The 12 AWS Certifications: Which is Right for You

Introduction

Amazon Web Services (AWS) leads the deck of popular cloud computing platforms in the world, thus, the demand for professionals with AWS skills and certifications is tremendous. AWS currently offers 12 certifications across four different levels of proficiency – Foundational, Associate, Professional, and Specialty – each designed to validate a specific set of skills and knowledge.

So, which AWS certification suits you? It depends on your experience level and career goals. Here’s an overview of the 12 AWS certifications and their target audiences:

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner:

This entry-level certification aims at individuals with little or no experience working with AWS. It validates your understanding of core AWS services, pricing, and security.

AWS Certified Developer - Associate

This certification targets individuals with one or more years of experience developing and maintaining AWS-based applications. It validates your understanding of AWS services, development tools, and best practices.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

This certification aims at individuals with one or more years of experience designing and deploying scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS. It validates your ability to design and deploy AWS applications based on customer requirements.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate

A certification designed for individuals with one or more years of experience managing and operating AWS-based systems. It validates your understanding of AWS management tools, monitoring, and troubleshooting.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional

This certification caters to individuals with two or more years of experience designing, deploying, and operating AWS-based applications. It validates your understanding of DevOps principles, practices, and tools.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional

This certification helps experienced solutions architects with two or more years of experience designing and deploying AWS-based applications. It validates your ability to design and deploy complex, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS.

AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty

This certification helps individuals with advanced networking experience and at least five years of experience designing and implementing network solutions. It validates your ability to design and deploy complex network solutions on AWS.

AWS Certified Security - Specialty

This certification aims at individuals with experience in IT security and at least two years of experience securing AWS workloads. It validates your ability to secure AWS workloads and use AWS security services.

AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty

This certification aids individuals with experience building, training, and deploying machine learning models on AWS. It validates your ability to design and deploy machine learning solutions on AWS.

AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty

This certification targets individuals with experience in both SAP and AWS who want to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in optimizing, managing, and deploying SAP solutions on AWS.

AWS Certified Database - Specialty

This certification aims at individuals with experience working with AWS databases and at least two years of experience working with databases. It validates your ability to design, deploy, and manage AWS databases.

AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty

This certification is intended for individuals with experience working with AWS data analytics services and at least two years of experience working with data analytics. It validates your ability to design and deploy data analytics solutions on AWS.

Important Note:

It is important to note that while the certifications are categorized based on the level of proficiency, the actual level of difficulty and the amount of experience required can vary widely. For example, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification requires a solid understanding of core AWS services, pricing, and security despite being an entry-level certification. In contrast, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification requires much more experience designing and deploying complex, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS.
When deciding which AWS certification to pursue, you should consider your current experience level, career goals, and your organization’s needs. For example, if you are starting with AWS and want to gain foundational knowledge, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification may be the best fit. The AWS Certified Developer – Associate or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional certifications may be more appropriate if you are a developer. On the other hand, if you are a solutions architect, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certifications may be more relevant to your career path.

Additionally, the relevant specialty certification may be a good fit if you’re interested in a particular area of AWS, such as networking, security, or machine learning.
It’s worth noting that AWS certifications are not a substitute for hands-on experience working with AWS. While earning an AWS certification can demonstrate your expertise and commitment to your field, gaining practical experience working with AWS is essential to hone your skills.

Fortunately, CloudThat Technologies offers a variety of AWS certification courses, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AWS certifications help demonstrate your knowledge and expertise working with AWS. By understanding the available certifications and their target audiences, you can select the proper certification to fit your career goals and advance your skills in the AWS ecosystem.

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