What Is AWS Certification?
The AWS Certifications are issued by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to individuals who have demonstrated knowledge, skill and experience in an online exam conducted by AWS approved exam centers. These certifications are considered valuable assets for professionals in the cloud computing industry as they validate professional expertise and qualifications to work with AWS cloud services.
Certified as AWS Pro with AWS certification is a great way to advance your career in the rapidly growing cloud computing field. As more and more companies adopt cloud technology, the demand for AWS certified professionals is also increasing.
AWS offers various certification exams for cloud engineers, administrators, and architects. And these certifications are valid for three years and need to renew before they expire by taking the recertification exam.
Why Is AWS Certification Important?
An AWS certification is widely recognized as a valuable asset in cloud computing. It verifies an individual’s proficiency using the Amazon Web Services platform and can be a valuable tool during job interviews. Having an AWS certification opens up more employment opportunities in the industry.
AWS certifications are accepted as an industry standard by most IT departments as more businesses adopt cloud technology to increase efficiency and productivity. Many organizations include AWS certification as a part of their internal training program. The need for new skills and certifications increases as the IT industry becomes more specialized.
AWS certifications validate a candidate’s knowledge of best practices in cloud architecture, management, and security. By obtaining an AWS certification, an individual demonstrates that they possess some of the most in-demand and unique lucrative abilities in the field of cloud computing, as verified by one of the leading companies in the industry.
How Do I Become AWS Certified?
Obtaining an AWS certification requires a good understanding of the certification process.
There are 12 certifications offered by AWS, including,
- Foundational Level – 1
- Associate Level – 3
- Professional Level – 2
- Specialities – 6
Selecting a certification exam aligned with your career objectives and personal interests is important.
After completing the Associate certification, you can take the Professional and Specialty certification exams. To prepare for the exams, AWS offers various training resources such as instructional videos, labs, and free online training.
Technogeeks’ AWS Cloud Computing course is a great way to learn about AWS services and best practices. Many self-study options, such as white papers and FAQs, are available online.
It is essential to have a solid grasp of the necessary topics and practical experience to pass the certification exams. Therefore, additional practice and hands-on experience are necessary to earn the AWS certification.
How Much Time Does It Take To Prepare For The Aws Certification Exam?
The time required to prepare for an AWS certification exam varies depending on the candidate’s experience level. For those new to the field of cloud computing and with experience in IT, it is recommended to dedicate approximately three months or 120 hours to prepare.
It is possible to gain a basic understanding of AWS quickly, but it is important to follow it up with practical experience with core services to work with AWS effectively. With a consistent study schedule, candidates should be able to work on AWS within a month or two.
Maintaining a consistent study schedule is important, investing at least 2 hours of study per day for the Associate level exams and 4-5 hours on the weekends for more advanced certifications.
Is Getting AWS Certified Worth It?
The AWS Certification is one of the most valuable and sought-after cloud computing certifications worldwide. Therefore, earning the AWS Certification will advance your career.
Thousands of businesses are using Amazon Web services. Additionally, it improves the brand value and reputation of the business. This demonstrates that having an AWS certification will be more valuable.
Furthermore, AWS Certification boosts your earning potential and demonstrates your commitment to technology.
Obtaining an AWS certification can be a valuable skill for professionals in cloud computing and Full stack development. It demonstrates that an individual has the knowledge, skills, and experience to work with AWS technologies and can be a valuable tool during job interviews.
AWS certifications are widely recognized by employers and are in high demand as more and more businesses adopt cloud technology to increase efficiency and productivity. Having an AWS certification can open up more industry employment opportunities and lead to higher earning potential.
Additionally, AWS provides various training resources and courses to help individuals prepare for the certification exams, which can be a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the AWS platform and best practices.
Getting AWS certified can be a worthwhile investment for those looking to advance their career in cloud computing and stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies.
Which Is The Best AWS Certification For Beginners?
The best AWS certification for beginners is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01). This certification is designed for individuals who have a general understanding of the AWS cloud and are looking to expand their knowledge in the field of cloud computing.
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam covers a wide range of topics, including AWS’s fundamental concepts and services, AWS pricing and support, and best practices for security and compliance.
