What is the Difference Between a Cloud Engineer and a Network Engineer?

With technology evolving rapidly, both Cloud Engineers and Network Engineers play critical roles in supporting an organization’s IT infrastructure. However, these two positions often get confused by professionals and hiring managers alike. In this post, we’ll break down the history, roles, responsibilities, skills, and career paths of both, helping you better understand where they differ and where they overlap.

Role Overviews

Cloud Engineer Overview

Cloud Engineers emerged as companies accelerated their journey to the cloud. These professionals are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining scalable cloud solutions. In today’s digitally driven environment, a Cloud Engineer typically:

• Develops and deploys cloud infrastructure (often using platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud).
• Implements cloud migration strategies and optimizes overall cloud cost and performance.
• Ensures data security and compliance within cloud-based environments.
• Collaborates with development teams to integrate cloud architecture requirements into new software projects.

For a closer look at what a Cloud Engineer does, check out our AI Job Descriptions tool to generate detailed role profiles.

Network Engineer Overview

Network Engineers have been a cornerstone of IT long before the emergence of the cloud. They ensure that data flows securely and efficiently across an organization's local and wide area networks. Typically, a Network Engineer is involved in:

• Designing, setting up, and maintaining reliable network infrastructures.
• Configuring routers, switches, firewalls, and other critical networking hardware.
• Monitoring network performance and troubleshooting issues to minimize downtime.
• Implementing security protocols to safeguard against unauthorized access and threats.

To explore typical job descriptions for network roles, you might visit our Job Description Examples page.

Key Responsibilities & Focus Areas

While both roles require a robust technical background, their day-to-day responsibilities diverge significantly:

• Cloud Engineers concentrate on leveraging cloud services, automating deployments, and managing virtualized resources. Their work involves continuous integration, scalability, and streamlining operations through cloud orchestration tools.
• Network Engineers focus on designing physical and logical networks; they manage data traffic, ensure network security protocols, and handle hardware troubleshooting. Their expertise lies in understanding network protocols, latency management, and system segmentation.

The focus for a Cloud Engineer is more on software-driven infrastructure, while Network Engineers zero in on hardware and connectivity issues.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Hard Skills

• Cloud Engineers:
• Proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Experience with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Network Engineers:
• Deep understanding of networking protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, BGP, OSPF).
• Experience with network hardware, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, or equivalent are common.

Soft Skills

Both roles require exceptional problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and the capacity to collaborate across teams. However:

• Cloud Engineers often work on cross-functional teams and need to align technical strategy with business objectives.
• Network Engineers typically coordinate with IT support and operations teams, needing strong analytical skills to troubleshoot performance issues.

Organizational Structure & Reporting

• Cloud Engineers are usually part of a broader DevOps, IT, or engineering department. They may report to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or a Director of Cloud Operations.
• Network Engineers generally belong within the IT infrastructure or network services teams and often report to an IT Manager or Director of Network Operations.

In both cases, overlapping responsibilities may occur when implementing secure and scalable IT solutions, emphasizing the need for clear communication between departments.

Overlap & Common Misconceptions

A common misconception is that Cloud Engineers and Network Engineers perform the same functions. While there is overlap—especially in maintaining system availability and security—the two roles differ in focus:

• Cloud Engineers deal with virtualized environments, rapidly evolving automation tools, and service scalability.
• Network Engineers are more concerned with the physical and firmware aspects of network connectivity.

Understanding these nuances can help both professionals and organizations when designing a robust technical team.

Career Path & Salary Expectations

Both career paths offer promising trajectories and competitive salaries:

• Cloud Careers: Professionals with experience in cloud architecture often progress to senior roles such as Cloud Architect, DevOps Manager, or even CTO as cloud operations become strategically integral. The demand for certified cloud professionals continues to soar.
• Network Careers: Network Engineers can move up to roles like Senior Network Engineer, IT Infrastructure Manager, or Network Architect. With the increasing complexity of global networks, their expertise remains highly valuable.

You can also explore our Compare Roles page to better visualize how these technical roles rank in terms of responsibilities, salary, and career potential.

Choosing the Right Role (or Understanding Which You Need)

For Individuals:

• Evaluate your passion for change and innovation: Are you more excited about virtual cloud environments or the tangible aspects of network hardware? Your interests and technical strengths can guide your decision.

For Organizations:

• When building a tech team, consider hiring both: Cloud Engineers for modernizing infrastructure and enabling scalability, and Network Engineers to ensure seamless connectivity and robust network security.
• Leverage our tools like the Interview Orchestrator to craft role-specific interview guides, ensuring you attract the right talent.

If you’re ready to upgrade your hiring process, sign up with Yardstick to experience our AI-enabled hiring tools that streamline interviews and improve your hiring decisions.

Additional Resources

• Dive into our collection of Interview Questions for technical roles to prepare better interviews.
• Use our AI Interview Question Generator to draft role-specific queries.
• Benefit from our Interview Intelligence to gain insights into improving your interview process over time.

Conclusion

In summary, while both Cloud Engineers and Network Engineers are essential to today’s IT environments, they differ in focus, technology, and career trajectory. Cloud Engineers drive innovation in virtualized infrastructure and automated processes, whereas Network Engineers ensure that the organization’s physical and logical network infrastructures perform seamlessly. A clear grasp of their distinctions not only benefits professionals planning their next career move but also helps organizations refine their hiring strategy for a balanced and efficient technical team.

Understanding these roles deeply can empower both candidates and companies to make smarter, data-backed hiring decisions. Whether you’re an aspiring Cloud Engineer or a seasoned Network Engineer, or if you’re looking to build teams that blend both skills effectively, Yardstick is here to support your journey.

Happy hiring!