Here Is Everything You Need To Know About AWS Cloud Computing
There are multiple cloud platforms that exist today like AWS, GCP, Azure, OCI, IBM. If you are thinking about starting your cloud journey or want to know more about Amazon Web Services, you’ve come to the right place.
What you’ll find ahead:
- Who uses AWS technology?
- AWS dominance in the market!
- Why do companies use AWS?
- The Importance of AWS certifications
- How Many Certifications are Provided by AWS?
- Which AWS certification is high in demand?
- Details of all 11 AWS certifications
- Job Roles
- Career Journey Tool
Who uses AWS technology?
To date, Amazon has reported over one million AWS users, with the majority operating as part of small to medium-sized businesses. Enterprise-scale users (including giants like Netflix, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Airbnb, Nokia, Slack, The Financial Times, and Pinterest) make up approximately 10% of the total.
As the leading cloud computing platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the primary profit driver for Amazon. AWS provides a plethora of cloud resources like virtual machines, storage, networking, remote computing, email, mobile development, and security. AWS accounts for about 13% of Amazon’s total revenue as of Q2 2021.
AWS dominance in the market!
- According to Synergy Research Group estimates, Amazon’s market share in the worldwide cloud infrastructure market amounted to 32 % in the fourth quarter of 2020, still beating the combined market share of its two biggest competitors, Microsoft and Google.
- Amazon Web Services is one of the leading cloud providers with around 52% market share. In addition, AWS provides many professional cloud certifications that are recognized by top employers.
- By 2022 the public cloud services market revenue is forecast to exceed 362.3 billion U.S. dollars, as stated by Statista.
- Companies worldwide are moving to the cloud, and according to IDC, the size of the public cloud market by 2022 is expected to reach $370 billion.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the leading cloud providers of on-demand, pay-as-you-go IT resources.
Why do companies use AWS?
- Ease of use
- Flexibility
- Cost-effective
- Security
- Good Performance and scalability
- Reliability
The Importance of AWS certifications
AWS Cloud Certifications validates cloud expertise to help professionals highlight in-demand skills and organizations build effective, innovative teams for cloud initiatives using AWS. Certified professionals and AWS certifications can electrify your resume, helping you get into the cloud career or take the next step from your current role.
With the increased use of cloud computing services from past years and now, especially during and after the pandemic, there is an increase in demand for certified professionals who can understand, work and deploy Cloud services.
AWS certification doesn’t merely look good on your resume—it can significantly raise the kind of salary or rate you command.
How Many Certifications are Provided by AWS?
There are 11 AWS certifications – One Foundational Certification, three associate-level certifications, two professional-level certifications, & five specialty certifications.
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner – Foundational
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
- AWS Certified Data Analytics
- AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
- AWS Certified Security Specialty
- AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty
- AWS Certified Database Specialty
Which AWS certification is high in demand?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
Blog on how this individual achieved 13 AWS certifications.
Details of all AWS Certifications
Let’s check out which AWS certification is best for you and what purpose it solves.
1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
This is a beginner-level AWS certification, and this is for individuals who want to build and validate their overall understanding of AWS Cloud. This Certification is one of the best to start your journey in cloud computing. Even if you don’t hold a degree, you can still get a job in cloud computing after clearing this Certification and acquiring the right skills!
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is helpful for individuals in these roles – Technical, Manager, Sales, Purchasing, Financial.
What are the Prerequisites for AWS cloud practitioner certification?
There are no prerequisites. However, Amazon recommends having at least six months of AWS experience in any segment, whether sales, technology, services, or accounts.
If you have a basic understanding of IT concepts and a zeal to learn, you can easily pass this exam. Here are some of the important links for you:
AWS Cloud Practitioner – The Complete Exam Guide
AWS Cloud Practitioner Complete Video Course with Practice Exam
Important links to help you pass AWS Cloud Practitioner certification
2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C02)
This is AWS’s most popular Certification and a common entry-point for those entering the architecting cloud space. This credential demonstrates your ability to design and deploy effective solutions on the Amazon Web Services platform.
This Certification is intended for individuals who can design distributed applications in AWS. The Certification recommends that IT pros have one year or more hands-on experience designing and deploying highly available and fault-tolerant AWS systems.
Complete Guide – AWS Architect Associate Exam (SAA-C02)
AWS – Certified Solutions Architect Associate – SAA-C02 – Latest Practice exams
Important links to help you pass AWS Associate Architect certification
3. AWS Certified Developer – Associate
This AWS development certification validates your ability to design and maintain AWS applications.
