Get 50% off with the Cloud Academy’s Flash Sale!

Cloud Academy Team — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:04:46 +0000

That’s right, our Flash Sale is on – Save 50% on your first year with Cloud Academy! (Personal plan only)

Get the benefit of more access to the latest training

A year of study is the perfect amount of time to bet on yourself, big-time. Stop creating a false sense of urgency and instead give yourself the time and freedom to focus. With a year of Cloud Academy, you’ll have full on-demand access to all of our certification training content, plus everything else in our training library. We’re your trusted resource for all things tech, and we stay up-to-date with all the new exams and advances, so you don’t have to worry about missing anything.

Meet our instructors

Our content creators are obsessed with your success. They love teaching tech and want to share that enthusiasm with each of you. We’ve gathered a global team of experts across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, DevOps, Security, and more. Why not meet our instructors and hear what they’re all about for yourself?

Andrew Larkin, VP of Content

Stuart Scott – AWS Content & Security Lead

Guy Hummel – Azure & Google Cloud Lead

Logan Rakai – Lead Content Dev, Labs

Keep up with our always up-to-date training library

Get access to certification courses, programming, data science – absolutely all of our content. We’ve released a ton of labs, lessons, and exams in 2023 and 2024. There’s still more to come. For details on our most recent releases and what’s coming next, you can check out our real-time Content Roadmap:

What are you waiting for? Hurry up and redeem your 50% off!

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Cloud Academy’s Black Friday Deal Is Here!

Cloud Academy Team — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:05:16 +0000

That’s right, our Black Friday Deal is on – Get 35% off a 1-year personal plan.

Get the benefit of more access to the latest training

Meet our instructors

Andrew Larkin, VP of Content

Stuart Scott – AWS Content & Security Lead

Guy Hummel – Azure & Google Cloud Lead

Logan Rakai – Lead Content Dev, Labs

Keep up with our always up-to-date training library

Get access to certification learning paths, programming, data science – absolutely all of our content. We’ve released a ton of labs, courses, and exams in 2022. There’s still more to come. For details on our most recent releases and what’s coming next, you can check out our real-time Content Roadmap:

What are you waiting for? Hurry up and redeem your 35% off!

The post Cloud Academy’s Black Friday Deal Is Here! appeared first on Cloud Academy.

The Black Friday Early-Bird Deal Starts Now!

Cloud Academy Team — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:38:16 +0000

How do you cut through a sea of Black Friday offers as the holidays approach? New clothes, new toys, tons of stuff for everyone else.

What about stopping before you get carried away? You have a choice here. Why not flip the script and do something to invest in yourself and your career?

Get our Black Friday Early Bird Offer >>> You get one year of Cloud Academy for 40% off.

Get a year of Cloud Academy and get your goals done

As much as we all like fast results and instant gratification, it’s still true that any goal worth attaining takes time. Getting AWS or Azure certified, or reaching a proficient level in a new coding language is no different — these are challenging and rewarding goals that take 3-6 months to achieve.

A full year of Cloud Academy will get you full on-demand access to all of our certification training content, plus everything else in our training library. Not only that, we constantly update our content with new features, courses, and labs to keep you up-to-date with fast-changing cloud tech. You don’t have to worry about keeping up with what’s new — we take care of all that for you.

Training Plans: the support you need to succeed

Take advantage of the same features that allow our largest enterprise customers to increase skills by 5x: jump into our Training Plans.

What exactly is a Training Plan?

A Training Plan is a guided framework designed to help you master a given topic. Training Plans are composed of one or more learning paths, such as the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate Learning Path — a collection of courses, labs, and exams to get you ready for the certification exam.

How can Training Plans help me?

If you’re interested enough to read this far, you’re thinking of what you can accomplish in a year. How will you actually make that happen? Training Plans will organize your studies by goal and by a time limit that you set. For example, you might have a goal of earning two certifications in 10 months.

