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Debating the Value of AWS Certifications

Since the launch of the AWS certification program, there has been debate about its true value. Some engineers consider AWS certifications as essential milestones in professional development, while others see them as mere marketing tools specifically designed to drive and enforce AWS cloud adoption. This article explores both view points and then highlights the practical benefits of AWS certification, based on personal experience of pursuing and achieving five AWS certifications, including Professional and Specialty. We’ll also dive into the specifics of exams, concluding with preparation tips to help streamline one’s certification journey.

On the one hand, critics of AWS certification argue that these exams are a way for AWS to strengthen its market dominance. The argument is that AWS incentivises certification to create a larger pool of professionals trained in its services, indirectly leading companies to choose AWS for their cloud solutions. In this view, since AWS certification validates skills that are specific to only AWS’s ecosystem, it results in limiting the scope of knowledge gained to other cloud providers.

Another point against AWS certification claims that certification alone doesn’t guarantee a comprehensive understanding of the IT systems/tools/approaches, since real-world expertise often requires hands-on experience that the exams do not fully address. The rush to accumulate AWS certifications, encouraged by both the IT community and employers, leads to a surge of engineers who are certified, but may lack the hands-on experience or deeper understanding required in complex cloud environments. As a result, companies may encounter certified professionals who may struggle with practical tasks and challenges.

On the other hand, supporters of AWS certifications, including myself, insist that they offer significant benefits for career development and skill-building.

First of all, preparing for an AWS certification exam offers a structured approach to learning AWS covering both the breadth and depth of its services. When studying for AWS exams, candidates delve into core services such as EC2 for computing, S3 for storage, and RDS for databases, while also covering more specialized tools like Elastic Load Balancing, Route 53 for networking, and KMS for security. This structured learning path not only covers what each service does but also provides real-world context on how they interact within AWS architecture. For example, understanding how Auto Scaling works with EC2 instances under various load conditions, or how IAM policies are essential for secure, fine-grained access control across services, creates a more robust knowledge base.

Secondly, certifications themselves not only validate knowledge but also encourage engineers to stay up-to-date with new and updated AWS offerings. This is invaluable because AWS has a vast and constantly evolving suite of tools and solutions across areas like computing, storage, databases, networking, security, and machine learning. Without a guided curriculum, it’s easy to overlook new services or fail to understand the nuances of what has been changed.

Last but not least, AWS exams encourage a deep understanding of best practices in application configurations, architectures, security and cost optimization, leading individuals to build well-architected solutions not limited to any particular cloud or even on-premise infrastructure. For instance, by preparing for the AWS Solutions Architect certification, you gain practical knowledge about designing resilient, high-performing, secure, and cost-effective infrastructures – a critical skill in today’s landscape.

In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The opposing views highlight the need for a balanced approach, where certifications form a valuable part of a comprehensive skill set that also includes hands-on experience. Together, this combination helps engineers build both a solid theoretical foundation and outlook and practical skills, demonstrating an engineer’s ability to to solve real problems, adapt to challenges, and drive results in dynamic real-world environments.

Benefits of AWS Certification: A Personal Perspective

Having achieved five AWS certifications, I can confidently say that the most significant and valuable benefit of AWS certification is the opportunity for continuous learning and the systematic organization of knowledge. In the course of our daily work, we often focus on a narrow area or a specialized task, which can lead us to overlook the vast array of other services and solutions available. Simply put, our perspective can become quite limited. However, by periodically preparing for certification, we have the opportunity to explore different services, solutions, and approaches, ultimately allowing us to implement these insights in our work. In essence, preparing for certification is a chance to lift our heads from the routine and assess the broader landscape.

The following are examples of how we utilize AWS services in our projects:

AWS EKS Nodes Lifecycle Management with Karpenter

Monitoring and Alerting in the AWS Multi-account Infrastructure with AMP and AMG

Simplifying Database Connectivity in AWS EKS with RDS Proxy

AWS Certifications in Detail: Personal Insights

I’ll share insights from the AWS certifications I have completed, along with a quick summary of the purpose and scope of each.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Surprisingly, this certificate turned out to be the most useful for me because it builds a solid foundation of knowledge about core AWS services, i.e. their properties, relationships, and appropriate use cases. On this base, I have effectively layered additional knowledge while gaining real hands-on experience and preparing for advanced certifications like the AWS Certified Security – Specialty and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional. I highly recommend that everyone start learning AWS through the preparation program for this exam.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

