• It represented the first new Associate-level AWS certification in over a decade! (The Solutions Architect, Developer, and SysOps Administrator Associate exams all debuted with the advent of the AWS global certification program back in 2013.)

• It signaled the beginning of a shift in the AWS certification landscape. Shortly after announcing the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate certification, AWS also announced that it would be retiring three of its Specialty-level exams: the AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty, AWS Certified Database – Specialty, and AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty. With fewer Specialty-level certifications, AWS appears to now be prioritizing job role-based certifications at the foundational, associate, and professional levels.

The AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate exam was available to sit as a beta between November 27, 2023 and January 12, 2024, and pass-fail results have now been shared with everyone who sat the beta exam during that time. AWS is now ready to release the final version of this exam on March 12, 2024!

In this blog post, I’m going to answer some questions you might have about this brand-new exam, including:

• Who should take the new DEA-C01 exam?
• When will the new DEA-C01 exam be available?
• What is the format of the new DEA-C01 exam?
• What information will be covered on the new DEA-C01 exam?
• How can Cloud Academy help me prepare for the new DEA-C01 exam?

Who should take the new DEA-C01 exam?

According to the new DEA-C01 exam guide, the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam is geared towards individuals with 2-3 years of experience in data engineering and at least 1-2 years of hands-on experience working with AWS services. The exam guide also states that candidates for this certification should understand “the effects of volume, variety, and velocity on data ingestion, transformation, modeling, security, governance, privacy, schema design, and optimal data store design” and promises to validate a candidate’s ability to perform the following tasks:

• Ingest and transform data, and orchestrate data pipelines while applying programming concepts.
• Choose an optimal data store, design data models, catalog data schemas, and manage data lifecycles.
• Operationalize, maintain, and monitor data pipelines.
• Analyze data and ensure data quality.
• Implement appropriate authentication, authorization, data encryption, privacy, and governance.

Passing this exam will require experience and expertise as an IT on-premises or cloud data engineer who works with extract, transform, and load (ETL) pipelines, uses data lakes for data storage, and understands how to analyze data and ensure data quality and consistency.

That being said, there are no formal prerequisites for this–or any other–AWS certification exam, so anyone can register for and sit this exam.

When will the new DEA-C01 exam be available?

Registration opens for the DEA-C01 exam on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The exam will be available to sit beginning that same day.

What is the format of the new DEA-C01 exam?

Like the other three Associate-level AWS certifications, the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will cost $150 USD and contains 65 multiple choice and multiple response questions. Most questions will have 4 possible answer options where you must select one correct answer, while others may have 5 or 6 answer options from which you must select two or three correct answers. Of the 65 questions in the exam, only 50 of them will count towards your score. The other 15 questions are used by AWS for evaluation purposes and do not affect your score in any way. There is no way to tell which questions are scored or unscored but there is also no penalty for guessing, so always be sure to answer every question, even if it’s just an educated guess!

The exam has a pass-fail designation and is scored on a scale of 100-1,000, with a minimum score of 720 required to pass, just like the other Associate-level exams.

What information will be covered on the new DEA-C01 exam?

The new DEA-C01 exam guide references four domains, which are shown in the table below.

DEA-C01 Domains

Let’s briefly discuss what’s covered within each of these four domains in a little more detail.

DEA-C01 Domain 1: Data Ingestion and Transformation (34%)

This domain accounts for over one-third of the overall exam content and focuses on ingesting, transforming, and processing data, as well as orchestrating ETL pipelines for your data. This includes knowing how to read data from AWS services that stream data such as Kinesis, Redshift, and DynamoDB streams, then transforming it based on your requirements using services like Lambda, EventBridge, and AWS Glue workflows. You’ll also need to understand some basic programming concepts such as infrastructure as code, SQL query optimization, and continuous integration and continuous delivery, or CI/CD, when testing and deploying your data pipelines.

DEA-C01 Domain 2: Data Store Management (26%)

In this domain, you’ll need to know how to store and catalog your data. This involves everything from modeling your data to defining schemas for your data, which could be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. You should have a thorough understanding of all AWS storage platforms and know how to determine the best data store for your needs based on availability and throughput requirements. You’ll also need to manage the lifecycle of your data in a way that is cost efficient, secure, and resilient to failure.

DEA-C01 Domain 3: Data Operations and Support (22%)

This domain will assess your ability to use AWS services to analyze your data, ensuring data quality as you automate the processing of your data. This includes configuring appropriate monitoring and logging of your data pipelines, using services like CloudTrail and CloudWatch to assist in troubleshooting any issues that may arise. You should also be familiar with AWS Glue DataBrew and understand how it can be used for everything from preparing data to be transformed to defining data quality rules, verifying, and cleaning data.

DEA-C01 Domain 4: Data Security and Governance (18%)

This final domain is all about data privacy, authorization, and compliance. You should understand the role of security within an AWS architecture and understand how to implement security in both your VPC network infrastructure as well as your users with AWS Identity and Access Management. This includes knowing the principle of least privilege and how to apply role-based, attribute-based, and policy-based security when appropriate. You’ll also need to understand encryption and how to leverage the AWS Key Management Service to encrypt and decrypt your data.

How can Cloud Academy help me prepare for the new DEA-C01 exam?

As soon as the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate exam was announced last year, our team here at Cloud Academy began to assess the content in our library to help curate a brand new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) Certification Preparation course that fully covers all aspects of the new DEA-C01 exam guide.

We also sat the beta version of this exam when it was available (it was very challenging for an Associate-level exam!) and leveraged our collective knowledge and experience to build new and updated lessons, hands-on labs, and assessments covering all of the topics that are emphasized in the new DEA-C01 exam. Our new course is currently available in preview, but will be fully updated and published by March 12, 2024!

To find out the latest information about this exam, as well as to learn more about updates to other AWS certification exams, you can visit the Coming Soon to AWS Certification page. From there, you can review the exam guide for the new DEA-C01 exam.

For training preparation on all AWS certifications, I encourage you to browse our entire library of AWS certification content.

Best of luck with your studying, and keep an eye on this space for more AWS certification updates in the months ahead. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me and I’ll be happy to help!

Danny

The post New AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam goes live on March 12th, 2024! appeared first on Cloud Academy.

The AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will join the Solutions Architect, Developer, and SysOps Administrator Associate exams as the fourth Associate-level certification from AWS, the 13th AWS certification overall, and the first brand new certification from AWS since the AWS Certified: SAP on AWS – Specialty (PAS-C01) exam was released back in 2022.

According to AWS:

The AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam validates skills and knowledge in core data-related AWS services, and emphasizes the ability to implement data pipelines, monitor and troubleshoot issues, and optimize cost and performance in accordance with best practices.

Back in March, AWS began to solicit feedback by surveying individuals with at least 2 years of experience working in data engineering or a similar role, the first signal of their intent to potentially develop a new certification geared towards data engineers. To that end, AWS cites a recent Dice tech jobs report that shows demand for data engineers increasing by 42% in just a single year! This exam fills an important gap when assessing the knowledge and expertise of a data engineer that isn’t well-covered by any of the other current AWS exams.

In this blog post, I’m going to answer some questions you might have about this brand-new exam, including:

• Who should take the new DEA-C01 exam?
• When will the new DEA-C01 exam be available?
• Should I take the beta version of the new DEA-C01 exam or wait for the standard version of the exam instead?
• What is the format of the new DEA-C01 exam?
• What information will be covered on the new DEA-C01 exam?
• Where can I learn the new materials for the new DEA-C01 exam?
• Where can I find more information on the new DEA-C01 exam?

Who should take the new DEA-C01 exam?

According to the new DEA-C01 exam guide, the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam is geared towards individuals with 2-3 years of experience in data engineering and at least 1-2 years of hands-on experience working with AWS services. The exam guide also states that candidates for this certification should understand “the effects of volume, variety, and velocity on data ingestion, transformation, modeling, security, governance, privacy, schema design, and optimal data store design” and promises to validate a candidate’s ability to perform the following tasks:

• Ingest and transform data, and orchestrate data pipelines while applying programming concepts.
• Choose an optimal data store, design data models, catalog data schemas, and manage data lifecycles.
• Operationalize, maintain, and monitor data pipelines.
• Analyze data and ensure data quality.
• Implement appropriate authentication, authorization, data encryption, privacy, and governance.

Passing this exam will require experience and expertise as an IT on-premises or cloud data engineer who works with extract, transform, and load (ETL) pipelines, uses data lakes for data storage, and understands how to analyze data and ensure data quality and consistency.

That being said, there are no formal prerequisites for this–or any other–AWS certification exam, so anyone can register and sit for this exam.

When will the new DEA-C01 exam be available?

A beta version of the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will be available to take between November 27, 2023, and January 12, 2024, at a cost of $75 USD–a 50% discount over the standard exam! Registration for this beta version of the exam opens on October 31, 2023. After the beta period ends in January, registration will open for the standard version of the exam in March 2024. The final, post-beta version of the DEA-C01 exam will be available to sit beginning in April 2024.

Should I take the beta version of the new DEA-C01 exam or wait for the standard version of the exam instead?

The new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam is the first AWS certification exam to feature a beta since the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty and AWS Certified: SAP on AWS – Specialty exams also had betas back in 2022. AWS will occasionally use beta exams before officially releasing final versions of a new or updated certification exam as a way to test and evaluate exam questions before they are featured in a live exam.

There are some important differences between beta and standard exams that may influence your decision to take one version of the exam over the other, which I will discuss here.

Cost

As I mentioned earlier, the beta version of the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will be available at a 50% discount over the standard exam ($75 USD instead of $150 USD). If you are an experienced AWS Data Engineer and you’re ready to sit this exam between November and January, this discount offers you the opportunity to be among the first to earn this certification while also saving some money in the process.

Exam Experience

The beta version of the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will feature a total of 85 multiple-choice or multiple-response questions. This is higher than the 65 questions typically featured on AWS Associate-level certification exams, and even higher than the 75 questions typically found on Professional or Specialty-level exams. AWS beta exams contain these additional questions to help AWS ascertain if there are any questions within their question bank that are unclear (if everyone gets the same questions wrong, it’s likely those questions will be edited or removed altogether). Asking a larger number of questions on the beta exam allows AWS to better refine its question bank selection for when the post-beta exam goes GA next April.

While you will have 170 minutes to complete this beta exam (compared with 130 minutes to answer 65 questions on a typical Associate exam), it is common for “exam fatigue” to set in after about 50 questions.