As you progress through your studies completing learning paths and feeling better about the momentum you have, you’ll get weekly feedback (and friendly nudges as reminders — when needed) to help keep you focused.

We provide you with Training Plans created by our global team of content experts, and you can create your own, too. Whatever route you take, you’ll have more focus with the additional support, as shown by our enterprise customers who saw a 10x increase in content consumption and a 5x increase in newly acquired skills. Everyone can use a hand to keep their eye on the prize. Training Plans do that for you.

Our Content Roadmap – always new courses for you

Just in the last 90 days, we’ve released 25 learning paths, 66 hands-on labs, 188 exams, and 69 courses. There’s still more to come. For details on our most recent releases and what’s coming next, check out our real-time Content Roadmap.

Cloud Academy offers 50+ certification paths

We have more than 50 certification learning paths in our library:

ALL 12 AWS certifications
19 Azure certifications
9 GCP certifications
2 Alibaba Certifications
2 Kubernetes certifications
Microsoft 365, Oracle certifications, and much more on the Cloud Academy Training Library.

No matter what you’re interested in, we have certification training to get you to your goals. Check out our list below:

What are you waiting for? Hurry up and redeem your 40% discount!

The post The Black Friday Early-Bird Deal Starts Now! appeared first on Cloud Academy.

Cloud Academy Wins Again: Fall 2023 G2 Awards

Cloud Academy Team — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:17:23 +0000

Cloud Academy’s enterprise customers and end users have spoken, and we are thrilled to share that for Fall 2023 Cloud Academy has been honored by G2 in five categories:

Technical Skills Development
Skills Management Software
Corporate Learning Management System
Online Course Provider
eLearning Content

In addition to being named an industry leader in Technical Skills Development, we have also been recognized as a High Performer for our Virtual IT Labs.

At Cloud Academy, we’re all about helping enterprises and individuals stay ahead of the curve. We offer the latest content and learning solutions that will help you pass any certification, no matter how difficult it may seem. With our platform, you’ll get deep insights into your progress and success rates, giving you and your team the confidence to plan and tackle any challenge that comes your way.

Users are praising Cloud Academy for its easy-to-use platform and unparalleled customer support, which explains why we are also the platform that users are consistently most likely to recommend.

Here are some recent reviews from Cloud Academy customers that contributed to this year’s G2 rankings:

“Cloud Academy Comes Highly Recommended”

Cloud Academy has helped me reskill and upskill myself in the IT, project management and cloud computing spaces. I have used the ITIL Foundation, Azure and Microsoft Security learning paths to renew my AZ-700 Azure Network Engineer Associate, SC-200 Security Operations Analyst, ITIL 4 Foundation and ITIL 4 Create, Deliver and Support certification exams. Furthermore, I have used the DevOps Foundation, scrum master, and product owner learning paths to pass my DevOps Foundation and Scrum Fundamentals Certified certifications. I highly recommend Cloud Academy to anyone who is vested in staying current. – Carla J. – Small Business (50 or fewer emp.)

“Great Service”

The courses I’ve been taking have been very informative and thorough on all of the knowledge I need for the certification. It is better than other courses I have taken. In particular the labs have been very good at helping me understand the material. – Joel I. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

We are honored that our commitment to the success of our customers has been recognized, and we thank you for the support you’ve shown us on G2.

More about G2

As the world’s largest and most trusted peer-to-peer review site, G2 welcomes a staggering 80 million software buyers annually. To help them make informed decisions, G2 conducts annual Best Software Awards that recognize the top software companies and products. These awards are based on real reviews from authentic users, ensuring timely and accurate insights.

Learn more about what real users have to say about Cloud Academy on G2. To learn more about Cloud Academy or to schedule a demo

The post Cloud Academy Wins Again: Fall 2023 G2 Awards appeared first on Cloud Academy.