This certification is a good starting point for individuals new to AWS who want a broad understanding of the platform. After gaining some experience and understanding, candidates can move on to more specialized certifications such as the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or the AWS Certified Developer – Associate.
Is AWS Certification Hard?
The difficulty level of an AWS certification can vary depending on the specific certification and the individual’s experience and familiarity with AWS. Some certifications, such as the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, may be considered relatively easy as they cover a broad range of basic knowledge on AWS.
Other certifications, such as the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, may be more difficult as they require more knowledge and experience with specific AWS services and architectural principles.
It is important to assess your knowledge and experience before pursuing certification and to prepare accordingly by studying the relevant materials and gaining hands-on experience with the AWS services covered in the certification.
A lot of people are concerned about clearing AWS certification.
Generally, the fundamental and speciality examinations would take 15 to 25 days, the associate level exams would take 30 days, and the advanced level exams would take 45 days for preparation.
But it relies on the certification you select, how quickly you can study and understand the concept, and how quickly you grab knowledge.
After the AWS course completion, you can use the practice exam questions from the mock tests to test your AWS knowledge. You can achieve a main exam score of more than 90% if your mock exam performance is at or above the 85% level.
How Much Does An AWS Certification Exam Cost?
The cost of an AWS certification exam varies depending on the level of certification.
For the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, the cost is $100 for the English version and $20 for each additional language version.
For the 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 Big Data – Specialty, AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty, AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty the cost is $150 per exam.
The cost is subject to change, so it’s best to check the AWS website for the most up-to-date pricing information.
Please note that these costs are for the exam only and do not include any training or preparation materials.
How Much Does An AWS Certification Exam Cost?
The cost of an AWS certification exam varies depending on the level of certification.
For the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, the cost is $100 for the English version and $20 for each additional language version.
The following AWS exams cost $150 per exam:
- 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 Big Data – Specialty
- AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty
- AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty
- AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty
The cost is subject to change, so it’s best to check the AWS website for the most up-to-date pricing information.
Please note that these costs are for the exam only and do not include any training or preparation materials.
Can You Get A Job With Just An AWS Certification?
Having an AWS certification can be beneficial for getting a job in the field of cloud computing and can demonstrate to employers that an individual has a certain level of knowledge and expertise in using AWS services. However, it is important to note that an AWS certification alone is not a guarantee of employment.
Employers often look for a combination of skills and experience when hiring candidates. Hands-on experience working with AWS services and solutions and certification can make a candidate stand out in the job market. Additionally, having relevant work experience in cloud computing, IT or a related field can also be valuable for getting a job.
An AWS certification can open up opportunities for roles such as Cloud Engineer, Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer, SysOps Administrator, Big Data Engineer, Data Scientist, Security Engineer and many more.
It’s important to remember that an AWS certification is just one aspect of a job application. It needs to be combined with relevant experience and skills to increase the chances of getting a job.
Although experience is what employers prefer, certification helps you stand out. It’s beneficial if you have both.
Value Of AWS Certification In India
AWS developers in India earn an average annual salary of Rs 6,46,077, according to Glassdoor.com.
Over the past five years leading to 2022, the Indian IT software and services industry experienced substantial growth, with exports increasing by more than 50% and the entire industry growing by 40%.
This led to the emerging cloud computing as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Indian economy. And resulted in new businesses being created in India every month, offering cloud engineers many new opportunities for career growth.
Types Of AWS Certifications
AWS presently offers 12 certifications, including six core certifications (two professional-level certifications, three associate-level certifications, and a foundational certification) and six specialist certifications.
What Are the Different Levels of AWS Certification?
There are several levels of AWS certification:
- Foundational: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Associate: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
- Professional: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional, AWS Certified Big Data – Specialty
- Specialty: AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty, AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder – Specialty.
Let’s explore each certification in more detail!
Foundational Level
You can become a Cloud Practitioner by demonstrating that you understand the fundamentals of important AWS services and concepts. You can choose not to have it when taking the Associate certificates, but you must have it to take the Specialty certifications.
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01)
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01) is a certification that provides an excellent foundation for cloud professionals who want to learn more about the AWS platform.
