What is Amazon Web Services (AWS)?
Amazon Web Services or AWS as it’s commonly known in the tech industry is the world’s most reliable cloud computing platform. It provides hundreds of unique services which are all cloud-based, ranging from databases to virtual servers.
Why should you take an AWS certification exam?
Of course, there are many reasons why one should take an AWS certification exam, here are a few to keep in mind:
Show your dedication to the profession of cloud computing
By taking an AWS certification exam you prove to organizations that you are committed to learning about the cloud and, it also shows that you are motivated and driven since some exams can be very difficult to pass.
AWS is the leader in the IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) industry
If your goal is to one day help companies adopt a cloud-based infrastructure, then being certified is necessary. This is because organizations know that AWS certified professionals are less than likely to make mistakes in the cloud transition process.
Validate your skills and value-based learning
Another reason why you should aim to get certified is to simply validate your skills. When applying for work of any kind, employers want to see and know what you can do and know a bit more about your work ethic. Having an AWS certification shows employers that you have a strong knowledge of cloud computing and also that you have a valued certification - since AWS certifications are very high in demand.
The certifications that are currently offered by AWS in 2022
Foundational exam:
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Associate exams:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
- AWS Certified Developer
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
Professional exams:
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
Specialty exams:
- AWS Certified: Advanced Networking
- AWS Certified: Data Analytics
- AWS Certified: Database
- AWS Certified: Machine Learning
- AWS Certified: Security
- AWS Certified: SAP on AWS
Starting off with your AWS Journey
If you are only beginning with your AWS journey and with cloud computing then it is highly recommended that you start with the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. It is suggested that you should have at least 6 months of experience with the AWS platform before taking the exam.
By taking this certification you will be expected to understand the basic AWS platform with all of its services, how the cloud can be adopted by a business, the various pricing models, and many more foundational aspects that are required for you to know.
My advice would be to dive right in, create your AWS account, watch free videos on YouTube, read other blogs and articles, take courses, and research as much as you can. Learn the theory of how the AWS services operate and learn by doing with a practical mindset.
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Foundational
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Becoming an Associate
A more intermediate certification is the AWS associate exams. For most AWS cloud-based job roles, this will be the minimum that will be required for getting a working position. By becoming an associate, you validate your skills as being very competent in the workings of AWS.
It is recommended that you complete the AWS Cloud Certified Practitioner exam first before taking an associate exam, however, it is not a prerequisite. Before taking this certification it is also recommended that you at least have 1 year of experience with problem-solving and implementing solutions in the cloud.
As you can see there are three certifications that are offered for the AWS associate exams. Each varies and is in its own field. As to which one you should do, will depend on your reason for taking the exam and which area is most applicable to you.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to design cost-effective and available distributed systems that are scalable with the AWS cloud as a solutions architect.
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AWS Certified Developer - Associate
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to develop, maintain and deploy an application to the AWS cloud as a developer.
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AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to administer systems, as well as the ability to operate a variety of workloads by managing and deploying them in the AWS cloud.
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Becoming a Professional
A more advanced certification is the AWS professional exams. For more experienced and high-level AWS cloud-based job roles, this can be a mandatory certification, especially those that require several years of experience in the cloud
Before taking this certification it is recommended that you at least have 2 years of experience with problem-solving and implementing solutions in the cloud.
As you can see there are only two certifications that are offered for the AWS professional exams. Each varies and is in its own field. As to which one you should do, will depend on your reason for taking the exam and which area is most applicable to you.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to design cost-effective and available distributed systems that are scalable with the AWS cloud. It also validates your ability to design such systems that are more diverse and complex within the AWS environment.
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AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to automate the deployment and the testing of applications on AWS and its infrastructure. You will also have a strong sense of the AWS environment.
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Becoming a Specialist
AWS also offers independent specialist exams in a wide variety of fields, ranging from specialties in databases right through to security. For more experienced and highly specialized AWS cloud-based job roles, this will prove to be a very valuable certification for that field.
Before taking this certification it is recommended that you have between 1 - 5 years of experience in the field of the exam that you would like to be certified in. The recommendation for the years of experience will depend on the exam itself and will vary.
As you can see there are six certifications that are offered for the AWS specialty exams. Each varies and is in its own field. As to which one you should do, will depend on your reason for taking the exam and which area is most applicable to you.
AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to design and maintain network architecture in the AWS environment, as well as your ability to carry out complex networking operations and tasks.
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AWS Certified Data Analytics - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on having experience with various AWS analytic services and data lakes, and also design and build solutions that are concerned with data analytics.
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AWS Certified Database - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to recommend, and design database solutions, that are both relational and non-relational databases in nature.
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AWS Certified Machine Learning - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to build, train and deploy Machine Learning (ML) on the AWS cloud.
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AWS Certified Security - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to efficiently secure data in the AWS cloud.
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AWS Certified SAP on AWS - Speciality
By taking this exam, you validate your skills and knowledge on being able to optimize SAP workloads on the AWS cloud. It is recommended to have knowledge of AWS and SAP before undertaking this certification.
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A last piece of advice
I strongly recommend taking Stephane Mareek’s courses on AWS. Everything that you need to know is outlined in his courses. His structure and teaching style of the cloud is exceptional. Included in his course is a free practice paper that will give you a taste of what to expect in your final exam.
Although you will have to pay for his course, I promise that you won’t regret it. I can say from personal experience as a CCP and CSA-A (Certified Solutions Architect-Associate) that Stephane’s course is the way to go.
All of his courses are on Udemy:
https://www.udemy.com/ For more information on AWS certifications:
https://aws.amazon.com/certification/?nc2=sb_ce_co
Good luck with your AWS cloud journey and I hope you all the best!
