Cloud Journey II, Google Next
In the previous year, I aimed to obtain the AWS Certified Security - Specialty certification by July. However, due to health issues, my preparations were interrupted, and I had to reschedule the exam to November of that year. Now, it has been a year since then, and I have successfully earned four more Google Cloud certifications.
Typically, I dedicate approximately six weeks to prepare for each exam. However, I have noticed that compared to the previous year, the accumulation of knowledge and experience from each exam has made the subsequent ones more manageable.
| Exam Name | Score | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Security – Specialty | 873/1000 | 6 weeks |
| Google Cloud Certified - Professional Google Workspace Administrator | PASSED | 6 weeks |
| Google Cloud Certified - Professional Data Engineer | PASSED | 6 weeks |
| Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer | PASSED | 4 weeks |
| Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Network Engineer | PASSED | 2 weeks |
AWS Certified Security – Specialty
November 2021
When it comes to AWS certification exams, the AWS Certified Security - Specialty exam has the least amount of available resources in comparison to others. However, I was fortunate to connect with Jon Bonso who provided me with a helpful list of white papers and articles found on TutorialsDojo. Although I did not have the opportunity to complete their practice exam due to a busy schedule, based on the content I was able to review, I can attest to the quality of their resources.
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Google Workspace Administrator
May 2022
The exam, initially known as the Professional Collaboration Engineer, was relatively straightforward. It primarily centered around the management and configuration of the Google Admin Console.
I have access to the Google Cloud Skills, which includes a wide range of on-demand courses and labs which I used to prepare for this exam.
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Data Engineer
August 2022
When I sat for this exam, I had already gained familiarity with the services that were being assessed. With the exception of a few unexpected questions concerning Apache Kafka, this was one of the simplest certification exams I have encountered.
Like the previous exam, I registered for the on-demand course provided by Google Cloud Skills Boost that focused on this particular certification track.
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Database Engineer
November 2022
This GCP exam was relatively recent when I took it, with a significant overlap with the Professional Data Engineer exam in terms of services. However, the focus of this exam was primarily on migrating and configuring databases in Google Cloud.
Google Cloud Certified - Professional Cloud Network Engineer
December 2022
Undoubtedly, this was the most challenging exam I have ever taken. I was under considerable pressure as I had a voucher that was set to expire soon and limited time to prepare, especially since I had just completed my previous exam and traveled to attend AWS re:Invent.
The exam heavily focused on hybrid connectivity, which I only managed to cover briefly. Additionally, unlike many other certification exams, Google does not provide test-takers with their scores. Therefore, I was uncertain of my performance, and I wouldn't have been surprised if my results were unsatisfactory.
Next Steps
I have not yet achieved my objective of passing the two AWS professional exams. However, my immediate goal is to take the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional exam by the middle of next year.