This certification summarizes the basic services provided by AWS and information about cloud pricing, security, networks, and cloud services.
Conditions to take this exam: At least six months of work experience in the AWS sector.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 90 Minutes
Cost: $100
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Basic knowledge of IT services and how they are used on the AWS Cloud platform is required.
- A basic understanding of AWS services and use cases, billing and pricing models, Monitoring, networking concepts, security concepts, and how the cloud impacts your organization.
Associate Level
These certifications need more experience than the Practitioner, and in addition to having some AWS problem-solving abilities, you should have some hands-on practical provisioning knowledge.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate (SAA-C02)
AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate (SAA-C02) is a technical certification offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to beginners and practitioners who handle corporate architecture projects and solution architects. Candidates must illustrate that they can develop, manage, and implement applications using tools and services on the AWS platform.
Conditions needed to take this exam: It is required that one year of hands-on experience in designing distributed applications.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions – Total 65 Questions
Duration: 130 Minutes
Cost: $150
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Expertise in deploying, managing, and maintaining workloads on (AWS) and implementing security controls and compliance requirements.
- Defining solutions using architectural design concepts following the customer’s requirements.
- How to create reliable, secure applications on the AWS platform.
AWS Certified Developer—Associate (DVA-C01)
The AWS Certified Developer-Associate (DVA-C01) exam is designed for people who work as developers. The candidates should have highly developed knowledge of at least one high-level programming language.
Conditions needed to take this exam: knowledge of at least one high-level programming language.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 130 Minutes
Cost: $150
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Knowledge of at least one high-level programming language
- An understanding of core AWS services
- Expertise in writing code for serverless apps and developing, deploying, and debugging cloud-based services utilizing AWS.
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator — Associate (SOA-C02)
The AWS certification, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02), covers all aspects of system administration in a cloud operations role. The exam verifies a candidate’s ability to deploy, manage, and operate workloads on AWS.
Conditions needed to take this exam: One to two years of experience working as a systems administrator in an operational role are needed to take this exam.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $150
The skills needed for the exam are:
- One year of hands-on experience with AWS.
- Familiar with using both the AWS Management Console and the AWS CLI.
- Knowledge in AWS Well-Architected Framework as well as AWS networking and security services.
Professional Level
These certifications need more experience than the Practitioner, and in addition to having some AWS problem-solving abilities, you should have some hands-on practical provisioning knowledge.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional (SAP-C01)
Compared to the associate-level certification exam, you need more knowledge and experience to pass this exam because it is at the professional level.
By earning the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional certification, you will become an expert in organizational complexity, migration planning, monitoring, cost planning, and more.
Careerera.com reports that the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional exam has a failure rate that is significantly higher than 72%. This indicates that less than 28% of candidates who sit for the AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam pass.
Conditions needed to take this exam: Those with at least two years of hands-on experience developing and deploying cloud architectures on AWS are required.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 75 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- The AWS CLI, AWS APIs, AWS CloudFormation templates, the AWS Billing Console, the AWS Management Console, a scripting language, Windows and Linux environments, and a scripting language are all things you should know.
- Able to evaluate cloud application requirements and give architectural recommendations for AWS application implementation, deployment, and provisioning.
- Knowledge of cost-saving techniques.
AWS Certified DevOps Engineer—Professional (DOP-C01)
The AWS DevOps Engineer certification focuses on provisioning, operating, and managing applications on the AWS platform. The AWS DevOps certification verifies a deep understanding of the automation process and the DevOps stage of continuous delivery, which is a key component of implementing AWS DevOps in any enterprise.
Conditions needed to take this exam: You must have at least two years of experience managing, maintaining, and provisioning AWS infrastructures.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 75 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Knowledge of at least one high-level programming language
- Candidates must have understood the development and operational procedures and techniques.
- Capability to implement and manage AWS-based continuous delivery systems and methodologies.
- Capability to define and deploy monitoring, metrics, and logging systems on AWS
Specialty Level
Specialized certificates that focus on different fields, including networking, big data, databases, and security. Therefore, you need extensive technical knowledge and experience in that field.
