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Cloud Security Engineering Journey
Welcome to my professional blog documenting the systematic transition from Network Engineering to Cloud Cyber Security Engineering.
🗂️ What You’ll Find Here
- Real certification study data with actual scores and timelines
- Technical automation projects with code and documentation
- Career transition insights from applications to interviews
- Home lab configurations and cloud experiments
📈 Career Roadmap & Progression Goals
🏗️ Phase 1: Foundation Building (August 2025 - March 2026)
Duration: 7 months | Study Commitment: 24+ hours/week intensive focus
Strategic Reality Check: CCNA assessment week (August 5-9, 2025) revealed 34.7% average across all domains, requiring complete knowledge rebuild rather than simple renewal.
Revised Certification Timeline:
- Microsoft AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) - August 2025 ✅
🎯 Current Focus: CCNA Intensive Study** (August 2025 - February 2026) - Complete foundation rebuild
- PowerShell/Bash Mastery (February 2026) - Automation scripting foundation
- SC-900 (March 2026) - Security & Compliance fundamentals
- CompTIA Security+ (April 2026) - Industry-standard security certification
Strategic Adaptation: Python completely paused until CCNA foundations secured. 100% focus on closing critical knowledge gaps identified through systematic assessment.
Expected Salary Range: £50,000-£70,000
Target Roles: Junior Cloud Security Engineer, Network Automation Specialist
🔐 Phase 2: Cloud Network & Security Specialisation (May 2026 - November 2026)
Duration: 7 months | Study Commitment: 20+ hours/week
Multi-Technology Integration Strategy:
- Python PCEP (May 2026) - Resume Python with network automation focus
- Cisco Meraki Specialist (June 2026) - Leverage KCP Network experience
- Microsoft AZ-500 (August 2026) - Azure Security Engineer Associate
- Microsoft AZ-104 (October 2026) - Azure Administrator Associate
- Microsoft SC-300 (November 2026) - Identity & Access Administrator
Automation Trinity: CCNA + Python + PowerShell creating unique market positioning for infrastructure automation roles.
Expected Salary Range: £70,000-£100,000
Target Roles: Cloud Security Engineer, Infrastructure Automation Specialist, Senior Network Engineer
Target Career Opportunity: Infrastructure Engineer
Market Research Validation: Hedge fund Infrastructure Engineer roles (£80-85K + 25% bonus = £100-106K total) perfectly align with Phase 2 skill development, representing significant salary acceleration opportunity.
Application Timeline: June-August 2026 (post-CCNA completion with automation portfolio)
💰 Phase 3: Advanced Architecture & Leadership (December 2026 - May 2027)
Duration: 6/7 months | Study Commitment: 15+ hours/week
Expert-Level Positioning:
- Microsoft AZ-305 (February 2027) - Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Advanced Specialisations (May 2027) - CISSP preparation or additional expert certifications
- Enterprise Portfolio - Public GitHub repository with production-grade automation projects
Expected Salary Range: £100,000-£130,000+
Target Roles: Principal Cloud Engineer, Cloud Security Architect, Infrastructure Engineering Manager
🛠️ Risk Management & Adaptation Strategy
“Python as Constant Companion” Paused: Assessment data revealed critical need for singular CCNA focus. Python will resume May 2026 integrated with network automation applications.
Assessment-Driven Planning: Weekly progress validation using MeasureUp practice tests with systematic domain rebuilding approach.
Career Acceleration Potential: Structured approach positions for premium financial services roles exceeding original salary projections by £20-50K annually.
🛠️ Automation & Portfolio Development
Ongoing throughout all phases:
- PowerShell and Python automation projects
- Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/ARM templates)
- Security monitoring and incident response tools
- Hybrid cloud networking solutions
- Open-source contributions and technical writing
Everything shared here is from real experience, with actual data, genuine challenges, and transparent progress tracking.