Navigating the Challenges of Modernization with Cloud Academy

Cloud Academy Team — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:25:08 +0000

The journey of modernization is both an opportunity and a challenge. As businesses race to adopt the latest technologies and streamline their operations, they often encounter pitfalls that can derail their progress.

These pitfalls can lead to inefficiencies, vulnerabilities, and missed opportunities. Let’s take a closer look at these challenges and discover how you can navigate them seamlessly — with the right tools and approach.

Common pitfalls of modernization

The complacency trap: In the rush to modernize, businesses often view it as a one-off project. They invest heavily in new technologies, only to let them become obsolete due to a lack of continuous learning. As the technological landscape evolves, skills that were relevant yesterday might become outdated tomorrow. The pitfall here is complacency.

The alignment issue: IT teams, in their enthusiasm to adopt the latest technologies, might overlook how these align with the company’s strategic goals. This misalignment can lead to squandered resources and lost opportunities.

The security oversight: With new tech adoption comes new cyber threats. In the race to modernize, security can sometimes take a backseat. A single security lapse can have catastrophic consequences, from data breaches to financial losses.

How Cloud Academy helps navigate these pitfalls

At Cloud Academy, we’ve seen these challenges firsthand and have crafted solutions to address them head-on.

Emphasis on skills readiness: Cloud Academy empowers teams to learn, practice, and master multi-cloud skills. By offering a platform where users can manage and build their cloud, software development, and data skills, businesses are better equipped to stay ahead of the curve. It’s not just about having access to technology; it’s about mastering it.

Structured learning: Unlike many e-learning platforms that seemingly offer content randomly, Cloud Academy provides a structured approach. This proactive management of skills, combined with advanced software and premium content, makes sure teams are always ready to leverage the latest technologies effectively.

Skill management: With insights into a team’s current skills, Cloud Academy lets businesses plan for growth and close skill gaps with immersive training. This verifies the workforce is always equipped to harness modern technologies to their fullest potential.

Personalization and content engine: Cloud Academy is tailored for tech teams of all sizes. With the ability to customize the platform’s library, businesses can create their own courses, learning paths, and exams. This blend of personalized content keeps training aligned with the company’s specific needs and objectives.

Job role paths: Emphasizing career growth, Cloud Academy offers job role paths that help employees with career progression and focused learning. This not only boosts employee morale but also validates that teams have the right skills for the right roles.

Pre-hire assessments: Before bringing new talent on board, Cloud Academy’s assessments help companies gauge the true tech skills of potential hires. This promises a better fit, faster onboarding, and a workforce that’s ready to tackle modernization challenges from day one.

Always updated content: In the ever-evolving tech world, staying updated is crucial. Cloud Academy works hard to make sure that their content, hands-on labs, and certification paths are always in sync with the latest trends and technologies.

Taking the next step

So, where do you go from here? Whether you’re just starting your modernization journey or looking to fine-tune it, remember that the right tools, paired with the right knowledge, can make all the difference.

If you’re curious about how to further empower your team or want to go deeper into any of the potential pitfalls of modernization, we’re here to help. Dive into our solutions or book a demo to see how we can tailor solutions to your unique needs.

In the world of modernization, challenges are inevitable, but with the right approach, they’re not insurmountable. Let’s navigate this journey together.

The post Navigating the Challenges of Modernization with Cloud Academy appeared first on Cloud Academy.

What is Cloud Migration? Strategy, Processes, Benefits & Risks

Cloud Academy Team — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 01:00:00 +0000

Cloud migration refers to the transfer of data, applications, and other business elements into a cloud computing environment.

An enterprise can perform many types of cloud migrations.

Transferring data and applications from an on-premises data center to the cloud is one common model, but cloud migration can also involve moving data and applications between cloud platforms or providers. This second scenario is known as cloud-to-cloud migration.

Reverse cloud migration, also known as cloud repatriation, is another type of migration. This involves the transfer of data or applications from one cloud platform to another.

