AWS Training and Certification Blog

Today’s cloud-based databases create new possibilities—and require new skills

As more organizations move to the cloud, expanding their cloud database skills improves operational efficiency, increases business agility, and accelerates innovation. Not long ago, 95 percent of Autodesk’s databases were on-premises. This leading company found that traditional and commercial databases no longer met their need to grow in new markets; moving to the cloud was the only viable option. As a result, Autodesk embraced the cloud to provide more scalability, flexibility, reliability, and security for its new subscription business model.

Implementing new, fit-for-purpose databases at Autodesk required upskilling both team members and thought processes. Because no team members were trained or certified before the migration project began, their team transformed through training. Autodesk partnered with AWS to assess their skills gaps, provide training resources, and support the migration. This enabled the successful modernization at Autodesk, delivering savings of up to 75 percent on support renewals cost—even while managing a 12x data increase and a similar increase in compute capacity. For Autodesk, this was not simply a cost-savings effort, it was a modernization effort and true improvement of the customer experience.

Purpose-built database skills are in high demand

Like Autodesk, organizations across a wide range of industries are rapidly transitioning to newer, purpose-built databases for greater customization in managing specific use cases, as well as the opportunity to innovate faster and operate more efficiently.

But it’s not just the organizations that benefit. Demand is growing for experts who have a deep knowledge of the cloud and an ability to optimize purpose-built databases. These highly sought-after skills can help you become more relevant within your organization, enabling you to drive more strategic projects. Whether your goal is to start building an exciting career by developing in-demand database skills or to expand your expertise in management, planning, and design of purpose-built databases, our courses help you gain the critical skills to become proficient and build the expertise to bring your organization’s biggest ideas to life.

Take action to upskill in AWS database services

AWS Training and Certification offers a mix of free, on-demand digital courses and virtual/in-person instructor-led classroom training, as well as a dedicated database learning path that prepares you to pursue the AWS Certified Database – Specialty certification.

(Feb 23, 2024 Update: The AWS Certified Database – Specialty will retire on April 29, 2024 and that is also the last day to access exam prep resources on Skill Builder. Learn more in this blog.)

The database learning path begins with a basic overview of different database technologies and architectures while introducing you to various AWS database services. You’ll learn the key features of AWS database services, which arm you with essential training for the in-demand skills that organizations are on the lookout for. These include:

  • Planning and Designing Databases on AWS: Attain the skills to use purpose-built databases for collecting, processing, and interpreting different types of data for a variety of use cases. Learn the process of planning and designing for both relational and nonrelational databases, and how to pick which AWS database is right for your workloads.
  • Introduction to Database Migration: Explore the best ways to migrate on-premises databases to the cloud. Learn how to migrate a production database using the AWS Database Migration Service and AWS Schema Conversion Tool. Migrate data to AWS from common databases quickly and securely, all while remaining operational.
  • AWS Database Offerings: Identify the right database for each use-case across 15 purpose-built AWS database engines. This self-paced course provides a basic overview of different database technologies and architectures while introducing you to the various AWS database services. The course also covers the concept of the purpose-built database, which changes the one-size-fits-all methodology that previously existed.

There’s never been a better time to embrace the possibilities of purpose-built databases and the evolving, in-demand career to innovate with them. Whether you’re a highly respected database administrator or just starting out as a developer, you can gain the critical skills to select, design, and manage purpose-built databases. The possibilities are virtually limitless. Start here.