How Would You Choose The Best AWS Certification For You?

AWS is a robust platform that calls for a deep understanding of cloud management and application deployment. These days, obtaining a certification is comparable to receiving a key that opens the door to more advanced career opportunities, whether in the workplace or in business. But as the need for AWS cert has increased, so has the degree of competition. In order to succeed, you must choose a specific career path because there will be many competitors in the race to obtain a certification.

Let’s go over each AWS certification level, compare several viewpoints, and try to get unambiguous answers regarding how to choose the best one for you. AWS offers a number of certification tests divided into distinct levels. Moreover, it’s important to understand each exam’s provisions and create a plan for studying with the right study materials.

Foundational Level

AWS Cloud Practitioner certification is an area of the AWS ladder’s Foundational certification. The accreditation covers the foundational services provided by AWS, including network, security, cloud pricing, and support services.

It confirms a candidate’s ability to

• Describe the value of the AWS Cloud.
• Understand and describe the AWS shared responsibility model.
• Understand the best AWS security practices. 
• Acquire knowledge of AWS Cloud pricing, economics, and billing practices.
• Get a clear idea of the core AWS services, such as computing, networking, databases, and storage.
• List the AWS services for typical use cases.

Applicants should have at least 6 months of experience working with AWS Cloud and a fundamental understanding of IT services and their implementations in the AWS Cloud platform.

Associate Level

Following are the AWS Associate level certifications available:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

This AWS SAA C02 is designed for individuals who work as solutions architects. Candidates must have at least one year of hands-on experience on AWS creating cost-effective, scalable, and fault-tolerant solutions as per the requirement.

Capabilities Analysed by the Certification

• Knowledge of the process of architecting and implementing secure and resilient applications using AWS technologies is required.
• Specifying a solution based on client needs utilising architectural design principles.
• Providing implementation support to the organisation based on best practices throughout the project’s life cycle.

Required Knowledge and Experience

• Hands-on expertise with AWS storage, computing, networking, and database services, as well as AWS deployment and administration services
• Ability to recognise and establish technical requirements for an Amazon Web Services-based application.
• Better understanding of best practices for developing safe and dependable applications on the AWS platform.
• Basic architectural ideas for creating on the AWS Cloud, AWS global infrastructure network technologies, AWS security features and tools, and how they connect to traditional services are all required.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate 

This test is designed for system administrators who have experience in working with cloud operations and have at least one year of knowledge of managing and deploying networking and security on AWS.

This test verifies applicants’ knowledge of the following topics:

• AWS workflows must be retained and backed in conjunction with the Well-Architected Framework of the AWS.
• To carry out tasks, use the Management Console and the CLI of the AWS.
• Implement security controls to meet regulatory requirements.

• Monitoring, logging, and troubleshooting systems to apply networking concepts and carry out architectural specifications.
• Implement business continuity and catastrophe recovery procedures.

Recommendation for AWS Knowledge

• A year of hands-on AWS technical expertise is necessary.
• AWS management, operation, and workload deployment experience are required.
• Knowledge of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
• Understanding of the AWS Management Console and the AWS CLI.
• A clearer understanding of AWS networking and security services.
• Extensive knowledge of security procedures and compliance standards.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

This AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam is designed for those working as a developer.

This examination verifies a candidate’s ability to:

• Demonstrate a grasp of vital AWS services, applications, and basic AWS architectural best practices.
• Using Amazon Web Services to demonstrate proficiency in creating, deploying, and troubleshooting cloud-based applications.

AWS Recommendations

• Experience designing and maintaining an AWS-based application for at least one year.
• An in-depth understanding of at least one high-level programming language.
• Experience creating, deploying, and troubleshooting cloud-based apps on AWS.
• Solid knowledge of the AWS shared responsibility concept and application lifecycle management.
• The skills to develop apps utilising AWS Command Line Interface, software development kits, and AWS service Application Programming Interface.
• Requirement of skills like identification of essential characteristics of AWS services, usage of a CI/CD pipeline to launch apps on AWS, and ways to use AWS services.
• Knowledge of the basic grasp of cloud-native applications for writing code and competency in writing code for serverless applications.

Professional Level

Professional-level exams require much more knowledge and understanding of the platform. The AWS Professional level certification includes the following:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

Professionals who operate as solutions architects are the most eligible to attend this exam.

This test verifies a candidate’s knowledge:

• Developing and delivering fault-tolerant, dynamically scalable, and dependable applications on AWS.
• Choosing optimal AWS services for developing and deploying an application based on provided needs.
• Migrating complicated, multi-tier apps to AWS.
• Designing and delivering enterprise-wide scalable operations using AWS.

Knowledge and Experience 

• It is necessary to have two or more years of experience building and delivering cloud architecture on AWS.
• Ability to analyse cloud application needs and give architectural suggestions for AWS application implementation, deployment, and provisioning.
• Ability to deliver best practice recommendations on architectural design across numerous corporate apps and projects.
• Knowledge of a scripting language, Windows and Linux environments, and the AWS CloudFormation templates, AWS CLI, AWS APIs, AWS Billing Console, and AWS Management Console are required.
• Creating a hybrid architecture based on core AWS technologies, as well as a steady integration and deployment methodology.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional exam measures candidates’ technical ability to provision, run, and manage distributed application systems hosted by AWS. This test is appropriate for individuals who work as DevOps engineers.

