AWS or Azure Certification: A Comprehensive Comparison Guide

If you're considering a career in cloud computing, you're likely to come across two industry leaders: Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. Both offer a range of certifications that can boost your resume and salary.

AWS certifications are highly sought after, with over 10 million active users worldwide. They also offer a wide range of certifications, from foundational levels like Cloud Practitioner to advanced levels like Solutions Architect.

Azure certifications, on the other hand, are known for their comprehensive approach, covering topics like data science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. They also offer a variety of certifications, including the popular Azure Developer Associate certification.

Ultimately, the choice between AWS and Azure certification depends on your career goals and interests.

Earning an AWS or Azure certification can significantly impact your career and salary prospects. AWS-certified professionals can expect a slightly higher pay scale due to the broader usage and adoption of AWS services.

AWS-certified individuals often find roles as Solutions Architects, DevOps Engineers, and SysOps Administrators, with average salaries ranging from $120,000 to $130,000 per year. Azure-certified individuals are typically sought for positions like Cloud Architects, Administrators, and Developers, with average salaries ranging from $105,000 to $115,000 per year.

Here's a comparison of average salaries for AWS and Azure certified professionals:

Both certifications offer a wide range of benefits, including credibility, job prospects, salary, expertise, problem-solving skills, and community.

AWS certifications are generally more sought after in startups and tech companies.

Employers often prioritize candidates with certifications that align with their specific cloud infrastructure.

AWS holds the largest share in the cloud market, leading to a higher demand for AWS-certified professionals.

Azure certifications are more in-demand in large enterprises and organizations with existing Microsoft infrastructure.

Startups and tech companies tend to favor AWS-certified professionals over those with Azure certifications.

Large enterprises, on the other hand, are more likely to seek out candidates with Azure certifications.

Taking the CLF-C02 exam can significantly boost your credibility with employers and open up numerous job opportunities. This certification is a rite of passage for tech-savvy individuals looking to launch their careers.

By earning the CLF-C02 certification, you can expect to earn an impressive average salary of USD 159,033 per year. This certification isn't confined to mere technical roles; it can also help you pivot seamlessly into a cloud-centric career.

The benefits of taking the CLF-C02 exam are numerous. Here are some of the advantages you can look forward to:

To get certified in AWS or Azure, you'll need to go through a certification process that's designed to test your skills and knowledge.

The process starts with choosing the right certification path, which depends on your role and career goals. This can be an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or Azure Certified: Azure Developer Associate.

You'll then need to meet the prerequisite requirements, such as having a certain level of experience or education.

The cost of certification varies depending on the program and location, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $300.

The actual certification exam is a multiple-choice, hands-on test that can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to complete.

It's recommended to have at least 6 months of experience in the field before taking the exam, but the exact amount of time varies depending on the certification.

Once you've passed the exam, you'll be certified and can start using the certification logo on your resume and business cards.

Evaluating the cost and commitment required for AWS or Azure certification is crucial.

Investing in a certification is an investment in your career, so weigh the costs against the potential benefits it can bring to your professional growth.

Study materials, potential training costs, and other fees should be carefully considered against your budget.

The time you can dedicate to preparing for the certification exam is also a significant factor to consider.

Remember that investing in a certification is an investment in your career, so it's essential to weigh the costs against the potential benefits.

If you're new to cloud computing, start with a foundational certification, such as the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification (AZ-900 exam).

This certification validates your knowledge of cloud concepts, Azure architectural components, and services, including computing and networking, storage, and security.

To pursue the AZ-900 certification, you'll need to have skills and hands-on experience in specific IT domains, such as IT Infrastructure Management, Database Management, or Software Development.

Here are the domains and their weightage for the AZ-900 certification:

The certification is not a prerequisite for any other Azure role-based or specialty certifications, but it's an excellent addition to your skills if you're already working in an IT domain.

If you're looking for a course to help you develop in-demand skills, Lumify Learn offers Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Certified Professional (MSCCP) and AWS Cloud Computing Certified Professional (AWCCP) courses.

Both AWS and Azure certifications are designed to validate your skills and knowledge in working with their respective cloud platforms. They share similar content on cloud concepts such as Elasticity, Agility, Fault Tolerance, and Disaster Recovery.

The differences between the two certifications lie in the type of questions asked and the services they focus on. AWS Cloud Practitioner questions are mostly on commonly used services on domains like compute, storage, network, security, and database, while Microsoft Azure AZ-900 requires familiarity with using the Azure Portal and unique question types.

Here's a comparison of the commonly used services of AWS and Azure:

The difficulty of obtaining AWS or Azure certification is a common concern for many aspiring cloud professionals. AWS certifications typically consist of multiple-choice and multiple-response questions.

