Just like an architect creates a blueprint for a new building, a data architect is responsible for creating the blueprint that informs the organization’s enterprise data management framework. A data architect is a senior-level role that translates business requirements into technical specifications and requires candidates to have excellent data modeling, conceptualization, and business intelligence skills.
What is a data architect?
After evaluating an organization’s potential data sources, a data architect designs a plan to integrate, centralize, protect, and maintain them in the following ways:
- Collaborates with teams to create a data strategy that addresses business requirements
- Creates end-to-end models and plans for data consumption and analysis
- Develops data models for database structures
- Designs and deploys database structures
- Integrates technical functionality
- Monitors, refines, and reports on performance
- Maintains database security and creates standards to ensure the system is safe
- Preserves a corporate repository of all data architecture artifacts
Data architects are often senior leaders on a project. They must be able to effectively lead a team that may include data modelers, data engineers, and database administrators. Some organizations need data architects who specialize in data modeling techniques, while others may be looking for experts in data warehousing, extract, transform, load (ETL) tools, SQL databases, or data administration.
Data architects and data engineers usually work together to plan and build the enterprise data management framework. The data architect creates the blueprint for the framework, while the data engineer is responsible for the build.
How to become a data architect
Most companies hiring a data architect seek someone with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. The right candidate will have extensive experience (8 to 15 years) in application architecture, network management, and performance management.
A data architect is an advanced-level role that requires on-the-job experience. Typically, data architects hold prior roles as data engineers, data scientists, or solution architects before working their way up to be data architects. In fact, in some ways, a data architect is an advanced or senior-level data engineer.
Because the role of data architect requires years of experience and training, there isn’t just one pathway to follow. Here are a few ways you could become a data architect.
Pathway #1
If data architecture is your dream job, you could start as a network administrator. With experience, training, and credentials, you could then move into a network engineer or network architect role. You could then move laterally into a data architect role.
Pathway #2
Another potential pathway would be to start as a systems administrator. With plenty of sysadmin experience under your belt, you could then get a job as a systems engineer or systems architect, which could, in turn, lead to the same lateral move to data architect that we outlined in pathway #1.
Pathway #3
If you prefer to follow a data career path, you could start as a database administrator. Then, with some training and credentials—such as the new CompTIA Data+—you could advance to business intelligence (BI) analyst, then BI architect, and then data architect.
A combination of CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Server+, and CompTIA Data+ can help you get there.
- CompTIA Network+ helps develop a career in IT infrastructure, covering troubleshooting, configuring, and managing networks. CompTIA Network+ can help you become a network administrator, which aligns with the first pathway.
- CompTIA Linux+ validates the competencies required of an early career systems administrator supporting Linux systems, including the Linux command line, basic maintenance, installing and configuring workstations, and networking. CompTIA Linux+ can help you become a systems administrator, which aligns with the second pathway.
- CompTIA Server+ ensures pros have the skills to work in data centers or cloud environments by requiring the candidate to demonstrate multi-step knowledge to securely deploy, administer, and troubleshoot servers. A combination of CompTIA Server+ and CompTIA Linux+ can help you become a systems administrator, which aligns with the second pathway.
- CompTIA Data+ prepares professionals tasked with developing and promoting data-driven business decision-making. CompTIA Data+ can help you become a BI analyst, which aligns with the third pathway to data architecture.
In addition to the certifications, CompTIA has a full suite of training products, from eLearning to exam prep, to help you learn the skills you need on the job and prepare for your certification exam.
- CertMaster Learn: Learn at your pace with interactive lessons and videos
- CertMaster Labs: Get hands-on practice using real software applications
- CertMaster Practice: Test your knowledge and find out if you’re ready for the exam
- The Official CompTIA Study Guide: Learn and review exam objectives with our comprehensive textbook
Job titles related to data architect
- Data analyst
- Data scientist
- Data engineer
- Solution architect
- Database administrator
+ Means more
At CompTIA, + means IT careers. You can consider us your partner on your journey to becoming certified, finding, interviewing for, and winning that new job role.
- We help you save money. Getting a CompTIA certification is an investment in your career, but a discount can help. There are several ways you can save money on your CompTIA purchases.
- We help you decide how to take your exam. Scheduling your exam is the easy part. CompTIA exams are offered at testing centers around the world and through online testing, which is available 24/7, so you can test in person or at home.
- We help you land your next job. CompTIA certifications hold great value in the IT industry and are highly sought-after by recruiters. They signify a proven competence and expertise in various tech disciplines, making individuals who earn these certifications stand out in the job market.
Will your next move be a data architect? If so, check out CompTIA CertMaster Learn + Labs for Data+, an online eLearning platform that covers data analysis skills.