Aspiring to become an AWS Architect? Follow this definitive AWS professional architect career path to accomplish your career aspirations. 

Cloud computing is presently one of the top priorities of every digital-savvy organization. The cloud computing market features two distinct names, i.e., Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, as top entries in terms of market share.

However, the prevalence of AWS in the existing cloud computing market is quite dominant. With almost 47.1% market share in the cloud computing market, it is easily the largest cloud computing service provider today.

An AWS professional architect could definitely explore many career opportunities and chances for better pay in cloud computing careers. 

However, many candidates don’t have the slightest idea regarding the best way to reach their goals of becoming certified AWS solutions architects. 

The following discussion serves as a career guide to help you navigate the AWS professional architect career path easily.

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AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice Exam

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Reasons to Focus on AWS Professional Solutions Architect Certification

Before finding out the ideal pointers regarding AWS certified solutions architect career path, it is important to know the reasons to choose this career path. All candidates must have a clear impression of the reasons for which they should pursue an AWS solutions architect certification. 

The foremost reason for searching for answers on ‘How to become AWS professional architect‘ is the growing demand for skilled AWS employees.

LinkedIn has listed cloud computing as one of the most in-demand skills for many years in a row. 

In addition, job listing platforms such as Dice have reported staggering growth in the number of job listings for the AWS platform. There is absolutely no reason to be surprised about the exceptional demand for AWS professionals. 

AWS cloud platform is presently powering up many thousands of businesses across 190 countries.

Furthermore, the salary prospects for an AWS professional architect are considerably favorable reasons for any individual to pursue AWS solution architect professional certification path. The annual average salary of an AWS certified solutions architect could be almost $126,000

So, the decision to pursue the role of an AWS professional solutions architect is definitely a favorable one on the grounds of many reasons.

Who is an AWS Solutions Architect?

The most important requirement before starting discussions about becoming a cloud solutions architect refers to the role’s definition. What is it exactly that a solutions architect does? 

Cloud architects are generally responsible for the management of the cloud computing architecture of an enterprise.

The professional cloud solutions architects have comprehensive knowledge regarding architectural principles and services for developing a technical cloud strategy. 

A professional AWS solutions architect would also support an enterprise in its cloud migration efforts. Most important of all, an AWS professional architect also reviews the workload architectures alongside offering guidance on addressing high-risk issues.

Also Check: Preparation Guide for the AWS Architect Associate Exam

Roles and Responsibilities of Professional AWS Solutions Architect

Teams need well-trained AWS solutions architects for addressing the requirements of developing required solutions within time and budget limits. 

The work of a professional solutions architect largely focuses on addressing the needs of stakeholders alongside defining solutions in accordance with organizational specifications.

However, a detailed impression of the roles and responsibilities of solution architects can help you find out how to become AWS professional architect.

The roles and responsibilities of AWS solutions architects could help an individual in identifying the skills and knowledge they need for the job role. 

Responsibilities of a Solutions Architect

solutions architect tasks
  • Visualizing Cloud Solutions

The foremost entry among roles and responsibilities of solutions architects comes in the form of visualizing solutions. Enterprises are already aware of the information context, operating systems, and integration requirements. They need a solutions architect to ensure that the new system would fit perfectly in the environment of the existing system.

A professional cloud solutions architect would have a comprehensive understanding of working of different elements of a business model. A detailed understanding of these components and processes could help them in developing solutions that are an ideal fit for the selected environment.

  • Resolving the Needs of Stakeholders

The responsibility of an AWS professional architect also extends to the fulfillment of stakeholder requirements. Technical solutions have different technical as well as non-technical stakeholders. Solutions architects must ensure that all the requirements are taken into account for a specific cloud solution.

In addition, the solutions architects should also ensure regular updates for stakeholders regarding processes, costs of product development, and budgeting. This is where solutions architects use their capability for translating the technical specifications of a project into easily understandable terminology.

  • Choice of Appropriate Technology 

The next critical concern in AWS’s professional architect career path over the long term would focus on selecting a technology stack. The solutions architect must choose the suitable technology for developing cloud-based solutions according to the organization’s objectives and requirements.

