Pluralsight LIVE 2021 Week 2 recap: Cloudy with a chance of data

Week two of Pluralsight LIVE was all about keeping our heads (and our data) in the clouds. It’s clear that the future is built in the cloud, but, as Sam Kroonenburg noted in his week 1 LIVE keynote, 75% of enterprises cite a lack of expertise as a top challenge in achieving their cloud objectives. Week 2 of LIVE tackled this challenge, and more. Here’s what happened.

Surrounded by the Cloud: Cloud Transformation Challenges & Best Practices

The week launched with a panel that included cloud veterans Drew Firment, SVP of Cloud Transformation at A Cloud Guru; Broadus Palmer, founder of Level Up; and Scott Pletcher, Principal Community Training Architect at A Cloud Guru. They provided an overview of the common cloud pitfalls, explained the cultural change that transitioning to the cloud brings with it and offered insights into what they wished they knew when they were starting their cloud journey.

Watch Surrounded by the Cloud: Cloud Transformation Challenges & Best Practices from Pluralsight LIVE

While cloud computing offers countless strategic business advantages that may seem obvious, making that transition can seem daunting. The experts in this session provide a roadmap to success for your org.

“Cloud computing isn’t a science project or some random IT project that’s out there. What it is is a strategic competitive advantage. Companies that are adopting cloud computing can now focus on delivering their products and services in a more innovative and faster way to get to their customers. That’s ultimately what it’s about.” 

-Drew Firment, SVP of Cloud Transformation at A Cloud Guru

As has been a theme throughout all of LIVE, solving the people and process challenges at your org is as important as solving the technology challenges. In this case, having a plan to not only implement and transition to cloud computing but also upskill your technologists to thrive in cloud technologies is vital. The majority of both cloud leaders and employees have a vested interest in having cloud upskilling options available, and it's pivotal in maintaining top talent. However, only about half of companies have an actionable cloud skill development plan in place.

Live interactive discussions on the cloud

After the presentation, we held two separate interactive discussions for guests to share their thoughts, journeys and learnings. These open conversations provide unique opportunities for technologists to offer up insights and their own cloud transformation experiences. 

Transitioning your org to the cloud provides exceptional benefits for your development and security teams. That said, understanding the “why” of cloud transformation, having a plan beyond the initial migration and seeing it as more than “just a technology project” are important factors to take into consideration. These aspects are just a few reasons that the Surrounded by the Cloud discussions held throughout the week were so impactful. 

Stay tuned for more recaps, and if you haven’t already, register for week three to continue building a better technology team.