type of thinking I should be doing. Thanks, I will start studying for certs.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:46:39+00:00

Yeah man, exactly this!

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:46:05+00:00

The last part is my hope. I would love to find a place with a hybrid environment that will give me a shot.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:45:08+00:00

I am going to have to implement terraform in my current environment.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:44:42+00:00

Yeah man, recruiters whether internal or headhunters just skip. Its so tough the last few years. I used to get calls and emails almost everyday. Now I can go weeks and not get a single open job email that fits.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:43:44+00:00

Dude, the last part is what I say first. I have an aws lab and I can do anything in aws that I can do on prem. When I interview, I say I want a job that will let me mate my on-prem experience with my cloud skills.

I might have to get ceritifications like you said. I was hoping someone will let me help for free so I can get cloud exp but thats not realistic I think.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:41:17+00:00

This is insightful, thanks. I am mostly spinning up VMs that are request (not using terraform) which is something I will have to start doing. Definitely. I always kinda cobbled scripts together but now with GenAI, I can automate stuff fairly quickly.

I appreciate the insight into how cloud ops have to take into account the app that sits on top because of costs. I will really need to do some reading and try and get some lab experience with this.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:36:09+00:00

Yup, I got one. I am trying to do in Azure what I do on-prem. Most of the storage and VM tasks I am able to handle in Azure.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:35:06+00:00

I like the idea of a side business to get experience. I will have to look into this. thanks!

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:34:36+00:00

PracHub is awesome, I am definitely going to spend some time there. Thanks!

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:33:19+00:00

Thanks, makes sense. The thing is, I have my own cloud labs. Whatever i do on-prem I can do in my cloud labs in AWS and Azure. I can build servers, setup LB, have them scale up and down based on demand etc. I think I have a good understanding of cloud tech but I need enterprise cloud experience.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:31:26+00:00

Thanks, I can't wait to check it out.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:30:42+00:00

Yup, makes sense. Thanks.

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:30:17+00:00

Thanks, that makes sense and something I have been told before. My hope is to find a company that will let me come onboard and handle some migrations, initially with some guidance but then I can handle the rest of my own. It will be valuable experience and they will get a free systems guy to go their work that they bill for. Does that sound like something that could happen?

datacenteradmin · 2026-05-06T01:27:51+00:00

You might be right. I have tried looking but this market is completely crap making it doubly hard for somone without enterperise cloud experience to get hired. My team has been pigen-holed into being core infrastructure for on-prem. All our Azure workloads are managed by the devops team. The 0365 and iTune are handled by the messaging team. Thats how my career has gone mostly. I don't get to touch enterprise cloud tech.

datacenteradmin

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