The test confirms a candidate’s aptitude in the following areas:

• AWS implementation and management of agile delivery systems and processes.
• Putting in place and automating security measures, governance procedures, and compliance checks.
• Creating and installing AWS metrics, monitoring, and logging systems.
• On the AWS platform, developing highly available and available systems.
• Tool design, management, and maintenance for automating operational activities.

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• At least two years of experience developing, maintaining, and administering AWS installations is essential.
• Understanding of operating system administration and expertise designing and scripting code in at least one high-level programming language.
• Modern development and operational procedures and techniques must be understood.

Speciality Level

If the Associate and Professional exams are broad and deep, the Specialty exams are narrow but extremely deep. Many people say they’re more difficult than Associate exams, but it all depends on your background. 

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

This test is intended for students who can do complex networking activities. This exam assesses advanced technical skills and knowledge in the development and execution of large-scale AWS and hybrid IT network systems.

The exam validates candidates’ ability to use AWS to design, develop, and deploy cloud-based solutions; implement core AWS services in accordance with basic architectural best practices; layout and sustain network architecture for all AWS services; and leverage tools to optimise AWS networking tasks.

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• Experience with AWS technologies at the professional level.
• Understanding of AWS Security recommended practises, AWS storage alternatives, and underlying consistency mechanisms.
• Understanding of AWS networking and how it relates to AWS service integration.

Recommendations for General IT Knowledge

• Advanced networking topologies and interconnection choices, as well as networking technologies inside the OSI model, are required.
• Knowledge of the construction of automation scripts and tools such as routing architectures (static and dynamic), global enterprise multi-region solutions, and highly available connection solutions.
• CIDR and subnetting  issues, as well as IPv6 transition issues.
• Finally, knowledge of general network security technologies like WAF, IDS, IPS, DDoS protection, and Economic Denial of Service/Sustainability is necessary.

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

This test is for people who have work experience in security.

The test verifies applicants’ competence to show the following:

• Understanding data categories and AWS data defence systems; different data encryption techniques and AWS procedures for applying them; guaranteeing Internet protocols and AWS tools for implementing them
• Working understanding of Amazon Web security services and capabilities for building a secure production environment.
• A list of application requirements provides the opportunity to make tradeoff judgments about cost, security, and deployment complexity.
• Knowledge of security procedures and dangers

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• A minimum of five years of expertise in creating and executing IT security solutions is required.
• A minimum of two years of hands-on experience protecting AWS workloads is required.
• Workload security restrictions on AWS.

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

Candidates who work in development or data science should take the AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty exam. This exam assesses the candidate’s ability to use the AWS Cloud to construct, train, adjust, and deploy machine learning (ML) models.

The examination verifies the candidate’s competence to:

• Choose and justify the best ML technique for a given business challenge.
• Choose the best AWS assistance for executing ML solutions.
• Assemble and implement scalable, cost-effective, trustworthy, and secure machine learning solutions

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• One or two years of hands-on experience designing, architecting, or executing machine learning/deep learning workloads on the AWS Cloud, as well as the ability to communicate the understanding behind fundamental ML techniques.
• Expertise with basic hyperparameter tuning experience with machine learning and deep learning frameworks.
• The ability to follow best practices for model training as well as deployment and operating best practices.

AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty

This exam is designed for candidates who work in a specific area of data analytics. This exam assesses the candidate’s knowledge and comprehension of utilising AWS services to develop, construct, secure, and manage analytics applications that give data insight.

The test verifies the candidate’s knowledge of:

• Understanding AWS data analytics solutions and comprehending how they interact.
• Clarify how AWS data analytics services fit into the data lifecycle of collecting, storing, processing, and visualising.

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• At least five years of familiarity with standard data analytics technology is required.
• At least two years of hands-on AWS experience is required.
• Working knowledge of AWS services for developing, constructing, securing, and managing analytics systems.

AWS Certified Database – Specialty

The AWS Certified Database – Specialty exam is designed for applicants who work in a specific database job. This test assesses the candidate’s database knowledge and comprehension. This also involves planning, migration, implementation, automation, monitoring, security, and troubleshooting.

The test verifies a candidate’s ability to:

• Recognise and distinguish the essential characteristics of AWS database services.
• Analyse needs and requirements to create and suggest viable AWS database solutions.

AWS Knowledge Recommendation

• 5 years of familiarity with standard database technology is required.
• At least 2 years of hands-on AWS experience is required.
• Knowledge of NoSQL databases.

Summing Up 

Any AWS certification’s perceived “toughness” is entirely subjective and relies on your own AWS experience and understanding. And the certification you should choose completely depends upon your skillset and interest. No one should choose a certificate for you. It’s you who should decide which one to go with.

Be ready to train and keep striving for AWS-certified excellence with AWS’s official website and by joining genuine online certification platforms to ensure that you ace the cert exam in the first go. Good Luck!