Cloud computing is a giant market today, with one of the fastest job-creating areas in tech. Jobs related to expertise in leading cloud services, such as AWS or Amazon Web Services, have even higher demand. Particularly in the public cloud job market, nearly 60 percent are AWS-related jobs. If you’re an aspiring cloud professional, AWS is a specialty that can give a significant boost to your cloud career.

But what is AWS? In this guide, we’ll dive into the fundamentals of AWS, its uses and applications, the popular services and tools, and potential job roles in AWS. We’ll also explore how cloud computing programs provide an edge in growing your AWS cloud career.

What is AWS?

AWS is a comprehensive cloud computing infrastructure provided by Amazon for storage, computation, databases, networking, analytics, developer and management tools, mobile, Internet of Things, enterprise applications, and security. There are more than 200 services under the umbrella of AWS.

AWS has its roots in a six-page document presented by Chris Pinkham and Benjamin Black in 2003. It was then officially launched in 2006, and more than 1,80,000 developers signed up within a year. The next six years witnessed AWS being incorporated into Amazon retail services and other leading websites and organizations such as LinkedIn, Epic Games, Reddit, and NASA. The year 2013 began the AWS certification program in cloud computing.

Since then, AWS has experienced an exponential rise in not only its usage but also as an outstanding career pathway for software and data professionals in the field of cloud computing. In 2019, AWS took a step ahead by launching certifications in machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Uses and Applications of AWS

AWS is primarily used for hosting applications, creating a virtual environment to operate the software and services required for the applications, as well scaling them as per the requirement. It facilitates a complete management of the well-being and security of the infrastructure.

Its chief applications are as follows:

1. Multiple categories of storage, file indexing, and backup with ease of access.
2. Website hosting for enterprises on AWS cloud.
3. Smooth operation of gaming applications.
4. Launching and scaling social, mobile, e-commerce, SaaS, and other web applications without any restriction on the operating systems
5. Processing and management of big data as well as analytics to monitor, visualize, query, and transform data.
6. Artificial intelligence, including voice and text chatbots, text-to-speech translation, and image and face analysis.
7. Delivery and receipt services for emails and messages, along with efficient publication services for notifications and business communication.
8. Augmented reality and virtual reality tools for developing marketing, manufacturing, 3D web applications, online education, gaming, e-commerce, sales applications, and training simulations.
9. Game development tools to host, store, and analyze gamer databases for further development.
10. Management of Internet of Things devices using a back-end platform for database services, data ingestion, installation, computing, and hardware functionality.

What is AWS? A Peek into AWS Services and the AWS Ecosystem

The AWS ecosystem encompasses 26 service categories, from analytics and application integration to storage and supply chain. The top categories include:

1. Compute
2. Storage
3. Database
4. Networking and content delivery
5. Analytics
6. Machine learning
7. Security, identity and compliance.

Additionally, the ecosystem offers third-party integration for services not included in its portfolio, with SaaS and PaaS compatibilities for the applications.

Some of the popular AWS services for computing include Amazon EC2, Amazon Elastic Container Services (ECS), Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Services, and Amazon Lightstall.

For enterprises requiring database services, the top choices are Amazon Aurora, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Elasticache.

Front-end web and mobile application developers opt for Amazon API Gateway, AWS Appsync, and AWS Device Farm. AWS Amplify enables scaling of the applications.

Machine learning services include Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Comprehend, and Amazon Polly, to name a few. Amazon Rekognition supports image and video analysis.

What are AWS Tools?

AWS proffers multiple developer and management tools to enable the deployment of the WS services. The tools are based on several programming languages, including C++, Go, JavaScript, Python, .NET, PHP, and Rust, among others.

There are language-specific APIs and integrated development environments (IDE) for writing codes, resolving issues, and deploying the applications on AWS. Software development kits (SDKs), continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) services, and code editors form most core tools.

Some essential developer tools comprise AWS Cloud9, AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeStar, AWS CodeBuild and AWS CodeDeploy. AWS Visual Studio editors are also available for JavaScript, Kotlin, .NET, and PHP. There are specialized AWS toolkits for PyCharm, Amazon Codewhisperer, and Eclipse.

AWS management tools include CloudWatch, CloudTrail, CloudFormation, OpsWorks, and Config. These tools are used to monitor the CPU utilization of AWS services and environments with respect to different metrics and transform existing organizational infrastructure into the cloud. The AWS resources can also be audited using these tools.

What is AWS? The Pros and Cons of AWS

Now that we know the basics of AWS and its ecosystem, let us look at its pros and cons.

Pros of AWS

1. Ease of access and deployment.
2. Flexibility in the environment, operating system, database, and programming model.
3. Cost-effective and flexible pricing models with no long-term commitment.
4. Smooth hybrid computing.
5. Quick installation and removal of applications from anywhere in the world.
6. Multiple resources for customers to enable customer service and training.
7. Superior security and abundant server capacity.

