Hi, I'm Craig Johnson from Forward Networks, and I recently made the transition from network engineer to cloud engineer. Over the past two and a half years, I've been diving deep into AWS, Azure, and GCP, and I wanted to share my experience—both the challenges and the rewards—of learning cloud networking. Here’s a bit about how I got from where I was to where I am today.

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Hands-On Learning: My Key to Success

I’m a big believer in learning by doing. As a network engineer, I spent years building virtual topologies, so when I decided to move into cloud networking, I applied the same approach. Instead of relying on books or videos, I built cloud environments using **Forward Enterprise**. Getting my hands dirty with real-world projects allowed me to troubleshoot and understand cloud constructs in a way that no book could offer.

Cloud Networking: More Familiar Than You Think

One thing that surprised me was how many cloud networking concepts are similar to traditional on-prem environments. Whether you're working with subnets, routing tables, or security groups, the principles are very much the same. AWS, for example, uses EC2 instances, which are essentially virtual machines—something any network engineer is familiar with. With Forward Enterprise, I was able to visualize these networks, identify issues, and troubleshoot with ease, which helped me bridge the gap between on-prem and cloud environments quickly.

How Forward Enterprise Helped Me Master Cloud Visibility

One of the most valuable tools I’ve used during this transition is **Forward Enterprise**. It allowed me to model complex cloud networks, take snapshots, and see everything laid out in a clear, visual format. This was crucial for troubleshooting and understanding how everything fit together. I could compare on-prem and cloud environments side-by-side, speeding up my learning process and giving me confidence in my configurations.

Key Lessons from My Cloud Journey:

• Learning by doing is crucial**: Building cloud networks and troubleshooting in real-time helped me master the basics and understand cloud architecture better than reading or watching videos ever could.
• Cloud networking is not as foreign as it seems**: Many concepts, like subnets and routing tables, are similar to what I’d been doing in traditional networking for years.
• Forward Enterprise made it easier**: By providing visibility and tools to troubleshoot across both cloud and on-prem environments, I was able to accelerate my learning and avoid major headaches.

Transitioning to cloud engineering has been an exciting and rewarding journey for me. With the right tools and a hands-on approach, it's definitely an achievable goal for anyone in the networking field.