But cloud migration may not be right for organization.

Cloud environments can be scalable, reliable, and highly available. However, these are not the only factors that will drive your decision.

Cloud Migration for Businesses

Cloud computing brings a new level of life and innovation to your company’s business practice and application architecture.

It’s going to be necessary to have a real conversation with your executives and technical leads about the cost of a cloud migration since it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. It’s more like any lasting change, with milestones.

This cloud presents a whole new way to work, new ways to deploy, tools and services that can help you automate and self-heal your infrastructure. It can be overwhelming to see the different ways infrastructure functions within a cloud environment. It’s important to be familiar with how it works, its risks and benefits, and how cloud computing technology is evolving in general.

Cloud migration is a huge undertaking, but also the start of a new way of working with new opportunities.

If you’re interested in understanding how to migrate your business to the cloud and what it can entail, don’t hesitate to contact us and request a free demo!

Risks and Benefits of Cloud Migration

If you’re anything like most companies, you probably already have at minimum one workload in the cloud. But as you’ll see, the big change that a cloud migration brings is not right for every situation. Cloud environments are usually scalable, reliable, highly available, and easy to use, though there should be more that drives your decision.

Consider a variety of factors when considering your first cloud migration. From the benefits and risks to choosing the right cloud service model for your business, to how it will affect your bottom line. We’ll be discussing the most important aspects to consider when contemplating a move to the cloud.

Benefits of Cloud Migration

Moving to the cloud can solve many problems. These are some of the typical scenarios that can benefit from cloud migration.

Faster scaling to meet traffic demands: Your application is getting more popular. It’s becoming harder to scale resources yourself in order to meet this increasing demand.

Faster go-to-market: Your clients need fast application implementation and deployment. You want to help them focus on development, while also reducing overhead.

Switch from Capex to Opex: Cloud computing transforms IT expenditure into a pay-as-you-go model, instead of spending huge amounts on hardware. This is especially attractive for startups.

Risks of Cloud Migration

Although your particular environment will determine the risks, there are some general drawbacks to cloud migrations you might want to be aware of.

If your current setup meets your needs and doesn’t require much maintenance, scaling, or availability, and all your customers are happy with it – why change?

Distributed cloud architectures may not be the right fit for your application design or architecture. This could mean that you will need to modify them before they can be moved to the cloud.

Cloud platform or vendor lock-in: It can be difficult to move between platforms once you are in.

To learn more about how to keep your cloud environment secure with Cloud Academy, contact us and request a free demo!

Cloud Migration Strategies

There’s a well-known framework for organizing your strategies for cloud migration: this is known as “The 6 Rs of Cloud Migration”. Not every business will perform each step but think of this as a guide to illustrate the many possible paths an organization can take. Once you review their details, you’ll have more context to understand which way to lead your migration strategy.

Rehost

Rehosting is often called “lift and shift”. Just as the name implies, there is no big architectural change to the servers and applications in this situation. They are simply taken from on-premises (the lift) and moved to the same type of system on the cloud (the shift). Organizations that are just starting their migration journey will often use the lift-and-shift strategy.

Replatform

Replatforming is the second option. This is where we modify “lift and shift” into something more complicated but better suited to the new cloud environment. Replatforming is a process that optimizes the application during the migration phase. This requires some programming knowledge and input. You might move from your own database system to a managed DB hosted on a cloud provider. In this type of migration, you stick with similar underlying technology but modify the business model and have cloud resilience as a huge bonus.

Repurchase

Sometimes referred to as “drop and shop,” this cloud migration strategy comprises a full switch to another product. This could mean ending existing licensing or repurposing services for new platforms and services. In this instance, some examples of a “dropped” application may be a CRM system or an industry-specific app that was not created to be run on the cloud. However, it may be one that does not have modern code or one that cannot be transported from one provider to the next. When transferring to a new product or using a proprietary platform, the “repurpose” strategy is used.

