The Depth the Recert Can't Test

I’m only weeks out from recertifying my AWS Solutions Architect Professional for the second time, and most of the studying is sitting a three-hour practice exam after work and then spending another few hours going back through it afterwards. It’s an architecture exam so it does test patterns, but they’re AWS-specific service combinations, the deep single-vendor recall of one stack, and my actual days are spread across AWS, GCP, Azure, on-prem and a pile of AI tooling, jumping between Windows, Mac and Linux. The exam wants me deep in one place, and real work has been taking me wide for years. ...

June 18, 2026 · 3 min · Kashif Nazir