Fastest way to be cloud certified? An overview of the certifications and quality study resources!
The field of cloud computing has expanded significantly in recent years, leading to an increased need for professionals skilled in deploying and managing cloud technologies. It is required that individuals with certifications lead the industry to a higher standard.
We’ll explore the top three players in the enterprise cloud arena.
AWS Certificati0ns
First, we discuss the market leader.
Many people are unaware that Amazon’s primary revenue source isn’t from its quick shipping of products (originally just books), but rather from its Amazon Web Services division.
AWS supports roughly a third of the internet, which is quite astounding. They offer numerous certifications, so let’s take a broad overview.
Starting with the basics, we have certifications like Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect — Associate, Solutions Architect — Professional, Advanced Networking, and various specialty certifications. We’ll focus on the most popular ones here.
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
This beginner certification is aimed at those looking to understand the basics of AWS cloud services. It covers fundamental cloud concepts, the architecture of AWS, core services, and how to manage costs.
Here are the domains covered and their exam weight:
- Cloud Concepts 26%
- Security and Compliance 25%
- Technology 33%
- Billing and Pricing 16%
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate
This certification targets professionals who create and manage scalable solutions on AWS and requires a deeper grasp of AWS services and best practices.
The domains covered and their exam weight are as follows:
- Design Secure Architectures 30%
- Design Resilient Architectures 26%
- Design High-Performing Architectures 24%
- Design Cost-Optimized Architectures 20%
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional
Designed for seasoned professionals, this certification deals with the design and implementation of intricate solutions on AWS. It demands a comprehensive understanding of AWS services and experience in managing complex applications.
The exam covers the following domains:
- Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity 26%
- Design for New Solutions 29%
- Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions 25%
- Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization 20%
AWS Certified Advanced Networking — Specialty
This specialty certification is focused on the design, implementation, and management o
f sophisticated networking projects using AWS. It necessitates a robust knowledge of networking principles and AWS services related to networking.
The exam covers:
- Network Design 30%
- Network Implementation 26%
- Network Management and Operation 20%
- Network Security, Compliance, and Governance 24%
Azure Certification
Microsoft’s segment dedicated to cloud computing offers a range of certifications.
Here’s an overview of the popu
lar certifications available in Azure, ranging from basic entry-level fundamental certificates to expert-level ones. We’ll highlight some of the most prevalent ones.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (Exam AZ-900)
This introductory certification offers insights into the basic services, security measures, privacy, compliance issues, and technologies underlying Azure.
The exam covers these areas:
- Describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%)
- Describe Azure management and governance (30–35%)
- Describe cloud concepts (25–30%)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (Exam AZ-104)
Designed for professionals overseeing and monitoring Azure resources, this certification demands a good grasp of Azure services, storage solutions, networking, and security.
The domains included in the exam are:
- Manage Azure identities and governance (15–20%)
- Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20–25%)
- Configure and manage virtual networking (20–25%)
- Implement and manage storage (15–20%)
- Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10–15%)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (Exam AZ-305)
Targeted at experts skilled in Azure solution design and implementation, this certification delves into advanced topics like computing, storage, networking, and security.
The exam includes the following key areas:
- Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions (25–30%)
- Design data storage solutions (25–30%)
- Design infrastructure solutions (25–30%)
- Design business continuity solutions (10–15%)
GCP Certifications
Google Cloud Platform, though smaller in market share, is supported by Google and its parent company, Alphabet. It’s known for leading to some of the highest salaries in the industry.
From the most foundational to specialized certifications, here’s a brief look at the more common GCP certifications, including an entry-level one.
Cloud Digital Leader
This foundational GCP certification focuses on a broad understanding of Google Cloud’s concepts, services, and practical applications.
The exam guide outlines the following sections:
- Innovating with data and Google Cloud (~30%)
- Infrastructure and application modernization (~30%)
- Google Cloud security and operations (~30%)
- Digital transformation with Google Cloud (~10%)
Google Cloud — Associate Cloud Engineer
This certification is geared toward professionals who set up, monitor, and maintain projects on Google Cloud. It covers both theoretical knowledge and basic practical skills.
The sections covered in the exam guide include:
- Setting up a cloud solution environment
- Planning and configuring a cloud solution
- Deploying and implementing a cloud solution
- Ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution
- Configuring access and security
Google Cloud — Professional Cloud Security Engineer
For professionals focused on creating and maintaining secure infrastructures on Google Cloud, covering access control, data protection, and threat detection.
The exam guide includes the following topics:
- Configure access within a cloud solution environment
- Configure perimeter and boundary security
- Ensure data protection
- Manage operations within a cloud solution environment
- Support compliance requirements
In Conclusion
The path to cloud certification is diverse and offers numerous benefits for your career in cybersecurity. Earning one or more of these certifications will undoubtedly aid your professional development in the field.
There are several resources out there provided by the vendors themself such as:
– Microsoft Learning Path
– Google training
For learners that want a quick head-up and start faster, there are quality paid resources such as practice test from CertificationTest. Some others consider Examtopics, a well-know dump sites that have certain free questions but with a much more expensive subscription.
If you want a slower but want to cover a wide range of topics than the certification, look for some quality udemy course from these authors.
I hope this information supports your educational endeavors!
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