Refactor

Refactoring is the fourth R, which is basically redesigning. This is often driven by a want to improve an application or service. This could be due to various factors such as difficulty in improving the environment or the need to increase the availability and reliability of an application to meet anticipated traffic spikes.

The timing of refactoring is important. While it may be possible to re-architect the application during the migration stage if the application is not mission-critical, It’s generally best to do this later in the project. It’s important to remember that refactoring can take some time and requires expertise.

Retain

Retain is the fifth strategy. Some applications may be too difficult to migrate, so you might want to keep them. This is when you jump into the hybrid space, like many other successful enterprises. There can be various reasons why you might want to keep some of your existing on-premises deployments: if you are currently subject to regulations or have rules regarding the storage or operation of certain aspects of your business applications, services, or data on-premises or in specific areas, this approach may be a good option.

Retire

We now have our final strategy: to retire services. This strategy involves identifying assets that can be retired so that the business can concentrate on services that are most used and have immediate value. This is an interesting way to approach your existing application library because even though there may be big changes to be made, you can see them as opportunities.

Cloud Migration Process

There are various ways to go about a cloud migration based on the type of strategy you choose or the size of your organization. Below you’ll find two separate processes that illustrate the organization of an actual migration. A helpful exercise would be to use the first process (the 4 Category Method) to ask yourself all the relevant questions then insert those answers into the structure presented by the second method (the Step-by-Step Method).

The 4 Category Method for a Cloud Migration

Use this method to ask yourself some helpful questions about your cloud migration.

1. Plan your cloud migration

What will your use case be? Specialized just for one application or are you moving a whole suite of applications?

2. Make your cloud migration business case

How much will moving to the cloud and working in the cloud cost?
What’s the total cost of ownership between your current environment and the new cloud environment?

3. Execute your cloud migration

How will you carry out your cloud migration with minimal disruption to your daily operations?
How will you maintain code and infrastructure for the two environments?
Does your staff have the skills to execute this migration and what is your evidence?

4. Maintain your new deployments

How will you maintain the security of your data within your cloud?
How will you stay up-to-date on newer versions of services?
How will you make sure your cloud costs don’t spiral out of control?

The Step-by-Step Method for a Basic Cloud Migration

Set goals: Your organization can determine whether the migration went smoothly by setting goals against which to measure its success. Think about performance, timeframe, and cost goals – these are concrete numbers to aim towards.
Develop a security strategy. Cloud cybersecurity is a different approach to security than on-premises. You’ll need to think about traffic into and within your cloud, but also access to the cloud from all your users, and how to leverage “least privilege” access.
Copy existing data to a cloud provider. Make sure this is ongoing throughout the entire migration so you’re positive that your cloud database is always up-to-date.
Refactor or rewrite your Business Intelligence: Think about when this has to happen. Consider doing it in pieces – a custom dashboard can be helpful while larger initiatives get transitioned over.
Your cloud is on and running! Mission accomplished and the journey is just beginning.

If you need help doing this, Cloud Academy’s team is here to support you. Contact us and request a free demo today!

Cloud Migration Resources

Getting started with a cloud migration

You now have a better understanding of the cloud and need to know how to migrate your IT infrastructure. This collection of content will help you understand the best practices and methods to migrate to the cloud.

Cloud migration technical guides

Want to get detailed info on migration topics such as refactoring, using migration services, and how to maintain security? This selection of content dives deep into technical info to give you a quick look into the nitty-gritty of a migration.

AWS migration resources

Amazon has specific tools and services that help you succeed in your migration. Learn about the migration process, from basics to detailed courses.

Microsoft Azure migration resources

An Azure migration often includes other enterprise services besides the actual cloud infrastructure. Learn how to integrate all these for a successful deployment.

Google Cloud migration resources

This collection of Google Cloud content highlights how to migrate, maintain, and automate your Google infrastructure.

