Become a Cloud Solutions Architect

With a guided program that shows you exactly what you need, every step of the way

🚀

Meet SA Magic: the 8-week Solutions Architect Accelerator program designed to help IT Professionals transition to the role of Cloud Solutions Architect

SA Magic - Feb 24 - Waitlist

Doors to SA Magic are closed.

 

Join the waitlist, and I'll make sure you get *all* the bonuses next time I open doors
It has been a great journey with SA Magic. iLyas's promise - 100% commitment, is 100% true. The course is structured extremely well, and one of the best aspects is respect for your time. iLyas brings his expertise and vast technology experience in an easy-to-understand format that is laid out with equal focus on technical and soft skills needed for the role. He goes above and beyond answering all your questions, delivering more than what you expect, every single time. This level of dedication and attention to detail has a profound impact on the effectiveness of the program. I look forward to learning more from the well-read & researched and highly relevant content he provides via the community, newsletters & articles & on his YouTube channel
Vidya S
SA Magic Alumni

Hi, Hello, Hola 👋🏻​

ilyas bakouch sr staff solutions architect
I’m iLyas, the guy behind the SA Magic. 
I’ve transitioned to the Solutions Architect role and been one for many years, working on all kinds of projects with all kinds of organizations, including AWS.
Truth is, there is an abundance of free content out there, but free content is not always enough. 
Free content sometimes makes us feel overwhelmed and confused. 
Because free content will tell you all the things you need to do, but it can’t tell you the most important part: How to do it 💪🏻

Let's tackle a few Solutions Architecture myths together, shall we?

MYTH

 

I'm not certified, I should wait to get a certification first

TRUTH

If you don't yet have any cloud knowledge at all, you can sit out this round. Start building your knowledge and join me next time. 
On the other hand, if you are pursuing a cloud certification (be it CCP, SAA...) —no matter how slowly— then you're in the right place.
SA Magic places a massive focus on cloud services (and using them to solve common real scenarios organizations face), we also spend time in Modules 4 and 5 studying many real life reference architectures from start to finish – That’s all to say that you can either pursue your certification in parallel, or put it on hold and wait until you graduate from SA Magic before picking it up. Doing so will allow you to approach your certifications from a new angle: Validating the knowledge you acquired during the program, instead of relying on the cert to get it.

MYTH

 

I'm in such a busy season of life right now. Will I still get value out of the program, or should I wait until next round?

TRUTH

You need more time to grow your career, but you need to grow in your career before you can free up your time. What a catch-22, right?!
I've been saying for a while that free content make us confused and overwhelmed, free content teach us all things we should do, but doesn't show us the most important thing: How to do them.
And this is exactly why I designed SA Magic the way it is: To show you where to focus your limited hours to move the needle most in your transition, and to give you the structure and support you need to take action.
If you’re willing to dedicate around 3-4 hours a week towards transitioning to the Cloud Solutions Architect role over the next 8 weeks, then SA Magic is the right place for you.

MYTH

 

I'm not an expert in the cloud yet.  I wait until I'm at that point to get the most out of SA Magic

TRUTH

Demonstrating cloud expertise is but one part of the puzzle. Many successful Sr Solutions Architects I worked with at AWS have never even wrote one line of code in their life. But what they bring to the table in terms of strategic thinking, problem-solving (and other aspects) make them the trusted advisors that customers love to work with.
I don’t believe I’m the most knowledgeable person when it comes to cloud services either 😅 shocker, right? 😛
What I mean is, there is more to becoming a successful SA than knowing all the features Elastic Beanstalk provides, and all the 18 ways you can deploy containers on AWS (true story smh 🤦🏻)
Demonstrating cloud expertise is but one part of the puzzle. Many successful Sr Solutions Architects I worked with at AWS have never even wrote one line of code in their life. But what they bring to the table in terms of strategic thinking, problem-solving (and other aspects) make them the trusted advisors that customers love to work with.
And that is our whole focus in Module 2 where I teach you everything you need to know about how to write emails like a great SA, how to present like a great SA, how to build diagrams like a great SA, how to gain your customers trust… and much more. If you found out you were asking yourself this question, then SA Magic was positively made for you. 
Join SA Magic!

