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How to prepare for the AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty ?

Anandita Doda
How to prepare for the AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty

When cloud environments grow, so do the networking challenges. From managing multi-VPC architectures to securing hybrid connections and optimizing traffic flow across global regions, networking on AWS is no longer a side task, it’s mission-critical. The AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty certification is built for professionals who face these complexities daily and need a structured way to prove, improve, and apply their skills.

Contents
About AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty ExamWhy choose the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Exam?Who should take the Exam?Key Domains Covered in the ExamAWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Exam Step-by-Step Study PlanAWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Best Resources for PreparationAWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Salary Guide (2025)Career Path After CertificationConclusion

If you are spending too much time troubleshooting inter-region latency, manually configuring route tables, or trying to scale secure communication across multiple accounts, this certification is not just a credential, it’s a solution-focused framework. It equips you with the knowledge to design efficient, scalable, and secure networks while also validating your ability to troubleshoot and automate real-world use cases.

In this guide, we will show you how to approach preparation smartly — from pinpointing high-value services like Transit Gateway and AWS Direct Connect, to using hands-on labs, whitepapers, and proven learning paths that align with real scenarios. Let’s break down exactly what to learn, how to structure your study time, and where to practice for results.

About AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Exam

As businesses scale their cloud environments, the need for robust, secure, and high-performing networking solutions is growing rapidly. From hybrid architectures to complex routing, networking has become a cornerstone of modern cloud infrastructure. This is where the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certification comes in.

This exam is designed for experienced networking professionals who want to validate their ability to design and implement advanced AWS and hybrid network architectures at scale. Unlike foundational or associate-level exams, this one dives deep into topics like VPC design, network automation, hybrid connectivity, DNS, and security best practices.

Whether you are a network engineer, cloud architect, or DevOps professional working in enterprise settings, this certification can significantly boost your credibility, salary, and career growth in 2025. However, it is also one of the most challenging exams in the AWS certification track, so having a clear study plan is critical. Let us begin.

Why choose the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Exam?

In today’s cloud-first world, networking is no longer just about routers and switches. It is about designing secure, scalable, and cost-efficient infrastructure that supports global applications, hybrid environments, and multi-account setups. The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam validates your ability to work in precisely these complex settings.

One of the biggest advantages of earning this certification is the career flexibility it brings. Whether you are aiming for roles such as Cloud Network Engineer, AWS Solutions Architect, or Network Security Consultant, this credential proves that you understand how to build and manage advanced networking solutions on AWS.

Another key motivator is salary growth. Certified networking professionals typically command higher compensation. In fact, according to recent surveys, AWS Specialty certifications consistently rank among the highest-paying cloud credentials worldwide.

Additionally, in 2025, more organizations are adopting hybrid and multi-cloud strategies. This creates a strong demand for professionals who can seamlessly connect on-premises systems with AWS, set up Transit Gateways, use PrivateLink for secure service access, and automate networking tasks. This exam is your opportunity to prove those skills.

Lastly, this certification helps distinguish you in a crowded field. It shows not only technical knowledge but also your ability to manage real-world networking challenges using AWS tools and best practices.

Who should take the Exam?

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam is not for beginners. It is specifically designed for professionals who already have hands-on experience in designing and implementing networks, both on-premises and in the cloud. If you are someone who works with complex networking architectures, this certification is a natural next step in your career.

You should consider this exam if you meet most of the following criteria:

  • You have at least 5 years of experience in traditional networking (including routing, switching, DNS, firewalls, etc.)
  • You have 2 or more years of experience working with AWS services, especially VPC, Direct Connect, VPN, Load Balancing, and Route 53
  • You are comfortable with hybrid environments and multi-account AWS setups
  • You understand network security, compliance, and automation tools like CloudFormation or the AWS CLI

While there are no formal prerequisites, it is highly recommended that you first earn the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification. These will provide the foundational AWS knowledge needed for this advanced exam.

This certification is ideal for roles such as:

  • Network Engineers
  • Cloud Architects
  • DevOps Engineers with a networking focus
  • Network Security Professionals
  • IT Infrastructure Architects working in hybrid cloud setups

If you are already in one of these roles—or aspiring to move into one—this certification can validate your skills and open up opportunities in enterprise and consulting environments alike.

