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September 5, 2021Understanding the Different Enterprise Architecture Certifications
In recent years, the field of enterprise architecture has been growing. An enterprise architect makes more than $100,000 per year. This career can unlock many business opportunities.
The money that an enterprise architect makes varies depending on the certifications that the architect has. Different businesses are turning to enterprise architecture for high-level company solutions. In fact, surveys show that business executives think of enterprise architects as their biggest asset in executing their business plans.
In less than 10 years, the United States will need more than 500,00 new jobs in the field of enterprise architecture.
The future certainly is bright for enterprise architects. But before you jump into this career, it is important to know and understand the different enterprise architect certifications.
Enterprise Architecture
Enterprise architecture boosts business productivity with a holistic approach. It brings the whole corporation to the same page by pulling operations and systems together.
Due to the rapid technology advancements, businesses mix different technologies and information systems which can lead to confusion and collaboration problems. Organizations are left with a huge technology sprawl. Good enterprise architecture will lead the different entities towards the main goal of the organization in order to meet its mission.
Enterprise architects design everything and assign tasks in a centralized manner to help the company in achieving its goals.
Benefits of Enterprise Architecture
Wondering why a career in enterprise architecture is in high demand? One significant reason is its ability to transform and reshape a company.
Here are other ways enterprise architecture can help strengthen a company:
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Fortified company mission
- Enterprise architects make sure that the technology decisions made within the company are always aligned with the company’s mission. With the help of an enterprise architect, making big decisions becomes easier.
- Good enterprise architecture makes tasks more simple. It also boosts the company’s information technology “systems” secret sauce, which saves time and creates more profit for the company.
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Boosted Productivity
- With all the essential systems unified, companies are able to adapt to changes more easily. Enterprise architecture prepares the company for further changes in technology and business.
- Enterprise architecture simplifies the flow of technology and technological systems. This allows the company’s specialists to focus on what they do best.
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Decreased Risks
- A good enterprise architect has the know-how for making different technological processes simpler. Simplified tech processes means a safer and more secure system.
- Enterprise architects can determine potential risks and improve the system security of the organization.
- Organizations are better equipped to fight off and prepared for internal and external threats.
What does an Enterprise Architect (EA) do?
An enterprise architect is the person responsible for setting up measurement tools, gathering data, and most of all, improving the overall status of the organization. They help lead them to a path towards their strategic goals.
The job of enterprise architects has a heavy focus on information technology. They navigate a company’s IT system while providing leadership for the program and services of the organization.
EAs usually have a heavy focus on information technology. They navigate IT and provide leadership and support for both projects and services in the company. They work to keep the technologies of the company updated and gather feedback to improve the company’s IT strategy.
Specifically, these are the common tasks in the field of enterprise architecture:
- Lead program development and management of IT systems
- Look for solutions that fit the company’s business needs and implement them
- Craft the architectural foundation that will improve the workflow inside the company
- Plan for and strategically incorporate new technologies while maintaining current technologies.and maintain the existing IT system
- Identify technical problems
What qualities and skills should an Enterprise Architect have?
- Organized
- Being organized means having a system to follow. An EA needs to lead a company so that it can achieve its primary goals. Be able to develop an organized game plan to achieve the goals at hand..
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Good negotiation and listening skills are a must to bridge gaps between departments inside the company.
- Technology Savvy
- Enterprise architecture is a field that is focused on information technology. An EA must have an excellent grip on technology and IT systems. If you don’t currently have a home technology lab to test new technologies, you better start ASAP.
What is the salary of an Enterprise Architect?
On average, the salary of a certified enterprise architect ranges from $100,000 to $120,000 per year. However, the amount varies depending on the years of experience in the field, job location, and the level of education.
An enterprise architect with less than five years of experience in the field tends to earn around $100,000 a year. Those with five to ten years of experience earn up to$120,000. A veteran who has been in the field for more than ten years can earn up to $150,000 per year or more.
Location has a significant impact on the salary of an enterprise architect. If you are based in Philadelphia or the MD/VA/DC areas, your salary is 30 percent higher than the rest of the United States. Other areas with slightly higher salary rates are Atlanta, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Enterprise Architecture Certifications
There are different enterprise architect certifications that you need to be familiar with. A certified enterprise architect has the tools that are needed to take on any challenge in the world of IT.
Here are some of the most important EA certificates that you need to consider to make sure that you hire the best EA.
TOGAF Certification
TOGAF, or The Open Group Architecture Framework, is one of the most important certifications for EAs. As a TOGAF certified enterprise architect, you have the ability to make complex processes simple.
TOGAF is a methodology and framework that is used to make enterprise-level software. It is a high-level and systematic approach which is designed to minimize errors, to keep up with the timelines, and to keep the project on budget, and align IT with business units.
TOGAF is one of the most used frameworks for enterprise architecture, which makes it a useful certification to add to your resume. This certification is recognized globally. It has two levels of certification: the TOGAF 9 Foundation certification or Level 1, and Level 2, which can be taken after passing Level 1.