If you want to be guided step by step, contact us and request a free demo. Cloud Academy’s team will be happy to help your business!

Cloud Migration Tools

Cloud migration tools are crucial to a successful cloud strategy. They are offered by the major cloud providers as well as third-party vendors for when you want to go multi-cloud. Tools from cloud providers are usually free but you need to pay for services used – such as compute and storage – while third-party tools are cloud-agnostic but come with a cost. Experiment with these options to get insights to help in your cloud migration.

AWS migration tools

AWS Migration Hub — Assess and track your migration across tools.
AWS Application Delivery Service — Gather data on your existing on-premises setup to help estimate total cost of cloud ownership.
AWS Application Migration Service — Lift and shift your applications directly to AWS with their most up-to-date tool.
AWS Database Migration Service — Migrate your databases to AWS with low downtime and simple procedures.

Azure migration tools

Azure Migrate — Assess and migrate on-premises VMs to Azure.
Data Migration Assistant — Assists in modernizing databases during a migration by finding incompatibilities and suggesting improvements.
Azure Database Migration Service — Migrates on-premises databases to Azure.

Google Cloud migration tools

Google Cloud Rapid Assessment & Migration Program (RAMP) – Understand best practices for all aspects of your migration to Google Cloud.
Application migration – A comprehensive look at a portfolio of application migration options with Google Cloud.
Database Migration Service – Simplified migrations for SQL databases.

Alicloud migration tools

Server Migration Center – A comprehensive platform to migrate servers, containers, and data.
Alibaba Cloud Pricing – Get general and thorough pricing info for the platform; useful for estimating costs of different services.

Pricing and advice tools

AWS Migration Evaluator – Get cost estimates and build a business case for an AWS migration.
Azure Migrate Pricing – Get cost info for the Migrate service plus insights into third party tool licenses
Migrate for Compute Engine and Transferring your large datasets – Get cost and process advice for workload and data migration to Google Cloud.

Migrating a company’s digital assets to the Cloud can be an exciting and rewarding project for a business. If done correctly, the benefits and opportunities are significant, but if executed poorly, fixing the mistakes can cost more than the entire project.

In fact, according to a recent study conducted by Flexera, more than 75% of respondents cited inadequacy and expertise as one of the top challenges to cloud migration. This makes having the right team with the right skills critical to a successful cloud adoption. If you are interested in assessing the skills of your tech team, or want to learn more about our robust course library and certification programs, contact one of our knowledgeable experts for a free demo today.

FAQ

Can you store sensitive information in the cloud?

Depending on how sensitive the data is that your application stores and retrieves, you might not be able to maintain it in the cloud. Often, there are compliance requirements that also limit your choices of where and how to store sensitive data such as medical personal identifiable information (PII).

Can you deploy any technology in the cloud?

If some of the technology you use is proprietary, you might not be legally able to deploy it to the cloud.

Does the cloud make applications slower?

It can happen that some applications will experience latency, based on the location of both the application and the user.

Will I get full insight into my cloud’s performance?

Since the actual cloud hardware is controlled by someone else (i.e. the cloud provider and not your organization), when debugging performance issues you could lose some transparency and control.

Will I ever run out of storage in the cloud?

In theory, no. In reality, the limiting factor is your budget. However, it can become more and more expensive and time-consuming to keep up with on-premises storage, whereas with cloud storage you have scalability plus ways to minimize cost such as calculators and alerts.

How effective are cloud disaster recovery systems vs. on-premises ones?

Very effective. Cloud disaster recovery systems are faster to implement because you don’t have to purchase more hardware and they have ready-to-use disaster recovery plans that meet industry standards.

Will I have to maintain and update my server software in the cloud?

Oftentimes no. In certain cases, the cloud provider will take care of this automatically. Also, some cloud computing models make lots of administrative tasks such as database backup, software upgrades, and periodic maintenance easier by handling them for you.