Furthermore, while you would typically receive the pass/fail results of your AWS certification exam within a few days of taking the exam, you won’t receive your official exam results for this beta exam until 90 days after the beta period closes in January. This means you could sit the beta exam in November 2023 and not know whether you passed or failed until April 2024, nearly five months later.

Bragging Rights

If the beta is successful and you end up passing the beta version of this exam, you will be awarded the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate certification and be among the first worldwide to hold it, giving you not only bragging rights but also a huge boost to your career profile. Like all other AWS certifications, this certification will be valid for three years, just as if you passed the post-beta version of the exam.

What is the format of the new DEA-C01 exam?

Like the other three Associate-level AWS certifications, the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) exam will consist entirely of multiple choice and multiple response questions. There will not be any hands-on labs as part of this exam.

The beta version of the new DEA-C01 exam will contain 85 questions, while the final version of the exam will contain 65. Most questions will have 4 possible answer options where you must select one correct answer, while others may have 5 or 6 answer options from which you must select two or three correct answers. Of the 65 questions in the post-beta version of the exam, only 50 questions will count towards your score. The other 15 questions are used by AWS for evaluation purposes and do not affect your score in any way. There is no way to tell which questions are scored or unscored but there is no penalty for guessing, so always be sure to answer every question, even if it’s just an educated guess!

The exam has a pass-fail designation and is scored on a scale of 100-1,000, with a minimum score of 720 required to pass, just like the other Associate-level exams.

What information will be covered on the new DEA-C01 exam?

The new DEA-C01 exam guide references four domains, which are shown in the table below.

DEA-C01 Domains

Let’s briefly discuss what’s covered within each of these four domains in a little more detail.

DEA-C01 Domain 1: Data Ingestion and Transformation (34%)

This domain accounts for over one-third of the overall exam content and focuses on ingesting, transforming, and processing data, as well as orchestrating ETL pipelines for your data. This includes knowing how to read data from AWS services that stream data such as Kinesis, Redshift, and DynamoDB streams, then transforming it based on your requirements using services like Lambda, EventBridge, and AWS Glue workflows. You’ll also need to understand some basic programming concepts such as infrastructure as code, SQL query optimization, and continuous integration and continuous delivery, or CI/CD, when testing and deploying your data pipelines.

DEA-C01 Domain 2: Data Store Management (26%)

In this domain, you’ll need to know how to store and catalog your data. This involves everything from modeling your data to defining schemas for your data, which could be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. You should have a thorough understanding of all AWS storage platforms and know how to determine the best data store for your needs based on availability and throughput requirements. You’ll also need to manage the lifecycle of your data in a way that is cost-efficient, secure, and resilient to failure.

DEA-C01 Domain 3: Data Operations and Support (22%)

This domain will assess your ability to use AWS services to analyze your data, ensuring data quality as you automate the processing of your data. This includes configuring appropriate monitoring and logging of your data pipelines and using services like CloudTrail and CloudWatch to assist in troubleshooting any issues that may arise. You should also be familiar with AWS Glue DataBrew and understand how it can be used for everything from preparing data to be transformed to defining data quality rules, verifying, and cleaning data.

DEA-C01 Domain 4: Data Security and Governance (18%)

This final domain is all about data privacy, authorization, and compliance. You should understand the role of security within an AWS architecture and understand how to implement security in both your VPC network infrastructure as well as your users with AWS Identity and Access Management. This includes knowing the principle of least privilege and how to apply role-based, attribute-based, and policy-based security when appropriate. You’ll also need to understand encryption and how to leverage the AWS Key Management Service to encrypt and decrypt your data.

Where can I learn the new materials for the new DEA-C01 exam?

As soon as the new AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate exam was announced, our team here at Cloud Academy began to assess the content in our library to help us create a brand new learning path that ensures we fully cover all aspects of the new DEA-C01 exam guide.

Over the coming months, our team will be sitting the beta version of this exam and leveraging our collective knowledge and experience to build new and updated courses, hands-on labs, and assessments covering all of the topics that are emphasized in the new DEA-C01 exam. We will also monitor any updates or changes announced to the DEA-C01 exam from AWS after the beta period for the exam ends in January and before the final version of the exam is released in April 2024 to ensure our content is thorough and comprehensive, giving you the peace of mind you need to know you’ll be ready to pass this brand new exam!

Where can I find more information on the new DEA-C01 exam?

To find out the latest information about this exam, as well as to learn more about updates to other AWS certification exams, you can visit the Coming Soon to AWS Certification page. From there, you can review the exam guide for the new DEA-C01 exam.

For training preparation on all 12 (now soon to be 13!) AWS certifications, I encourage you to browse our entire library of AWS certification content.

Best of luck with your studying and exam preparation! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or our team of knowledgeable reps.

We’re happy to help.

Danny

The post AWS Announces New Certified Data Engineer – Associate (DEA-C01) Certification appeared first on Cloud Academy.

The decision to make Microsoft certifications essentially “open book” is certainly interesting.

“This is a massive change,” says Guy Hummel, Microsoft Domain Lead at Cloud Academy “I never thought I’d see the day when you could refer to the documentation while taking a cloud certification exam.”

Overall, there are things we love about this announcement, specifically a positive shift for people sitting for their speciality and advanced level certificates. But it’s not the silver bullet to passing the exams – especially fundamentals, which will not have access to the documentation in the same way. There are other things to be mindful of as well, such as the exam times not changing and the need for foundational knowledge in order to successfully pass.  

Opening up learning paths and documentation brings both opportunities and challenges for certification seekers and companies looking to hire certified professionals. But with less pressure to focus on memorizing the intricate details to avoid getting “tricked” by a question, examinees can spend more time where it counts: on practical, real-world skills. 

What we love:

The reality of “looking it up”: “I have always thought that certification exams are a somewhat unrealistic test of a person’s knowledge,” says Guy. “In the real world, people almost always refer to the documentation while they’re implementing cloud systems, so it’s a bit unfair to expect them to have all of the details memorized when they’re taking an exam.”

Microsoft’s even stated in their announcement that they acknowledge everyone, at one point or another, has thought, “I’ll just look it up!” when they aren’t sure of an exact answer. Even the smartest folks at your company will double-check their work if they’re uncertain. Now, instead of relying solely on memorization, candidates can now access a vast array of technical information during the exam, reflecting the actual problem-solving scenarios professionals face on the job. 

Equity in tech certification: Making documentation available during exams promotes tech education equity by leveling the playing field for all candidates, especially neurodiverse learners. It ensures that everyone has equal access to knowledge, and does not require everyone to rely solely on memorization. Guy happens to agree, saying, “ Giving people access to the documentation when answering questions makes perfect sense. I applaud Microsoft for being a leader with this enlightened approach.”

Encourages continuous learning: Candidates can now engage with Microsoft Learn to search for information, fostering a learning process even during the exam. This aligns with the tech industry’s continued emphasis on skills growth and need for adaptability.

No major changes to exam questions: Does this mean Microsoft will make their questions more challenging or comprehensive? According to Microsoft, there are no changes coming to the way questions are written, and “they will continue to focus on problems or scenarios that require real world experience to solve.” Keeping questions grounded in scenarios, and not written theory, is the right call that we are happy to see.

What we’re mindful of:

Time constraint: While the integration of Microsoft Learn is aimed at assisting with specific questions, the exam timer will continue to run while the examinee reviews documentation. Guy sees this as one reason having access to documentation won’t make a huge difference for most people.

“Typical Microsoft exams ask you 50 questions in 2 hours,” he says, “so you only have about two minutes per question. Since the questions can be quite complex, it often takes 2 minutes simply to read the question and consider the answers carefully.”

It will be crucial for anyone sitting for an exam to strike a balance between researching and answering questions efficiently within the allotted time.

Over-reliance on Microsoft resources: There’s a potential downside to over-relying on the Microsoft Learn resources in general. Microsoft Learn is a good supplemental resource to use when preparing for an exam, it’s generally not a good idea to use it as your only preparation for an exam. For example, hands-on experience in lab environments is generally better for skill retention than simply reading text-based documentation. 

Examinees who are under-prepared might be tempted to look up answers for every question, which could lead to a superficial understanding of the material. “If you have to look something up in the documentation more than a few times during the exam,” says Guy, “you’re probably going to run out of time. That’s why it will still be critical to thoroughly prepare before taking an exam. You can’t rely on the documentation to save you.” 

Fundamentals exclusion: Access to Microsoft Learn is not available for fundamental exams, which makes the equity point above feel contradictory.  While this move encourages a deeper understanding of role-based skills, one could argue that fundamental learners deserve the same level of exam support in real time than someone with more knowledge or experience. “I’m assuming they did this because it would be too easy to look up the answers to questions on fundamentals exams,” says Guy. It will be interesting to see if this decision changes over time based on learner feedback.

The integration of Microsoft Learn into Microsoft certification exams will help learners quickly reference answers they aren’t 100% sure of, but they must approach their use of documentation during exams judiciously. It’s never a good idea to rely solely on text-based documentation to prepare for an exam, and anyone registering for a fundamentals-level certification should know that they will not enjoy the same level of resources as other, more advanced certs. 

Don’t just rely on open book exams. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills that make a difference in the real world. Join Cloud Academy today and embark on a transformative learning journey with the industry’s leading experts.

The post Microsoft’s Exams Are Now Open-Book. Is It as Good as It Sounds? appeared first on Cloud Academy.

As the digital landscape evolves, AWS consistently introduces new features and services, setting the benchmark for cloud innovations, and both professionals and teams must remain informed to harness the full potential of these advancements.

Cloud Academy is here as your beacon in this journey, guiding you through the intricacies of AWS certifications. Let’s dive a little deeper into the importance of these certifications and how Cloud Academy can help pave your path to reaching your career goals.

Stay current on AWS news and releases

AWS introduces new services and updates at a pace that can be overwhelming, but staying updated with AWS is easier than you might think:

• Subscribing to the official AWS blog provides firsthand information, straight from the source.
• Joining active AWS forums fosters community learning, where professionals share insights and experiences.
• Following AWS on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn offers real-time updates and expert opinions.

Understanding the latest AWS developments isn’t just about keeping up — it’s about staying ahead. By leveraging the most recent tools and services, you can drive unparalleled efficiency and innovation in your projects, ensuring that your solutions are cutting-edge and competitive.

Want more easy-to-digest AWS insights? Check out our blog on staying current on AWS news and releases.

The value of AWS certifications in today’s market

AWS certifications have become a gold standard in the industry. They validate your skills and knowledge while demonstrating your commitment to staying updated in the fast-paced world of cloud technology.

