Are you considering starting a career with AWS certifications or looking to advance your existing one? If so, you’re making a smart choice. AWS certifications are in high demand among top companies, offering a path to enhance your career prospects. These certifications open the door to various job opportunities, and as you progress through different levels of certification, you’ll find even more avenues to explore.
In this article, we’ll delve into the top AWS certifications, discussing their prerequisites and value in the job market. But before we get into the specifics of each certification, let’s begin by understanding the fundamentals of AWS certifications.
Amazon Web Services, commonly known as AWS, was introduced in 2006 and has since experienced rapid growth, establishing itself as a global leader in cloud computing. AWS certifications have gained significant recognition in the industry, thanks to the widespread adoption of cloud computing, particularly by startups and businesses looking for efficient solutions. These certifications are designed for individuals aspiring to tap into the extensive opportunities available in the cloud computing field.
Coming on the certifications, in the next section, we will understand all the AWS certifications.
Top AWS Certification
Certifications and getting certified are terms we often hear nowadays. The main purpose of certification is to not only improve your skills but also serve as evidence that you possess the necessary knowledge and experience for a specific job or role. AWS certifications, in particular, have established a strong sense of trust among individuals and organizations alike. This is why they rank among the top certifications worldwide. Let’s now dive into the world of AWS certifications, where you’ll find detailed information about Amazon’s top certifications, beginning with the foundational level.
The certification that comes under the foundational level is,
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
The AWS Cloud Practitioner certification is meant for individuals who have the necessary knowledge and abilities to show a general grasp of the AWS Cloud. This certification is an introductory level exam that’s particularly suitable for those who are new to the world of cloud computing.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- To begin with, it’s advisable to possess a minimum of six months of experience working with the AWS Cloud in any capacity, whether it’s technical, managerial, sales, purchasing, or financial.
- Furthermore, candidates should have a fundamental comprehension of IT services and how they are utilized within the AWS Cloud environment.
There are three certifications that come under the Associate level. Let’s start with the first one that is,
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate
This certification is targeted at individuals with at least a year of practical experience in creating reliable, cost-effective, resilient, and expandable distributed systems on the AWS platform.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- First, having practical skills in using services like computing, networking, storage, and databases.
- Second, familiarity with deploying and managing services in AWS.
- Third, the capability to determine and outline the technical needs of an AWS-based application.
- Fourth, knowledge of top practices for creating secure and dependable applications on AWS.
- Lastly, a solid grasp of fundamental architectural concepts for building on the AWS Cloud and its worldwide structure.
AWS Certified Developer
The exam is for people working in development roles and possessing at least one year of practical experience in building and managing AWS-based applications.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- For this role, you must have a strong grasp of at least one high-level programming language.
- You also need a solid comprehension of core AWS services, their uses, and basic AWS architectural best practices.
- Proficiency in developing, deploying, and troubleshooting cloud-based applications using AWS is important.
- You should be able to utilize AWS services such as APIs, AWS CLI, and SDKs to create applications.
- Being able to recognize key features of AWS services is crucial.
- Understanding the AWS shared responsibility model and application lifecycle management is essential.
- You should be capable of using AWS services while having a fundamental understanding of cloud-native applications for coding.
- Lastly, you should be skilled in writing code following AWS security best practices and be able to maintain and debug code modules on AWS.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
The SysOps Administrator Associate exam is meant for individuals working as system administrators in a systems operations role, and they should have at least one year of experience in deploying, managing, and operating on the AWS platform.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- Firstly, you need to grasp the core principles of AWS and get practical with the AWS CLI and SDKs/API tools.
- Secondly, it’s important to be familiar with network technologies and security concepts, and to practice implementing security measures.
- Thirdly, a solid understanding of virtualization technology is necessary.
- You should also be skilled in system monitoring and auditing.
- Lastly, having a good grip on networking concepts and the capability to translate architectural needs is crucial.
The certifications that come under the professional level are,
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional exam is meant for people who can work as solutions architects. Additionally, they should have a minimum of two years of practical experience in managing and operating systems on the AWS platform.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- To excel in this role, you need to possess at least two years of hands-on experience in crafting and setting up cloud structures on AWS.
