Roles & Responsibilities of an AWS certified Solution Architect You Need to Know

AWS and AZURE are the two popular IT players, leading the cloud computing space worldwide. AWS has an attractive market share and considered the most prominent cloud computing service provider in the world. Getting certified in AWS and working as an AWS certified solution architect can promise plenty of jobs for the people having the right skills and expertise.

Companies are in dire need of skilled resources who have worked on AWS or who have the basic skills. According to LinkedIn, cloud computing was one of the sought-after skills in 2017 and 2018. According to DICE, job openings in the AWS space increased by 76 percent during the last few years with amazing salary packages.

AWS empowers thousands of businesses worldwide and an AWS Certified Solution Architect takes an average salary of $126K per year. As an AWS Professional, you must have an in-depth knowledge of AWS architecture, principles, and its services. They should know how to perform AWS implementations, successfully applying the best practices, as suggested by Amazon.

Working as an AWS Certified Solution Architect means that you can derive advanced cloud-based solutions and migrate existing ones to the cloud. But how does an AWS Certified Solution Architect is required to work when looking at a particular day or role and responsibilities of his profile? What are the major tasks carried out by solution architects on a routine basis? Read on to find out.

It is all about the Solution Architect

He is a certification holder who is taken as a vital part of the software development team and responsible for managing plenty of application services within an organization. He has to work on both the functional and non-functional requirements of a project. He is majorly focused on suggesting the best system solution that may directly impact the business outcome. 

The information derived by a solution architect is generally used by the development team for the successful implementation of business solutions. Further, he has to define complex business problems in easy words that can be understood by everyone. He has to understand the business processes and create a cohesive software vision. 

• He focuses on technology implementation to find an easy solution for tough business problems. 
• He checks on the technology platform, programming language, and the operating system that can be used for the creation of a business solution. 
• He decides on the look and feel of the software and how can different modules interact together.
• He decides on system maintenance and future scaling as needed.
• He determines the associated risks with software products, frameworks, or third-party platforms.

A solution architect is one of the most sought-after job profiles among the software development team. He is responsible for building and integrating a software product to meet specific needs. His task involves the integration of hardware and software products for excellent performance outcomes. He has to explain the architecture of an application to other departments or team members for the delivery of a more effective system.

The role of a solution architect comes into the picture when project details are shared by a computer analyst. After this, he stays active throughout the project. He is organizing requirements and motivating or guiding other members in a team during the entire software development cycle. He has to look after technical stack things of a project that include programming language, OS, development platform, and more.

Read: Cloud Computing Interview Questions And Answers

How is a solution architect different from an enterprise & technical architect?

People are usually confused between three terms, enterprise architect, technical architect, and solution architect. All three have different meanings with different roles and responsibilities. The strategic vision of an enterprise is dictated by enterprise architecture. He has to explain the technical things that are actually needed to support the architecture of an enterprise.

A technical architect, at the same time, is tasked with the software architecture and other engineering problems. Last is a solution architect who defines the technology details, information, and business architecture for a specific solution. You can say a solution architect acts as a bridge among technical and enterprise architects.

Major Tasks Carried Out by Solution Architect

With the help of a Solution Architect, it is possible to deliver the solution within a given timeline and budget. Also, he makes sure that the solution perfectly aligns the Company's needs. Here is a list of tasks carried out by a solution architect on priority. 

1. Perfectly aligned solutions as per the requirement: Companies have data, integration requirements, and systems. Solution architect has to make sure that system fits the corporate environment and how different parts of a system are working together when integrated. Based on depth analysis, they can suggest solutions that perfectly align Company requirements.
2. Focus on Stakeholders’ needs: One of the major objectives to follow when designing a software product is to meet stakeholders’ requirements. The task of a solution architect is to make sure that all requirements are followed strictly. He has to inform stakeholders about the process, budget, and the cost of a software product routinely. He is also responsible for transforming technical details of a project into easy language that can be understood by anyone.
3. Focus on Project Constraints: A solution architect has to focus on the project constraints that include scope, time, budget, deadline, quality, deliverables, resources, risks, etc. He has to decide on the software and hardware requirements based on project analysis. Further, he is responsible for designing product documentation that will include project goals, main features, functions, tasks, etc. 
4. Define the Technology Requirements for a Project: According to the nature of a project, the solution architect has to decide on the technology things. It may include the programming language, development platform, operating system, and more. This task may be complicated sometimes when so many technologies are available in the IT marketplace with comparable features and benefits.
5. Manage the non-functional requirements of a Project: Other than technical things, there are non-functional requirements of a project that has to be understood by a solution architect. Non-functional requirements may vary based on the nature of a project.