Employers often look for AWS certifications as a benchmark when hiring, as it assures them of the candidate’s proficiency with the platform. Professionals with AWS certifications often command higher salaries and better job opportunities, making it a valuable investment in your career.

AWS certifications can also be a stepping stone for pros looking to transition into specialized roles, like cloud architects or DevOps engineers, further broadening their career horizons.

Why you (or your team) should get certified

Simply put, AWS certifications are more than just accolades. They’re a testament to a professional’s commitment to excellence and a profound understanding of the platform.

Teams with certified professionals tend to be more agile, making informed decisions swiftly and adapting to changes with ease. Plus, AWS certifications are globally recognized, adding a touch of gold-standard credibility to your profile; AWS’s leadership in cloud services is undisputed. Being certified you’re in sync with the best, always staying a step ahead, and positioning yourself as a sought-after expert in the field.

Get AWS-certified with Cloud Academy

Navigating the vast domain of cloud technology can be daunting. AWS, with its plethora of services and features, is a titan in this landscape. And Cloud Academy is your compass, guiding you through the intricate pathways of AWS, ensuring a smooth and informed journey towards certification.

A holistic approach to learning with Cloud Academy:

Cloud Academy isn’t just another e-learning platform; it’s a comprehensive skill management platform tailored for tech teams of all sizes. The platform offers a unique blend of advanced software and premium content. This synergy offers a holistic experience, blending theoretical knowledge with practical insights. From Cloud to DevOps, Software Development, and beyond, our offerings are designed to cater to a wide spectrum of tech domains, ensuring that no stone is left unturned in your learning journey.

Personalized learning paths:

Every individual or team has unique learning needs. Our adaptive platform understands this and allows users to personalize their learning paths, roles, and skills. This personalization ensures that learning is targeted, efficient, and in line with individual or team objectives.

Hands-on labs & real-world scenarios:

While theoretical knowledge forms the foundation, practical proficiency is what sets professionals apart. Our hands-on labs simulate real-world scenarios, ensuring that learners aren’t just theoretically equipped but also practically proficient. These labs are designed by industry experts, ensuring that they mirror real-world challenges, preparing learners for both the certification exams and on-the-job scenarios.

Content Engine & customization:

Our Content Engine is a game-changer. This feature allows enterprise users to customize the platform’s library, creating their own courses, learning paths, and exams. This level of customization helps you make sure that learning is always aligned with specific organizational needs and objectives.

In conclusion

In the ever-evolving world of cloud technology, staying updated and certified is the name of the game. At Cloud Academy, we offer rich features, adaptive learning paths, and expert-designed content –– making us the ideal partner for anyone looking to conquer the AWS certification landscape.

So dive deep, explore, and let Cloud Academy guide you to AWS mastery, ensuring that you’re always at the forefront of cloud innovation.

The post How to Get Your AWS Certification With Cloud Academy appeared first on Cloud Academy.

Google Cloud Platform, a leading service in the industry, offers a suite of certifications designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and expertise needed to leverage Google’s cloud technology.

This blog post is aimed at businesses and professionals seeking to understand the various Google Cloud Certifications available today. We’ll outline each certification, its purpose, and who it’s best suited for, providing a comprehensive guide to navigate your cloud career.

But as a tech leader, how do you know which certifications to guide your team towards, and how do you assess their skill level/efficiency? Fill out the form and request a free demo! Our tech skill assessments let you save time by identifying the exact skills your team needs.

Fill out the form below and get a free demo!

Is a Google Cloud certification worth it?

A Google Cloud certification is definitely worth it for professionals seeking to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in cloud architecture and Google Cloud technologies. The certification can open up new job opportunities, enhance your credibility in the field, and potentially increase your salary. As more companies continue to adopt cloud technologies, the demand for certified professionals is growing. Having a Google Cloud certification can give you a competitive advantage in the job market.

Why is getting a Google Cloud certification important?

Getting a Google Cloud certification is important for several reasons:

Knowledge and skills: The process of preparing for the certification exams helps you gain a comprehensive understanding of Google Cloud technologies. This can greatly improve your ability to effectively design, develop, and manage cloud solutions.

Credibility: Having a certification from a well-known organization like Google can enhance your credibility as a cloud professional. It demonstrates to employers that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform tasks associated with Google Cloud technologies.

Career advancement: Many employers prefer or require certifications for certain job roles. By obtaining a Google Cloud certification, you can open up new job opportunities and potentially increase your earning potential.

Industry recognition: A Google Cloud certification is widely recognized in the IT industry. It can help you stand out from the crowd and get noticed by potential employers.

How long does it take to get a Google Cloud certification?

The time it takes to get a Google Cloud certification can vary depending on the specific certification and your level of experience and familiarity with Google Cloud technologies. The process involves self-study or formal training, followed by an exam. Preparation can take several weeks to several months, depending on the amount of time you can dedicate to studying.

Why should I get Google Cloud certified?

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) has evolved from being a niche player to a serious competitor to Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

In 2022, research firm Gartner placed Google for the third consecutive year in the Leaders quadrant in its Magic Quadrant™ for Cloud AI Developer Services report. In the report, Gartner recommended the platform for its language, vision, and AutoML products for developers, offering a comprehensive platform that is ready for enterprise-level execution.

With more and more companies using GCP for at least some of their cloud requirements, there is an increased demand for Google Cloud Platform certification training. Google now has 10 certification exams that IT professionals can use to validate their GCP skills.

Bringing your team up to speed on GCP can take time you may not have. But with our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today to find out how the program works.

What are the Google Cloud certifications?

As of today, Google Cloud Platform offers 10 certifications. Let’s go through all of them and find the best one for your cloud career:

1. Google Cloud Digital Leader;
2. Google Associate Cloud Engineer;
3. Google Professional Cloud Architect;
4. Google Professional Data Engineer;
5. Google Professional Cloud Developer;
6. Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer;
7. Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer;
8. Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer;
9. Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer;
10. Google Professional Cloud Database Engineer.

Google Cloud Digital Leader

If you are wondering which Google Cloud certification is for beginners, here we are! This foundational-level certification is intended for people who want to prove they have an understanding of GCP fundamentals, cloud computing basics, and how Google cloud services can be used to achieve an organization’s goals.
Specifically, the Google Cloud Digital Leader exam covers these subject areas:

• Digital transformation with Google Cloud
• Innovating with data and Google Cloud
• Infrastructure and application modernization
• Google Cloud security and operations

The only prerequisite needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud Digital Leader certification is a general knowledge of computers and the internet. If you’re interested in getting certified, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Digital Leader Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Digital Leader Exam.

Google Associate Cloud Engineer

This role-based Associate-level certification is intended for people who deploy applications, monitor operations, and manage enterprise solutions. Specifically, the Google Associate Cloud Engineer exam covers these subject areas:

• Setting up a cloud solution environment
• Planning and configuring a cloud solution
• Deploying and implementing a cloud solution
• Ensuring the successful operation of a cloud solution
• Configuring access and security

The prerequisites needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Associate Cloud Engineer certification are:

• Basic understanding of Google Cloud Platform products and services
• Basic understanding of cloud concepts, such as virtual machines, containers, and networking

If you’re interested in getting certified, go through Cloud Academy’s Google Associate Cloud Engineer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Associate Cloud Engineer Exam.

Google Professional Cloud Architect

This is one of Google’s professional certifications, so it is intended to prove you have advanced design and implementation skills. Professional exams expect you to have practical, hands-on knowledge related to your particular job. This certification is intended for IT professionals who know how to build solutions on Google Cloud Platform. Specifically, the Google Cloud Architect exam covers these six subjects:

• Designing and planning a cloud solution architecture
• Managing and provisioning a solution infrastructure
• Designing for security and compliance
• Analyzing and optimizing technical and business processes
• Managing implementation
• Ensuring solution and operations reliability

The prerequisite needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud Architect certification is general knowledge of IT concepts. If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a professional cloud architect, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Architect Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Architect Exam.

Google Professional Data Engineer

This professional Google Cloud certification is intended for data professionals who enable data-driven decision-making by collecting, transforming, and publishing data. Specifically, the Google Cloud Data Engineer exam covers these areas:

• Designing data processing systems
• Building and operationalizing data processing systems
• Operationalizing machine learning models
• Ensuring solution quality

The prerequisite needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Data Engineer certification is basic database knowledge. If you’re interested in getting certified and becoming a professional data engineer, go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Data Engineer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Data Engineer Exam.

Google Professional Cloud Developer

If you are wondering which Google Cloud certification is best for developers, you are in the right place. This role-based professional certification is intended for software developers who build applications on Google Cloud Platform. Specifically, the Google Cloud Developer exam covers five areas:

• Designing highly scalable, available, and reliable cloud-native applications
• Building and testing applications
• Deploying applications
• Integrating Google Cloud services
• Managing deployed applications

The prerequisites needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud Developer certification are:

• General knowledge of IT architecture
• Software development experience

If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a professional cloud developer, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Developer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Developer Exam.

Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer

This role-based professional certification is intended for people who have mastered cloud security, including identity and access management, data protection, network security defenses, and more. Specifically, the Google Cloud Security Engineer exam covers these areas:

• Configuring access within a cloud solution environment
• Configuring network security
• Ensuring data protection
• Managing operations in a cloud solution environment
• Ensuring compliance

The prerequisite needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud Security Engineer certification is a basic understanding of cloud concepts such as virtual machines, containers, and networking. If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a professional cloud security engineer, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Security Engineer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Security Engineer Exam.

If you’re a tech manager, you know best that security is one of the most significant issues holding back cloud adoption. Cloud Academy’s training library focuses deeply on IT Security, allowing your team to stay up to date with new security breaches and ways to resolve them.
If you’re interested in understanding how to keep your cloud environment secure with Cloud Academy, contact us and request a free demo!

Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer

This role-based professional certification is intended for people who are responsible for efficient development operations in an organization and can balance service reliability and delivery speed. Specifically, the Google Cloud DevOps Engineer exam covers these areas:

• Applying site reliability engineering principles to a service
• Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines for a service
• Implementing service monitoring strategies
• Optimizing service performance
• Managing service incidents

The prerequisites needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud DevOps Engineer certification are:

• Basic understanding of cloud concepts (virtual machines, containers, networking, etc.)
• General knowledge of IT architecture
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and principles

If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a professional DevOps engineer, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud DevOps Engineer Exam Preparation.

Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer

This role-based professional certification is intended for people who design, build and deploy machine learning models to solve business challenges using Google Cloud technologies. Specifically, the Google Cloud Machine Learning Engineer exam covers six subject areas:

• Framing machine learning problems
• Architecting machine learning solutions
• Designing data preparation and processing systems
• Developing machine learning models
• Automating and orchestrating machine learning pipelines
• Monitoring, optimizing, and maintaining machine learning solutions

The prerequisites needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Machine Learning Engineer certification are:

• Basic understanding of cloud concepts
• Experience writing Python code

If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a Google Cloud professional ML engineer, you should check out Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Machine Learning Engineer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Machine Learning Engineer Exam.

Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer

This role-based professional certification is intended for people who implement and manage network architectures in GCP. Specifically, the Google Cloud Network Engineer exam covers these subject areas:

• Designing, planning, and prototyping a Google Cloud network
• Implementing Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) instances
• Configuring network services
• Implementing hybrid interconnectivity
• Managing, monitoring, and optimizing network operations

The prerequisite needed to enroll in the learning path and then get the Google Cloud Network Engineer certification is a basic understanding of cloud concepts such as virtual machines, containers, and networking. If you are interested in getting certified and becoming a professional cloud network engineer, you should go through Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Network Engineer Exam Preparation and then take the practice exam. But if you feel ready, you can go directly to Cloud Academy’s Google Cloud Network Engineer Exam.

Google Professional Cloud Database Engineer

This role-based professional certification is intended for people who want to learn to design, create, manage, and troubleshoot Google Cloud databases used by applications to store and retrieve data. Specifically, the Google Cloud Database Engineer exam covers four subject areas:

• Design scalable and highly available cloud database solutions
• Manage a solution that can span multiple database solutions
• Migrate data solutions
• Deploy scalable and highly available databases in Google Cloud

If you’re interested in getting certified, you should check out the Google Cloud Database Engineer certification.

What are some differences between these roles?

As you’ve seen, these Google Cloud Platform certifications are very role-specific, helping demonstrate a high level of ability in each area. With some of these job roles, the differences are more obvious, such as between a developer (someone who creates applications) and a security engineer (someone who secures data and infrastructure). Other ones need a little bit more explanation.

Cloud Architect vs. Data Engineer

One of the biggest reasons organizations choose Google Cloud Platform is for its robust data services, such as BigQuery, Cloud Dataflow, and Vertex AI. How these services are used helps explain the different roles within Google Cloud certification. While a Cloud Architect knows how to design solutions using the above services and how to speak to other departmental stakeholders about big picture ideas, a Data Engineer has a much more in-depth understanding of how to build, maintain, and troubleshoot data processing systems on a daily basis. For example, a Data Engineer needs to have experience with cutting-edge concepts like neural networks and streaming analytics, and how to ingest data and prepare it for others, such as data scientists, to use.

Developer vs. DevOps Engineer

A Google Cloud Platform Developer understands how to create applications that are optimized for the deployment of Google’s infrastructure while also being comfortable with the development tools available on GCP. In contrast, a DevOps Engineer is responsible for designing and implementing the development infrastructure itself, particularly to automate the software development lifecycle. For example, a DevOps Engineer would build continuous integration / continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.

How can I prepare for a Google Cloud certification exam?

Google Cloud certification exams are known for their difficulty and breadth of topics, so the importance of preparation and training beforehand cannot be overstated. Surprisingly, Google doesn’t provide a score at the end of an exam. Instead, it simply issues a “Pass” or “Fail” result, which doesn’t provide much help in terms of knowing what to study if you fail. This is why it’s important to thoroughly prepare for the exam, and this is where certification training with Cloud Academy can help.

Here are 5 steps to take before taking a Google Cloud certification exam:

1. Take the relevant learning path on Cloud Academy. We offer many learning paths covering all you need to know in each Google Cloud Platform certification area. These learning paths include courses, hands-on labs, and exams for each certification.
2. Get hands-on practice on GCP. Hands-on Labs and Lab Challenges provide easy ways for you to quickly get practical experience in real cloud environments without deploying your own infrastructure and running up extra costs.
3. Review the outline in Google’s official exam guide and check for any knowledge gaps.
4. The Cloud Architect exam includes questions about lengthy case studies. You can find these case studies in the exam guides. Make sure you read them thoroughly before writing the exam.
5. Take one of Google’s own practice exams (such as the “sample questions” link on the Cloud Architect home page).

Each exam is two hours long (except for Cloud Digital Leader, which is 90 minutes long) and must be taken either as an online proctored exam (OLP) or at a Kryterion testing center. Kryterion has over 1,000 testing centers in 120 countries, so you should be able to find one in your area.

What’s the next step after taking the exam?

As I mentioned earlier, the result shown after an exam is simply “Pass” or “Fail.” If you don’t pass, you’re allowed to take the exam again after 14 days. If you fail on the second attempt, then you have to wait 60 days before the next attempt.

If you pass the exam, you’ll receive an online certification badge that can be displayed on sites like LinkedIn, and more importantly, a Google Cloud certification hoodie.

Once you’re certified, you’ll want to stay up to date on Google Cloud Platform as it continues to evolve. You can learn everything about Google Cloud in our Google Cloud content library.

Good luck and happy learning!

FAQs

Which Google Cloud certification is best?

The ‘best’ Google Cloud certification largely depends on your career goals, current skills, and future plans. For those starting their journey in cloud technologies, the Associate Cloud Engineer certification can be a good starting point. If you have a significant amount of experience with Google Cloud technologies and are interested in designing cloud architecture, the Professional Cloud Architect certification is a great choice​. For professionals focused on managing Google Workspace within an organization, the Google Professional Workspace Administrator certification would be best​​.

Which is the easiest Google Cloud certification to get?

The Associate Cloud Engineer certification is often considered the ‘easiest’ Google Cloud certification to get, mainly because it is geared towards individuals who are just starting their journey in cloud technologies. However, ‘easiest’ can be subjective and largely depends on your background, experience, and familiarity with Google Cloud technologies.

Which certification is better, Google Cloud or AWS?

The choice between Google Cloud and AWS certifications depends on your career goals, the specific technologies you work with, and the needs of your employer or prospective employers. Both certifications have their merits and are widely recognized in the industry. AWS certifications might be a better choice if you’re working primarily with AWS technologies or aiming to work in an AWS-dominant environment. On the other hand, Google Cloud certifications would be more beneficial if you’re focusing on Google Cloud technologies or seeking opportunities with companies that heavily use Google Cloud. Both platforms are popular and have large market shares, so either certification can be beneficial for your career.

How much does a Google Cloud certification cost?

The cost of Google Cloud certifications varies depending on the specific certification exam. Generally, you can expect to pay a registration fee for the exam.

How long does it take to study for a Google Cloud certification?

The time it takes to study for a Google Cloud certification can vary widely depending on the specific certification and your level of experience with Google Cloud technologies. Generally, you should expect to spend several weeks to a few months preparing for the exam. It’s important to take enough time to thoroughly understand the exam content and feel confident in your ability to pass the exam.

Want to understand how Cloud Academy can help your team get GCP certified and always stay up to date?

With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Fill out the form to get a free demo and find out how the program works.

Fill out the form below and get a free demo!

The post Google Cloud Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team? appeared first on Cloud Academy.

In June 2023, AWS announced that the current version of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam (CLF-C01) would be changing and that a new version, CLF-C02, will be available to sit beginning September 19, 2023. AWS frequently updates its exams to ensure they continue to validate your knowledge of current AWS service offerings, which are constantly evolving as AWS implements hundreds of updates across its platform every month. Given that the current (CLF-C01) version of the exam has been around since 2019, this particular certification was certainly due for an update! In this blog post, I will review what has changed between the current (CLF-C01) and updated (CLF-C02) exam blueprints and offer some advice to anyone who may be studying to take this exam over the next several months.

The current CLF-C01 exam assesses your knowledge across 4 content domains, broken down as follows:

The updated CLF-C02 exam guide references the following 4 domains:

It’s fairly straightforward to map the content from each of the 4 domains in the CLF-C01 exam guide to the updated CLF-C02 exam guide. The first 2 domains retain their current names, and all 4 domains have their percentages modified slightly. The largest change from CLF-C01 to CLF-C02 is a 5% increase in Domain 2: Security and Compliance. This comes as no surprise given the ever-increasing importance of security across all cloud deployments. A closer examination of the various task statements and lists of services and features covered in the current CLF-C01 exam guide reveals that the vast majority of content from the CLF-C01 exam is still fair game to be assessed on the CLF-C02 exam as well. Domain 3 has been renamed from “Technology” to “Cloud Technology and Services,” but the core focus of the domain remains the same (with one notable exception, which I’ll discuss later in this post). Domain 4 has been renamed from “Billing and Pricing” to “Billing, Pricing, and Support,” and expands the original task statement from the CLF-C01 exam guide that focused exclusively on billing support to now include technical resources and support options as well.

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the most foundational AWS certification and is ideal for anyone who is looking to demonstrate their knowledge of core AWS services, the shared responsibility model, security best practices, and AWS billing and support options. Unlike higher-level AWS certifications like the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate or AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam is not geared toward a specific job role or specialty. This makes it ideal for individuals from non-technical backgrounds such as sales or project management who may be working alongside people in AWS Cloud roles, or who may be looking to pursue a future career working in the AWS Cloud themselves.

Let’s quickly run through some of the other concepts and services you might be expected to know within each of the CLF-C02 exam’s 4 domains.

Domain 1: Cloud Concepts (24%)

This domain covers 24% of the exam content, so you can expect about 16 questions involving AWS Cloud concepts. This covers everything from understanding the basic value proposition of the AWS Cloud, including how the AWS global infrastructure can be used to design solutions that are highly available and resilient to failure, to cloud economics and the cost savings that can be realized when migrating to the AWS Cloud. AWS codifies much of this knowledge in two frameworks that are important to know for this exam: the Well-Architected Framework and the Cloud Adoption Framework (AWS CAF), the latter of which is newly in-scope for the CLF-C02 exam. You should understand all six pillars of the Well-Architected Framework and be able to articulate the benefits of the AWS CAF, which include reduced business risk and increased operational efficiency.