Here is an exam overview –

FeatureDetails
Exam CodeANS-C01
Certification LevelSpecialty
Target AudienceExperienced networking or cloud professionals
Question FormatMultiple-choice and multiple-response questions
Exam Duration170 minutes
Passing ScoreAWS does not publish the exact passing score
Exam Fee$300 USD (plus applicable taxes)
Delivery MethodPearson VUE or PSI (online proctored or in-person)
Language AvailabilityEnglish, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese
Recommended Experience5+ years of networking + 2+ years of hands-on AWS networking experience
PrerequisitesNone officially, but Solutions Architect Associate is strongly recommended

Key Domains Covered in the Exam

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam evaluates your ability to design, implement, and manage networking solutions that are scalable, highly available, and secure. The exam content is divided into six major domains. Understanding the focus of each domain is essential for planning your study strategy.

Domain 1: Network Design (30%)

Task Statement 1.1: Design a solution that incorporates edge network services to optimize user performance and traffic management for global architectures.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.2: Design DNS solutions that meet public, private, and hybrid requirements.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.3: Design solutions that integrate load balancing to meet high availability, scalability,
and security requirements.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.4: Define logging and monitoring requirements across AWS and hybrid networks.
Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.5: Design a routing strategy and connectivity architecture between on-premises
networks and the AWS Cloud.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.6: Design a routing strategy and connectivity architecture that includes multiple AWS
accounts, AWS Regions, and VPCs to support different connectivity patterns.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Domain 2: Network Implementation (26%)

Task Statement 2.1: Implement routing and connectivity between on-premises networks and the AWS Cloud.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 2.2: Implement routing and connectivity across multiple AWS accounts, Regions, and VPCs to support different connectivity patterns.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 2.3: Implement complex hybrid and multi-account DNS architectures.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 2.4: Automate and configure network infrastructure.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Domain 3: Network Management and Operations (20%)

Task Statement 3.1: Maintain routing and connectivity on AWS and hybrid networks.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.2: Monitor and analyze network traffic to troubleshoot and optimize connectivity patterns.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.3: Optimize AWS networks for performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

  • Optimizing for network throughput (AWS Documentation: Amazon EC2 instance network bandwidth)
  • Selecting the right network interface for the best performance (for example, elastic network interface, Elastic Network Adapter [ENA], Elastic Fabric Adapter [EFA]) (AWS Documentation: Elastic Fabric Adapter)
  • Choosing between VPC peering, proxy patterns, or a transit gateway connection based on analysis of the network requirements provided (AWS Documentation: Transit gateway design best practices, Automate the setup of inter-Region peering)
  • Implementing a solution on an appropriate network connectivity service (for example, VPC peering, Transit Gateway, VPN connection) to meet network requirements (AWS Documentation: Transit VPC solution)
  • Implementing a multicast capability within a VPC and on-premises environments (AWS Documentation: Working with multicast)
  • Creating Route 53 public hosted zones and private hosted zones and records to optimize application availability (for example, private zonal DNS entry to route traffic to multiple Availability Zones)
  • Updating and optimizing subnets for auto-scaling configurations to support the increased application load (AWS Documentation: UpdateAutoScalingGroup)
  • Updating and optimizing subnets to prevent the depletion of available IP addresses within a VPC (for example, secondary CIDR) (AWS Documentation: Subnets for your VPC)
  • Configuring jumbo frame support across connection types (AWS Documentation: Network maximum transmission unit (MTU) for your EC2 instance)
  • Optimizing network connectivity by using Global Accelerator to improve network performance and application availability (AWS Documentation: AWS Global Accelerator)
Domain 4: Network Security, Compliance, and Governance (24%)

Task Statement 4.1: Implement and maintain network features to meet security and compliance needs and requirements.