The format of AWS exams is straightforward, but the questions can be quite detailed and scenario-based, demanding a deep understanding of the platform. This requires a thorough understanding of AWS architecture and best practices.

In contrast, Azure certifications encompass a broader variety of question types, including case studies, drag-and-drop activities, and the ability to reorder steps in a process. This diverse question format not only assesses your theoretical knowledge but also your practical skills in applying Azure solutions to real-world scenarios.

The inclusion of case studies in Azure exams requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to analyze complex information and make informed decisions, reflecting real-life challenges in cloud computing. This makes Azure exams a more versatile approach to problem-solving and application.

Ultimately, the difficulty of either certification depends on your learning style and familiarity with each platform’s tools and services.

Both AWS and Azure certifications have their own unique characteristics, but they also share some similarities. Both tests cover the same cloud concepts such as Elasticity, Agility, Fault Tolerance, Disaster Recovery, and Types of Cloud Computing Models.

The main differences between the two certifications are in the types of questions asked and the level of complexity. AWS Cloud Practitioner questions focus on commonly used services on domains like compute, storage, network, security, and database, while Azure AZ-900 questions require familiarity with the Azure Portal and unique question types.

If you know how to differentiate each service, you can easily pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam with a high score. However, if you're not familiar with the Azure Portal, you may find the Azure AZ-900 questions more challenging.

Here's a comparison of commonly used services between AWS and Azure:

Ultimately, understanding the use case of each service from one provider will help you relate it to another cloud platform.

Cloud computing skills are in high demand, and getting certified in AWS or Azure can give you a competitive edge in the job market. Lumify Learn offers courses that can help you develop in-demand skills and gain certifications in AWS or Microsoft Azure.

To get started, you can choose from two formats: Full Bootcamp or Fast Track. The Full Bootcamp includes three industry and vendor certifications, while the Fast Track includes two vendor certifications. Both formats are 100% online, allowing you to study anywhere and balance your studies with your personal and professional commitments.

To become an AWS DevOps Engineer, you'll need to master skills such as AWS Services, Version Control, CI/CD Tools, and other DevOps Tools. Similarly, to become an Azure DevOps Engineer, you'll need to master skills such as Azure Services, Version Control, Azure DevOps Tools, and other DevOps Tools. Here's a comparison of the skills required for both roles:

By mastering these skills and getting certified in AWS or Azure, you'll be well on your way to a successful career in cloud computing.

Lumify Learn offers courses to help you develop in-demand skills in cloud computing, with a focus on Microsoft Azure and AWS.

You can choose from two formats: Full Bootcamp or Fast Track. The Full Bootcamp includes three industry and vendor certifications, ideal for beginners and career changers who want to start from scratch.

The Fast Track format includes two vendor certifications, perfect for upskillers and those already working in the industry who want to enhance their cloud computing skills and credentials.

Our courses are conducted by expert trainers and mentors 100% online, allowing you to study anywhere and balance your studies with personal and professional commitments.

You can enroll in these courses even if you're an international student struggling to find work because you don't have local work experience.

Here are the specific courses offered by Lumify Learn:

To be a successful cloud computing engineer, you'll need to master a range of skills. Let's start with the basics.

AWS and Azure are two of the most popular cloud platforms, and engineers need to be proficient in both. To get started, you can take courses like Lumify Learn's AWS Cloud Computing Certified Professional (AWCCP) or Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Certified Professional (MSCCP). These courses will teach you the skills you need to succeed in cloud computing.

To become a cloud computing engineer, you'll need to develop a range of skills. Here are some of the key ones:

These skills will help you to design, manage and maintain tools to automate operational processes. You'll also need to implement and manage continuous delivery systems and methodologies on AWS or Azure.

To take your skills to the next level, you can consider taking the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional DOP-C01 exam. This exam will test your ability to provision, operate and manage distributed application systems on the AWS platform.

In addition to these technical skills, you'll also need to have good communication and problem-solving skills. As a cloud computing engineer, you'll be working with a team to design and implement cloud solutions, so you'll need to be able to communicate effectively and work collaboratively.

Cloud computing has become the norm, and container services are a crucial aspect of it. AWS DevOps integrates tightly with Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS), a fully managed container orchestration service.

ECS provides seamless deployment and management capabilities for containerized applications on AWS. This means you can focus on developing your applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

AWS DevOps also offers tools like AWS CodePipeline for automating container deployment. This is a huge time-saver, especially for large-scale projects.

On the other hand, Azure DevOps integrates with Azure Container Instances (ACI), a serverless container service that allows quick deployment of containers without infrastructure management. This is ideal for applications that require rapid deployment and don't need a lot of customization.

Both platforms offer similar tools for automating container deployment, so the choice between them depends on your specific requirements and existing infrastructure on AWS or Azure.