Domain 2: Security and Compliance (30%)

This domain covers 30% of the exam content, so you should expect about 20 questions that deal with security and compliance. This requires you to have a solid understanding of the AWS shared responsibility model, which delineates areas of responsibility for both AWS and its customers when deploying and maintaining secure cloud solutions. In this model, certain controls are the exclusive responsibility of AWS, such as the physical security of its data centers. On the other hand, customers are responsible for the level of access they grant to their resources and to whom. Other responsibilities are jointly shared to different degrees between AWS and its customers depending on the nature of the specific solution. To that end, you should understand basic security principles such as the principle of least privilege access as well as how to leverage AWS security services for encryption, access management, and governance.

Domain 3: Cloud Technology and Services (34%)

This domain covers 34% of the exam content, so you can expect about 22 questions involving AWS Cloud technology and services. Going back to my earlier statement about the core focus of this domain remaining unchanged between the CLF-C01 and CLF-C02 exams, the caveat here is that the list of AWS services considered to be in-scope for the CLF-C02 exam has grown drastically–from 57 services across 10 categories for CLF-C01, to 128 services across 19 categories for CLF-C02. This includes entirely new categories of services such as “Machine Learning” and “Migration and Transfer.” Now by no means do you need to become an Amazon Rekognition or SageMaker expert in order to pass this exam, but you will need to be able to identify these services and understand the kinds of tasks they can accomplish. And it’s worth reiterating that migration, which appeared in the CLF-C01 exam guide as “out of scope,” is now very much in-scope for CLF-C02. This includes services such as the AWS Application Discovery Service, Application Migration Service, Database Migration Service (AWS DMS), and the AWS Migration Hub. As more organizations look to migrate their existing on-premises services and applications to the cloud, having a foundational knowledge of AWS migration and transfer options and the services that support them becomes even more critical.

Domain 4: Billing, Pricing, and Support (12%)

This domain covers 12% of the exam content, so you can expect to see around 8 questions about billing, pricing, and support. This includes the different pricing models AWS uses for its services, such as On-Demand, Reserved, and Spot instances. You should understand the various billing and cost management services provided by AWS, including AWS Budgets, Cost Explorer, and the AWS Pricing Calculator. You should also be aware of the different support resources and documentation available from AWS, including whitepapers, blogs, and the AWS Support Center, as well as the differences between the Developer, Business, Enterprise On-Ramp, and Enterprise paid support plans.

Are there any changes to the structure or passing score for the updated AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification exam?

Like the current CLF-C01 exam, the updated CLF-C02 exam will consist of 65 multiple choice and multiple response questions. Most questions will have 4 possible answer options where you must select one correct answer. Others may have 5 or 6 answer options from which you must select two or three correct answers. Of these 65 questions, only 50 questions will count towards your overall score. The other 15 questions are used by AWS for evaluation purposes and do not affect your score in any way. There is no way to tell which questions are scored or unscored but there is also no penalty for guessing, so always be sure to answer every question–even if it’s just an educated guess! Just like its predecessor, the CLF-C02 exam will be scored on a scale from 100 to 1000, with a minimum passing score of 700.

I recently passed the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. Do I need to recertify?

This is always a concern when AWS announces an updated certification, and for good reason! It’s likely you just spent months studying for an exam, only to find out that AWS is updating it in the not too distant future. Well, I have some good news for you: you do NOT have to re-sit the updated certification to keep your credential! Even if you passed the current CLF-C01 exam on the last day it is available (September 18, 2023), your certification will still remain active and valid for 3 years from that date. There is no need for you to re-sit the newly updated exam. The certificate and digital badge you get for attaining the certification does not include the version of the exam you passed.

Also keep in mind that even if you haven’t recently taken the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, whenever you pass any other Associate or Professional-level AWS certification, your AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification will automatically renew for 3 years alongside that higher-level certification as well. For instance, even though I haven’t sat the CLF-C01 exam myself since 2019, my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification is still valid through 2026 because I passed other higher-level certifications in 2023.

Advice to anyone currently studying for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification

Registration for the updated CLF-C02 exam does not open until August 22, 2023, so if you are currently registered or already planning to take the current CLF-C01 exam before its last day on September 18, 2023, you should still absolutely do so. Your certification will remain valid for three years from the date you pass the exam no matter which version of the exam you take, and I’ve yet to encounter an employer who has insisted that a candidate take a specific version of an AWS certification exam. However, if your timeline for obtaining this certification extends beyond September 19, 2023 for any reason, you should feel confident knowing that your efforts right now are still preparing you to take the updated CLF-C02 exam as well.

We’ve seen AWS update a number of its certification exams over the past year, including the Security – Specialty, Developer – Associate and DevOps Engineer – Professional exams, as well as the Solutions Architect – Professional and Solutions Architect – Associate exams. In all of these cases, the exam updates have been very incremental in nature, adding some newly in-scope services but otherwise remaining largely unchanged in terms of structure, difficulty, and coverage. I expect that to be the case with the CLF-C02 exam as well, despite the large increase in the number of in-scope services for the exam. Last year, the list of in-scope services for the updated AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) exam grew by a similar amount, but the exam itself remained largely unchanged. Aside from a handful of new recall-level questions involving things like AWS machine learning and migration services, expect much of the CLF-C02 exam to otherwise remain very similar to the current version of the exam.

Updates coming to Cloud Academy’s AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Preparation Learning Path

As soon as the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam update was announced, we began assessing the content within our current AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01) Certification Preparation for AWS learning path to ensure that we have fully covered all concepts and services spelled out within the updated CLF-C02 exam guide. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be refreshing this learning path to include new courses, hands-on labs, and assessments covering topics that are emphasized in the updated CLF-C02 exam, including machine learning and migration services as well as the Well-Architected Framework and Cloud Adoption Framework. We’ll have our updated learning path published on or before the GA date for the CLF-C02 exam, which is September 19, 2023!

To find out the latest information about this exam, and to learn more about updates to other AWS certification exams, you can visit the Coming soon to AWS Certification page.

And for up-to-date training preparation covering all 12 AWS certifications, I encourage you to take a look at our entire library of AWS certification content.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me and I’ll be happy to help. Best of luck on your certification journey!

Danny

The post Updates Coming to the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) Exam! appeared first on Cloud Academy.

This rapid growth has led to a dramatic increase in the number of jobs requiring Azure skills. One of the best ways to prove that you have those skills is by obtaining certifications.

But as a tech leader, how do you know which certifications to guide your team towards, and how do you assess their skill level/efficiency?

In this article, we’ll cover the most popular Microsoft Azure certification exams and help you get started with choosing a learning path that best meets your cloud computing goals.

Whether you are looking for study materials for an Azure certification or simply want to find out more about what Azure can offer your enterprise, Cloud Academy’s Microsoft Azure Training Library is loaded with learning paths, courses, practice certification exams, hands-on labs, lab challenges, and lab playgrounds. Our learning paths are guided learning experiences that provide step-by-step training to build your technical knowledge and hands-on skills using actual Azure accounts in live environments.

Fill out the form to learn more about how our tech skills assessments can help you save time by identifying the exact skills your team needs.

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Choosing the right Azure certification: What’s the value?

Azure certifications stand out for their intense evaluation of a candidate’s expertise, focusing on practical experience and proven techniques. 

Executives in charge of an IT team will find that obtaining Azure certification can be an excellent way to not only build foundational knowledge of Azure services and solutions, but also assess the capabilities of more seasoned team members.

Are Azure certifications worth it?

Any certification that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise within the IT industry is certainly worth obtaining. In a market that is full of competition, being able to stand out above a crowd can help you get noticed and put you on your journey to achieve your professional goals.

If there are a number of candidates applying for a position, and all have the same credentials and experience, but one of them has a number of recognized Azure credentials to reinforce their knowledge, then this goes a long way in making you the chosen candidate.

It is not just about validating your knowledge however, it says a lot about you as a person. It shows commitment, dedication, the willingness to learn, the drive to stay at the forefront of innovation, and sometimes this demonstrates more to people than what the actual certification stands for.

How do I become Azure certified?

While no particular approach is necessary when it comes to studying for the Azure certification,  the following steps are a great starting point: 

• Enroll in an Azure training class, such as any of the ones mentioned in this article. They will certainly increase your knowledge of cloud computing and Azure.
• Review any study or exam guides available.
• Read multiple Azure whitepapers. These hold some invaluable information, which may answer many of your questions.
• Practice, practice, practice. Practice exams will help ease any worries or stress you may be having about the certification exam.
• Schedule the exam once you are ready. It typically takes anywhere from 80-120 hours of practice/studying to be prepared for the exam based on experience and the certification you are pursuing.

Azure certifications: Which is best?

All Azure certifications are important and are a great asset to have from a professional standpoint. Deciding which one to take, or which one is ‘best’ largely depends on your interests, your role, and where you would like to take your career.

For example, If you are looking to move into application development, then the following route would be a great fit: 

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals  
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
• Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

So it really depends on what you are trying to achieve as an individual, and where you want to take your career.

Microsoft Azure currently offers 19 certifications. All certifications are role-based, with titles such as Azure Administrator, Azure Solution Architect, Azure Developer, and Azure AI Engineer. They’re organized into 4 levels: Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, and Specialty. These certifications focus on building knowledge and skills related to job roles. They were designed with the engagement of the community in identifying the requirements for each role. You can find a complete overview on Cloud Academy’s Azure certifications page.

Here are all the Azure certifications we’ll cover in this post:

• Microsoft Azure Fundamentals-Level certifications:
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals – Exam AZ-900
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals – Exam AI-900
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals – Exam DP-900
  • Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals – Exam SC-900
    
• Microsoft Azure Associate-Level certifications:
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate – Exam AZ-104
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate – Exam AZ-204
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate – Exam AZ-500
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate – Exam AZ-700
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate – Exam AI-102
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate – Exam DP-100
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate – Exam DP-203
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate – Exam DP-300
  • Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate – Exam SC-200
  • Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate – Exam SC-300
    
• Microsoft Azure Expert-Level certifications:
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert – Exam AZ-305
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert – Exam AZ-400
    
• Microsoft Azure Specialty certifications:
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty – Exam AZ-120
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty – Exam AZ-140
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure IoT Developer Specialty – Exam AZ-220

Bringing your team up to speed on Azure can take time you may not have. But with our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. 

Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today to find out how the program works.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each exam.

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam. The Azure fundamentals certification is designed to validate a foundational knowledge level of Azure cloud services. It is intended for both technical and non-technical candidates.  