Knowledge of:

  • Different threat models based on application architecture
  • Common security threats (AWS Documentation: Security and compliance)
  • Mechanisms to secure different application flows
  • AWS network architecture that meets security and compliance requirements

Skills in:

  • Securing inbound traffic flows into AWS (for example, AWS WAF, AWS Shield, Network Firewall) (AWS Documentation: AWS WAF, AWS Shield, and AWS Firewall Manager)
  • Securing outbound traffic flows from AWS (for example, Network Firewall, proxies, Gateway Load Balancers) (AWS Documentation: AWS Network Firewall example architectures with routing)
  • Securing inter-VPC traffic within an account or across multiple accounts (for example, security groups, network ACLs, VPC endpoint policies) (AWS Documentation: Internetwork traffic privacy in Amazon VPC)
  • Implementing an AWS network architecture to meet security and compliance requirements (for example, untrusted network, perimeter VPC, three-tier architecture) (AWS Documentation: Architecture)
  • Developing a threat model and identifying appropriate mitigation strategies for a given network architecture
  • Testing compliance with the initial requirements (for example, failover test, resiliency) (AWS Documentation: AWS Direct Connect Failover Test)
  • Automating security incident reporting and alerting using AWS (AWS Documentation: Automating Incident Response)

Task Statement 4.2: Validate and audit security by using network monitoring and logging services.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

Task Statement 4.3: Implement and maintain the confidentiality of data and communications of the network.

Knowledge of:

Skills in:

AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Exam Step-by-Step Study Plan

Preparing for the AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty exam requires both a strong foundation in cloud networking and structured hands-on practice. Below is a week-by-week plan designed for 6–8 weeks of focused preparation. You can adjust the pace depending on your experience level.

Week 1: Understand the Exam Framework

  • Download and review the official AWS exam guide and sample questions
  • Study the six key domains and their weighting
  • Set up your study calendar
  • Sign up for a free AWS account or use AWS Skill Builder labs

Goal: Get familiar with what will be tested and how the exam is structured

Week 2: Hybrid Networking and Connectivity

  • Deep dive into AWS Direct Connect, Site-to-Site VPN, and hybrid architectures
  • Practice setting up VPN tunnels, BGP, and routing policies
  • Understand how to design failover between VPN and Direct Connect

Goal: Master hybrid and cross-site networking configurations

Week 3: VPC Design, Peering, and Multi-Account Networking

  • Explore VPC architectures, subnetting, and CIDR management
  • Study VPC peering, Transit Gateway, PrivateLink, and VPC Lattice
  • Configure and troubleshoot multi-account and multi-region setups

Goal: Learn how to scale and secure AWS network designs

Week 4: Automation and Infrastructure as Code

  • Practice CloudFormation templates for setting up networks
  • Use AWS CLI and SDKs (like Boto3) for automating tasks
  • Explore network-related APIs and scripts for repeatability

Goal: Automate network deployments and reduce manual effort

Week 5: Application Integration and Security

  • Study integration of CloudFront, Elastic Load Balancing, App Mesh, and API Gateway
  • Review Security Groups, NACLs, VPC Flow Logs, and encryption
  • Explore security compliance standards like PCI, HIPAA, and SOC on AWS

Goal: Learn how to connect services securely and meet compliance needs

Week 6: Monitoring, Troubleshooting, and Optimization

  • Practice with CloudWatch, Reachability Analyzer, and VPC Flow Logs
  • Use AWS Config, X-Ray, and CloudTrail for auditing and diagnostics
  • Review performance tuning and latency optimization techniques

Goal: Build confidence in identifying and resolving real-world issues

Week 7–8: Practice Exams and Final Review

  • Take at least 2 full-length mock exams (e.g., from Tutorials Dojo or Whizlabs)
  • Review missed questions and revisit weak topics
  • Re-read key whitepapers and revisit sample questions
  • Rest well and schedule your exam via Pearson VUE or PSI

Goal: Strengthen weak areas and simulate the test environment

AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Best Resources for Preparation

To succeed in the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam, you need more than just theory. You must combine official documentation, real-world practice, and reliable mock tests to build both confidence and competence. Below are the most trusted and high-impact resources to include in your study plan.

1. Official AWS Exam Guide and Sample Questions

Begin your preparation by downloading the official exam guide and sample questions from the AWS Certification site. These resources give you a clear understanding of what domains are covered and the type of questions you may encounter.

2. AWS Whitepapers and Documentation

Key whitepapers include:

  • AWS Well-Architected Framework (Networking Lens)
  • Hybrid Connectivity (Direct Connect + VPN)
  • Security Best Practices for VPCs
  • Transit Gateway & PrivateLink docs

Reading these builds a strong theoretical base for the real-world scenarios you will be tested on.

3. AWS Skill Builder

AWS’s official learning platform offers self-paced Specialty-level courses and hands-on labs. Look for the Advanced Networking Learning Plan, which aligns closely with the exam domains.

