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IT & Cloud

IT & Cloud certifications

Vendor certifications for cloud platforms, infrastructure and IT operations - AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Cisco and more.

IT and cloud certifications are largely vendor-specific, so the most important decision is which platform your target employers use. Within a platform, the credentials ladder from foundational (cloud literacy) to associate (the level that gets interviews) to professional and specialty. Networking certifications sit alongside as a parallel, vendor-neutral or Cisco-specific track.

This hub gathers the main IT and cloud certifications with comparisons (AWS vs Azure, CCNA vs Network+) and career paths (cloud engineer, network engineer), so you can choose a platform and a sequence. The recurring lesson across all of them: pair the certification with hands-on projects.

Content last verified Aug 5, 2026 · free, no sign-up

17exams compared
762free practice questions
85guides & resources
17side-by-side comparisons
Most searched: CCNA exam costAZ-305 cheat sheet

Start here

Where to start

The decisions to make before you commit to a syllabus.

  1. Optional: a foundational cert

    AWS Cloud Practitioner or Azure AZ-900 for cloud literacy if you are completely new (skip if you already work in IT).

  2. Core: an associate certification

    AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Azure AZ-104, or Google Cloud ACE - on the platform your employers use. This is the credential that gets interviews.

  3. Build a portfolio

    Deploy two or three real projects in a free-tier account and learn basic automation (infrastructure as code).

  4. Specialise

    After your first role, go deeper - DevOps, security, data, or networking (CCNA / Network+) - guided by the work you enjoy.

Progression

Certification pathway

A rough progression by level, not a strict order - start where your experience fits.

Foundation
CLF-C02AZ-900A+
Associate / core
DVA-C02SAA-C03AZ-104CCNAN10-009GCP ACETerraform Associate
Advanced / expert
SAP-C02AZ-204AZ-305SOA-C02CKACKADPCA

The catalogue

All IT & Cloud exams

Every exam we track in this field - each card links straight to its free practice questions, guides and fee breakdown.

Head-to-head

Compare these certifications

Side-by-side verdicts for the pairs candidates actually weigh.

Where they lead

Related career paths

Step-by-step routes from a first certification to the roles it unlocks.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Should I learn AWS, Azure or Google Cloud?
Pick the platform your target employers use. AWS has the largest overall market and most portable certification; Azure dominates Microsoft-centric and many European enterprises; Google Cloud is concentrated in data and ML-heavy organisations. The concepts transfer.
Will a cloud certification get me a job?
An associate-level certification plus hands-on projects gets interviews. Foundational certifications alone rarely land technical roles - the projects and your ability to explain them are what convert.
Cloud or networking first?
If you are aiming at cloud/DevOps, start with a cloud associate certification. If you want networking specifically, Network+ then CCNA. Both underpin modern infrastructure.
How long does it take?
With consistent part-time study, four to eight months to an associate certification plus a small portfolio is realistic.