- Furthermore, you should have the capability to assess the requirements of cloud applications. This includes providing suggestions for implementing, deploying, and preparing applications on AWS.
- You must also be well-acquainted with various AWS tools and interfaces like AWS CLI, AWS APIs, AWS CloudFormation templates, the AWS Billing Console, and the AWS Management Console.
- Additionally, you should be able to explain and apply the five key aspects of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
- You should be skilled in designing hybrid architectures using essential AWS technologies. Offering expert guidance on architectural design across multiple applications is also crucial.
- Lastly, having a good understanding of scripting languages, as well as being familiar with Windows and Linux environments, will be beneficial.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
This test is meant for people working as DevOps engineers and who possess at least two years of experience in setting up, running, and overseeing AWS environments.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- First, you should be skilled in coding using a programming language. Second, experience in creating automated systems and managing operating systems is important. Lastly, a solid grasp of modern development and operations methods is necessary.
The top specialty certifications of AWS are,
AWS Certified Security
The AWS Certified Security Specialty exam is designed for people who know about security and have worked with securing AWS setups for at least two years.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- To be eligible for this certification, you need to have worked on securing AWS setups for a minimum of two years. You should also understand security controls for AWS workloads.
- Moreover, you should have a background of at least five years in IT security, designing and implementing security solutions.
AWS Certified Big Data
This certification is for those individuals who perform complex Big Data analyses with having at least two years of experience using AWS technology.
Most importantly, a new version of the AWS Certified Big Data Specialty exam will be available in April 2020 with a new name that is AWS Certified Data Analytics Specialty.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- Before taking this certification, it’s strongly advised that candidates hold any of these certifications: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Associate: Certified Solutions Architect, Certified Developer, or Certified SysOps Administrator Associate.
- You need to comprehend how to create and structure AWS Big Data services, and explain the process of handling data from collection to visualization.
- Furthermore, you must have at least five years of practical experience in data analytics.
- Lastly, you should also be skilled in planning a scalable and budget-friendly data processing architecture.
AWS Certified Advanced Networking
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty is for those individuals who can perform complex networking tasks.
Recommended Knowledge and Experience
- To begin with, candidates should possess a certification such as AWS Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect Associate, Developer Associate, or SysOps Administrator Associate.
- Furthermore, having an in-depth understanding of advanced AWS networking concepts and technologies is essential.
- Additionally, you should have at least five years of practical experience in planning and setting up network solutions.
- Moreover, advanced familiarity with networking architectures and different ways systems connect is crucial.
- Also, a solid grasp of networking technologies in the OSI model and their impact on decision-making is required.
- Lastly, competence in creating automation scripts and tools is important.
Now, we have an understanding of the top certifications. So, in the next section, we will explore the learning path certification wise.
AWS Various Learning Paths
AWS has introduced learning paths to assist aspiring individuals in their progress. These paths consist of courses and exams designed to improve your proficiency in utilizing the AWS Cloud. Here are the available learning paths:
AWS Cloud Practitioner Learning Path
This learning path is designed for people who want to establish and confirm their general comprehension of the AWS Cloud. It’s particularly beneficial for those in various roles such as technical, managerial, sales, purchasing, or financial, who interact with the AWS Cloud.
AWS Architect Learning Path
This learning path is crafted for solutions architects, solution design engineers, and anyone interested in mastering the art of designing applications and systems on AWS. As you follow this path, you’ll develop technical expertise that aligns with your journey towards AWS Certification.
AWS Developer Learning Path
This learning path is created for software developers who wish to acquire the skills to build cloud applications on AWS. It’s a way to enhance your technical abilities as you progress towards achieving AWS Certification.
AWS Operations Learning Path
This path is meant for sysops administrators, systems administrators, and those already in the DevOps role. It’s designed to teach you how to create deployments of applications, networks, and systems on AWS that are automated and can be repeated.
AWS DevOps Engineer Learning Path
This path is created for people who want to understand and use common DevOps patterns like developing, deploying, and maintaining applications in the AWS Cloud. As you follow this path, you’ll develop your technical skills and move closer to achieving AWS Certification.