Major Role and Responsibilities of a Solution Architect

• He has to perform architectural analysis, and he should know how to design enterprise-level systems.
• He should know how to design and simulate tools for the perfect delivery of systems.
• He should know how to design, develop, and maintain systems, processes, procedures to deliver a high-quality service design.
• He has to work with other members of a team and other departments to establish healthy communication and information flow.
• He should know how to deliver a high-performing solution architecture that can support the development efforts of a business. 
• He has to plan, design, and configure the most typical business solutions as needed.
• He has to prepare technical documents and other presentations for multiple solutions areas.
• He has to be sure that the best practices for configuration management are carried our as it was needed.
• He has to work on customer specifications, analyze them, and conduct the best product recommendations associated with the platform.
• He has to work with the sales team to perform conversions.
• He has to initiate a healthy discussion with the client and update them from time to time on the progress of a project.
• He has to understand the Company needs and architecture so that he can define the system specifications accordingly.
• He is responsible to plan, design, and develop the solution architecture.
• He has to communication requirements of a system to the IT team.
• He has to decide the best hardware and software products for integration.
• He has to oversee the assigned program and guides the other members of a team.
• He has to support when technical issues arise.
• He has to make sure that infrastructure and architecture are well implemented.
• He has to address the technical problem, ideas, and other major concerns from time to time.
• He has to monitor systems routinely to ensure that all business goals are met as per the user requirements.

Confused which AWS certification to opt for?

Cloud computing is a popular trend in the IT industry as every technology is used and hosted on the cloud today. There are a number of Companies and IT training institutes that offer certifications in cloud computing and helps learners to gain the right skills and knowledge. There are three popular cloud service providers - Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure. Below we have given the list of best AWS Cloud computing courses popular these days.

Preparing for these exams is not easy without the right resources and training material. The best idea is joining some online AWS training programs to master cloud computing fundamentals and learn how to prepare for Aws certifications. The fee structure is not so expensive for online training courses and classes are also extremely interactive. 

Cloud computing is one of the top 10 demanding job skills shared by LinkedIn in 2019. In cloud computing, the major areas to focus on include security, operations, development, advanced networking, big data, etc. If you are planning to get certified in cloud computing then the course covers everything related to it like cloud basics, models, services, future scope, etc.

Also, cloud experts usually get higher salaries as compared to other IT professionals. The future of cloud computing is amazing and job prospects in cloud computing are also appreciable. You may start your career as a cloud practitioner in the beginning and move to higher positions like a cloud expert, or DevOps engineer later. 

Read: AWS RDS Tutorial Guide for Beginner

The certification is the best idea here to show your skills and expertise. A certified cloud expert usually gets 30 percent extra salary hikes when compared to other professionals.

Your Preparation Guide for Solution Architect Exam

Success can be achieved with hard work only. So, it is vital preparing for the exam well for becoming a certified AWS professional. Here is a quick guide for everyone on how to prepare for the AWS Professional certification exam.

• Get familiar with the Exam Pattern

You should be familiar with the exam pattern and check samples online which type of questions you may encounter during the exam. You should know the percentage of each topic and how much time should be given for different concepts. 

• Join the AWS Training Course

The best idea to prepare for the certification exam is to get enrolled for the DevOps program and understood all related concepts deeply. The course content is usually structured in such a way that you don’t have to prepare for the certification exam separately. It will automatically prepare you for the certification and gives placement assistance too that includes a list of interview questions, resume building, personality development, etc.

• Focus on whitepapers

Whitepapers generally store the researched data that is highly valuable and result-oriented for organizations. You should prefer reading those whitepapers for detailed information. They are easily available on the web. A few of them are available for free and few are paid as well. You can jump to the paid option only when they are needed.

• Read Books

If you can prepare on your own then buy related books and start reading them thoroughly. You can search for the name of good books and buy one or more good AWS books. There are AWS e-books as well but they are generally bore and time-consuming resources. The best idea is buying a hard copy and start your studies right away.

• Check questions online

Before you attempt for the final exam, don’t forget to check sample questions online. It will give you an idea of questions that may be asked during the exam. A list of questions is available on the web for free.  It will give you a clear picture of the actual exam and how should you increase your speed. There are video contents also available to help you.

• Register for the Exam

In the last step, you should register for the exam and create an AWS account for this purpose. You have to pay fees as decided by the vendor and manage your progress using the same account.

Read: How to Become an AWS Certified Solution Architect?

This is a guide that can be followed by anyone to enter into the AWS domain. If you are a self-learner then invest your time and start preparing for the exam accordingly. We wish you luck for your exam!

What’s Next?

How can online training help you grow in the cloud computing world?

Online learning is growing and has become mandatory for everyone to stay competitive. It gives you the freedom to learn at your own time from your home. These days instructor-led online training has become more popular where you can make queries and get instant solutions too. The classroom training also has its own unique attributes but it is not recommended for working professionals due to lack of time. 

The next question comes about which training institute to join when there are so many options available for you. Well, it is a good question because online training is worth investment only when it is done from the right place. 

For this purpose, you should research online for the best institutes and make a list of institutes you like the most. Now start filtering them on different parameters like reviews, past feedback, the reputation of the institute, fee structure, course content, course duration, instructors, etc. these all parameters will surely help you in deciding the best option for you.

JanBask Training is just a wonderful option that would meet your expectations. Here, you will get industry-relevant skills and domain expertise too. At the same time, they will prepare you for AWS certifications along with the training. 

The online training fee structure is also pocket-friendly for everyone. It does not matter where you live, JanBask Training can help you to advance your career and it is the only choice to transform your dreams to reality and making you a more valuable IT resource too. We wish you luck for a successful career in AWS and get ready to start your journey with experts today.

Read: Amazon Redshift vs Amazon RDS vs DynamoDB vs SimpleDB