Designed for those who have at least one year of hands-on experience on Amazon Web Services (AWS), the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam is an entry-level certification provided through Amazon. For students interested in cloud computing environments and scalable distributed systems, AWS Certification is an excellent pathway. The AWS certification process will show that an individual can both create and secure applications on AWS, create AWS solutions based on customer requirements, and provide guidance and best practices for the application moving forward. Before taking the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam, an individual should be thoroughly knowledgeable about the solutions provided through AWS, how to build applications on AWS, how to secure those applications, and how to manage and maintain them.

Amazon advises those about to take the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam to take AWS training courses, utilize online resources, and develop their hands-on experience. The certification process will include topics such as: using compute, networking, storage, and database capabilities in AWS, developing and managing AWS, identifying and defining technical requirements for AWS, and the best practices for building secure, reliable applications on AWS. Apart from this, the associate should display an in-depth understanding of AWS, its capabilities, and its use cases. That includes the principles of building on AWS, the global infrastructure of AWS, network technologies used by AWS, and the internal tools and security features that AWS provides. Altogether the 65 multiple-choice or multiple response exam should take about 120 minutes to complete.

A Solutions Architect—Associate Certification will garner many mid-level and higher-level positions in cloud development and AWS application development. That includes Operational Support Engineer, Cloud Software Engineer, System Integrator, Cloud Developer, DevOps Engineer, AWS Solutions Architect, AWS SysOps Administrator, or Senior AWS Cloud Architect. As an associate certification on the Solutions Architect path, this certification will also help individuals develop their careers toward senior AWS management and architecture positions.