This certification focuses on the tools and techniques required for development on AWS. It covers core services, architecture best practices, and the ability to write code that interacts with AWS services. It’s ideal for developers who want a hands-on, application-centric approach to AWS, polishing skills in automation, application deployment, and management. The material overlaps significantly with the theory covered in the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam. Therefore, I’d suggest first preparing for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam. Once you have passed it, you can fill in the gaps in your knowledge to prepare for the AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

This certification is practical and tailored toward those with hands-on AWS experience, emphasizing operational aspects. It focuses on areas like monitoring, troubleshooting, and best practices for managing infrastructure in production. Ideal for administrators and operational roles, this exam is best suited for those who want to deepen their skills with AWS tools and day-to-day tasks. Personally, I am not enthusiastic about the exam, as I believe that instead of relying solely on memorization, you can always refer to the documentation for the latest AWS Service limits, CloudWatch metrics, and instance type characteristics, which are continually evolving. However, if you possess hands-on experience and have already passed the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam, this certification feels like low-hanging fruit for you.

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

This certification provides an in-depth look into AWS security. My belief is that it is one of the easiest among specialty exams, focusing on topics like Identity and Access Management (IAM), CloudTrail, Config, WAF, Shield, Amazon Inspector, GuardDuty and Key Management Service (KMS), often delving into specific details about KMS. In my opinion, while the certification may overemphasize KMS intricacies, it is still highly valuable for gaining a comprehensive understanding of security in general and the complexities of AWS security in particular. It provides valuable insights into securing applications and data in the cloud.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

This certification is widely recognized as one of the most challenging AWS exams. It’s best suited for senior-level engineers, as it requires not only comprehensive AWS knowledge but also an ability to architect complex solutions that meet diverse business requirements. Based on my experience, it’s essential to invest time in learning technologies and services that may not be frequently used, such as AWS Organizations (including SCP, AWS IAM Identity Center, and Control Tower), AWS Direct Connect, Identity Providers (SAML, IDP, Cognito, etc) and the 7 Rs Migration Strategy. Additionally, it is crucial to have a strong understanding of the core AWS services covered in the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam

Tips for Preparing for AWS Certification Exams

Through years of preparation and examination, I’ve developed a personal approach that has proven effective for AWS certifications. Here’s a breakdown of my preparation strategy.

Thorough Study of Theory

For each exam I start by building a strong theoretical foundation. For this, I rely on courses like those offered by Stefaan Marek and Andrew Cantrill. I personally prefer Andrew Cantrill’s courses, because while Stefaan Marek provides straightforward, exam-focused lectures and practical tasks, Andrew Cantrill offers an fundamental in-depth understanding of what lies beneath the surface, which not only prepares individuals for exams but also equips them to face real-world challenges. Andrew Cantrill dives into details beyond the exam curriculum, fostering a deeper comprehension of AWS services and their underlying mechanics.

Knowledge Consolidation

Throughout the theoretical study, I take notes, documenting key points, nuances and diagrams. These notes become a knowledge base that I can revisit whenever I prepare for new certifications, creating a cumulative knowledge repository. This systematic approach to learning improves recall and allows for efficient review sessions before each exam. Moreover, I often find myself consulting the knowledge base during work hours when I need to quickly recall specific information about particular AWS service.

Practicing with Real Exam Questions

After completing the theory, I move on to practice exams to familiarize myself with the exam format and question style. AWS provides sample questions, which are an invaluable resource, allowing candidates to practice applying their knowledge. This stage of preparation highlights any weaknesses, leads to targeted revision sessions and improves test taking strategies.

Finally, once all the preparation is complete, it’s simply a matter of scheduling the exam and demonstrating your knowledge.

Conclusion

While AWS certifications demand a significant investment of time and effort, they offer substantial benefits that go beyond mere certification. These certifications not only structure the learning process but also reinforce and expand existing knowledge, providing valuable insights into cloud architecture and services. They are instrumental in building a solid foundation for real-world applications, ensuring that individuals are well-prepared for the complexities of cloud computing.

The discourse revolving around the value of AWS certifications could reveal the simple outcome – it is essential to balance certification with hands-on experience. This dual approach enables engineers to cultivate both theoretical understanding and practical skills, showcasing their ability to tackle real-world challenges effectively.

Ultimately, pursuing AWS certifications can be seen as an investment in one’s professional growth, equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to outperform in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. As the demand for cloud expertise continues to rise, these certifications not only enhance personal competence but also contribute to the overall advancement of the IT realm.

By Pavel Luksha, Senior Devops Engineer