18 Tough Certifications That Are Worth The Effort

Demonstrating Expertise in Cloud And Security Pays Off

Solution providers who aren't afraid of rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty should pursue certifications in security and cloud, according to Cary, N.C.-based business training and certification company Global Knowledge.

Five of the 18 certifications Global Knowledge said it's worth having fall under the domain of security, with skills ranging from managing IT risk to developing an information security program to complex digital forensics.

An additional three certifications touch upon cloud, with competencies spanning the gamut from Amazon Web Service to Microsoft's private cloud to VMware's multicloud infrastructure management.

The following 18 certifications aren't easy to obtain, but provide lots of opportunities for pay raises and career advancement.

18. AWS Certified Solutions Architect -- Associate

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect -- Associate is a great up-and-coming credential for people wishing to work for corporations that have gone "all-in" on the AWS Cloud, Global Knowledge said.

This certification was introduced only in mid-2013, but Global Knowledge expects it will stick around for a long time. It addresses topics such as designing on AWS, selecting the appropriate AWS services for your situation, estimating AWS costs and identifying cost control measures, and is intended for people with experience distributing applications and systems on the AWS platform.

This certification is held by just 46 of the 11,000 people who responded to a Global Knowledge survey, and is reflected in an average annual salary of $112,438.

17. Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator

The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) certification is designed to build computer forensics skills from a vendor-neutral perspective, and recipients have the skills to successfully detect attacks by hackers, gather evidence required to prosecute hackers, and prevent or minimize future threats.

The four-hour, 150-question CHFI exam is administered by the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) and requires a passing grade of 70 percent, according to Global Knowledge. It provides the level of IT security expertise necessary for positions within law enforcement, the military, the legal field and financial institutions.

This certification resulted in an average salary of $94,340 for the 21 survey respondents who hold it, according to Global Knowledge.

16. GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst

The GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA) certification is designed for people involved in advanced IT security, forensics and incident response fields, Global Knowledge found, and is awarded through the Global Information Assurance Certification.

The certification process is rigorous, according to Global Knowledge, with certificate holders well-suited to investigate a wide range of complex digital forensic cases ranging from advanced persistent threats and internal and external data breaches to anti-forensic techniques used by attackers.

GIAC certifications in total (which includes the GCFA award) are held by 54 respondents, with an average salary of $106,907, Global Knowledge found.

15. VMware Certified Professional 6 -- Cloud Management and Automation

The VMware Certified Professional 6 -- Cloud Management and Automation (VCP6-CMA) certification assures that recipients have the skills necessary to deploy and configure VMware's automation tools into VMware's virtualized data center and manage services across a multivendor, multicloud infrastructure, according to Global Knowledge.

To earn this certification, people must pass both the 65-question vSphere 6 Foundations Exam and the 85-question VMware Certified Professional 6 -- Cloud Management and Automation Exam. Demand for this certification is expected to increase as demand for cloud professionals continues to climb, Global Knowledge said.

A similar certification -- VMware Certified Professional -- Cloud -- is held by 39 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $108,333.

14. Certified Information Security Manager

Attaining a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification demonstrates that an employee can expertly develop and manage an information security program and understands the relationship between information security and the broader goals and objectives of the organization.

The four-hour, 200-question exam focuses on information security governance, information risk management and compliance, information security program development and management, and information security incident management. To apply for the CISM, people must have at least five years of work experience in information security management.

This certification is held by 307 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $118,348, making it the second-highest-paying certification held by at least 100 survey respondents.

13. Certified Information Systems Security Professional

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification has been considered the premier security certification since its creation in 1994 by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium.

The whopping six-hour, 250-question exam focuses on eight domains: security and risk management; asset security; security engineering; communications and network security; identity and access management; security exam and testing; security operations; and software development security.

Some 531 Global Knowledge survey respondents have received this certification, earning an average salary of $110,603, making it the third-highest-paying certification held by at least 100 survey respondents.

12. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: Private Cloud

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MSCE): Private Cloud certification holders can build Microsoft private cloud solutions to optimize IT service delivery and increase automation and flexibility in their organization's IT infrastructure, according to the Global Knowledge.

MCSE: Private Cloud is in demand for server administrators, systems programmers and network managers seeking careers with organizations operating in Microsoft private cloud environments. To obtain MCSE: Private Cloud, workers must pass five exams and complete a recertification every three years to demonstrate their continued ability to perform in the private cloud.

