General Overview of Cloud Certifications: Top 7 Credentials for IT Professionals

As more evidences keep emerging about the importance and potentials of cloud computing is in the future of enterprise IT, the migration to cloud computing is increasing like never before. Currently, only 16 percent of the enterprise applications are changing to cloud, this will grow to about 41 percent within five years. With these two data, it shows that cloud computing must be a nitty-gritty competency of every IT companies. Gone are those days when cloud computing were dismissed as the province of startups or belittled as the shadow IT. Rather, IT industries must be prepared to design, spread, supervise, and manage the applications that are based on cloud. This is where a new problem called cloud skills emerge. Now, that security has conventionally been discovered by the executives of IT as the greatest problem causing the delay of cloud adoption, another impeding adoption called organization skills emerge.

Recently, a survey as carried out by cloud management company revealed that lack of expertise and resources has been the number one issue of cloud computing. This is exactly 32 percent versus just 29 percent, citing security as the greatest challenge. This really makes sense when a technology migrates beyond early adopters and becomes the existent platform for the applications. The foundation of the technology skills must be built on the entire organization. With cloud computing, it could be normal but rather within a short period of time there will be increase in the certifications demands by individuals and organizations.

Individually, the objective of getting cloud certifications is not far-fetched: It demonstrates competence to gain a competitive edge in the job market. When you have a Cloud certification, it shows core knowledge and also indicates that you are holding a real-life and practical skills level.

With reference to organizations, the Cloud certifications are very vital for some reasons:

• Organizations are purchasing skills. To them, searching for certificates is a means of determining the foundational skill levels. But to hold a certification might not imply that the holder is a genius in its field but rather indicates that the holder will have the ability to join a team and contribute his/her quota.

• With certification training, organizations are assured of employees who are drawn from a single and regular knowledgebase. This is to ensure that the people can work hand-in-hand, apply common terminology and function at a given level of profession. In other words, certifications could be used as an assurance that workers in all departments have a shared knowledge of cloud computing, thereby distinguish the difference between the failure and success of a project. By setting up a common knowledge base among the employees, the system created by the organization will share blueprints for standard designs and execution, leading to constant operations which in turn bring about more efficiency and lower cost of operation. Now, that cloud computing has hit the prevailing current of thought, it is very obvious that certifications has now become the order of the day.

• According to the survey carried out by Rightscale, it shows that skills are the number one hindrance to cloud adoption. So, one is expected to see a massive rush in the next few years for the training and certifications of cloud computing. Individually, to get a certificate is the best way to boost the personal marketing ability. Meanwhile, as far as organizations are concerned, IT credentials are the key action item which cloud computing is the core competence.

Why Do You Need Cloud Certifications?

Since cloud computing has become part of the IT facility structure for many companies across the globe, it implies there is necessity to have cloud certification. Listed below are some of the reasons why cloud certifications are so vital:

• The demand for cloud computing professionals will continue to be on the increase.

The reason for the increase is that organizations are searching for the IT professionals who have professional training in cloud computing and able to assist them establish a cloud environment into their facility within a short period of time.

• Cloud certificates boost one’s earning potential.

With these credentials, you can boost your earning potentials within a short period of time. A survey carried out by Forbes stated that professional with a Cloud certification have a potential annual salary of about $125,971.

• They provide job security.

Having the latest skills in cloud computing could result to high pay job that is not influenced by the conditions of the volatile market. The reason is that majority of the companies are finding it tough to get IT professional with their required cloud computing skills.

• Cloud certifications prove one’s expertise and promote credibility with colleagues and an employer.

The best way to measure knowledge and skills compared to industry benchmarks is through IT certifications. A Cloud certificate means that you are having skill to assist your company in minimizing risks and costs to establish the workloads and projects on various cloud platforms. You can take your career to greater height with cloud certification.

• They gives you an opportunity to be shortlisted for interview

If you are thinking of how to enter the cloud industry, a cloud computing course will help you attain such interview height. By putting the certification on your CV, it will help you an edge by the hiring companies and evidence to your employers that you are possessing original cloud computing skills, expertise and knowledge for the job status.

