Which unique challenge does a network engineer face in the cloud that isn't present on-prem?

A unique challenge that network engineers face in cloud environments, which typically isn't present in on-premises setups, is the management of accounts and subscriptions. In cloud architectures, especially those that operate across multiple cloud providers, engineers are required to navigate various account structures and subscription models. Each cloud provider has its own billing, management interfaces, IAM (Identity and Access Management) policies, and resource hierarchies that can be complex to manage.

This challenge is compounded by the need to ensure consistent connectivity and security across these diverse environments and keeping track of multiple accounts can lead to misconfigurations if not handled carefully. Additionally, when operating in a multicloud scenario, managing different subscriptions for various cloud services adds another layer of complexity that is typically not a concern in traditional on-premises networks, where resources are usually managed within a singular domain managed by a consistent set of policies and procedures.

Other challenges such as routing, firewalling, and security are indeed important in cloud environments, but they are also issues present in on-premises networks, albeit with some differences in implementation. The intricacies associated with cloud accounts and subscriptions specifically highlight a challenge that is distinctly tied to cloud operations.