Exam Atlas

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.

16 exams in this field

Where to start

  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.

Certification pathway

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

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

All IT & Cloud exams

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02): the entry-level AWS exam explained - format, fee, who it suits and whether it is worth taking in 2026.

beginner

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS Developer – Associate (DVA-C02)

AWS Developer – Associate (DVA-C02): exam format, cost, domains, difficulty and whether this AWS developer certification is worth it in 2026.

intermediate

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03)

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03): exam format, cost, difficulty, domains and an honest take on whether it is worth it in 2026.

intermediate

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104)

Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104): exam format, cost, skills measured, difficulty and who should take this Azure certification in 2026.

intermediate

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS SysOps Administrator Associate (SOA-C02)

SOA-C02 has retired - the associate AWS operations exam is now CloudOps Engineer (SOA-C03). Domains, cost, study path and an honest take on the SysOps/CloudOps

advanced

Microsoft

Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)

Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305): the design areas, cost, difficulty and whether the Azure architect certification is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

expert

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02)

AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02): the four domains, cost, difficulty and whether the advanced AWS architecture certification is worth it in 2026.

expert

Microsoft

Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)

Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204): the skill areas, cost, difficulty and whether the Azure development certification is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

advanced

Microsoft

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900): the entry-level Azure exam explained - format, cost, who it suits and whether it is worth taking in 2026.

beginner

Cisco

Cisco CCNA (200-301)

Cisco CCNA (200-301): exam format, cost, topics, difficulty and whether the entry-level Cisco networking certification is worth it in 2026.

intermediate

CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation)

CKA (CNCF)

CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator): the hands-on format, cost, difficulty, the curriculum domains and whether it is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

advanced

CompTIA

CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)

CompTIA Network+ (N10-009): exam format, cost, topics, difficulty and how this vendor-neutral networking certification compares to CCNA in 2026.

intermediate

CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation)

CKAD (CNCF)

CKAD exam (Kubernetes Application Developer): the hands-on format, cost, difficulty and whether it is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

advanced

Google Cloud

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE)

Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE): exam format, cost, difficulty and whether this entry associate GCP certification is worth it in 2026.

intermediate

Google Cloud

Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect

Google Professional Cloud Architect (PCA): the exam sections, cost, difficulty and whether the GCP architect certification is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

expert

HashiCorp

HashiCorp Terraform Associate (004)

HashiCorp Terraform Associate (004): the objectives, cost, difficulty and whether the infrastructure-as-code certification is worth it in 2026. Source-checked.

intermediate

Compare these certifications

Related career paths

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.