The post What is Cloud Migration? Strategy, Processes, Benefits & Risks appeared first on Cloud Academy.

Google Cloud Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team?

Guy Hummel — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the rapidly evolving world of cloud computing, certifications can validate your skills and keep you ahead of the curve.

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:

Google Cloud Digital Leader;
Google Associate Cloud Engineer;
Google Professional Cloud Architect;
Google Professional Data Engineer;
Google Professional Cloud Developer;
Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer;
Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer;
Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer;
Google Professional Cloud Network Engineer;
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:

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.
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.
Review the outline in Google’s official exam guide and check for any knowledge gaps.
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.
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.

The 12 AWS Certifications: Which is Right for You and Your Team?

Andrew Larkin — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

As companies increasingly shift workloads to the public cloud, cloud computing has moved from a nice-to-have to a core competency in the enterprise. This shift requires a new set of skills to design, deploy, and manage applications in cloud computing.

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.

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.

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.

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.
Review any Study or Exam Guides available.
Read multiple AWS 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.

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?

Fill out the form below and get a free demo!

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

Level Up Your Cloud Skills: Oracle Now in Cloud Academy’s Training Library

Cloud Academy Team — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 02:50:46 +0000

Over 430,000 companies worldwide rely specifically on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), a platform of cloud services that enable customers to build and run a wide range of applications in a highly available, highly secure, consistently high-performance environment. Today, we’re proud to announce that Cloud Academy customers can freely access five (5) cloud service providers in our world-class Tech Training Library used by Fortune 500 companies across the globe. Cloud Academy now offers Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) training and Oracle certifications, powered by Oracle University, along with other foundational Oracle training (APEX, etc.) courses.

In 2016, Oracle expanded from its flagship database products into the cutting-edge realm of the public cloud. Since then, we’ve seen demand for Oracle training content increase as enterprises increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies. We are proud to support our customers on their journeys to multi-cloud fluency by offering in-depth training and certification on OCI, in addition to other comprehensive learnings on AWS, Azure, GCP, and Alibaba.

Master Practical Skills in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

We’re on a mission to reinvent how people and companies assess, train, and apply skills for a cloud-fluent world to drive real business outcomes. Giving customers access to OCI training content is another step towards fulfilling our commitment to helping companies leverage the incredible power of applying cloud know-how to drive digital transformation across their business.

Whether you’re considering migrating existing workloads to OCI, aspiring to optimize your hybrid or multi-cloud strategy, or eager to enhance your team’s cloud competency, these newly added courses aim to equip you and your team with a practical understanding of OCI solutions. The best part? This training content is now available to all authorized users with a license or subscription, at no additional cost.

Training on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure with Cloud Academy

Choosing Cloud Academy for upskilling, reskilling, and onboarding tech talent in cloud and cloud adjacent areas helps with:

Increase Multi-Cloud Proficiency: Acquire practical skills across five significant cloud providers: AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba, and now Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Master cloud skills: identify your teams’ skill gaps and readiness across any major cloud provider. Then build skills through courses, hands-on labs, and customizable learning experiences.
Assess Real-Time Skill Inventory: Access an instant overview of your team’s skills to fill essential roles in the hybrid and multi-cloud ecosystems your business requires.

Get started today with Oracle APEX Foundations. This comprehensive guide is your gateway to mastering Oracle Application Express (APEX), a robust tool for creating data-centric applications. In the coming weeks, even more learning paths, workshops, and courses will be added.

About Oracle University

Oracle University, the learning and training arm of Oracle, is a leader in cloud education, providing modern digital training, certification, and learning solutions across Oracle’s entire product portfolio that enable our customers to master their Oracle Cloud solutions and maximize their investments. Over 2 million certified professionals worldwide have placed their trust Oracle University to reach their learning goals.

The post Level Up Your Cloud Skills: Oracle Now in Cloud Academy’s Training Library appeared first on Cloud Academy.

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