This certification is held by 30 Global Knowledge survey respondents, with salaries averaging $94,919.

11. VMware Certified Professional 6 -- Data Center Virtualization

The VMware Certified Professional 6 -- Data Center Virtualization (VCP6-DCV) designation certifies expertise in deploying VMware vSphere environments and that the recipient has the vSphere 6.0 skills to build a reliable, scalable virtualized data center.

The 90-minute, 65-question exam is easiest for employees with experience with virtual machines, VMware's Virtual Machine Fil Systems (VMFS) vCenter Server and vRealize Operations Standard. Recipients of the certification can virtualize any application and transform a virtual data center into scalable, on-demand infrastructure that can handle any cloud environment, Global Knowledge said.

This certification is held by 267 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $94,181, making it the 14th-highest-paying certification held by at least 100 survey respondents.

10. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is the vendor's highest-level credential and one of the most respected and sought-after certifications in all of IT, according to Global Knowledge.

CCIE is one of the most difficult certifications to achieve, Global Knowledge found, requiring both a two-hour written qualification exam and an eight-hour, hands-on, performance-based lab exam. The certification is offered in several specialized tracks, including collaboration, data center, routing and switching, security, service provider and wireless.

The most popular of the CCIE tracks is routing and switching, which is held by 61 Global Knowledge survey respondents who make an average annual salary of $118,521.

9. Convergence Technology Professional

The Convergence Technology Professional (CTP) certificate covers the broad skill set required of professionals managing converged voice, video and data network solutions, according to Global Knowledge.

The CTP certificate program is vendor-neutral, Global Convergence found, and builds upon the Certified in Convergent Network Technologies (CCNT) certificate to further validate voice, data and convergence skills. Certificate holders also come to understand how essential feature-rich and cost-effective unified communications technology can be to an organization.

No information is available from Global Knowledge regarding the number of certificate holders and average salary.

8. Red Hat Certified Engineer

The Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certificate provides proof that people can effectively configure networking services and security on servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux, according to Global Knowledge.

The certification testing process is rigorous and demanding, Global Knowledge found, requiring a four-hour performance-based exam measuring actual competency on live systems. The midlevel RHCE is ideal for employees supporting Linux as a primary server platform who have already obtained the Red Hat Certified Systems Administrator (RHCSA) prerequisite.

The RHCE certification is held by 41 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average annual salary of $97,384.

7. ITIL Expert

ITIL is a process framework that shifts IT from product development to a service provider model, Global Knowledge found, helping partners better align their IT capabilities with the needs of the end users.

Achieving ITIL Expert requires an ITIL Foundation certificate, 15 credits at the ITIL Intermediate level and five credits from Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC), according to Global Knowledge. The certificate can help jump-start a stagnant IT career by sharpening IT service management skills that are increasingly popular in the business world.

This certification is held by 29 Global Knowledge survey respondents, who have an average annual salary of $104,343.

6. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control

The Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certificate is intended for people managing IT risks and is offered through the nonprofit Information Systems Audit and Control Association, according to Global Knowledge.

The certification includes a written exam and requires at least three years of experience in three of the following five domains: risk response; risk monitoring; risk identification, exam and evaluation; information systems control design and implementation; and information systems control monitoring and maintenance.

This certification is held by 236 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $119,227, making it the single highest-paid certificate held by at least 100 survey respondents.

5. GRC Professional

GRC Professionals (GRCP) help their companies operate more efficiently through their knowledge of corporate governance and enterprise risk management and compliance with related laws and industry regulations, according to Global Knowledge.

The two-hour GRCP exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, Global Knowledge said, and those wishing to maintain their certification must pay an annual renewal fee and participate in continuing education. Businesses tend to institute GRC activities once they reach a certain size to ensure efficient operations, and the need for GRC Professionals continues to increase.

Governance certifications are held by 13 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $110,216.

4. CompTIA A+

CompTIA A+ is the long-time standard for entry-level computer technicians and IT help desk support, and is best-known for its vendor neutrality, according to Global Knowledge.

A+ certification holders are uniquely prepared for any environment regardless of the equipment used in their organization's IT system since the skills developed aren't tied to a particular company or technology, Global Knowledge said. More than 1 million IT professionals have been certified in A+ since its inception in 1993, and A+ certification holders are required to recertify every three years.

This certification is held by 1,628 Global Knowledge survey respondents with an average salary of $70,554.

3. Certified Associate in Project Management

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is designed for people newer to project management who can still demonstrate an understanding of the terminology and processes used to successfully manage a project, according to Global Knowledge.