Areas Covered

• Understand foundational cloud concepts such as high availability, scalability, reliability, cloud models, and cloud service types
• Describe compute, networking, storage, and core architectural components of Azure
• Describe identity, access, and security
• Describe Azure management, governance, compliance, and monitoring tools

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 50
• Duration: 60 Minutes
• Passing Score Required: 700
• Cost: $99

To prepare for this exam, check out the AZ-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AI-900 Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals exam. Candidates who are interested in earning this fundamental level certification must have a basic knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) solutions on Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

• Describe AI workloads and considerations, including features of common AI workloads and guiding principles for responsible AI
• Describe fundamental principles of machine learning on Azure, such as common machine learning types and scenarios
• Describe features of computer vision workloads on Azure
• Describe features of natural language processing (NLP) workloads on Azure, such as conversational AI

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 50 – 60
• Duration: 60 Minutes
• Cost: $99

To get ready for this exam, check out the AI-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-900 Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals exam. Candidates who want to earn this certification should understand core data concepts, relational and non-relational data, and analytics workloads on Azure.

Areas Covered

• Describe core data concepts, such as common data workloads and ways to represent data
• Identify considerations for relational data on Azure, including relational concepts and relational Azure data services
• Describe considerations for working with non-relational data on Azure, including capabilities of Azure Storage and Azure Cosmos DB
• Describe analytics workloads on Azure, including large-scale analytics, real-time data analytics, data visualization in Microsoft Power BI

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 50
• Duration: 60 Minutes
• Cost: $99

If you want to get ready for this exam, go through the DP-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-900 Microsoft Azure Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals exam. Candidates who want to earn this certification should have a general knowledge of the security, compliance, and identity capabilities of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

• Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
• Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), part of Microsoft Entra
• Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
• Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 60 Minutes
• Cost: $99

To get ready for this exam, check out the SC-900 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Associate-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate exam. The AZ-104 exam is the replacement for the AZ-103 exam.

This exam will test the knowledge and capabilities of candidates in the configuration and management of compute, storage, virtual networking, and monitoring in an Azure environment.

An Azure Administrator is a subject matter expert (SME) who is responsible for implementing the Azure-based cloud infrastructure of an organization.

Areas Covered

• Manage Azure identities and governance, including Azure AD objects, role-based access control (RBAC), and subscriptions and governance
• Implement and manage storage, including Azure Files and Azure Blob Storage
• Deploy and manage Azure compute resources, including virtual machines, containers, and Azure App Service
• Configure and manage virtual networking, including virtual networks and load balancers
• Monitor and maintain Azure resources

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, try the AZ-104 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Developer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-204 Microsoft Azure Developer Associate exam. The AZ-204 exam is the replacement for the AZ-203 exam.

Candidates for this certification should be familiar with designing, building, and testing Azure-based apps and services. Candidates should also have 1-2 years of development experience with proficiency in data storage and connections, Azure SDKs, debugging, monitoring, performance tuning, etc.

Areas Covered

• Develop Azure compute solutions, including IaaS solutions, web apps, and Azure Functions
• Develop for Azure storage, including Cosmos DB storage and blob storage
• Implement Azure security, including authentication and authorization
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Azure solutions
• Connect to and consume Azure services and third-party services using API Management, event-based solutions, and message-based solutions

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, you should take the AZ-204 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate Certification

As a team leader, you are fully aware that the security concerns associated with cloud computing are one of the biggest impediments to its wide-spread adoption.
If you’re interested in understanding how to keep your cloud environment secure with Cloud Academy, contact us and request a free demo!

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for candidates who implement and manage security controls, identity, and access management and are responsible for securing cloud data, apps, and networks. As a Microsoft Azure security engineer, candidates are responsible for managing and securing cloud-based solutions and may also secure hybrid cloud solutions as part of an end-to-end infrastructure.

This exam requires strong skills in automation and scripting, a deep understanding of virtualization technology and virtual networking, and a strong familiarity with Microsoft cloud services and products.

Areas Covered

• Manage identity and access using Azure Active Directory and role-based access control (RBAC)
• Implement platform protection, including advanced security for compute and networks
• Manage security operations, including policy management, threat protection, and security monitoring solutions
• Secure data and applications

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, check out the AZ-500 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-700 Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for people who already have experience with Microsoft Azure networking.

Areas Covered

• Design, implement, and manage hybrid networking
• Design and implement core networking infrastructure
• Design and implement routing
• Secure and monitor networks
• Design and implement private access to Azure services

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, you should take the AZ-700 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AI-102 Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate exam. This associate-level certification is designed for candidates who implement Microsoft AI solutions like natural language processing, knowledge mining, speech, computer vision, bots, and agents using Cognitive Services, Cognitive Search, and the Bot Framework.

Candidates for this exam should have at least a general knowledge of IT architecture and software development experience, especially using REST APIs.

Areas Covered

• Plan and manage an Azure Cognitive Services solution
• Implement Computer Vision solutions
• Implement natural language processing solutions
• Implement knowledge-mining solutions
• Implement conversational AI solutions

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, you should check the AZ-102 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate Certification

The demand for this certification has increased significantly. As data sets grow, companies are looking to data scientists to uncover hidden trends and extract value from complex sets of data that will help inform business decisions.

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-100 Microsoft Azure Data Scientist Associate exam. This certification is focused on designing and implementing a data science solution on Azure. You will learn how to apply Azure machine learning approaches in training, evaluation, and deployment of models that are used to solve business problems.

Areas Covered

• Design and prepare a machine learning solution
• Explore data and train models
• Prepare a model for deployment
• Deploy and retrain a model

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 180 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, check out the DP-100 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification

To get this certification and become an Azure Data Engineer, you need to pass the DP-203 Microsoft Azure Data Engineer Associate exam. This certification is designed for people who know how to implement systems for exploring, processing, and analyzing data on Azure.

Areas Covered

• Design and implement data storage on Azure
• Design and develop data processing on Azure
• Design and implement data security on Azure
• Monitor and optimize data storage and data processing on Azure

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, take the DP-203 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the DP-300 Microsoft Azure Database Administrator Associate exam. This is a role-based Azure certification exam that would be ideal for candidates who are interested in administering cloud-based database systems. By achieving this certification, candidates prove they can manage Azure SQL Database and Microsoft SQL Server.

Areas Covered

• Plan and implement data platform resources
• Implement a secure environment
• Monitor, configure, and optimize database resources
• Configure and manage automation of tasks
• Plan and configure a high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) environment

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, you should check out the DP-300 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Security Operations Analyst Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-200 Microsoft Azure Security Operations Analyst Associate exam. This certification is designed for IT professionals who are familiar with threat mitigation using Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft Sentinel.

Areas Covered

• Mitigate threats using Microsoft 365 Defender
• Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
• Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

If you want to get ready for this exam, you should take the SC-200 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Identity and Access Administrator Associate Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the SC-300 Microsoft Azure Identity and Access Administrator Associate exam. This certification is designed for IT professionals who know how to manage identity and access on Microsoft 365 and Azure.

Areas Covered

• Implement identities in Azure AD
• Implement authentication and access management
• Implement access management for applications
• Plan and implement identity governance in Azure AD

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the SC-300 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Expert-Level certifications

Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass both the AZ-305 Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert exam and the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate exam.

This certification is designed for candidates who have advanced knowledge of Azure architecture. You don’t have to take the AZ-104 exam before taking AZ-305, but you have to pass both of them to get the certification.

Areas Covered

• Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions
• Design data storage solutions
• Design business continuity solutions
• Design infrastructure solutions

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: AZ-104 exam (or you can take the AZ-104 exam after AZ-305)
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To prepare for this exam, take the AZ-305 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-400 Microsoft Azure DevOps Engineer Expert exam as well as either the AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate exam or the AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate exam. This certification is designed for DevOps professionals who bring people, processes, and technologies closer to deliver valuable services and products that meet business requirements and objectives. DevOps engineers are responsible for delivering cloud services by improving collaboration and communications, designing, and implementing strategies for app coding, and creating automation, continuous delivery, monitoring, and feedback. For this job role, candidates should be proficient with Agile practices and familiar with both Azure development and operations processes.

Areas Covered

• Configure processes and communications
• Design and implement source control
• Design and implement build and release pipelines
• Develop a security and compliance plan
• Implement an instrumentation strategy

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate certification
• Number of Questions: 50 – 70
• Duration: 180 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-400 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Specialty certifications

Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-120 Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who have familiarity with SAP components and a general understanding of computing architecture such as networking, databases, and computer hardware.

Areas Covered

• Migrate SAP Workloads to Azure
• Design and implement an infrastructure to support SAP workloads on Azure
• Design and implement high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR)
• Maintain SAP Workloads on Azure

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-120 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-140 Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who have experience administering Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Areas Covered

• Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
• Plan and implement identity and security
• Plan and implement user environments and apps
• Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-140 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

Microsoft Azure IoT Developer Specialty Certification

To get this Azure certification, you need to pass the AZ-220 Microsoft Azure IoT Developer Specialty exam. This certification is designed for people who want to become Azure IoT developers and already have experience with software development and Microsoft Azure.

Areas Covered

• Set up the Azure IoT Hub solution infrastructure
• Provision and manage devices
• Implement IoT Edge
• Implement business integration
• Process and manage data
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize IoT solutions
• Implement security

Exam Information

• Prerequisites: None
• Number of Questions: 40 – 60
• Duration: 120 Minutes
• Cost: $165

To get ready for this exam, take the AZ-220 Exam Preparation Learning Path on Cloud Academy.

How to renew Azure certification and stay up to date

Microsoft role-based (associate and expert) and specialty certifications are valid for one (1) year from the date that you complete all requirements to earn that certification.

To prevent your certification from expiring you must renew the certification before the expiration date. 

Renewals are free 

There’s no cost to renew your certification, just make sure you pass the online assessment before your certification expires. Fundamentals certifications do not expire.

Six-month renewal window

You can take the renewal assessment any time during your six-month eligibility window, via Microsoft Learn. Once you pass, your certification will be extended one year from the expiration date.

Assessments are short and unproctored

Assessments focus on recent technological and industry updates, so they’re shorter than the original exam(s) and are open-book. You can take the assessment as many times as you need as long as you pass before your certification expires.

If you are a tech team leader, you want to make sure your tech talents stay up to date with the latest releases and certifications. But bringing your team up to speed on AWS can take time you may not have. With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today and request a free demo to find out how the program works.

Conclusion

Microsoft is one of the largest and fastest-growing players in the public cloud market. If you are interested in making a career using Microsoft Azure technologies, I highly recommend choosing one or more of the above-mentioned certifications.