AWS Advanced Networking Learning Path
This pathway is crafted for those who wish to assess their advanced networking skills, particularly in designing and implementing extensive AWS and hybrid IT network architectures. Throughout this path, you’ll gain insight into how your network choices affect infrastructure performance, security, availability, and integration with AWS services.
AWS Big Data Learning Path
This pathway is for those who can create and apply AWS services to extract value from data. Within this journey, you’ll understand the stages of collecting, ingesting, storing, processing, and visualizing data. However, to make the most of it, it’s advisable to have prior technical experience with big data in the AWS Cloud before embarking on this learning path.
AWS Security Learning Path
This pathway is crafted for individuals who manage security tasks and aim to boost control and assurance in running applications securely on the AWS Cloud. Throughout this journey, you’ll delve into topics like access control, data encryption techniques, and fortifying applications and infrastructure. To achieve optimal outcomes, it’s beneficial for individuals to possess prior technical experience with AWS Cloud security before embarking on this learning path.
Expert Learning Resources
Before you book your exam ensure that you are thoroughly prepared for this. Some of the top learning resources you must follow to ensure your success in exam.
AWS Whitepapers & Guides
AWS offers whitepapers that are derived from customer interactions and encompass practical aspects of the job. These documents require careful reading to grasp a better comprehension of AWS systems. They form the basis for exams. Hence, whether you’re experienced with AWS or not, it’s crucial to review these readings.
The next most important thing that is essential to crack the certifications is the practice test.
Practice and become a Pro!
Practicing is vital to gauge your readiness and identify areas where you might need improvement. Evaluating yourself after completing a topic is helpful during preparation. Online practice tests are readily available, and often provided by training providers. It’s important to understand that achieving just one AWS certification isn’t the end. Once you obtain a certification, it paves the way for more advanced ones. As you gain experience and progress, you’ll find a clear path to a promising and secure future. Start Practicing Now!
In the next section, we will talk about the market value of AWS.
Market Value of AWS Certification
Amazon Web Services is now the leading choice for public cloud infrastructure, supporting 41.5% of application workloads in this category. In comparison, Azure manages 29.4% of application workloads, and Google Cloud Platform handles 3.0% of them. IBM SoftLayer and Rackspace are also players in the market, along with various other providers, accounting for 20.7% of the share.
Talking about job roles.
Top AWS Certification Job Roles
Earning Amazon Web Services certifications can greatly expand your job prospects, leading to well-paying positions. Some of the job opportunities that await you after becoming AWS certified include:
AWS Cloud Architect
- AWS Cloud Architect position has a direct link with the engineers and clients for providing an interface with stakeholders and technical leadership.
SysOps Administrator
- AWS SysOps Administrator is responsible for deploying, operating, and managing systems on the AWS platform.
Cloud Developer
- They are responsible for the development of software applications and solutions for enterprises.
Cloud Sales & Purchase Manager
- In the role of a Cloud Sales and Purchase Manager, you’ll have the chance to influence the direction of innovative technology. You’ll also interact with software developers and IT architects who are active on the AWS platform.
Cloud DevOps Engineer
- DevOps engineer is the senior developer who has expert skills and ability in the network operations and system deployment.
AWS Networking Specialist
- This role of AWS Networking Specialist is for those having advanced expertise in networking.
AWS System Integrator
System integrators are responsible for handling troubleshooting and deployment of AWS applications.
AWS Big Data Specialist
AWS Big Data specialists are those who have experience in data analytics for designing and implementing big data services for deriving value from data.
Top Companies
The top companies that are looking for AWS certified include,
- Accenture
- Groundtruth
- DXC
- Amdocs
- Adobe
- Infosys
Expert’s Corner
Achieving an AWS certification can greatly enhance your professional standing in the IT field. However, this path demands dedication and a clear goal. Therefore, thorough preparation is essential. Utilize high-quality study resources and tutorials to grasp AWS concepts effectively. Ultimately, the rewards of AWS certification are numerous, leading you towards a promising future.
Learn and enhance your cloud computing skills. Prepare for AWS Certifications Now!