Don't Take My Word For It 🤷🏻

The SA Magic Community

Whether you need accountability, support, or a group of cloud professionals to celebrate with, the SA Magic community is here to help you celebrate, grow, and have your questions answered

I joined as part of the beta group of the SA Magic program. The content of the course provided me amazing, to the point, and timely advice and I honestly believe it helped me have an edge over my competitors during my AWS interview. I got the offer! Of course, I had to bring a lot to the AWS interview myself, but, I am certain that finishing the course helped push me over the edge!
Salman N
Sr Cloud Consultant @AWS
"I wasn’t sure if I would have the time to complete it and had to justify the price to myself, but I’m glad I signed up because what you put in literally is what you'll get out of this course"

I have been building my business from the ground up using traditional hosting platforms, and I wanted to expand my business beyond just one market. I kept hearing about the cloud, but I didn't know how I would start my migration. Being in a completely different time zone, it was great being able to watch the recordings in my own time and work through the roadmap and the content at my own pace. The community was great, and I paired up with an accountability buddy, and we helped each other throughout the course. I hesitated before joining The Solution Architect Accelerator because I wasn’t sure if I would have the time to complete it and had to justify the price to myself, but I’m glad I signed up because what you put in literally is what you'll get out of this course. And if you put a hundred percent in, you'll have all you need for a successful career change. It has completely changed the way I think about my business!
Kate O
CTO and Co-Founder

8 Weeks - 8 Modules - 100% Commitment​

By the time we wrap, you’ll have gained the skills to

What this program will do, is teach you to:
 
  • Think like a Solutions Architect
  • Talk, Write, and Present like a Solutions Architect
  • Approach problems and solve them like a Solutions Architect
  • Design solutions for quality attributes like security and scalability
  • You’ll learn about the Soft Skills that will make you a great architect
  • We’ll go through various case studies and examine various architectural patterns
And all of it, at the highest level, the FAANG level 💪🏼

KEY SKILLS:

#SolutionArchitecture

#ScalableSolutions

#PresentationSkills

#DrivingAdoption

#CloudSecurity

#SolutionDesign

Here's a Sneak Peek​

SA Magic - Module 01

Module 01

Solution Architecture Overview

👋🏼 Hi ! And welcome to the first module of the SA Magic program!
During this module, we will cover everything about the job, and the role of a Cloud Solution Architect, both in Enterprise, and with a cloud provider such as AWS.
 
My goal is to provide you with a clear picture of where an SA fits in the software engineering ecosystem, so you are clear on what organizations expect of you during the interview process, but also during your day-to-day life.

Module 02

Professional Skills

After learning about what’s expected of a Cloud SA, in this module, we will explore the various deliverables an SA is required to produce, and also what makes the difference between an OK Solutions Architect, and a GREAT Solutions Architect in the fields of Written Communication, Oral Communication, and Visual Communication

USING TOOL :

powerpoint logo
google docs logo

KEY SKILLS:

#FunctionalRequirements

#PresentationSkills

#EmailSkills

#DiagrammingSkills

SA Magic - Module 02 - Professional skills
SA Magic Module 03

Module 03

Cloud Skills

A deep dive into some of the most used cloud patterns in enterprise today

KEY SKILLS:

#SolutionDesign

#AntiPatterns

#ScalableAndHighlyAvailableSolutions

I wasn't sure if this SA Magic was for me, but I decided to give it a go. I was able to watch the videos at my own pace, and take notes for the live sessions, which really helped.
Being able to have access to iLyas live paid high dividends: he coached about well-architected solutions within AWS and system design for an upcoming set of interviews I had. He gave me some great advice and is very knowledgeable as a solutions architect. I would highly recommend anyone trying to get into cloud computing to utilize his course!
Bec D
Sr Solutions Architect @AWS

Once you're in, you're an SA Magic student for life.
Here’s why—

Every SA Magic student gets lifetime access to the course content, bonuses, AND they’re invited to participate in all future rounds of SA Magic too.
Which means you’ll get the support of me and your fellow SA Magicians not just over the next 8 weeks, but every time SA Magic goes live.
And if you’re anything like me and my students—and, I have a hunch you are—you’ll grow to a better cloud solutions architecture every time you join.
 

I've lived the journey you are on now.

It's thrilling, it's hard, but it’s worth it.

Keep going. And if you like, let us help you.

We're in this together.

SA Magic - Feb 24 - Waitlist

Doors to SA Magic are closed.

 

Join the waitlist, and I'll make sure you get *all* the bonuses next time I open doors