What's your ideal cloud certification path?

I was invited to contribute to this discussion on certification paths. But you may not like what I have to say. Certifications are worthless. They prove you can pass a (vendor-developed, artificial) test. They do NOT prove you can deploy, manage and secure an enterprise cloud environment. Avoid employers who pre-req certification. And woe unto all of us who need the systems deployed by “certified” cloud pretenders.

I would recommend staying with one provider for the time being and mastering the basics really well. After that, I would pick one or two areas in which I would become an expert. Tools that are not vendor-specific should also be looked at. Docker, Kubernetes and Terraform are currently in high demand.

I started with a vendor-neutral approach. I segregated cloud providers based on their tools, network infrastructure and cost models; then selected the certifications and training needed to get the best practices for each. It took more time but it meant a much larger reach, resilience and cost efficiency for the business. And when more expertise was required for any particular vendor, it was based on business needs and therefore had practical application. I review 22 different cloud providers globally. I down selected 7 for global and regional distribution.

Multi-cloud is the way to go. Build the skills from the on -premise basics like virtualisation, networking and desktop computing. Multi-cloud certifications and how concepts translate between each cloud vendor are ideal in today's rapidly changing technology landscape.

- Start with one cloud provider and get the expertise on it - Explore multi cloud aspects with the knowledge built on the primary cloud provider skill

For an AWS certification path, first obtain the AWS Cloud Practitioner to learn the fundamentals. Next, pursue role-based certifications like Solutions Architect Associate and Developer Associate to master foundational services for building and deploying cloud-based applications. From there, expand your AWS skills through specialty certs like Advanced Networking or Security depending on your interests. Consider supplementing with professional-level certifications like DevOps Engineer to showcase expanded capabilities. Allow time to thoroughly reinforce new skills through hands-on projects using GitHub and AWS Free Tier resources. Move at a steady pace and focus on deeply learning each new AWS service and paradigm.

If you have a non-technical role, a Practitioner or Fundamentels certificate will suffice. If you have a technical role or want to develop at a technical level, then you should do an Associate certificate. After that you can do a specialization or a professional certificate. I would recommend to focus on one certificate first and rather start with an easier one, but complete it in a short time.

Initially, for beginning it should be fundamentals and then administrator certification but with time as and when you gather some experience and hands on then you can go up for solution architect.

Consider the difficulty and depth of the cloud certification you choose. Foundational certifications are for beginners or those seeking basic knowledge, while advanced certifications are for experienced professionals looking to master advanced cloud topics. Assess your experience level to select the appropriate certification for your goals.

I would say it depends on: - What point of career you are in ? - How much of hands on you possess ? Certifications are just external validations. The intention has to learn and build systems in cloud. - If you are a novice and young professional, start with basics and pick foundation course in your track - If you got few years of hands-on experience, I suggest to go for "associate" level first before approach "professional" level. This way you get used to the exam pattern, environment and tune up to gradually step up the adoption.

Specialist certifications are useful only when you have good hands on that you can go ahead and do any kind of test cases. Specialist certifications can be in DevOps, Database, Network etc.

I think we need both of them, but from my point of view we should have more proportionally of generalists professionals, since it allows the society and companies to be more resilient than having only specialists on something that today might be important and tomorrow not even relevant.

Consider the scope and focus of the cloud certification you choose. Generalist certifications cover a wide range of cloud topics and skills, suitable for versatile roles. Specialist certifications concentrate on specific areas of cloud computing, allowing for niche expertise in specialized roles. Evaluate your career goals and desired focus when selecting a certification.

As a cloud professional, you are supposed to know the basics of how the available cloud services, well architecture framework works. Specialist would be your focus area. Hence nothing wrong in directly taking specialist certification as your objective is to make career in that specialization.

Initially, it is very helpfull to understand generalist aspect as most of the concepts are interlinked. As your interest eventually grows towards different aspects going for specialist would help deepen your knowledge.

My suggestion will be to start with: Fundamental certifications Administrator certifications Solution Architect certifications & then specialisation certifications.

I highly recommend AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification as the starting point for cloud certification. This certification covers the general aspects of cloud computing very well, and it also covers foundational areas specific to AWS. This can be the stepping stone for other AWS depending on specialization or as the foundation of other CSP certifications.

Ideal cloud certification path should look like this, 1. Fundamentals of Cloud Computing ( 2. Fundamentals of service provider specific certification (Azure/AWS/Google Cloud) 3. Associate level certification ( Admin or Data or Network or AI) 4. Architect level certification on the area which has been chosen at the associate level. 1 and 2: It should not take more than 2 months. 3: Good to have hands on experience for at least 6 months 4: Good to have hands on and business experience for at least 1 year. I am happy to guide from Microsoft Azure AI certification path. Cheers!

Create your ideal cloud certification path by considering the vendor, level, and scope. For beginners interested in AWS, start with the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification. Intermediate learners can aim for the vendor-neutral CompTIA Cloud+ certification, while advanced professionals specializing in cloud security with Azure can pursue the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate certification. Personalize your path to align with your skills and career goals.

I abhor certifications, I hate them with a passion! The most incompetent people I have worked with are full of certificates and absolutely low on creative problem solving! It so no wonder that public sector I.T. projects are such a mess!

Focus is the key to success. Set goals and then learn continuously. Continuity will take you much further than sitting down to study for two hours every two months.

If you can, work on certifications that interest you. Some of the advanced certifications can take up many hours of study and practice. It will make the process a lot easier if you are interested in the subject. Also consider the learning material. Some video and written content is better than others, some have not been updated so no longer contain relevant information. Look for special features such as sandboxes to practice on or end of module quizzes to check you have the understood the information.

I think although it's a wonderful achievement to get certified in your skills, the fact remains certifications are for others to know you have certain skills. They do not add anything to your skills or knowledge, that's why it's a certification. So although there's value in getting certified, there is more value in gaining knowledge and enhancing your skills. I believe the recruiters and employers should look beyond certifications. Skills can be learned with the right aptitude, which is the most important trait to look for in employees.

Look for online courses that also provide hands-on labs once you understand the fundamentals of cloud computing. Whatever the provider, it will be the same. It would be better if you have friends to try out the lab together.