Amazon Web Services is a cloud platform offering more than a hundred services that can be used to improve businesses. There are many ways a person can choose to learn AWS.
You may choose to take an Amazon Web Services class or just watch training videos online. Amazon Web Services’ website also offers its own training guides specific to the many possible applications of AWS.
In this article, we will go over Amazon Web Services courses and training, and the resources available for those looking to learn how to use the platform.
What Is Amazon Web Services?
In simple terms, Amazon Web Services is a cloud platform that small businesses, start-ups, and corporations use to improve their business and lower costs. Within this software, businesses can use services that provide storage, artificial intelligence, analytics, machine learning, and more.
What Is AWS Used For?
Amazon Web Services offers many services within its cloud platform that help streamline business activities and reduce costs.
Some leading companies that use Amazon Web Services to run their business include Netflix, Apple, Kellogg’s, Shell, and Expedia.
Some of the jobs available to Amazon Web Services professionals include:
- Cloud software engineer
- Operational support manager
- Cloud developer
- Cloud system integrator
- AWS solutions architect
- AWS sysops administrator
There are about 175 products offered by Amazon Web Services. They are divided into 26 product sections for a business’s specific needs. Below is a sample of 10 of the types of products offered.
- Robotics. The RoboMaker program can be used to test and develop robotic applications.
- Analytics. There are 12 different analytics programs on AWS.
- Application Integration. There are seven programs for application integration, including no-code integration for SaaS, SMS, email, and push notifications.
- Developer Tools. There are 14 developer tools available on AWS, including CodeBuild applications, X-Ray, which is used to debug apps, and many more tools for developers.
- Networking and Content Delivery. There are 11 networking and content delivery applications within AWS, such as CloudFront, VPC, Private Link, and App Mesh.
- AR and VR. Amazon Sumerian allows users to create, build, and run AR and VR applications.
- Front End Web and Mobile. AWS has five front end web and mobile products: API Gateway, Pinpoint, AppSync, Amplify, and Device Farm.
- Storage. With AWS storage, there are 10 products offering different storing capabilities, including AWS Backup, Simple Storage Service, Elastic Block Store, and Storage Gateway.
- Security, Identity, and Compliance. There are 18 products offered in this section, such as AWS Artifact, Guard Duty, Inspector, Key Management Service, and Security Hub.
- Game Tech. For businesses interested in using game tech, AWS has two products. Amazon GameLift is a simple and cost-effective hosting game server. Amazon Lumberyard is a 3D game engine integrated with AWS and Twitch.
Learning Amazon Web Services
If you want to learn to use Amazon Web Services, the company offers training and certifications on its website. Furthermore, these classes are offered both online or in-person by an accredited AWS instructor.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Amazon Web Services?
There are hundreds of courses available. They range from 30 minutes long to a few hours depending on the curriculum.
How to Learn Amazon Web Services: Step-by-Step
Let’s go over how you can start learning the different Amazon Web Services.
- Create an AWS Account for free. To get started, create a free AWS account.
- Find a specialty to learn. Depending on how you want to learn to improve your business, there are many AWS courses available in any field.
- Prepare for the certification exam. To get a certification after your course, you must pass a final exam. Before taking it, complete the exam prep tests offered by AWS.
- Take the certification exam. After completing your training, you must pass the certification exam, then start putting your skills to the test.
There are six areas that you can choose to get certified in. They are Advanced Networking, Data Analytics, Security, Alexa Skill Builder, Database, and Machine Learning. Your certification will be in one of three different levels, depending on your experience.
A foundational certificate is for those with six months of experience as a Cloud Practitioner. An associate certificate is for those who have one year of experience working as a Solutions Architect, Sysops Administrator, or a Developer. The professional certificate is for people who have two years of experience working as a Solutions Architect or a DevOps Engineer.
The Best Amazon Web Services Courses and Training
There are many ways to learn Amazon Web Services programs. You can choose from the online and in-person courses listed below.
Online and In-Person AWS Classes
Amazon Web Services offers free virtual or in-person classroom training taught by a certified AWS instructor. These virtual classrooms are taught live, so students can attend from home and still interact with the teacher to get all of the information they would normally get in a physical classroom. AWS also partners with other training institutes to offer in-person classes.
Below is a list of the Amazon Web Services classes available. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some classes that are normally taught in person may be offered virtually for the time being.
