I recently recertified as a Google Cloud Professional Architect for the third time since 2018

[Mohamed_rasvi]

Hi Google Cloud Community,

I recently recertified as a Google Cloud Professional Architect for the third time since 2018, and I wanted to share some reflections on how the certification process has evolved and how it’s helped me tackle real-world projects, like a recent serverless migration from AWS to GCP.

The recertification process was a great way to stay sharp on GCP’s latest features, especially around serverless solutions like Firebase Hosting and GKE Autopilot. One key takeaway was how critical it is to align cloud architecture with business goals something I’ve been honing since my first certification. For those preparing for the exam, I found focusing on case studies and hands-on labs (like Qwiklabs) really bridged the gap between theory and practice. What’s your go-to prep strategy for certifications?

On the project side, I recently worked on migrating a startup’s infrastructure from AWS to GCP with minimal downtime, leveraging serverless technologies. The trickiest part was the DNS swap, where we used GCP Cloud DNS and managed SSL certificates to keep things seamless. Some lessons I learned:

• Plan for DNS propagation: Temporary URLs saved us during Firebase SSL certification propagation delay.
• Test thoroughly: Redeploying GKE SSL certificates with a new name cut backend downtime to ~5 minutes.
• Schedule smart: Low-traffic windows (e.g., weekends) minimized user impact.

I wrote up the full migration story, including technical details, in a post on Medium (linked below for those curious about the DNS swap or serverless setup). I’d love to hear your experiences with cloud migrations or serverless architectures any tips for handling SSL provisioning or CI/CD pipelines in similar projects? Also, for those who’ve recertified multiple times, how do you keep the process fresh?

Medium article: How I Mastered a DNS Swap to Migrate a Startup from AWS to GCP with Minimal Downtime

Looking forward to your thoughts
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-rasvi-a2445025/
Medium : https://medium.com/@rasvihostings

[RAOKS]

Thank you for sharing your experience and also providing detailed information about how you nailed it.

you are right during migrations DNS swap can make your day or spoil your day.