AWS Certified Advanced Networking — Specialty (ANS-C00)
AWS Certified Advanced Networking — Specialty (ANS-C00) certification certifies knowledge of networking. Candidates should have extensive knowledge of AWS networking and experience architecting and executing network solutions.
Conditions needed to take this exam: You should have five years of network management experience and a solid grasp of networking principles and best practices.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 170 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Designing, creating, and implementing cloud solutions with AWS
- Core services implementation is following architectural best practices.
- Design and implementation of security and compliance
- Network troubleshooting and optimization
AWS Certified Data Analytics — Specialty (DAS-C01)
The AWS Certified Data Analytics-Specialty certification is intended for those with a background in data analytics and expertise utilizing AWS services for building and architecting big data solutions.
Conditions needed to take this exam are:
- Five years of experience with widely used data analytics tools.
- Two years of working experience with AWS services.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Knowledge of AWS data analytics services.
- Data design, maintenance, and visualization.
- Integrating the many AWS data analytics services.
AWS Cloud Security Certification — Specialty (SCS-C01)
The AWS Cloud Security certification validates your knowledge of security. It is intended to test your understanding of AWS security concepts like identity and access management, infrastructure security, monitoring, and logging, as well as data protection and encryption.
Conditions needed to take this exam :
- Candidates must have 5 years of experience designing and implementing various security solutions in the IT security field.
- Candidates must have at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Knowledge of data encryption techniques and the AWS mechanisms needed to use them.
- having a working knowledge of AWS security services and service capabilities to offer a secure production environment
- Knowledge of risk and security operations
AWS Certified Machine Learning — Specialty (MLS-C01)
The AWS Certified Machine Learning Specialty certification is for developers and data scientists who wish to demonstrate their machine learning expertise on the AWS platform.
The exam estimates a candidate’s ability to design, build, deploy, and maintain machine-learning solutions.
Conditions needed to take this exam: Candidates must have At least two years of hands-on experience in the AWS developing, architecting, and running ML or deep learning workloads.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are
- Understanding of basic ML algorithms.
- Knowledge of machine learning and deep learning frameworks.
- Model training, deployment, and operational best practices are all skills.
AWS Certified Database — Specialty (DBS-C01)
The AWS Certified Database-Specialty certification verifies that you are knowledgeable about all of the database services provided by AWS and understand how to provide value to your company through effective database integration and architecture.
Conditions needed to take this exam :
- Candidates must have five years of experience with database technology.
- Candidates must have two years of practical experience working on-premises with relational and NoSQL databases on the AWS Cloud Platform.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 180 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- Key aspects of AWS database services.
- Analyzing the needs and creating the best solutions using AWS services.
AWS Certified – SAP on AWS-Specialty (PAS-C01)
The AWS Certified SAP on AWS-Specialty exam verifies the advanced technical expertise and knowledge necessary to effectively plan, implement, migrate, and manage SAP workloads on AWS.
Conditions needed to take this exam:
- Candidates must have 5+ years of SAP experience.
- Candidates must have 1 year of experience working with SAP on AWS.
Exam Format: Multiple-choice or Multiple-response questions -Total 65 Questions
Duration: 170 Minutes
Cost: $300
The skills needed for the exam are:
- The capability to build an SAP solution that runs on AWS in accordance with the AWS Well-Architected Framework guidelines.
- Create an SAP solution that runs in the AWS Cloud in accordance with SAP certification and support requirements.
Each level of certification demonstrates a different level of expertise and knowledge in using AWS services and solutions. The Foundational level is intended for individuals with a general understanding of the AWS Cloud.
In contrast, the Professional and Specialty levels are intended for individuals who deeply understand specific AWS services or solutions.
AWS Certification Training
Although you can learn about AWS with self-study and there is never-ending free study material on the internet, it needs a great deal of dedication to learn without any support, which can be a long journey and where you have to search for a job yourself!
The best way to learn is through industry-focused, live-interactive AWS training and be job-ready in the short term.
Learning from a working IT professional (which you should check before enrolling in any course!) will give you the latest working knowledge of AWS technology, which will be beneficial for taking the certification exam and on the job.
During this training, you will work on various practical projects, case studies, and assignments. Throughout the session, you can ask the trainer questions, and they will happily answer them.