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services offers more than 400 free, digital courses that are self-paced and are available for individuals and teams to learn about the different AWS services and programs. They also offer several in-person options worldwide. Below are some of the Amazon Web Services training courses that are out there.
In-person Courses:
- Media Essentials for IT Business Decision Makers. In-person in Denmark and online.
- Practical Data Science with Amazon SageMaker. In-person in Asia and Europe and online.
- AWS Discovery Day. In-person in New Zealand and online.
Online Courses:
- Introduction to Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)
- Game Server Hosting on AWS
- AWS Foundations: Securing Your AWS Cloud
- Moving to Managed Databases on AWS
- Amazon Simple Storage Service
- Developing Machine Learning Applications
Coursera
If you have decided that you don’t want to learn through the AWS training services website, Coursera also partners with Amazon Web Services to offer some programs. These Coursera courses, aimed at both individuals and teams, will help you gain knowledge of AWS to use in your career.
Cost: Free
Courses:
- Deploy Machine Learning Model into AWS Cloud Servers
- Terraform Basics: Automate Provisioning of AWS EC2 Instances
- AWS Fundamentals Specialization
- AWS Fundamentals: Going Cloud-Native
- AWS Fundamentals: Building Serverless Applications
Cloud Academy
Cloud Academy offers several AWS courses focused on its different programs.
Cost: $39/month
Course:
This AWS Fundamentals class goes over everything an individual needs to know about AWS. The curriculum covers Amazon Web Services Computer Fundamentals, creating an Amazon EC2 Instance, and creating an Amazon S3 Bucket.
AWS Tutorials
Instead of attending an in-person or online class, you can take a top-notch online tutorial to master AWS at your own pace. The best AWS tutorials allow you to learn Amazon Web Services without taking a break from your current job. Any tutorial or user guide on the following list can equip you with career-altering knowledge of this dynamic cloud computing platform.
Best AWS Tutorials for Beginners
AWS Tutorial: A Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners
Provided by Simplilearn, this online tutorial will help you learn Amazon Web Services (AWS) from scratch. The tutorial covers tools like Simple Storage Service (S3), Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), AWS Lambda environment variables, and S3 Glacier, as well as load balancing and Cloud Formation. By the end, you will know how to host a cloud-native application on AWS.
The format is a one-hour video broken up into several modules. It covers AWS definitions, AWS fundamentals, AWS CloudFront, and AWS Auto Scaling. Since several opportunities in cloud computing require these skills, this AWS tutorial will also cover how to become an AWS solutions architect, including information about the best AWS certifications.
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AWS Tutorial: Introduction to Cloud Computing
Edureka provides a comprehensive tutorial covering all the basics of Amazon Web Services. In the tutorial, you will learn the different aspects of cloud computing and how they can help you start a career as an AWS solutions architect. It is also a great option if you want to learn DevOps and become a DevOps engineer.
In only 10 hours, you will cover software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS). These are the cloud computing categories that allow companies to leverage AWS services. You will also learn about different Amazon domains, including databases, networking, management tools, application services, and more.
AWS Tutorial For Beginners – Learn Amazon Web Services from Experts
Intellipaat aims to take beginners to an intermediate level in just three hours. The tutorial provides information that will help you become an AWS Certified Solutions Architect. You will learn AWS architecture and its advantages. You will also touch on AWS systems and products like Simple Storage Service (S3), Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), and Lambda.
To ease the process of learning, the providers divided the lessons into different modules. You will learn about storage, database, access management, security, and app integration. By the end of the tutorial, you will be well versed in all AWS core services. You will also cover AWS pricing, which is vital since the cloud platform is customer-centric.
AWS Basics for Beginners
In this detailed tutorial, freeCodeCamp teaches absolute beginners the fundamentals of cloud computing platforms. Its modules cover the AWS global infrastructure, pricing, and public and private access. You will also get an overview of Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), security, and network Access Control Lists (ACLs).
And that’s just the first section. Later in this video tutorial, you will learn about Amazon Elastic Container Registry, Amazon Simple Storage Service, AWS databases, automation, content delivery, and application integration. These pertinent topics can prepare you for certification exams or a career in cloud technology in under six hours.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Fundamentals for System Administrators
Pluralsight curated this comprehensive video tutorial to help aspiring systems and database administrators cover the basics of Amazon Web Services (AWS). As an administrator, you will get a deeper understanding of the AWS global infrastructure and how to work with AWS storage. You will also explore CloudFront, CloudFormation, and CloudTrail.