These role-based certifications include configuration and management of compute, storage, networking, security, reliability, integration, development, and operations capabilities. Organizations are rapidly adopting Microsoft Azure cloud services, and the demand is growing for certified Azure administrators, solution architects, developers, and security engineers. To become certified and successfully land a job, you’ll not only need to learn how to configure, manage, and secure Azure cloud environments, but you’ll also need practical, hands-on experience. Cloud Academy offers Microsoft Azure Certifications Learning Paths that not only help you pass the Azure certification exams but also allow you to test your skills in real-world environments with hands-on labs, lab challenges, and lab playgrounds. From configuring Azure infrastructure for cloud administrators to integrating Azure services for cloud architects, these learning paths fully prepare you with the knowledge and experience you need to start or advance your Azure career.

To learn more about how we help companies go beyond training to upskill, reskill, and retain proven tech talent through our platform, contact us.

Good luck and Happy learning!

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

What are the top 3 certifications in Azure?

Some of the top Azure certifications include: 

• Azure Fundamentals
• Azure Administrator Associate
• Azure Developer Associate

What are the different levels of Azure certification?

Azure certifications are organized into 4 levels: Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, and Specialty. These certifications focus on building knowledge and skills related to specific job roles. 

How much does Azure certification cost?

The prices of the exams are different based on the level of the certification:

• Fundamentals = $99
• Associate = $165
• Expert = $165
• Specialty = $165

Can I get Azure certification online?

Yes! You can find Azure courses and training online from a variety of providers. Cloud Academy’s Microsoft Azure Training Library allows teams to access vital resources and education from anywhere.

How long does Azure certification last?

Microsoft role-based (associate and expert) and specialty certifications are valid for one (1) year from the date of completion.

Want to understand how Cloud Academy can help your team get Azure certified and always stay up to date?

With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Fill out the form to get a free demo and find out how the program works.

Fill out the form below and get a free demo!

The post Azure Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team? appeared first on Cloud Academy.

As the market leader and most mature provider in the cloud computing space, analysts such as Gartner consider AWS a thought leader and point of reference for all of its competitors. Actually, AWS continues to lead in public cloud adoption, and it currently offers 12 certifications that cover both foundational and specialty cloud computing topics.

Why choose the right AWS certification? Here’s why it matters.

Choosing the right AWS certification: What’s the value?

Getting AWS certified shows that you have some of the most in-demand (and profitable) skills as validated by one of the most recognizable entities in cloud computing. In the enterprise, certification demonstrates a shared understanding of a platform, a shared terminology, and a certain level of cloud expertise that can speed up time to value for cloud projects.

But as a tech leader, how do you know which certifications to guide your team towards, and how do you assess their skill level/efficiency? Fill out the form and request a free demo! Our tech skill assessments let you save time by identifying the exact skills your team needs.

Fill out the form below and get a free demo!

Why is AWS certification important?

Even as enterprises adopt multi-cloud strategies, this doesn’t diminish the importance of an AWS certification – quite the opposite. With more than one million customers, AWS is still the provider of choice for public cloud adoption, where 75% of enterprises and 71% of SMBs are running applications (according to the 2023 Flexera State of the Cloud Report).

Candidate certifications

AWS certifications themselves stand out for their rigor and thoroughness in evaluating a candidate’s skills, with an emphasis on hands-on experience and best practices. For executives overseeing an IT team, pursuing AWS certification can be one of the most effective ways to bolster the foundational knowledge and skills needed to work with AWS services and solutions down the road and benchmark the more advanced members of your team.

Employer certifications

In the enterprise, the core training materials used to prepare for AWS certifications are a valuable component in a company’s own internal training path. As IT environments become more customized and requirements for new skills grow, an increasing number of companies are building their own certification programs. Many of them are using vendor certification training paths in conjunction with internal training materials to stand up certification tracks specific to their business needs.

Cloud Academy lets you do just that! Ask for a free demo and find out how Cloud Academy can be integrated into your company and help you achieve your business goals.

How long does it take to become AWS certified?

With a full-time job and other commitments, investing 80 hours of study usually takes two months. If you are entirely new to AWS, we recommend approximately 120 hours or three months to prepare. Start with the fundamentals, and then move to the Solutions Architect – Associate Learning Path.

Which AWS certification is best?

AWS currently offers 12 certifications: a foundational certification, three associate-level certifications, two professional-level certifications, and six specialty certifications. You can find a full overview of all Learning Paths to prepare for the certifications on the Cloud Academy’s AWS Certifications page.

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01)
• AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)
• AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02)
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02)
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02)
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01)
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C01)
• AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty (MLS-C01)
• AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01)
• AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty (DAS-C01)
• AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty (PAS-C01)

How do I become AWS certified?

While there are no set-in-stone steps to studying for the AWS certification, these steps are the most straightforward.

1. Enroll in an AWS training class, such as any of the ones mentioned in this article. They will certainly increase your knowledge of cloud computing and AWS.
2. Review any Study or Exam Guides available.
3. Read multiple AWS whitepapers. These hold some invaluable information, which may answer many of your questions.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Practice exams will help ease any worries or stress you may be having about the certification exam.
5. Schedule the exam once you are ready. It typically takes anywhere from 80-120 hours of practice/studying to be prepared for the exam based on experience and the certification you are pursuing.

Bringing your team up to speed on AWS can take time you may not have. But with our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today to find out how the program works.

Let’s take a closer look at each exam.

Foundational Certification

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is an entry-level certification designed to validate a candidate’s overall understanding of the AWS cloud.

• Recommendations: At least six months of general AWS cloud experience in any role (technical, managerial, sales, etc.)
• Format: Multiple choice & Multiple response questions
• Length: 90 minutes
• Cost: 100 USD

Areas Covered:

• Understanding of basic AWS architectural principles
• The value proposition of the AWS cloud
• Key AWS services and their common use cases
• Basic security and compliance, the shared responsibility model for security
• Core deployment and operating principles
• Cloud costs and economics and billing practices

Prepare for the Foundational Certification, with Cloud Academy’s Cloud Practitioner Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

Associate-Level Certifications

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)

This certification is the most popular AWS certification overall for tech team leaders, as it provides a solid foundation in AWS cloud computing. When evaluating new hires, it demonstrates that the holder possesses the skills needed to design, deploy, and manage applications on AWS.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam is designed for those with some experience in designing distributed applications. Candidates will need to be able to demonstrate their ability to design, manage, and implement applications using tools and services on the AWS platform. This exam was updated in August 2022 to include more AWS services and best practices.  More information on this can be found here.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-response
• Time: 130 minutes 
• Cost: 150 USD

Areas Covered:

• Network technologies and how they work in AWS
• How AWS-based applications work and how client interfaces connect to the AWS platform
• How to build secure and reliable applications on the AWS platform
• Deploying hybrid systems – those with an on-premises data center and AWS components
• The exam domains include the design of highly available, scalable and performant systems, (requires familiarity with AWS infrastructure and concepts), implementation and deployment in AWS, AWS-related data security practices, and cost optimization techniques

Prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate with Cloud Academy’s Solutions Architect – Associate Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

The AWS Certified Developer – the Associate exam is all about developing and maintaining AWS-based applications. You will need to know how to write actual code that uses AWS software to access AWS applications from within your custom business applications.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-response
• Time: 130 minutes
• Cost: 150 USD

Areas Covered:

• Understanding the basic AWS architecture and the core AWS services
• Hands-on experience designing, developing, deploying, debugging, and maintaining applications
• Working knowledge of applications that utilize key AWS services such as AWS databases, notifications, workflow services, and services for storage and change management services

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Developer – Associate Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – the Associate exam is the only certification that is fully geared toward system administrators. Passing this exam requires both technical expertise and conceptual knowledge of the operational aspects of the AWS platform. Previous experience as a Linux or Windows administrator will be a plus.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-response, and Exam lab.  Exam labs contain a scenario that is composed of a set of tasks to perform in the AWS Management Console or AWS CLI
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 150 USD

Areas Covered:

• Deploying applications to the AWS platform across distributed architectures
• Sending and receiving data between data centers and multi-VPC architectures
• Selecting the appropriate AWS services to meet an organization’s needs
• Provisioning, managing, and securing systems in an AWS environment

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s SysOps Administrator – Associate Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

Professional-level Certifications

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

A professional AWS architect is someone who can evaluate an organization’s requirements and make architectural recommendations for implementing and deploying applications on AWS. The Certified Solutions Architect Professional certification requires a high degree of technical skill and experience designing AWS-based applications. This exam was updated in November 2022 to include more AWS services and best practices.  More information on this can be found here.

• Recommendations: Two years of hands-on experience designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS and best practice knowledge of multi-application architectural design is recommended.
• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple-answer
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Best practices for architecting the designing scalable applications on AWS
• Selecting the right AWS service for the requirements of an application ensuring its highly available, fault-tolerant and reliable
• Migration of complex application systems to AWS across a multi-tier architecture design
• Knowledge of cost optimization strategies

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Solutions Architect – Professional Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

The DevOps Engineer certification is all about provisioning, operating, and managing applications on the AWS platform. This exam focuses heavily on continuous delivery (CD) and the automation of processes, two fundamental concepts of the DevOps movement.

• Recommendations: Experience in provisioning and managing AWS-based applications, as well as a firm understanding of modern application development such as the agile development methodology, is recommended.
• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• The basics of modern CD methodologies
• How to implement and manage CD systems
• Set up, monitoring, security controls, and logging systems on AWS
• How to implement highly available, scalable, and self-healing systems on AWS
• How to design and manage tools that enable automation of production operations

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s DevOps Engineer – Professional Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

Specialty Certifications

AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty

The AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty certification is for those with a background in data analytics and experience using AWS services for designing and architecting big data solutions. It is designed to validate a candidate’s experience in extracting value from data using AWS services.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Architecting best practices for implementing core AWS big data services
• Designing, maintaining, and visualizing data
• AWS tools for automating data analysis
• Security best practices for data analytics solutions
• AWS services covered include: Kinesis, Athena, Quicksight, and Rekognition

Prepare for this exam with Cloud Academy’s AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty (DAS-C01) Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certification was last updated in July 2022 and is designed to validate a candidate’s skills and experience in connection with performing complex networking tasks on AWS and hybrid IT networking architecture at scale. Candidates should have a background in architecting and implementing network solutions and advanced knowledge of networking on AWS.  

