Is the AWS Advanced Networking Worth It?
AWS is, by far, the market leader in providing public cloud infrastructure services, with a share several times as large as Microsoft Azure, their next trailing competitor. There is a strong demand for credentialed professionals who are proficient in designing and managing network configurations for AWS cloud solution projects.
Amazon offers a wide range of AWS certifications that address this need, from the foundational AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner to mid-level Associate certs for developers, architects, and SysOps administrators to Professional-level architect and DevOps engineer certifications. Beyond the AWS Professional level are the super-tough specialty certifications for security, machine learning, Alexa skills building, database, data analytics, and advanced networking.
Let's examine the AWS Certified Advanced Networking specialty certification in more detail and consider whether it is worth pursuing.
What is the AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty Certification (ANS-C01)?
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty is an expert-level certification for IT professionals who design and manage sophisticated network systems that operate on—or in conjunction with—the AWS cloud platform.
This AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certification is for experienced network engineers who have at least five years of hands-on experience in general and AWS network architecture, design, implementation, and management. For this certification, you'll need in-depth knowledge of advanced AWS and general networking and network interconnectivity, including virtual private networks, inter-domain routing, IPv4 and IPv6 subnetting, and IPv6 transition.
You should be fully conversant with the use of tools to develop automation scripts and with standard network security capabilities, such as web application firewalls (WAF), Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), intrusion detection and protection (IDS/IPS), and protection against distributed (DDoS) and economic (EDoS) denials of service.
While there are no specific prerequisite certs for this specialty certification, Amazon recommends that you are already certified as an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, or that you hold one of the three associate-level AWS certifications:
Check out our AWS training available for these certs.
In order to earn the certification, you will need to take and pass the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) examination. The exam validates your ability to architect, design, deploy, and maintain cloud-based solutions using a full array of AWS service capabilities.
What is on the AWS Advanced Networking Certification Exam?
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) test may be taken in your home or office with online proctoring or in a PSI or Pearson Vue training center. The exam is 170 minutes, consisting of 65 multiple-choice and multiple-response questions about these networking topic domains:
Design and Implement Hybrid IT Network Architectures at Scale (23%)
Design and Implement AWS Networks (29%)
Automate AWS Tasks (8%)
Configure Network Integration with Application Services (15%)
Design and Implement for Security and Compliance (12%)
Manage, Optimize, and Troubleshoot the Network (13%)
For a detailed drill-down into each of these domains, check out the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) exam guide and review samples of the questions that you should expect on the exam.
How Much Does the AWS Advanced Networking Certification Exam Cost?
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) examination costs $300 USD for each attempt. If you should, unfortunately, fail the exam, you'll have to wait 14 days before attempting (and paying for) a retake. You may retake the exam as often as needed to pass.
Who Should Take the AWS Advanced Networking?
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking—Specialty (ANS-C01) certification should be valuable to professionals such as network architects, network engineers, and DevOps engineers who are involved in designing, deploying, and managing AWS cloud and hybrid network solutions.
Especially in hybrid environments, the Advanced Networking – Specialty would be an ideal complement if you've already earned a cert such as the CCNA, the CCNP Enterprise, or even the CompTIA Network+.
Organizations that have already migrated to or are considering migration to AWS-based cloud solutions increasingly expect existing and prospective members of their AWS cloud team to have earned the AWS Certified Advanced Networking—Specialty certification. Certified AN—Specialty roles can be found in end-user organizations, especially consulting services firms, as they implement AWS solutions for their clients.
AWS Advanced Networking Career and Job Opportunities
Let's look at some jobs where it may be useful to have this certification:
AWS Advanced Networking for AWS Cloud Networking Engineers
Candidates seeking AWS Cloud Networking Engineer or Network Specialist roles are expected to be experienced network professionals with five or more years of experience with secure, complex hybrid and AWS environments. They'll likely have experience with—and be certified by—underlying network vendors such as Cisco.
AWS Cloud Networking Engineers (AWS CNE) typically will work within an extended cloud team from project initiation through the evaluation, design, deployment, and ongoing support of core AWS networking and automation services within AWS.
As a Cloud Networking Engineer, you're responsible for identifying and configuring overall network connectivity and security requirements. You'll also be monitoring them for capacity, performance, and threats as the solution goes into production and ongoing operation.
AWS Advanced Networking for DevOps Cloud Engineers
DevOps is a hot button for many enterprise IT executives as they look to deploy and maintain new solutions faster, more smoothly, and with fewer resources. Within an AWS or hybrid cloud environment, the DevOps Cloud Engineer supports the design, development, and continuous delivery of cloud solutions and services.
Their role includes driving the development of automated operation processes used to deploy AWS cloud solutions.
This is a senior role, and as a DevOps Cloud Engineer, you will be expected to have five or more years of experience with network and AWS cloud infrastructure design and deployment. You'll probably already be certified as an AWS Certified Developer—Associate or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer—Professional.
Is the AWS Advanced Networking Worth It?
The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty cert is a relatively recent addition to the AWS certification family. As such, it's not as well-established as the professional-level AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certs, but it is certainly gaining recognition.
You'll frequently see job specs that call for an architect or DevOps cert — OR the Advanced Networking – Specialty certification. Because specialty certifications are at the top tier of AWS certification, you'll be in a competitive position if you hold an advanced networking specialty badge!
As you'd expect, consulting services and integration firms are leading the charge in requiring their employees to hold this advanced certification as they seek to convince clients of their expertise.
If you're looking to validate existing skills or learn new skills, the AWS Advanced Networking Certification is worth considering. And if you're looking to learn more about AWS certifications, sign up for a free CBT Nuggets trial!
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