To ensure you lead a successful career, the tutorial will also show you the best certifications available. You will come away with an understanding of AWS security measures and AWS storage. For completeness, Pluralsight includes pointers on AWS compute options, Autoscaling, Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), and AWS networking.
Best Advanced AWS Tutorials
Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Associate – 4 Certifications
This series of Udemy video tutorials will take you through lab exercises and practice exams to help you earn your AWS certification. Whether you choose to become a web developer, solutions architect, cloud architect, or AWS SysOps administrator, this training course will help you improve your craft.
You will find seven articles, 44 hours of on-demand video, and unlimited access to the materials. The material is constantly updated and extremely hands-on, with multiple practice tests and quizzes for each section. Each of the four certifications comes with a practice exam made up of 240 questions, which is meant to simulate the actual exam.
So, if you are looking to become an AWS Solutions Architect, an AWS Developer, an AWS SysOps Administrator, or an AWS Cloud Practitioner, don’t hesitate to check out the corresponding tutorial.
Practical and Professional DevOps with AWS and Docker
This excellent advanced-level tutorial by AWS DevOps will teach you how to use Docker to build effective AWS pipelines and infrastructure. In three and a half hours, you should expect to cover Docker fundamentals, machine setup, Docker containers, Docker Hub, and AWS account setup, as well as how to configure the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI).
In addition, the tutorial will also help you explore virtual private clouds (VPC) and security, how to create the cloud environment, and an overview of the Amazon Elastic Container Service, also known as Amazon ECS. If you don’t know how to deploy and integrate Application Programming Interface (API) services, there is a whole module covering that aspect.
Advanced Operations on AWS
This 23-hour Udemy tutorial covers all the primary and advanced operations of AWS. You will learn how to manage, secure, and scale compute instances on the platform. You will also get practice managing resource consumption using Tags and Amazon CloudWatch.
Finally, the tutorial will walk you through all the features and tools used in configuration and deployment. By the end, you will have a deep understanding of Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) and automation processes.
Ultimate AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate 2021
In this comprehensive tutorial by Udemy, you will learn all of the vital concepts covered on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam. You will not need any experience in AWS cloud services, but having basic knowledge in IT can be very beneficial. It runs for over 26 hours and comes with 600 slides full of course material.
The slides will help you master the basics of serverless computing with AWS, including Lambda, Amazon API Gateway, and Cognito. You will also learn the ins and outs of disaster recovery and what constitutes a reliable architecture framework. Expect to gain insight into AWS Cloud through Identity Access Management (IAM) policies and the Key Management Service (KMS).
It would not be a comprehensive tutorial if you didn’t also master the basics of AWS. That’s why this tutorial also covers Elastic Load Balancing (ELB), Auto Scaling Groups (ASG), and Relational Database Services (RDS), along with all the databases that AWS supports.
Cert Prep: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
The LinkedIn Learning curriculum offers a different kind of comprehensive exam training than the Udemy course above. Here you will leap to the next stage of your career by learning solution design, data security, troubleshooting, and the implementation process.
The instructor, Lynn Langit, presents other resources to help you study, from AWS whitepapers and the AWS developer community to user guides. You will learn how to use the AWS Architecture Center, Amazon Connect, and the AWS community to your advantage. The course also features additional resources for you to polish your existing knowledge.
Best Free AWS Tutorials
Amazon Web Services Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
This free 10-hour tutorial from freeCodeCamp is designed to help professionals pass the Amazon Web Service (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect exam. With this certification, you will be able to climb the ladder in the cloud computing industry. The curriculum touches on all major areas of the exams.
The tutorial will cover the Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS), Simple Storage Service (S3), Snowball, Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Network Access Control Lists (NACL), Cognito, Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Auto Scaling Groups (ASG), Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS), Aurora, AWS CloudTrail, Amazon CloudWatch Logs, Lambda, ElastiCache, and Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose.
AWS Cloud Security: Proactive Way
In this four-hour Skillshare tutorial, you will learn how to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to ensure maximum cloud security. You will have AWS security services at your fingertips to help you respond effectively to security events. To top it all off, you will have hands-on lab projects that touch on the content you learned, as well as lifetime access to the downloadable resources.