The TOGAF certification exam costs $320 per exam, but if you decide on taking both at once, it will only cost $495.
The Zachman Certification
The Zachman certification combines theories and concepts with real-world experience. An enterprise architect must demonstrate a deep understanding of how things work based on real world dynamic environments not just in books.
To be a Zachman certified enterprise architect, you are required to constantly work on making your existing skills stronger. This certification process will give you a broader understanding of how the enterprise architecture industry works.
There are three levels in the Zachman Certification framework. If you pass Level 1, you qualify as an associate enterprise architect. Associate level means that you have knowledge to perform enterprise architecture jobs. Passing the second level means that you are a professional EA with solid career experience and knowledge.
If you are able to complete the third level, you can become an instructor in the field of enterprise architecture.
The ITIL Master Certification
The ITIL Master certification is developed by Axelos. Having this certificate on your resume shows that you are able to apply the principles, concepts, techniques, and methods from ITIL to your workplace.
To achieve the ITIL Master certification, the enterprise architect should be able to expound and justify how you chose and implemented the principles and methods from the ITIL framework. You must also remember the management techniques to help the business to achieve its goals.
There is not a fixed syllabus for this certification. The ITIL Master candidate will need to choose real projects they have worked on and explain and justify how they selected and applied knowledge from the ITIL framework to achieve success for the business.
To be a candidate for ITIL Master Certification, you must have already acquired the ITIL Expert certificate. Also, you should have worked in IT service management for at least five years.
AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certified Solution Architect
The coverage of the AWS Certified Solution Architect exam includes building an architectural design solution based on the requirements of the clients.
To pass this exam, the EA should practice the best methods to implement and oversee the EA project. The EA must have a solid experience in computers, networking, and database AWS services.
The EA is not required to take a formal course to pass the exam, however, Amazon recommends that the EA must have six months to two years of experience using AWS before taking the exam.
CISSP Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (CISSIP-ISSAP)
The CISSIP-ISSAP certification is designed for professionals who already have a Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSIP) certification. This was developed for those who want to add a specialization in architecture.
The EA needs to be CISSIP certified on top of the two years of experience working with one or more domains in the CISSIP-ISSAP framework.
The coverage of this exam includes access and identity management architecture, infrastructure security, security operations architecture, compliance, governance, risk management, application security, and security architecture modeling.
EC Council Certified Network Defense Architect (CNDA)
The Certified Network Defense Architect (CNDA) certification from EC Council is designed for government and military agencies. It is focused on security and compliance.
Before the EA can take the CNDA course, he needs to earn a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certificate first and be employed by a military or government agency.
The CNDA certification is the same as the CEH, which is intended for individuals who are trusted by their employer to perform tasks that attempt to penetrate a network or a system using the same methods as a hacker.
The CNDA exam costs $250.
Google Professional Cloud Architect
The Google Professional Cloud Architect certification demonstrates the abilities of the EA in working with Google Cloud technologies.
To earn this certification, the EA needs to know how to design, plan, and develop a cloud solution architecture for security and compliance. The EA should also know how to manage cloud infrastructure, and analyze and optimize business processes.
The EA is also expected to oversee how the cloud architecture is implemented. You do not need to have other certifications under your belt to take the Google Professional Cloud Architect Certification exam. However, the EA should take the exam at an official testing center location.
Professional Cloud Solutions Architect Certification
This certificate is offered by the Cloud Credential Council (CCC). This is designed for the application, system, technology, and enterprise architects, as well as senior developers and cloud strategy consultants.
The coverage of this certification includes ITaaS (IT as a Service), cloud computing, customer requirements, service management, cloud technology implementation, and evaluation of cloud solution architecture.
There are no requirements needed prior to taking this exam, but veteran EAs recommend earning the Cloud Technology Associate and TOGAF 9 certifications first.
The cost of this exam is $499 which covers the self-study material and the exam voucher.
Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA)
The Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA) certification demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability of an EA in designing and building solutions on the Salesforce platform.
Before taking the CTA exam, the EA needs to earn his Certified Application Architect or Certified Systems Architect certifications. Also, the EA needs to pass the Technical Architect Review board exam.
The certification exam consists of hypothetical situations. The customer requirements are given and the examinee will be asked to come up with an architecture solution. The EA is given two hours to prepare and four hours to pitch his solution to the judges.
This certification exam costs $200.
The Open Group Certified Architect (Open CA)
The Open Group Certified Architect certification has three levels. Level 1 is the Certified level, the second level is Master, and the last level is Distinguished.
Unlike other certifications, the EA does not need to take a course or pass an examination to earn his Open Group Certified Architect certificate. It is a program that requires the applicants to demonstrate their skills and experience against a set of requirements through written applications and peer reviews.
The applicant can use Open Group’s self-assessment tool to determine his potential qualifications for levels 1 and 2. The Open CA certification costs $1250 with an annual renewal fee of $175 and a recertification every three years for $250.
In Summary
There are a lot of different certifications and training that an enterprise architect needs to have to be a certified enterprise architect. The field of enterprise architecture is a broad field, and the opportunities are endless.
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