The cloud space is growing fast, and certifications are one way to stay relevant and prove hands-on skills.

I recently completed the IBM Certified Professional Architect – Cloud v6 certification, and in this blog, I’m sharing what the certification is, how I prepared, the resources I used, and some tips for anyone looking to take the same path.

1. Certification Overview

For cloud professionals looking to deepen their architecture skills within the IBM ecosystem, the IBM Certified Professional Architect - Cloud v6 is a credential that validates real-world capabilities. This certification is designed to test your ability to design end-to-end solutions on IBM Cloud, spanning infrastructure, networking, security, and application services.

So, what exactly is a Cloud Professional Architect?

An IBM Cloud Professional Architect is a cloud professional capable of designing, planning, and architecting cloud solutions on IBM Cloud. This includes systems, applications, capabilities, processes, and service components. They can architect solutions with limited help from support teams, project documentation, or subject matter experts.

Source: IBM Cloud Professional Architect Certification Overview

2. Recommended Skills

Before attempting the exam, it’s important to understand what skills are expected. These range from technical knowledge of IBM Cloud services to a broader understanding of hybrid cloud, multicloud environments, and platform integration patterns. This is about developing the ability to design, build, and justify cloud solutions.

So, what do you need to understand and be skilled at before taking the exam?

You’ll need both solid knowledge and practical ability across key areas:

Knowledge of:

• Cloud concepts, Cloud Native, and IBM Cloud
• IBM Cloud Architectures
• Hybrid and multicloud concepts
• IT architectures and using Cloud solution patterns and Cloud Native architecture
• Cloud infrastructure technologies: systems, storage, security, networking, virtualization technologies, etc.
• IBM Cloud Observability offerings
• Incorporating AI and IoT technologies
• RedHat Open Shift platform capabilities
• Software for IBM Cloud (Cloud Paks, Starter Kits, Sysdig, LogDNA, etc.)

Ability to:

• IBM Cloud Compute capabilities
• IBM Cloud Network capabilities
• IBM Cloud Storage capabilities
• IBM Cloud Security capabilities
• IBM Cloud Platform capabilities
• Designing a comprehensive IBM Cloud solution
• How to design Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) solutions
• RedHat Open Shift platform on IBM Cloud and IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service

Source: IBM Cloud Professional Architect Certification Overview

3. Certification Requirements

Getting certified requires more than just reading documentation. The exam is crafted by IBM’s Subject Matter Experts to test practical decision-making and design skills based on real-world scenarios. 

• Number of Questions: 64

• Passing Score: 39

• Time Allowed: 90 minutes

You will be tested on eight key sections, each covering a specific domain within IBM Cloud architecture. The weight of each section reflects how much of the exam is focused on that topic, so plan your study time accordingly.

Source: IBM Cloud Professional Architect Certification Overview

4. Official Learning Path

IBM provides an official learning path with curated content for certification prep. These are especially helpful if you’re new to IBM Cloud or coming from another cloud provider. Courses that offer a structured way to gain knowledge and build confidence before the exam are particularly valuable.

• Learning Path Name: IBM Cloud Professional Architect

• Total Courses: 27

• Total Time to Complete: ~14.9 hours

Source: IBM Cloud Professional Architect Learning Path

5. My Study Approach

Everyone has their own pace, but I followed a focused 2-week study plan that balanced official IBM training assets with hands-on practice. Here’s how I broke it down:

Week 1: Foundation & Core Architecture

Start by building a strong base, this is where most of the key architectural concepts are introduced.

• Introduction to the Cloud Architect Role (1 asset)

• Compute Options (5 assets)

• Designing Cloud Solutions (4 assets)

• ✅ Complete the “Concepts” badge at the end of this phase

Week 2: Specialized Areas & Practice

Move into deeper service-specific areas and start validating your knowledge.

• Data Analytics and Data Management (2 training assets)

• Cloud Storage (3 training assets)

• Networking and Security (6 training assets)

• ✅ Complete the quiz to earn the “Cloud Options” badge

• Observability and Resiliency (3 training assets)

This structured approach helped me stay on track and gave enough time to both study and reflect on the material. With consistent effort, completing all of this in 2 weeks is very doable.