AWS update: new certifications and a new channel to connect to certified experts

There’s lots happening on the AWS certification front, with a brand new examination, a renamed qualification and a newly launched service that puts businesses in touch with AWS certified experts.

Certification updates

AWS Certified Database - Specialty is a new examination that’s intended for individuals who perform in a database-focused role. It validates a candidate’s ability to:

• Understand and differentiate the key features of AWS database services.
• Analyse needs and requirements to design and recommend appropriate database solutions using AWS services.

The exam itself covers five domains, these being:

• Workload-Specific Database Design
• Deployment and Migration
• Management and Operations
• Monitoring and Troubleshooting
• Database Security

AWS recommends that candidates should have a minimum of five years’ experience with common database technologies, combined with at least two years’ hands-on experience working on AWS along with knowledge of on-premises and AWS Cloud-based relational and NoSQL databases.

The beta period for this certification is expected to be 25 November 2019 through to 10 January 2020, with standard availability forecast to be in April 2020.

Meanwhile, the AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty certification has been renamed AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty and comes with an updated exam version. The change in name has resulted from the feeling that the term ‘data analytics’ more closely aligns with AWS offerings and the terminology used by its customers.

The new examination is aimed at individuals who perform in a data analytics-focused role. This exam validates a candidate’s comprehensive understanding of using AWS services to design, build, secure and maintain analytics solutions that provide insight from data.

A beta version of the new exam is expected in early December, running through until 10 January 2020, with standard availability of the new exam expected in April 2020.

However, the current AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty exam will be available throughout this beta period and until the new standard version is released in April 2020. AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty certifications will remain active for the entirety of the standard three-year validity period.

AWS IQ to provide bridge between businesses and experts

For those businesses that are struggling to either recruit or develop their own AWS skills and expertise in order to select architectures, build applications or migrate to AWS, there’s good news in the form of AWS IQ.

AWS IQ is a new service that simplifies the process of businesses finding and engaging with AWS certified third party experts to carry out project or consultancy work.

Using the AWS IQ console, customers can describe their project needs in a few sentences to receive tailored responses directly from experts who are able to help. They can then chat with experts to clarify details of the project, compare proposals, review expert profiles and select the expert that best fits their needs.

This technology ‘match-making’ service offers significant benefits for both businesses and certified experts. From the business’ point of view, they are able to agree a defined scope of work and budget with the expert, and manage the entire process using the service’s integrated tools, such as encrypted chat, video conferencing and billing.

Once the project is underway, the business can temporarily grant experts project-appropriate access to their AWS environment, monitor activity through AWS CloudTrail logs and revoke access at any time. They only approve payment requests as work is completed and are billed directly to their AWS account.

From the expert’s perspective, AWS IQ provides access to new business opportunities, connecting them directly with the right customers to help grow their business. It also enables them to communicate with customers, track their projects and get paid for work completed – all in one place. This in turn reduces the time spent in non-revenue generating activities, such as looking for leads and managing invoices.

To join AWS IQ, experts must hold an Associate, Professional or Specialty AWS certification and complete an identity check. AWS report that applications from several hundred expert ‘hopefuls’ have already been reviewed and accepted, with more to be added. The only proviso at the moment is that the experts must reside in the United States, though customers can reside anywhere in the world, except China.

Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President, AWS commented: “We built AWS IQ to serve as a bridge between our customers and experts, enabling them to get to work on new projects faster and easier, and removing many of the hassles and roadblocks that both groups usually encounter when dealing with project-based work”.