An accredited AWS certification validates a deep understanding of cloud computing as well as AWS infrastructure management. This article explores the top eleven AWS certifications that companies should be aware of to train their employees in the booming domains of cloud computing. Read on.
Cloud expertise is in great demand across a wide range of disciplines, including security, data analytics, and DevOps, to name a few. The movement of workloads to the public cloud necessitates the acquisition of new skill sets, which further entails the need for cloud certifications. To assist employees in demonstrating their knowledge to employers and make up for any gaps in experience, Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a broad array of certifications.
The top AWS certifications are listed here, and they range from beginner to expert and specialist levels. Let’s get started.
Picking the most relevant AWS certification
A cloud certification, particularly from AWS, the pioneer of cloud computing, is a testament to an individual’s cloud operating skills. The certification attests that the person has a comprehensive understanding of the platform, a common terminology, and cloud exposure. Furthermore, the accreditation makes it evident that the individual’s talents can boost the company’s growth in terms of cloud initiatives.
Before we glance at the types of AWS certification courses, let’s have a look at its pros:
- Create new opportunities for professional growth
- Attractive pay
- Possibilities of forming better networks
- Prospects of working as a subject matter expert
- It offers the chance of becoming a cloud partner for several organizations
Types of AWS certification courses
Foundational
The foundational level of AWS certification assists the companies in finding, developing, and turning employees into someone with critical cloud deployment experience. The course included in this criterion is:
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
This course provides cloud literacy and AWS concepts at the most fundamental level. This certification is for those who have basic knowledge of the cloud platform. Individuals must have the following prerequisites before taking this test:
- AWS domain experience spanning six months
- An understanding of IT services that can be used in sync with AWS
- Necessary to have a clear overview of the AWS basic components, architecture, infrastructure, billing concept, and basic security features
Course fee: $100
Duration: 90 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
Associate
Next, you can turn your heads to the associate level of training, which includes three types of certifications. These are:
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
The Solutions Architect certification teaches you how to design and deploy apps in the AWS environment. If you are interested in taking this course, you will need at least two years of industry experience building a scalable, cost-effective, and error-free distributed system using AWS. Below are some more points to consider before enrolling in this course:
- Adept at AWS technologies such as networking, computing, storage, and database must be instinctive
- Working knowledge of AWS deployment and administration services
- Understand how to manage workloads on AWS
- Know how to keep an eye on security measures and regulations
- Must be well acquainted with the management console, framework of AWS and its global structure, and Command Line (CLI)
Course fee: $150
Duration: 130 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
AWS Certified Developer
The AWS Certified Developer – Associate empowers developers to deliver cloud initiatives successfully. This accreditation also assists with the development and deployment of cloud-based applications. The following are additional qualification requirements:
- AWS app development and maintenance expertise of one or more years
- Mastery of any of the high-level programming languages
- Knowledge of AWS fundamentals, services, architecture, best practices (such as the AWS Shared Responsibility Model), and the container deployment procedure are all required
- Expertise in designing, deploying, and troubleshooting cloud-based AWS apps
- Know how to develop serverless app code
Course fee: $150
Duration: 130 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator certification allows system admins to exhibit their knowledge in deploying, managing and sustaining AWS cloud workloads. Before joining this program, make sure you have the following skills:
- AWS technological expertise of at least one year, including knowledge of establishing, managing, and maintaining AWS workloads, as well as familiarity with security controls and compliances.
- Conversant with the AWS Management Console, CLI, AWS framework, and network security
Course fee: $150
Duration: 130 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
Professional
Post completion of the associate-level courses, AWS aficionados should embark on a professional learning route that includes the following two training lessons:
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – professional
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam demonstrates your capacity to construct, execute, and audit AWS solutions in diverse settings. The person who participates in this course must have prior knowledge of the following topics:
- The preferred skills include AWS CLI, APIs, cloud formats, billing and monitoring tools, and programming language, along with a thorough grasp of operating systems especially Linux and Windows
- Must be equipped to provide architectural design guidance for several apps and business initiatives
- Understand how to link business goals to app/architecture demands
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
AWS Certified DevOps Administrator – professional
As many firms aspire to embrace DevOps methods, the AWS Certified DevOps Administrator – professional certification is in high demand. This professional training hones the ability to automate the testing and deployment of AWS infrastructure and apps. You must also meet the following conditions to be eligible for this course:
- Minimum two years of experience in deploying, managing and maintaining AWS environments
- Building codes in any of the high-level programming languages with ease
- Expertise in contemporary development and operational tools and techniques, as well as experience in establishing highly automated networks and running numerous operating systems
- Comprehension of AWS’s continuous delivery systems, security controls, compliance, logging systems, and other features
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
Specialty
Moving on to the specialty courses, this set of courses helps organizations identify talents based on the subject matter expertise. Listed below are the courses provided by AWS based on specialty:
AWS Certified Advanced Networking
AWS Certified Advanced Networking is hatched for professionals who have to be on their toes when it comes to arduous networking assignments. Those interested in taking this course should have the following abilities:
- Architecting and deploying network solutions over the past five years
- Professional knowledge of AWS technologies, security approaches, storage know-how, AWS model understanding, networking intricacies
- Must know how to handle advanced networking infrastructures, automation scripts, and tools
- Have a deep understanding of CIDR and subnetting, as well as transition concerns and general network security solutions
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here
AWS Certified Security
Organizations may equip their staff for safeguarding data and workloads in AWS cloud environments by acquiring the AWS Certified Security certification. This specialist qualification is for people who work in the security field. The individual must also have certain abilities like:
- Demands two years of experience from individuals who have safeguarded AWS workloads
- In addition, five years of expertise in developing and deploying security solutions is required
- An understanding of how to deal with security breaches is a must-have skill
- Must be fully aware of the security protocols and various concepts like AWS shared responsibility model
- Security measures to balance workloads, patch management, threat models, and so on should all be known
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
AWS Certified Machine Learning
Companies are always attempting to train their workforce in machine learning. As a result, this certification is suitable for people who currently work in data science and want to learn more about building and deploying machine learning models on AWS. Let’s have a look at the criteria for the course:
- Two years of AWS cloud experience building, architecting, and executing machine learning or deep learning workloads
- Explain what ML algorithms are trying to achieve.
- Have a good comprehension of machine learning frameworks and how to do basic hyperparameter tuning.
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here
AWS Certified Data Analytics
This program is essential for anybody seeking to upgrade their analytical skills. Hereunder are the certification’s preconditions:
- Exposure to popular data analytics tools for five years and AWS services for sustaining analytic solutions for two years
- Understand how to link AWS data analytics services together.
- Know how to convey the need for AWS data analytics services during the data collection, storage, processing, and visualization phases of the data lifespan.
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
AWS Certified Database
The AWS Certified Database certificate is the list’s finalist, and it’s designed for those who know the optimum requirements for AWS database solutions. This training is for professionals who have worked with relational and non-relational databases on-premise and in the AWS cloud. Individuals must meet the following criteria in order to be certified:
- A minimum of five years’ expertise with standard database technologies, as well as two years of experience working with relational and NoSQL databases on-premise and in the AWS cloud.
- Understand the major features of AWS’ database services.
- Good at recommending database solutions that make use of AWS resources.
Course fee: $300
Duration: 170 minutes
Download the exam guide from here.
Which one should you go for?
The easiest approach to deciding which AWS certification is ideal for you is to evaluate which one actively encourages your professional objectives. Weigh the complexity of every test. If you are new to AWS, start by looking into which AWS certifications are now in high demand and comparing the pay of experts with those qualifications.