You will also learn about non-compliant resources and advanced querying, explore multi-account aggregators, and get an introduction to auto-remediation. If you want to learn how to enforce Simple Storage Service (S3) encryption, don’t miss this tutorial.
Visualize Data in Amazon RDS for SQL Server
Creating a Microsoft SQL Server Express database using Amazon Relational Database Server (Amazon RDS) is not as challenging as you may think. Amazon’s 20-minute tutorial gives you hands-on experience in setting up a database and creating tables. You will then learn how to sync RDS to Amazon QuickSight, the signature AWS data analytics and data visualization product.
This step-by-step, beginner-level tutorial is updated as often as necessary, so it will always be relevant. Developers can rely on it to gain extensive knowledge of both RDS and QuickSight, with a splash of machine learning.
AWS Essential Training for Architects
LinkedIn Learning curated this tutorial to help professionals gain a broader perspective of how solutions architects build scalable cloud-based applications. Jeff Winesett, the instructor, will take you through multiple principles and practices used for implementation and security. He will also teach you the different AWS workflows and architecture.
The lessons will touch on Relational Database Services (RDS), CloudFront, and DynamoDB. By the time you finish this tutorial, you will have extensive skills in cloud management development and network architecture. Last, but not least, you will learn how to optimize AWS to reduce the cost for clients.
Getting Started Using Amazon S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive
Amazon Web Services offers introductory step-by-step instructions to help developers master Simple Storage Service (S3) Glacier. In just 20 minutes, you will learn how to reduce costs while building secure and reliable storage for archived data. You will learn how to store datasets not only in Amazon S3 Glacier but also in S3 Glacier Deep Archive. The beginner-friendly, step-by-step tutorial teaches you how to create an Amazon S3 bucket, upload objects to Glacier, and store objects for easy retrieval. It will also teach you how to delete files from your bucket, a form of data cleaning. All in all, this excellent course provides a window into the powerful storage possibilities that AWS offers.
Amazon Web Services Books
If learning online isn’t enough for you, there are also books on Amazon Web Services and what it’s used for. Below is a list of books available about AWS.
AWS: The Ultimate Guide From Beginners to Advanced For The Amazon Web Services – Theo H. King
This book goes over the Amazon Web Services cloud computing platform. The material is for anyone from beginners to those who have advanced knowledge of Amazon Web Services and want to help their company reduce costs and control data.
Amazon Web Services for Dummies – Bernard Golden
In this Amazon Web Services for Dummies book, you can read about the many uses of Amazon Web Services. It describes the benefits of switching to AWS at your business. In it, you will find step-by-step instructions on how to store objects, send emails, manage data, and more.
Amazon Web Services in Action – Michael Wittig and Andreas Wittig
This Amazon Web Services in Action book gives an introduction to storing, computing, and networking within the Amazon Web Services platform. Throughout this book, you will also read about deploying web applications, automation, scalability, and serverless infrastructure.
Learn AWS Serverless Computing – Scott Patterson
In this Learn AWS Serverless Computing book, you will learn how to write and deploy serverless applications with Amazon Web Services. This book for beginners also covers AWSLambda.
Online Amazon Web Services Resources
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services offers many resources to help individuals and teams understand the platform. It provides extra help in any field of Amazon Web Services.
YouTube.com
You can learn anything on YouTube, including Amazon Web Services. The video platform has many AWS resources, courses, and explanations for anyone who wants to learn more.
Everyone knows LinkedIn as a resource for finding jobs and networking with professionals. But, it can also be a great educational resource.
On the Amazon Web Services LinkedIn page, there are many articles with the latest news about AWS, including updates and changes to services. Check out their LinkedIn page to read the articles, or apply for a job if you think you’re ready.
Should You Study Amazon Web Services?
The Amazon Web Services cloud platform is great for anyone who wants to help streamline their workplace. As discussed, there are many benefits to using the platform, including increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
One of the jobs you can get with an Amazon Web Services certification is as a computer network architect. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average computer network architect salary is $112,690 per year in the US.
After reading this article, we hope you have all the information you need to choose which Amazon Web Services courses you want to take to develop your career. If you are already employed, maybe you will decide to take a course to make the transition to AWS’ vast cloud computing platform.
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