I am actively preparing to pass the Professional Cloud Architect certification from Google. One thing that shines the most throughout this journey is how foundational knowledge is imperative when learning anything.
We often tend (myself included) to directly jump into the last piece of the puzzle without looking at each piece individually. Meaning we always start deep, ending up in a maze of unanswered questions along the way.
The beauty of foundation is used in everything. A tall building relies mostly on its foundation. Achieving a black belt in Karate can only get you there if your foundation (white belt and so on) is mastered.
Here's a perfect example from my PCA studies. I initially jumped straight into designing complex VPC architectures with Cloud Interconnect and VPN tunnels. I struggled until I went back to basics like understanding CIDR notation, subnetting, and how routing tables actually work. Once those clicked, the advanced networking patterns in GCP became so much clearer.
Lastly, the Cloud. Networking doesn't exist without its foundation, its Layer 1 (Physical). Investigating an L7 issue becomes much easier with an understanding of the other layers because you'll spot patterns and connections others might miss.
You see the pattern here? No matter what you learn or experiment with. Never skip its FOUNDATION! It may be less exciting at first, but so rewarding along the way. Because the more you dig into that foundation, the more you can master higher levels.
Stay curious.
