Hello Dev.to community! 👋
After 16 years as a systems administrator and cybersecurity specialist in Qatar, I've decided it's time to document my journey into the exciting world of cloud engineering. I've been posting about my Cloud Resume Challenge on LinkedIn, but I wanted to join this amazing community to share more technical details and connect with fellow cloud enthusiasts.
Why I Started This Journey
You know that moment when you realize technology has evolved and it's time to evolve with it? That's where I found myself recently. With Qatar's growing cloud adoption and the recent launch of local data centers by Microsoft and Google, the opportunity to transition into cloud engineering couldn't be better timed.
Instead of just updating my resume with buzzwords like "cloud skills," I decided to build something that actually demonstrates what I can do. That's how I found myself taking on the Cloud Resume Challenge - turning a simple resume into a full-fledged cloud application.
Think of this journey as watching a duck glide smoothly on water while paddling furiously underneath! I'll be sharing both the smooth results and the furious paddling that makes it all possible.
What I'll Be Sharing Here
I'm planning to post about:
- Technical deep-dives: The architecture behind my projects, code snippets, and solutions to technical challenges
- Learning resources: Tools and approaches that have helped me learn cloud technologies
- Career insights: Reflections on transitioning from systems administration to cloud engineering in Qatar's unique tech landscape
- Cloud services exploration: Hands-on experiences with Azure services and beyond
My Cloud Journey So Far
What started as a simple online resume has evolved into a full cloud application with:
- Serverless Backend: An Azure Function API built in Python that tracks and displays visitor counts
- Database Integration: CosmosDB with MongoDB API for persistent data storage
- Automated Deployments: CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions
- Performance Optimization: Azure CDN that reduced page load times by 33%
- Infrastructure as Code: Terraform implementation to define and manage Azure resources
The most fascinating part hasn't been building these components individually – it's understanding how they work together. For instance, when someone visits my resume site, their browser requests the page from Azure Storage, the visitor counter JavaScript makes an API call to my Azure Function, which connects to CosmosDB, increments the counter, and returns the updated value - all happening in milliseconds while respecting security boundaries.
My Learning Toolkit
I believe in transparency about modern development practices. Here's what I'm using:
- VS Code with GitHub Copilot ❤️: My coding companion
- GitHub: Where all my code lives
- Claude.AI: Helping me understand complex concepts
- Azure Services: Where it all comes together
These tools have transformed how I learn. Instead of drowning in documentation, I use AI to break down complex concepts into digestible pieces. For instance, I created what I call "The Journey of a Click" - a detailed breakdown of how a visitor counter works in the cloud.
Let's Connect!
I'm particularly interested in connecting with:
- Cloud professionals in Qatar
- Organizations building cloud solutions in our region
- Anyone interested in Qatar's cloud computing future
- Those on similar career transition journeys
Remember, the biggest tools we need are curiosity, positivity, and persistence! Feel free to reach out, comment on posts, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
What's Next?
In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing more details about my Terraform implementation, exploring multi-cloud strategies with AWS, and diving deeper into specific Azure services. I'm also planning some posts about cloud computing opportunities specific to Qatar's growing tech scene.
Check out my Cloud Resume Challenge project at talharesume.com or explore my code on GitHub.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. The cloud might seem vast, but we're navigating it together!
Top comments (0)