AWS Solution Architect the Beginner’s Guide to Success
The AWS Solution Architect certification is a prestigious qualification that enriches one’s cloud computing career. In today’s time, all corporations regularly transfer more and more data to the cloud. So, there is heavy demand for cloud computing professionals. This certification offers plenty of opportunities within the information technology discipline. With this certification, one can acquire important skills in designing scalable and cost-effective cloud architectures. Knowing an AWS Solution Architects career path helps an individual towards a glorious future in this ever-evolving dynamic sector.
How to Understand AWS Certification Levels:
The AWS certification program has different levels, as each one of them is aimed at people from different stages of experience and expertise. There are four main levels of certifications.
1. Foundation Level
2. Associate Level
3. Professional Level
4. Specialization Level
This depends on the knowledge one has gained from the previous one, as a person goes along learning the AWS Solution Architect Certification, it gives one the career path depending on one’s skills and career goals.
a). Foundation level:
A person new to the AWS training with little bit or no technical expertise needs to start with this level. As, it gives an excellent overview of AWS services, cloud concepts, and basic knowledge of the security measures required. One does not have to be proficient in IT knowledge to pass this exam. Anyone can learn this training and is open to all persons, who want to change careers. Here, the basics of AWS are taught. It is helpful for people with zero knowledge of technology. This certification gives a strong foundation for anyone.
b). Associate Level:
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate is a way to gain entry into superior and advanced roles. The training imparted here gives a person challenges to enhance capabilities in designing and deploying scalable systems on AWS. It is not required to have prior knowledge of cloud, or IT expertise to enter the associate–level. By earning associate-level certification, one gets practical skills in order to become employable. It offers one to build a strong base for complicated concepts. It readies the person for future challenges in a cloud-based career. This certification helps in one’s AWS Solution Architect career moving ahead
c). Professional Level:
At this level, one gets to develop knowledge to meet professional needs and requirements. In order to get to the professional level, one has to finish the associate certification first and should have a minimum of 2 years of experience in prior AWS Cloud. After achieving this certification, the person will get a clear understanding of advanced design and optimized approaches. Earning the AWS Solution Architect-Professional certificate brings out the advanced knowledge and skills in handling complex problems, cost, and performance, and automation of manual processes.
d). Specialty Level:
In order to move to higher positions, one needs to continue with the specialty-level certification in the AWS solution architect certification path. This level has complex topics and needs more effort to complete it. The person should have passed the AWS Solution Architect Associate Certification to enter this certification. To improve the skills and management quality, one needs to first earn the AWS Solution Architect Associate program,this helps in various roles across the cloud computing field. This will help the person towards the AWS Solution Architect certification path.
Details of Exam:
The test has 65 questions and the duration of it is 130 minutes. It consists of multiple-choice questions tabled to analyze the candidates understanding of AS services excellent architectural practices. It is suggested to the candidate to obtain at least a year’s experience with AWS , there are no other prerequisites.
How to prepare for the Test?
There are many resources to prepare for the exam effectively. There are online trainings, books, and practicing mock tests to understand the subject. AWS offers whitepapers and training videos covering the exam topics in a detailed manner and free of cost. There are online platforms like trainingra and Udemy that offer structured trainings for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam.
Examination Cost:
The candidate has to pay $150 for enrollment for this exam. If the candidate is interested in joining training trainings and in buying study resources, will incur extra costs. So, these materials help one’s improvement in readiness and the person will raise the success rate in clearing the AWS certification.
AWS Solution Architect Professional Certification:
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional is for experienced candidates who want to demonstrate their expertise in cloud computing architecture. This certification advanced and turned the candidate into a professional. It gives deeper insights into architectural concepts. It is an important step in clearing the AWS Solution Architect certification path because it makes the candidate a thorough professional in designing and deploying applications on AWS.
Details of Exam:
There are 75 questions for the candidate and the duration is 180 minutes. One will be tested on the ability to design complex solutions with a strong combination of multiple-choice and multiple-response questions. The test is much tougher than the Associate exam.
Preparation for the Test:
For a detailed and effective preparation, one has to opt for advanced study materials designed for this AWS Solution Architect certification path. There are many community forums and study groups that offer helpful assistance for the exam.
Cost of the Exam:
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect professional-level exam costs $300. The fee is higher because of the advanced nature of the content than the associate-level exam.
Extra costs will be incurred if one decides to take training trainings or buy study materials. These are the resources that will significantly increase one’s chances of passing the AWS Solution Architect exam and moving up your career path.
Career Options for AWS Solution Architects:
Post getting the AWS certifications, the candidate will be in a position to have a lot of career options. Cloud technology is in demand and AWS Solution Architects are required to work and manage the demand. One can also explore job titles such as Cloud Solutions Architect and Cloud Engineer. There are various responsibilities for each role, including designing scalable systems, cloud migrations, and system reliability.
Job Responsibilities:
As a person who works as an Architect for Cloud Solutions, the nature of the job will be to create and set up cloud services that are personalized according to the client’s requirements. The work required to do includes analyzing architectural aspects and creating strategies for cloud migration.
Being a cloud engineer means one can work on operational things like deploying applications and handling cloud infrastructure. Both positions need good technical abilities and communication skills to interact properly with clients.
Details about Salary:
The AWS Solutions Architects get approximately $126,000 annually. The experts in top-level positions or specific domains such as Cloud Security may get more than $210,000 every year.
Conclusion:
The candidate who is about to start the journey on the AWS Solution Architect certification path can be successful with proper guidance and learning. The candidate can move from beginner level to specialist level. One should start with the Cloud Practitioner exam as the first step on the AWS Solution Architect certification path. But gradually building and adding extra certifications one earns will make the architect career path stronger.