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 170 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Designing, developing, and deploying cloud solutions with AWS
• Implementing core services according to architectural best practices
• Automation for AWS tasks for network deployments
• Security and compliance design and implementation
• Network optimization and troubleshooting

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Advanced Networking – Specialty Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

As a tech manager, you know best that security is one of the most significant issues holding back cloud adoption. Cloud Academy’s training library focuses deeply on IT Security, allowing your team to stay up to date with new security breaches and ways to resolve them.
If you’re interested in understanding how to keep your cloud environment secure with Cloud Academy, contact us and request a free demo!

Going back to the certification, the AWS Certified Security – Specialty certification covers topics that security pros and teams need to master security fundamentals, follow best practices, and build deep knowledge in key services unique to the AWS platform. It is designed to validate your AWS knowledge across security topics such as data protection and encryption, infrastructure security, incident response, identity, and access management, monitoring and logging.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 170 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Use a variety of AWS services to select the appropriate level of security based on your deployments and the sensitivity of your data
• Select the most appropriate data protection techniques including encryption mechanisms
• Implement logging and monitoring solutions to detect and analyze security vulnerabilities and weaknesses within your infrastructure
• AWS services include: AWS Identity and Access Management, AWS CloudTrail, AWS Config, Amazon Inspector, AWS Trusted Advisor, Amazon GuardDuty, Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon Key Management Service

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Security – Specialty Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path

AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

The AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty certification validates your ability to create, implement, and maintain machine learning solutions for a range of business problems. 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.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Choosing and defending the best ML approach for a given business problem
• Identifying the relevant AWS solutions to create and deploy your ML solution
• Designing and implementing cost-optimized, scalable, reliable, and secure ML solutions

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Machine Learning – Specialty Certification Preparation for AWS Learning Path.

AWS Certified Database – Specialty

The AWS Certified Database – Specialty certification validates that you have an overall comprehension of all the AWS database services offered, as well as how to bring value to your business through optimized database integration and architecting. This exam is for anyone who works closely with databases and implements DB solutions. Candidates should at least two years of experience working with both AWS Cloud-based and on-premises relational and NoSQL databases.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Database Design
• Deployment and Migration
• Management and Operations
• Monitoring and Troubleshooting
• Security

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s AWS Certified Database – Specialty (DBS-C01) Certification Preparation Learning Path.

AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty

The newest AWS specialty certification is the AWS Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty, which was released in April 2022. This exam has been designed for individuals wanting to demonstrate critical knowledge related to SAP solutions and workloads running in the AWS Cloud.

• Format: Multiple-choice, multiple answers
• Time: 180 minutes
• Cost: 300 USD

Areas Covered:

• Designing an SAP solution that runs in the AWS Cloud in adherence with the AWS Well-Architected Framework as well as SAP certification and support requirements
• Implementing new SAP workloads on AWS
• Migrating existing SAP workloads to AWS
• Operating SAP workloads on AWS

Prepare for this certification with Cloud Academy’s Certified SAP on AWS – Specialty (PAS-C01) Certification Preparation Learning Path.

Recertification and Staying Up-to-Date

The number of new AWS features and services increases every year. To demonstrate continued expertise and knowledge of best practices for the most up to date AWS services, certification holders are required to recertify every three years.

If you hold the Cloud Practitioner certification, it will automatically be renewed if you pass an  Associate level certification.  Also, if you hold the Solutions Architect – Associate exam, this will be renewed if you pass the Solutions Architect – Professional exam.  Similarly, if you hold the SysOps Administrator – Associate or Developer – Associate certification, then by passing the DevOps Engineer – Professional exam it will automatically renew these associate levels too.  Passing any Associate or Professional certification will also renew your Cloud Practitioner exam if you currently hold it.  

Remember that certifications are broadly representative of your knowledge at a specific point in time. The real AWS mavens don’t wait until their certification expires – they build good habits to stay current and are obsessed with learning. Here are some tips for keeping your skills current.

• Read, a lot. Subscribe to AWS Release Notes newsletter, the Cloud Academy AWS blog posts, and others to receive the latest updates.
• Learn by doing. Get hands-on practice experimenting with new services in Machine Learning and AI using Cloud Academy Hands-on Labs.
• Attend re:Invent. Enough said.
• Test your skills. Take AWS practice exams, regardless of whether you’re sitting for the exam or not.
• Suggest training at work. Excellence begets excellence. If you surround yourself with a team of well-informed individuals who strive for excellence, you’ll move faster together.

If you are a tech team leader, you want to make sure your tech talents stay up to date with the latest releases and certifications. But bringing your team up to speed on AWS can take time you may not have. With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Contact our team today and request a free demo to find out how the program works.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does it take to become AWS certified?

This largely depends on the candidate’s existing experience and knowledge of AWS, in addition to the certification level looking to be obtained, Practitioner, Associate, Professional or Specialty. AWS states in their exam guide for each certification a suggested prerequisite amount of experience before tackling the exam. For example, the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03), suggests that you should have 1 year of hands-on experience designing available, cost-effective, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS.

However, with dedication to your study and gaining hands-on practical experience using your own ‘free-tier’ account to get familiarity with the console and the services, you can pass your certifications without meeting these criteria. It is important to maintain a study schedule, and I would suggest at least 1 hour of study per day for the Practitioner and Associate levels, but aim to immerse yourself more each day for the Professional and Specialty levels.

How much does it cost to get AWS certified?

The prices of the exams are different based on the level of the certification:

• Practitioner = $100
• Associate = $150
• Professional = $300
• Specialty = $300

What are the different levels of AWS certification?

There are 4 different levels of certification with AWS

• Practitioner: This is considered the foundation level when starting your certification journey with AWS and is a recommended and optional step before taking the Associate level certifications.
• Associate: These certifications require more experience than the Practitioner, and you should have some hands-on experience in provisioning resources in addition to some problem-solving skills in AWS.
• Professional: Although you can take the professional level certifications first, it’s recommended to attain at least the associate level certifications first to provide a base-level knowledge of AWS that is required to take the more advanced professional level certifications. Before taking this level of certification you must have a comprehensive understanding of many different attributes of how to run, optimize, and troubleshoot solutions within AWS.
• Specialty: The Specialty level certifications hone in on one particular domain within AWS, for example, ‘Security’ or ‘Databases’, and therefore require deep technical knowledge and experience within that particular topic. These are comparable to the Professional level certification with regards to difficulty.

Which certification is best in AWS?

All AWS certifications are important and are a great asset to have from a professional standpoint. Deciding which one to take, or which one is ‘best’ largely depends on your interests, your role, and where you would like to take your career.

For example, If you enjoy working in the networking and architectural space, then the following route would be a great fit:

• AWS Cloud Practitioner
• AWS Solutions Architect – Associate
• AWS Solutions Architect – Professional
• Networking Specialty

However, if you were a keen developer or were looking to move into application development, then you might select a different route:

• AWS Cloud Practitioner
• AWS Developer – Associate
• AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional

So it really depends on what you are trying to achieve as an individual, and where you want to take your career.

Are AWS certifications worth it?

Any certification that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise within the IT industry is certainly worth obtaining. In a market that is full of competition, being able to stand out above a crowd can help you get noticed and put you on your journey to achieve your professional goals.

If there are a number of candidates applying for a position, and all have the same credentials and experience, but one of them has a number of recognized AWS credentials to reinforce their knowledge, then this goes a long way in making you the chosen candidate.

It is not just about validating your knowledge however, it says a lot about you as a person. It shows commitment, dedication, the willingness to learn, the drive to stay at the forefront of innovation, and sometimes this demonstrates more to people than what the actual certification stands for.

Can I get AWS certifications online?

Yes, you can now take AWS certifications online and from the comfort of your own home. There are some points that you need to be aware of all of which can be found online.

However to summarize, here are the key elements to be aware of:

• You must be able to communicate with an English, Japanese, or Mandarin-speaking proctor. Exams can be taken in different languages, but communication with the proctor will be in English (Pearson VUE also supports online proctoring in Japanese and PSI supports online proctoring in Mandarin)
• You must ensure that your computer meets the system requirements for online proctoring
• When taking the exam, you will need to be in a private and quiet place, and you must ensure that you will not be interrupted
• Unlike in certification centers, you are NOT allowed to leave your workstation or move out of sight from your webcam during the online exam
• Online proctoring is now available from both Pearson VUE or PSI (in mainland China, you must use PSI).

Want to understand how Cloud Academy can help your team get AWS certified and always stay up to date?

With our Cloud Certification Fast-track program, you can crush your certification goals with direct support from our team of cloud experts. Custom training, visibility into progress, and end-to-end program management are just some of the features. Fill out the form to get a free demo and find out how the program works.

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The post The 12 AWS Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team? appeared first on Cloud Academy.

The tech giant recently announced that it will no longer offer the Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate certification and the associated MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administration exam. Both are scheduled to retire on June 30, 2023.

As an alternative, they recommend that learners interested in obtaining skills for security administrators consider the following certifications instead:

• Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200)
• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300)
• Microsoft Certified: Information Protection Administrator Associate (SC-400)

In response, Cloud Academy has developed a line of objective-driven learning experiences that align with each new Microsoft certification. Below I’ve provided a brief overview of the associated learning paths currently available via our content library.

Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200)

The Security Operations Analyst Associate certification measures your ability to identify, investigate, and respond to security incidents and threats using a variety of security tools. The courses in this learning path will help to prepare you for the SC-200 exam, and familiarize you with the concepts you need to know to effectively mitigate threats, using Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft Sentinel.

Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300)

The Identity and Access Administrator Associate certification focuses on managing identity and access solutions to ensure the security of an organization’s IT environment. As you work through the course, you’ll learn the skills needed for implementing both identity management and authentication and access management solutions. You’ll also learn how to implement access management for apps and how to plan and execute an identity governance strategy.  

Microsoft Certified: Information Protection Administrator Associate (SC-400)

The Information Protection Administrator Associate certification measures your ability to implement information protection policies and manage data loss prevention in Microsoft 365 environments. As you work through the course, you’ll learn the skills needed for implementing information protection, data loss prevention, and information governance. The SC-400 exam will test your knowledge of three key subject areas, and that’s how we’ve structured this Learning Path.

Some Words of advice…

If you’ve been prepping for the MS-500 exam, you should continue, but keep in mind that you need to pass before it retires on June 30, 2023. If you earn the Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate certification before it’s retired, it will stay on your transcript. 

Learners with an active certification can renew it for up to six months after its final retirement date of June 30, 2023. If you do opt to take the MS-500 exam, be sure to check out our MS-500 Learning Path first.

For more on our Microsoft Learning Paths you can click here, or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out, I’m happy to help.

Tom

The post Updates to the Microsoft 365 Certification Portfolio appeared first on Cloud Academy.