5 Cloud Certifications to Become a Certified Specialist in 2019

Building a career in the Information Technology requires a serious planning. It is not one of the industries where you can depend on your degrees to grow your career. You need to go the extra miles and pursue the specific certification path in line with your career goal. The field of Cloud is one of the growing areas in the industry, and it is becoming a critical part of the IT market. There is a demand for Cloud professionals. To be considered a valuable specialist in Cloud, it is highly necessary that you validate your skills, experience, and knowledge. If you are planning to explore a career in Cloud computing in 2019, there are some top Cloud certificates you need to consider. In this article, we have highlighted some important Cloud credentials that the professionals can explore to enhance their opportunities in the marketplace in this year.

Google Cloud Platform Architect

The Google credentials regarding Cloud are designed for those professionals who desire to prove their skills and knowledge in Google Cloud architecture and technologies. This certification is one of the best Cloud certificates offered by Google. It validates the professionals’ technical skills and expertise as a Cloud architect. It is aimed at the candidates with the knowledge of Google architecture and Cloud platform. The individuals with the certification are skilled in designing, managing, and developing robust, secure, and scalable solutions on Google Cloud. The candidates are required to pass the exam in order to earn the credential. To write the test, you need to have a year or more of experience in operating Cloud applications using Google technologies. You also need to have an understanding of deploying, maintaining, and operating Google Cloud solutions. You should be able to offer guidance on the implementation of these solutions and be able to recommend the best practices to build scalable, secure, and reliable applications with the use of Google Cloud technologies. The individuals with the certification can take up the role of Google Cloud architects. With this credential, one can get about $164,000 per annum.

Microsoft Azure: Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions

The Microsoft Azure is regarded as the contemporary business Cloud today. The credential offered under this program is recognized as a leading Cloud certification in the field of IT. For professionals in Azure services or those planning to explore a career in Azure, the Microsoft Azure credentials are what they need to enhance the career. The MS provides various certificates to validate one’s competence in implementing, maintaining, and developing a Microsoft Azure Infrastructure solution. It evaluates your practical knowledge and hands-on experience on the Azure platform. This credential validates your skills and knowledge in Azure implementation and operations in the industry. It emphasizes your competence in implementing Azure infrastructure solutions on the Microsoft platform. With this certification, you will be able to deploy and execute application architecture on Azure. Getting the credential does not presuppose any requirements apart from the exams. However, before you can attempt the test, there are some criteria that you must fulfill. You are required to have at least a one-year experience working in a web development in the high level language, including PHP, .NET, Python, or Ruby. You should also have an understanding of the fundamental structure of the Azure platform. A basic understanding of networking concepts and Azure infrastructure concepts (including Networking, PowerShell, and Active Directory) are also important. The candidates with the Microsoft Azure certification can take up job roles as Solutions Architects, .Net Developers, DevOps/Application Engineers, Virtualization Engineers, Network Engineers, or Security Administrators. With either of these job positions, you can expect to earn around $136,750 per annum.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

AWS is undoubtedly the market leader as far as Cloud is concerned. Established in 2013, Amazon Web Services offers the professionals three different certification paths in operations, architecting, and developing. Each path has two levels: associate and professional. In addition to this, there are two other specialized credentials that are designed to validate some special skills and knowledge of Cloud. These credentials are AWS Certified Big Data – Specialty and AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate credential is the first level in the architecting path. It is designed for the professionals with interest in designing and deploying Cloud services and applications with the use of AWS. This certification is well-recognized and respected as one of the best certificates in the Cloud platform. Those who take the exam validate their knowledge and skills of architecting, as well as deployment of secure and robust apps through the Amazon Web Services platform.

There are no official requirements for the credential other than the exam. However, before you sit for the certification test, you are required to have at least one-year experience in the design and deployment of Cloud applications through Amazon Web Services platform. You must be able to identify the fundamental prerequisites for an application to be created on AWS. Ample knowledge in a high level programming language is also a requirement. In addition to this, the candidates should have the knowledge and skills needed to set up hybrid systems using AWS components. They should also be able to advise the best practices to make scalable, dependable, and secure apps on the Amazon Web Services platform. The professionals with this credential can occupy positions, such as a Solutions Architect, a Senior Solutions Cloud Architect, and a Software Architect. With this AWS certificate one can expect to receive a 20% raise in their salary. You can expect to earn approximately $123,801 per annum.

Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge – CCSK

With the use of the Cloud system for storing sensitive data and information, the demand for information security experts has been increasing. The CCSK credential proves your skills and knowledge in Cloud security. The Cloud Security Alliance is the administrator of this credential, and it is designed for Security and Information Technology professionals. There is no specific requirement for earning the CCSK certificate other than the exam. However, you have to fulfill some prerequisites to be eligible for the test. You need to have ample experience working on applications based on a Cloud service. You also need the fundamental understanding of the basics of Cloud security. The knowledge of security concepts, such as identity management, encryption, firewalls, and secure development is also important to your success in the exam. You should be able to deploy secure Google Cloud solutions. The specialists with CCSK are not restricted to specific career or job position. They can perform practically any IT role in Cloud computing. The CCSK certified specialists can occupy various positions, including developing, designing, managing, security, or architecture of Cloud solutions. The average salary of professionals with this certification is about $120,370 per annum.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

The Amazon Web Services Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate credential is an associate-level certification for system administrators. It is one of the best paying and leading Cloud certificates in the IT industry and for system administrators in the field of Cloud applications based on the AWS platform. The certification validates your knowledge of operating, managing, and deploying systems on the AWS platform. The skills gathered while preparing for the relevant exam equips you to develop cost-effective and suitable Cloud services with appropriate protection. There is technically no requirement in order to receive the certification apart from the test. However, there are some criteria you should take into account before attempting the exam. You must have a year of hands-on experience operating Cloud applications on the Amazon Web Services platform. You also need an in-depth knowledge and skills in deploying and maintaining AWS based systems. The capacity to offer guidance on AWS deployment and operations, as well as the ability to offer good methods during project lifecycle in order to create secure and reliable application on the AWS platform is very crucial. The professionals with this certification can take up the job positions such as a Cloud Admin or a Systems Administrator. You can expect to earn on average $111,966 yearly with this AWS certificate.

Conclusion

Cloud computing is becoming a very lucrative field in the IT industry today. If you want a career that has a high demand for professionals, this is one of the areas you should take into consideration. To increase your visibility and give you an edge in the workplace, you need to pursue one of the Cloud credentials. Boost your career in 2019 by validating your skills and knowledge in Cloud computing. Therefore, the certification discussed above are the best ones you should consider in the new year to increase your career potentials.