4. AWS Free Tier or Sandbox Practice Account

Create a personal AWS Free Tier account to build your own VPCs, set up peering, deploy NAT Gateways, and simulate hybrid connections. Hands-on experience is absolutely essential for this exam.

5. Focused Video Courses (Optional)

You can optionally follow structured video courses that explain each domain with hands-on labs, visuals, and deep dives.

6. Practice Exams

7. Community Forums and Study Groups

Join active communities like:

  • r/AWSCertifications on Reddit
  • AWS Discord Study Servers
  • LinkedIn groups for AWS Specialty candidates
    These groups help you stay motivated, discuss tricky concepts, and learn from others’ exam experiences.

AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty Salary Guide (2025)

Earning the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certification can significantly enhance your earning potential. This credential is highly regarded in the cloud industry and is associated with some of the highest salaries among AWS certifications.

Global Salary Overview

RegionAverage Annual Salary (USD)
North America$151,676
Europe$137,698
Asia-Pacific$138,000

Note: Salaries can vary based on experience, location, and company size.

India-Specific Salary Insights

In India, professionals with the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certification can expect competitive salaries, reflecting the growing demand for cloud networking expertise.

Experience LevelAverage Annual Salary (INR)
Entry-Level (0–2 years)₹4,00,000 – ₹8,00,000
Mid-Level (3–6 years)₹8,00,000 – ₹15,00,000
Senior-Level (7+ years)₹15,00,000 – ₹25,00,000+

Note: These figures are approximate and can vary based on factors such as location, company, and individual skill sets.

Factors Influencing Salary

Several factors can impact the salary of AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty professionals:

  • Experience: More years in the field typically lead to higher compensation.
  • Location: Salaries can vary significantly between regions and cities.
  • Company Size and Industry: Larger companies or those in high-demand industries may offer higher salaries.
  • Additional Certifications: Holding multiple AWS certifications can enhance your value to employers.
  • Specialized Skills: Expertise in areas like security, automation, and hybrid cloud networking can lead to higher pay.

Career Path After Certification

Passing the AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam not only validates your deep expertise in cloud networking, it also opens doors to a wide range of senior-level roles. Whether you are currently a cloud engineer, system architect, or networking specialist, this certification sets the stage for high-impact career progression.

Common Career Progression After Certification

1. Cloud Network Engineer
A natural next step for certified professionals, this role focuses on designing and managing scalable network infrastructure in the cloud. You will handle advanced VPC configurations, hybrid connections, and performance optimization.

2. Solutions Architect (with Networking Focus)
Many professionals pivot into cloud architecture after gaining networking expertise. You will design secure, cost-efficient network architectures across multiple accounts or regions, often guiding both development and operations teams.

3. DevOps Engineer – Network Automation
If you have skills in scripting and infrastructure as code, you may move into DevOps roles with a specialization in automating network provisioning, scaling, and monitoring using AWS tools.

4. Network Security Specialist
This path is ideal if you are focused on compliance, threat protection, and secure access. Your job would involve implementing zero-trust architecture, encryption, and secure access to cloud resources.

5. Cloud Infrastructure Lead / Architect
This senior-level position involves managing entire network infrastructures, advising organizations on best practices, and leading cloud migration strategies with complex networking components.

Relevant AWS Certifications to Continue With

After completing this specialty certification, you may consider:

  • AWS Certified Security – Specialty (for compliance and secure network design)
  • AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (for automation-heavy roles)
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (for overall system design)

Freelance & Consulting Opportunities

Certified professionals also command high rates in freelance consulting roles, especially for enterprise clients needing secure hybrid or multi-region architectures. Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal feature strong demand for AWS network experts.

Conclusion

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty exam is not just another certification—it is a rigorous validation of your ability to design, implement, and manage complex networking solutions in the cloud. As organizations increasingly adopt hybrid architectures, scalable VPC designs, and secure connectivity, certified professionals are in high demand.

Preparing for this exam requires more than memorizing facts. It demands hands-on practice, a deep understanding of AWS services, and a structured study plan that covers each domain in depth. By following the step-by-step plan, leveraging official AWS resources, and working through real-world scenarios, you will not only be ready for the exam—you will also grow into a highly capable cloud networking professional.

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