CCSK Success Stories: From a Cloud Technical Specialist

This is part of a blog series interviewing cybersecurity professionals who have earned their Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). In these blogs we invite individuals to share some of the challenges they face in managing security for cloud computing and how they were able to leverage knowledge from the CCSK in their current roles. In this blog we'll be interviewing Yudhistira Heriansyah, Cloud Technical Specialist at PT Awan Integrasi Sandidata.

1. In your current role at PT Awan Integrasi Sandidata as a Cloud Technical Specialist, you provide advanced support for managing customers. Can you tell us about what your job involves?

I’m responsible for technically performing continuous improvement to improve customer services and internal processes. I’m also responsible for transferring knowledge to the other technical team and performing technical-related enablement to customers.

2. Can you share with us some complexities of managing cloud computing projects?

The complexities of managing cloud computing are security-related issues. Customers or cloud users often think that all security responsibility lies with the cloud service provider (CSP). The other complexity is that the financial services industry in Indonesia has a regulation of data security that restricts data being stored in public clouds.

3. In managing (outsourced) cloud projects, what are useful tips you could share with IT professionals to avoid common pitfalls?

Unexpected costs often become common pitfalls in cloud computing. Understanding cloud computing best practices will address these pitfalls. CSPs do provide some cost optimization services.

4. What made you decide to earn your CCSK? What part of the material from the CCSK has been the most relevant in your work and why?

CCSK provides an understanding of the cloud computing fundamentals, including security best practices and security guidance for critical areas of focus in cloud computing. This is definitely very relevant to the work that I do in the area of cloud.

5. How does CCM help communicate with customers?

The CCM provides a list of cloud security controls and maps them to multiple security and compliance standards. This allows me to communicate with customers to ensure their compliances are met with the comprehensive format.

6. What’s the value in a vendor-neutral certificate like the CCSK or CCSP versus getting certified by AWS? In what scenario are the different certificates important?

In today’s era of cloud computing, many companies are using multi-cloud environments. Surely it will be difficult when we only understand the cloud computing concept from one CSP. Usually vendor-specific certification refers specifically to their services. CCSK gives a vendor-neutral point of view which allows us to have a standard understanding and best practices across CSPs.

7. Would you encourage your staff and/or colleagues to obtain CCSK or other CSA qualifications? Why?

Yes, I would. Having a common understanding and best practices that work for a multi-cloud environment will give added value to our organization.

8. What is the best advice you can give to IT professionals in order for them to scale new heights in their careers?

Focus on your career, think of yourself as a beginner so you can keep learning and practicing. Make relationships with great people.