Top 7 Cloud Certifications

1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

The AWS certification program is solely achieved by the networking professionals with at least 2 years of experience in designing and deploying of cloud environment by working on AWS. The major role of the AWS certification holder is to assess needs of the customers, plan and design solutions that will meet their requirements, recommend an architecture that is suitable to implement and facilitate the AWS applications and give the right suggestions all through the whole project cycle. The basic and annual salary for anyone holding this certificate starts with $125,000.

2. MCSD: Azure Solutions Architect Certification

This Microsoft credential includes technical knowledge, which is very crucial for tasks, such as designing, operating, and deploying the infrastructure on Azure. To hold this professional certification, it requires a year experience in designing with the aid of Azure. Meanwhile, an Azure Certified Solutions Expert demands 2 to 3 years experience in designing with Azure. This certificate comes with great respect and offers the employers a broad platform to function very well. The basic and annual salary for the holders of this Microsoft credential is between $45,000 and $100,000. But for the advanced developers, the package is between $56,000 and $100,000 annually.

3. CCC Professional Cloud Developer

This certification is a vendor-neutral credential that has crossed the Cloud Credential Council test, which is also known as the CCC test. This exam will cover the following aspects: knowledge that comes with architecture plans, techniques, monetization, development techniques, Cloud security, testing with the cloud, compliance fundamentals, scalable coding, and many more. This certification is ideal for the professionals that are looking for the usage of the certification in form of a blueprint to learn the development processes in the cloud. Anyone with this certificate is assured of earning between $74,000 and $135,000 in a year.

4. Cisco Certified Network Associate Cloud

The CCNA Cloud certification is an entry-level credential in Cisco which majorly focuses on the IT professionals that are working in designations, such as a network engineer or a cloud administrator. With this certification, you are validated with the ability to support Cisco solutions that are cloud-based. If you are subscribing for this certificate, you must possess the basic details of the infrastructure off cloud, deployment models, storage solutions, cloud networking, provisioning, preparing reports, cloud administrative tasks, ongoing monitoring, etc. It is very important to pass two exams to get 3 years validation of your certification. The annual salary of the holder of the CCNA Cloud certification is between $53,514 and $89,797.

5. Cisco Certified Network Professional Cloud

The CCNP Cloud is designed to validate the skills of administrators, designers, architects, and professionals of the data centers who are working with the cloud environment. It is very important that the person holding this certification must have the other required Cloud technologies experience. With the CCNP certification, you are liable to get between $41,000 and $133,590 annually.

6. IBM Certified Cloud Solution Architect V2

There are numerous certifications attached to IBM which are specifically from cloud computing, among which this IBM credential that is one of the most globally sought-after certifications in the world. It will offer architects who are able to demonstrate the plan, design, management, and architectural capabilities for the IBM infrastructure that comes with cloud computing. The major purpose of this certification is to offer a fair, trusted and valid technique of skill assessing and knowledge. Before you can bag this certificate, you must have the basic knowledge of IBM, computing skills and taking part in the exam. With this certification, you can be sure of the basic salary of between $113,000 and $122,000 annually.

7. Salesforce Certifications

These certificates come with a great deal of credentials, which include the certificates for Architects, Administrators and Developers. Among this bunch of certifications is the Certified Technical Architect Credential with a pinnacle certificate offered to those who are concern with the professionals carrying designing solutions for the Salesforce platform. With the Salesforce certification, you can build specialization with other certifications, such as the Development Lifecycle and Development Designer certificates and the Domain Architect certifications. The basic salary for the Salesforce certification is between $119,000 and $128,000 annually.

Conclusion

IT certifications require skills before they could have a keen eye for market demand in addition to the quality of the program. The best certificates do come with talent and desires which make the candidate suitable for it. Therefore, whether you are looking for cloud building, programming for cloud or supporting cloud, it is very important to get a credential that will enhance you to go through your talent and skills. To become a cloud expert is not just a day-dream as it requires going through various stages to gain the basic knowledge, operating, networking, and storing systems that will enhance you attaining your desired certification goal.