As a matter of fact, the choice of technology stack has a formidable influence on strategic approaches for solution architecture. In addition, specific platforms, programming languages, and tools have different unique practices. Solution architects could leverage the ideal assessment and comparison technology for finding suitable practices for a particular project.

  • Ability to Understand and Consider Limitations

Apart from focusing on requirements and best practices for a project, cloud solution architects would also have to consider limitations. 

The process of designing a cloud-based solution also implies the need for solution architects to take various project constraints into consideration. You can come across limitations related to various factors such as technology, cost, scope, resource availability, risks, quality, and time.

So, it is inevitable to wonder about the general job description you can find for an AWS professional architect

The additional responsibilities of an AWS solutions architect professional would include:
  • Carrying out assessments of architecture
  • Ensuring on-time delivery of solutions
  • Recognition for customer requirements
  • Working in collaboration with the sales and marketing department
  • Communication of system requirements to technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Supervision of assigned programs and guidance for team members
  • The facility of support to end-users and clients in the event of technical problems
  • Monitoring of systems for continuous improvement and proper compliance with user requirements and business objectives

What are the Skills Required for AWS Professional Architect Career Path?

Now that you know about the duties you would come across on AWS’s professional architect career path, it is important to find out the right cloud skills you need for the same. 

Here is an outline of the important skills you need for the AWS solutions architect professional certification path.

Technical Fluency

Technical knowledge is one of the foremost requirements for any candidate who wishes to become an AWS solutions architect. You must have the appropriate technical skill and knowledge to understand the needs and requirements of stakeholders effectively. 

Technical fluency is an important answer for ‘how to become AWS professional architect‘ as it helps in selecting the ideal tools for specific use cases. 

Candidates aspiring for the role of AWS solutions architect must have technical fluency in the following areas:

  • Programming languages such as Python, C#, and Java, among others
  • Basics of data storage
  • Fundamentals of security
  • Networking
  • Identifying AWS services
  • Security basics
  • Containers
  • DevOps
  • Cloud-specific patterns and technologies

Critical Assessment

The success of an AWS professional architect would depend considerably on their ability to evaluate existing systems and expected specifications. Proper analytics-based assessment skills could help in the analysis of existing systems for determining the overall scope and requirements from the concerned project.

Schedule Management

AWS solution architects are expected to deliver their solutions on time, and this would depend considerably on effective time management. Professional solution architects have the skills for establishing milestones and schedules to ensure timely development and completion of the project.

Leadership

Supervision of the work of other teams is also a critical addition to the job description of AWS solution architects. Solution architects must have the knowledge of best practices to ignite the motivation of team members during the development lifecycle.

Communication 

Among the many skills required in an AWS professional architect career path, the importance of communication never goes unnoticed. Solutions architects need exceptional fluency in verbal and written communication for addressing the requirements of communication with team members, clients, and external vendors.

Problem Solving

The final yet most decisive trait for a professional AWS solutions architect refers to problem-solving skills. It is important to note that cloud solution development can be a pretty dynamic undertaking with frequently changing system restraints or client specifications. 

Therefore, solution architects with exceptional problem-solving capabilities could adapt effectively to changes in specifications or system limitations.

Prerequisites for AWS Solutions Architect Professional

What AWS Certifications are you planning on achieving?
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The certification path for aspiring AWS solutions architects involves two specific certifications such as:

  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional

Both the certification exams are crucial in answers for ‘how to become AWS professional architect.’ Let us take a detailed overview of both certification exams for a basic understanding of their prerequisites, objectives, and basic details.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate

The AWS certified solutions architect associate certification exam focuses on individuals aspiring for the role of a solutions architect. The associate-level certification is a starting point in the career of an AWS solutions architect.

It helps an individual to prove their knowledge and experience at par with one or multiple years of practical experience in designing highly available, fault-tolerant, scalable, cost efficiency, highly distributed AWS systems.