Cons of AWS

1. Additional cost for immediate response or intensive assistance from AWS.
2. Regional limitations on certain resources such as images and volumes.
3. Potential issues include downtime, limited control, and backup protection during migration to the cloud server.
4. Poor adaptability performance for major hardware modifications.
5. Complicated billing process.

Which Top Companies Use AWS?

Boasting over one million active users, AWS generated a revenue of more than USD 80 billion in 2022. It has been leveraged by most Fortune 500 companies to elevate their cloud infrastructure and provide outstanding service to their customer. A cloud computing course can open the doors to a lucrative career in any of the following top companies:

1. Adobe
2. Airbnb
3. Pfizer
4. Twitch
5. McDonald’s
6. LinkedIn
7. Facebook
8. BBC
9. ESPN
10. Walt Disney
11. Johnson & Johnson
12. General Electric
13. Airbnb
14. McDonald’s
15. Epic Games
16. NASA
17. Reddit
18. Pinterest
19. Kellogg’s
20. Bristol-Myers Squibb
21. Sony
22. Johnson & Johnson

The variety of sectors observed in this list attests to the fact that, regardless of educational background, a person with sufficient knowledge in cloud computing and programming can aim for an AWS certification and continue working in their field of expertise.

For example, the medical giant Pfizer employs graduates in biology with an AWS certification to integrate the pharmaceutical laboratory operations of the organization with the AWS machine learning and data analysis capabilities.

Meanwhile, a software engineer interested in journalism and communication can switch to Disney and ESPN Technology by employing their AWS application development skills as a member of the productivity engineering team.

Further, burger-loving data engineers and graduates in mathematics and statistics can target McDonald’s, which is no longer simply a burger restaurant but utilizes AWS to integrate consumer data from all over the world and generate useful insights.

Thus, with the help of a suitable cloud computing course, AWS can be your gateway into the fluid world of cloud computing without being restricted to a single sector.

AWS Prerequisites: What You Need To Learn AWS

AWS is primarily a software development service specializing in cloud computing. Here are a few prerequisites that can ease you into the world of AWS:

1. Knowledge of operating systems such as Windows and Linux.
2. Well-versed in programming languages such as C+, Python, .NET, Java, JavaScript, Go, Kotlin, etc.
3. Familiar with networking and virtualization.
4. Experienced in coding
5. Knowledgeable about the basics of public and private cloud.

With the help of focused courses, you can integrate these prerequisites with the fundamentals of cloud computing to gain a jump-start into the world of AWS certifications.

Why Get an AWS Certification?

AWS certification validates your skills in cloud computing. You can build your expertise and utilize AWS resources for further training and advancement.

AWS certification can be published on social media and included in email signatures as a testimony to the expertise gained. You gain exclusive access to certification events sponsored by AWS, such as the AWS re:Invent conference and the AWS Certified global community on Influitive.

AWS certification further facilitates knowledge enhancement, development of transferable skills, efficient resolution of complex problems, increased job efficiency, and greater trust from the employer.

With the right cloud computing training, you can obtain suitable AWS certifications to avail of amazing job opportunities such as:

1. AWS Certified Database
2. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
3. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
4. AWS Certified Machine Learning
5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect
6. AWS Certified Solutions Architect
7. AWS Certified Developer
8. AWS Certified Security
9. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
10. AWS Certified Advanced Networking

The AWS certifications not only place one in the six-figure bracket but also lead to a salary rise of almost 27 percent, as was reported by 73 percent of AWS professionals.

Get Started With a Lucrative AWS Cloud Career

The sheer volume of the AWS ecosystem and the associated certifications may be daunting to a beginner. Whether you’re just dipping your toes in AWS or looking to advance your career in the cloud, skill-building and proper guidance are critical for success.

A specialized cloud computing bootcamp like ours will help you with this. With industry experts as your mentors, you can build a solid base in AWS and cloud computing concepts. This program offers an in-depth understanding of the AWS cloud ecosystem and hands-on projects to apply the learning to real-world scenarios.

To start your exciting journey in the cloud, enroll today!

FAQs

 

• What is AWS used for?

AWS is used to develop, host, debug, and publish applications for various organizations. It is also used to store, visualize, analyze, and manage big data from multiple sources.

• What is AWS in basic terms?

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services, an umbrella of cloud computing infrastructure services for computing, integrating, storing, and hosting applications for almost all industries, from aerospace and defense to advertising and FMCG.

• Who is eligible for AWS?

A graduate or diploma holder experienced in programming, cloud computing, and operating systems is eligible to apply for and work toward an AWS certification. Some advanced certifications require two years of hands-on experience on AWS systems.

• Can I learn AWS on my own?

Yes, you can learn AWS independently if you have prior knowledge of programming and cloud computing. Cloud computing training will make it easier for you to dive directly into the AWS certification process, however.

• What is EC2 in AWS?

Amazon EC2 is also known as Amazon Elastic Cloud Computing. It is a core service providing on-demand, scalable, and secure computing capacity.