It is intended for software developers with one or more years of experience designing and sustaining an application on the AWS platform.
Candidates should also possess a deep working knowledge of at least one high-level programming language.
Important links to help you pass AWS Associate Developer certification
4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
This Amazon Web Services administration credential demonstrates expertise in deploying, scaling, migrating, and managing AWS systems.
SysOps certification exam candidates are recommended to have at least one year of hands-on experience operating cloud applications on the AWS platform.
Quick blog on how to ace AWS SysOps Admin Certification
5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
This Certification demonstrates advanced expertise in designing distributed systems and applications on the AWS platform.
Candidates for this certificate must hold the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification and are recommended to have 2+ years of experience in designing and deploying cloud architecture on Amazon Web Services.
Preparation Tips for AWS Solutions Architect Professional Exam
Practice exams – AWS Solutions Architect Professional – SAP-C01
Important links to help you pass AWS Professional Architect certification
6. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional
This advanced AWS certificate validates knowledge in provisioning, management, security, and operations of AWS solutions.
Candidates must have either the AWS Certified Developer OR AWS Certified SysOps Administrator associate credentials before sitting for this exam. With 2+ years of experience, provisioning and managing AWS environments is also recommended.
Important links to help you pass AWS Professional DevOps certification
7. AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty
This Certification demonstrates the skills to design and manage AWS solutions that can help organizations extract valuable insights and actionable intelligence from their business data. A background in data analytics and experience using AWS services for designing and architecting big data solutions is needed for this cert.
Candidates must have at least one of the 3 AWS Associate certificates listed above and are recommended to have 5+ years of experience in data analytics.
Important links to help you pass AWS Specialty Data Analytics Certification
8. AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
This AWS specialty certificate validates the skills to design and deploy AWS as part of a hybrid IT network architecture to scale.
Aspirants need to possess one or more of the AWS Associate credentials listed above and should have 5+ years of hands-on experience in architecting and implementing network solutions and advanced knowledge of networking on AWS.
9. AWS Certified Security – Specialty
This Certification enables tenured cloud security professionals to demonstrate their ability to secure the AWS cloud. The prerequisites include a minimum of five years of IT security experience, designing and implementing security solutions, at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads, and security controls for workloads on AWS.
10. AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
This Certification is primarily meant for Developers, Data Scientists, Data Platform Engineers, and Business Decision Makers to learn how to apply machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and deep learning to their businesses unlocking new insights and value.
This exam is for anyone who performs a development or data science role. Candidates should have one to two years of experience using ML and/or deep learning on the AWS Cloud.
Machine Learning – Specialty Prep Guide
11. AWS Certified Database – Specialty
This Certification is for anyone who works closely with databases and implements DB solutions.
Specialty certification validates that you have an overall understanding of all the AWS database services offered, as well as how to bring value to your business through optimized database integration and architecting.
Aspirants should have at least two years of experience working with AWS Cloud-based and on-premises relational and NoSQL databases.
Job Roles, You Can Get with an AWS Certification
- AWS Cloud Architect
- SysOps Administrator
- Cloud Developer
- Cloud Sales & Purchase Manager
- Key Account Manager, Cloud
- Cloud DevOps Engineer
- AWS Networking Specialist
- Cloud Software Engineer
- AWS System Integrator
- AWS Big Data Specialist
Confused!! Not sure which Amazon web services certification would fit your career the best?
Career-Journey Tool
Check out Career Journey, a one-stop-shop on how to prepare for a certification.
Career Journey is a free tool from ReviewNPrep that allows you to navigate certifications based on your current industry or role.
The tool will help you determine which AWS certificate would be suitable for you and provides excellent baseline content such as duration, cost, and even expected salary boost.
You can check the tool for AWS here.
If you want to know the best and effective strategy to prepare for the exam, pay attention to the experience of successful AWS cloud practitioner holders in the industry who have already passed the exam.
Once you clear the exam, now it’s time to help others. Anyone who has taken the pain of going through the journey is proud of their achievement. Sharing your experience can help many others save their time and energy while preparing for the exam, and we all understand how valuable time is for everyone.
Here is an invitation from Reviewnprep’s community to share your journey and encourage others.
Let’s learn and grow together.
We also believe that anyone who has taken one Certification is looking to enhance their expertise by taking the next level certification.
And here, the role “share your journey” comes into play.
Keep learning!