The most critical highlight about the associate-level certification in AWS professional architect certification track refers to the prerequisites. The good news here is that AWS does not impose any mandatory prerequisites for eligibility to appear for the exam

On the contrary, you have to fulfill the following knowledge and experience requirements before the exam for better chances of success:

  • Practical experience in the use of compute, storage, database, and networking AWS services
  • Practical experience of services for AWS deployment and management
  • Skills for recognizing and defining technical requirements for AWS-based applications
  • Skills for recognizing the AWS services compliant with specific technical requirements
  • Awareness of suitable best practices for the development of AWS applications with better security and reliability
  • Comprehensive understanding of fundamental architectural principles regarding development on AWS Cloud
  • A detailed impression of AWS global infrastructure and network technologies
  • Knowledge of security features and instruments available on AWS

Candidates will have to showcase proof of their knowledge and skills in the following domains for the AWS solutions architect associate certification:

  • Effective architecture and deployment of secure and robust applications based on AWS technologies
  • Leveraging architectural design principles and customer requirements as the foundation for defining cloud solutions
  • The facility of the implementation guidance on the grounds of best practices across the entire project lifecycle

Preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam? Give your preparation a new edge with the AWS Solutions Architect Associate practice tests.

Some of the important details about the AWS certified solutions architect associate certification you should keep in mind are:

  • The exam includes 65 questions in the multiple-choice or multiple-response format.
  • Candidates can take the exam at a testing center or through an online proctored exam.
  • The total duration for the AWS certified solutions architect associate (SAA-C02) certification exam is 130 minutes.
  • Candidates can register for the exam at $150 USD.
  • The exam SAA-C02 is available in four languages (English, Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Japanese).

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional Details

The AWS professional architect career path of an individual would obviously take them to AWS certified solutions architect professional certification. The certification is suitable for individuals working in a solutions architect role with two or multiple years of practical experience in the management and operation of AWS systems.

Path to become AWS Professional Architect
Path to become AWS Professional Architect

The recommended prerequisites for the AWS certified solutions architect professional certification are as follows:

  • Two or multiple years of professional experience in design and deployment of AWS cloud architecture
  • Skills for assessment of cloud application requirements and providing architectural recommendations for implementing, deploying, and provisioning AWS applications
  • Fluency in AWS CLI, AWS Management Console, AWS APIs, AWS Billing Console, and the AWS Cloud Formation templates
  • Skills for using crucial AWS technologies for designing hybrid architecture
  • Understanding and implementation of five tenets in AWS Well-Architected Framework
  • Fluency in using a scripting language
  • Mapping business objectives to the architecture or application requirements
  • The ability for offering guidance on best practices for architecture design through different enterprise applications and projects
  • Fluency in Windows and Linux environments
  • Designing a process for continuous integration and deployment

Preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional exam? Give your preparation a new edge with the AWS Solutions Architect Professional practice tests.

The AWS certified solutions architect professional certification proves that candidates are capable of the following:

  • Designing and deploying AWS applications with dynamic scalability, reliability, higher availability, and fault tolerance.
  • Selection of appropriate AWS services for designing and deploying applications on the basis of specific requirements.
  • Migration of complicated, multi-tier AWS applications
  • Designing and deploying AWS operations with enterprise-wide scalability
  • Implementation of cost-control strategic approaches

You can check the AWS Architect Professional exam preparation tips to make your exam preparation journey easier. The important details about the AWS professional architect certification exam, i.e., SAP-C01, are as follows:

  • Includes 75 exam question in the multiple-choice and multiple-response formats.
  • Candidates could appear for the exam at a testing center or through an online proctored exam.
  • The total duration of the exam is 180 minutes.
  • Candidates could register for the AWS certified solutions architect professional exam at $300 USD.
  • The AWS certified solutions architect professional certification exam is available in four languages (English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese).

If you’re starting your AWS career as a novice, it is recommended to take AWS Cloud Practitioner certification first. You can prepare for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam with our AWS Cloud Practitioner online training course. Once you are done with the video course, you can check your preparation level with the AWS Cloud Practitioner practice tests.

Bottom Line

On a final note, it is quite evident that you could easily find answers for ‘how to become AWS professional architect.’ However, the actual concern in becoming an AWS solution architect refers to the ways you follow for reaching your objectives. Basic guidance regarding exams, their objectives, prerequisites, and basic details could only help you know the exam.

Candidates have to invest considerable efforts and time in preparing for a certification exam like AWS solutions architect associate and professional certifications. With the right professional certification training platforms, you can easily ensure promising results for your career in the long run.   

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