CAPM candidates must have a secondary degree, at least 1,500 hours of project management experience or 23 hours of project management education, according to Global Knowledge. This certificate is typically entry-level and serves as a steppingstone to more challenging IT certificates.

This certification is held by 38 of the Global Knowledge survey respondents, and offers an average annual salary of $86,654.

2. Registered Health Information Administrator

The Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification is a must-have for people wishing to manage patient health information such as medical records, computer information systems and patient personal data, according to Global Knowledge.

The RHIA certification is popular with health professionals working with patients, health-care providers and insurance and pharmaceutical companies, Global Knowledge found, as well as people beyond the health-care industry working in consulting firms, software vendors, state and federal government, and higher-learning institutions.

This certification also touches upon ethical requirements and legal standards related to delivering health-care services, Global Knowledge said, as well as the importance of patient information privacy.

1. Project Management Professional

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification has become one of the most valued and respected certifications in the business world since its establishment 31 years ago by the Project Management Institute, according to Global Knowledge.

PMP applicants with four-year degrees must have at least three years of project management experience, including 4,500 hours leading projects and 35 hours of project management education, Global Knowledge said. The exam tests five areas related to the life cycle of a project: initiating; planning; executing; monitoring and controlling; and closing.

Three hundred eighty-seven Global Knowledge survey respondents have received this certification, earning an average salary of $109,405.

Preparing for Google Cloud Certification: Cloud Architect

Why your cloud database performance sucks

“My cloud application is slow,” is a common complaint. However, nine times out of ten the cause does not lie with the application processing or the database’s inability to serve the application at the required performance level.

It’s almost 2024. Why are we still having these issues with cloud-based database performance? What are the most common causes? How can we fix them? I have a few ideas. 

Cloud providers offer many database services, such as Amazon RDS, Azure SQL Database, and Google Cloud SQL. Sometimes the database you chose based on your application’s requirements, scalability, and performance expectations must be adjusted to ensure a more appropriate fit.

 In many cases, databases were selected for the wrong reasons. For instance, the future requires the storage and management of binaries, which leads to the selection of object databases. However, a relational database is the right choice for this specific use case. Consider all factors, including managed services, geographic locations, and compatibility. 

Also, consider performance when selecting a database type and brand. The assumption is that it’s on the cloud, and the cloud is “infinitely scalable,” so any database will perform well. The type of databases you select should depend on the data type you’re looking to store and how you’ll use the data, such as columnar hierarchical, relational, object, etc. The most popular database and the one that works for your specific use case are rarely the same.

This is huge. Efficient database design and proper indexing significantly impact performance. Most underperforming database problems trace their roots to database design issues, especially overly complex database structures and misapplied indexing.

Make sure to establish appropriate indexes to speed up data retrieval. Regularly review and optimize queries to eliminate bottlenecks. Make sure that your database schema is optimized. Also, normalize the database where necessary, but know that over-normalizing can be just as bad. For those who didn’t take Database 101 in the 1990s, it means organizing data into separate, interrelated tables or other native database containers in a database.

Normalization aims to minimize redundancy and dependency by eliminating duplicate data and breaking down larger tables into smaller, more manageable ones. I’ve found that the process of database normalization to maximize performance is often overlooked and causes many performance issues.

Although public cloud providers offer highly scalable resources to adapt to varying workloads, they often need to be more effective. You need to investigate the implementation of auto-scaling features to adjust resources based on demand and dynamically. Horizontal scaling (adding more instances) and vertical scaling (increasing instance size) can be used strategically for high-performance requirements. 

However, be careful allowing the cloud provider to allocate resources automatically on your behalf. In many instances, they allocate too many, and you’ll get a big bill at the end of the month. You should determine a balance versus just selecting the auto-scale button.

It’s best to optimize storage configurations based on the workload characteristics, not the best practices you saw in a cloud certification course. For instance, utilize SSDs for I/O-intensive workloads but understand that they are often more expensive. Also, choose the right storage tier and implement caching mechanisms to reduce the need for frequent disk I/O operations. Indeed, caching has also gone into an automated state, where you may need more granular control to find the optimum performance with the minimum cost. 

Cloud architects and database engineers need to do better at database performance. In some cases, it means getting back to the basics of good database design, configuration, and deployment. This is becoming a lost art, as those charged with cloud systems seem to prefer tossing money at the problem. That is not the way you solve problems.

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