Hey there, readers! AWS Associate Certifications are a complete series of certifications offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The aim is to validate the basic and intermediate knowledge and experience of an individual in multiple AWS services and technologies.
There are three associate-level certifications in Amazon Web Services. The exam takers often get confused about which certification is suitable for their career profile. Amazon has built each and every certification considering a particular job profile in mind.
In this article, I will be discussing the different levels of associate exams, including AWS Solution Architect Associate and who has to prepare for which certification. If your goal is to become a master of AWS concepts, this article is for you.
Comparison Between the AWS Associate Certifications
People who are new to this field may get confused between terms like SysOps and DevOps while selecting a suitable career option. We suggest understanding the difference between the two and making the right choice for your bright future.
AWS Solutions Architect Associate
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate is a good fit for IT professionals to get an overall insight into all the services offered by AWS.
Here, the associate showcases proficiency in a broad spectrum of AWS services and technologies. This certification emphasizes developing solutions that focus on both cost-efficiency and performance, demonstrating a deep understanding of the AWS Solutions Architect Associate.
Skills Required for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Certification
Proficiency and competence in AWS services associated with computing, networking, storage and databases, with knowledge of AWS deployment and admin tools.
Ability to deploy, oversee and manage operations on AWS, along with te ability to implement security measures and comply with the standards.
Knowledge of both the AWS Management Console and the AWS Command Line Interface and knowledge of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
Ability to determine the right AWS services for specific technical requirements and to specify technical criteria for applications based on AWS.
Furthermore, the applicants for this exam must have knowledge of these AWS services: VPCs and Subnets, S3, IAM, EC2, RDS, ELB, SNS, SQS, SWF, Route53, CloudFront, Elastic Beanstalk, Kinesis, and CloudFormation.
Who is Eligible for the Certification?
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect is ideal for those who know about AWS technologies, have strong experience in on-premises IT and have knowledge fo transitioning from on-premises setups to cloud environments, and have past engagement with alternative cloud platforms.
Exam Syllabus
AWS Certified Solutions Architect syllabus includes the following areas:
Design Secure Architectures
Design Resilient Architectures
Design High-Performing Architectures
Design Cost-Optimized Architectures
AWS Certified Developer Associate
The AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA- C02) Exam evaluates the skills and knowledge of a candidate in developing, testing, introducing, and troubleshooting applications on the AWS cloud ecosystem.
Moreover, the exam evaluates the candidate's ability to design and improve AWS applications.
It scrutinizes the ability to bring together and launch using continuous integration and continuous delivery approaches.
The process of protecting application code and data is also being evaluated, along with the detection and resolution of application issues.
The AWS Certified Developer is more suitable for those who are inclined towards creating solutions on the AWS platform. This certification emphasizes development topics like DynamoDB, SQS, S3, SNS, and CloudFormation.
Who is Eligible for the Certification?
The Associate certification is best suited for those with expertise in a high-level programming language from previous developer roles, knowledge of AWS technologies, a complete understanding of on-premises IT systems and their transition to cloud environments and past exposure to other cloud channels.
Exam Syllabus
Development with AWS Services
Security
Deployment
Troubleshooting and Optimization
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate
The AWS SysOps Associate is more suitable for those who focus on working with solutions designed on top of AWS. The main aspects covered in the AWS Online courses include monitoring and metrics, developing fault-tolerant systems, creating high-availability systems and troubleshooting.
Who is Eligible for the Certification?
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate certification works as a great point to enter into the AWS Certification journey for those with:
Background in systems administration
Expertise with AWS technologies
Experience in on-premises IT and understanding of switching from on-premises systems to cloud-based solutions
Previous engagement with alternative cloud providers
Exam Syllabus
Monitoring, logging and Remediation
Reliability and Business Continuity
Deployment, Provisioning and Automation
Security and Compliance
Networking and Content Delivery
Cost and Performance Optimization
AWS Certified Data Engineer- Associate Beta Certification
The AWS Certified Data Engineer evaluates your competence in key AWS data services. It demonstrates your ability to develop data pipelines, effectively manage monitoring and problem-solving and boost both cost-effectiveness and performance, all while complying with industry best practices.
If you are interested in using AWS technology to transform data into key insights for analysis, this beta exam offers a unique way to outshine the early adopters of this newly launched certification.
Who is Eligible for the Certification?
This exam targets people with 2-3 years of experience in roles specific to cloud data or on-premises data who are switching to the AWS cloud.
Experts in cloud-specific positions like Data Engineers, Data Analysts, Data Architects or Business Intelligence Engineers can obtain this certification to improve their assurance and credibility.
Furthermore, people in relevant positions like software engineers, cloud engineers, reporting analysts, data quality analysts and those in on-premises data capabilities can also enrol and obtain this certification.
Exam Syllabus
Data Ingestion and Transformation
Data Store Management
Data Operations and Support
Data Security and Governance
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is trying to recall hundreds of AWS service features without knowing their purpose.
Another mistake is preparing only through practice questions. The questions are useful, but they should reveal knowledge gaps instead of becoming the entire learning experience.
Avoiding networking is another key issue. VPC concepts appear throughout AWS architecture, so fragile networking knowledge can impact your understanding of many other services.
Applicants also sometimes avoid cost optimization. Even if you have a complete understanding of compute, storage, database and networking, you still need to understand when an architecture can be created more economically without compromising the requirements.
Lastly, do not depend on old exam material. AWS often updates its certification content and releases new exam guides and service references.
Tips to Perform Well in These Exams
Here are some tips that I personally implement before appearing for an exam.
If you already have experience with AWS services, the course content related to the service can help as a refresher. If it is a new AWS service for you, experience and practice are required.
During the exam, reject obviously wrong answers first. This makes it easier to select the correct one from the available options
There are no negative consequences for wrong answers. So even if you are not sure, select an answer that makes the most sense and mark it for further review. You can review it after completing all the questions.
Some prefer to attend it in a testing center to avoid distractions. While some sit from home. The decision is yours. Choose as per your convenience.
Summary
Overall, we have learned that the Solutions Architect Certification is for those who want to manage all the services, while the Developer exam is for those who want to develop on AWS platforms. However, if you want to learn more about deployment, infrastructure, and administration-related aspects, you can enrol in the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator exam.
All the exams cover some of the same topics. Amazon Certified Solutions Architect and developer certification has the 50% of the same exam topics. I hope I have been able to help you understand the suitability of these certifications.
If you need further information or help selecting the right certification exam, feel free to contact us.