Posted: Saturday, April 15, 2023
Word Count: 999
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Introduction
Even as some large organizations scale back their cloud ambitions, the cloud space is not at extreme risk of attrition. In fact, I would venture to guess that most organizations will continue to leverage cloud services in a hybrid fashion for generations to come. Additionally, as bandwidth increases and service costs become more competitive a resurgence in cloud infrastructure is inevitable in my opinion.
Cloud computing remains one of the most in-demand skills in the tech industry, and it’s no surprise that cloud certifications have become increasingly important for professionals seeking to build their careers in cloud computing. In this blog post, we’ll explore why foundational cloud certifications matter for your career in cloud computing and how they can help you get ahead in this field.
What are Foundational Cloud Certifications?
Foundational cloud certifications are designed to provide professionals with little to no understanding of cloud computing concepts, technologies, and best practices. It’s where I started when I wanted to learn about cloud architecture and services. Although many services are vendor specific, concepts learned from one certification can make certification from other organizations easier to ingest. Finally, these types of certifications cover a range of cloud computing topics, architectures, deployment models, security, and pricing models.
Why Are Foundational Cloud Certifications Important?
Foundational cloud certifications are important for a number of reasons. Firstly, they provide individuals with foundational knowledge that can launch or build upon your IT career. They provide value regardless of whether your career is cloud focused, hybrid or more generalized.
Secondly, foundational cloud certifications can demonstrate to employers that you have a solid understanding of cloud computing architectures, which translates to a more productive and engaged employee. Certifications require you to invest time, some of if personal, to achieve which can show your dedication to the success of your employer and could lead to financial increases, promotions or both.
Finally, foundational cloud certifications can help you stand out in a competitive job market. With so many professionals seeking careers in cloud computing, having a certification on your resume can make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers or promotional opportunities.
Which Foundational Cloud Certifications Should You Consider
There are a number of different foundational cloud certifications available, each with their own unique focus and content. Here are three of the most popular foundational cloud certifications that you might consider:
1. Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | $99 |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Style | Multiple Choice |
| Passing Score | 700 / 1000 |
| Expiration | 2 years |
| Expiration | 2 years |
The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) certification is designed for individuals who are new to Microsoft Azure and cloud computing. It’s a gentle brush stroke across a wide range of foundational and Azure cloud topics. It’s a great starting point anyone who has a mild interest in understand Azure cloud architecture or pursuing a career in cloud computing. It is a great starting point to start any cloud journey. Additionally, the certification is relatively affordable at $99.
2. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | $100 |
| Duration | 1.5 hours |
| Style | Multiple Choice and Response |
| Passing Score | 700 / 1000 |
| # of Questions | 65 |
| Expiration | 3 years |
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01) certification provides a similar experience to the AZ-900. It serves as a foundational step into the AWS cloud environment. The CLF-C01 provides a basic understanding of:
- IT services and use cases related to AWS.
- Core AWS services and use cases
- Billing and pricing models
- Security concepts
3. Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | $125 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Style | Multiple Choice and Select |
| Passing Score | 700 / 1000 |
| # of Questions | 50 – 60 |
| Expiration | 3 years |
As far as I can tell, Google does not provide a fundamentals related cloud course. The journey into GCP begins with the Google Cloud Certified – Associate Cloud Engineer. Although, a foundational certification within the GCP realm, it requires a deeper understanding of GCP services than the previously discussed certifications. This exam will assess your ability to:
- Set up a cloud solution environment
- Deploy and implement a cloud solution
- Configure access and security
- Plan and configure a cloud solution
- Ensure successful operations of a cloud solutions.
4. HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | $70.50 |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Style | Multiple Choice |
| Passing Score | 70% |
| # of Questions | 65 – 90 |
| Expiration | 2 years |
Whether we like it or not, coding/scripting is becoming more prevalent in the infrastructure space. To remain competitive in the industry, a great idea would be to learn terraform. While you’re at it go for the Terraform Associate certification. HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (003) is a certification that validates a professional’s understanding of the popular infrastructure-as-code tool, Terraform. Terraform is a widely used tool in the DevOps world for managing cloud infrastructure and automating infrastructure deployment across multiple cloud providers.
5. Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | $125 |
| Duration | 50 minutes |
| Style | Multiple Choice |
| Passing Score | 700 / 1000 |
| # of Questions | 50 – 65 |
| Expiration | 2 years |
The cloud doesn’t remove the need to understand the fundamentals of networking and network connectivity. In fact, you will find your skills tested in that area. To that end, not every certification you should explore is solely focused on the cloud.
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) certification is an entry-level certification that validates the skills and knowledge required to install, operate, and troubleshoot small enterprise branch networks. It is the first step towards obtaining more advanced Cisco certifications, such as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).
As you prepare for this certification, you will learn the fundamentals of network communication. Cisco is very prevalent in many industries across the world, and as such is an invaluable certification.
Conclusion
In conclusion, foundational cloud certifications are important for professionals seeking to build their careers in cloud computing. They provide a good foundation of knowledge that can be built upon as you progress in your career, demonstrate to employers that you are committed to building a career in cloud computing, and can help you stand out in a crowded job market. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in cloud computing, then investing in a foundational cloud certification is a great place to start.