AWS Advanced Networking Specialty Exam Prep

The Advanced Networking Specialty is one of the most technically demanding AWS exams. It tests deep knowledge of VPC architectures (multi-VPC, multi-account, multi-region), hybrid connectivity (Direct Connect, Site-to-Site VPN, Transit Gateway), DNS with Route 53 (complex routing policies, private hosted zones, resolver rules), and content delivery with CloudFront. Network design is the largest domain at 30%.

Expect questions on Transit Gateway peering, Direct Connect with multiple virtual interfaces (private, public, transit VIFs), ECMP over VPN, Route 53 Resolver inbound/outbound endpoints, and VPC endpoint services (PrivateLink). The security domain (24%) covers Network Firewall, WAF, Shield Advanced, flow logs analysis, and encryption in transit. Many questions involve diagrams or complex multi-hop network topologies.

This exam requires deep networking expertise — understanding of TCP/IP, BGP, DNS, and general network architecture is a prerequisite. Focus on Transit Gateway (routing tables, peering, multicast), Direct Connect (LOAs, VLANs, link aggregation groups, resiliency patterns), and advanced VPC features (multiple CIDR blocks, secondary ENIs, prefix lists).

Hands-on experience is critical for this exam. Practice building multi-VPC architectures with Transit Gateway, setting up hybrid DNS with Route 53 Resolver, and configuring Network Firewall policies. Review the AWS networking whitepapers and re:Invent sessions on advanced networking topics. Budget 6-8 weeks of intensive study.

The Advanced Networking Specialty is one of the most respected and rarest AWS certifications. It validates skills that are both critical and scarce — network architecture at cloud scale. Certified networking specialists command premium salaries, typically $155,000 to $200,000, and are highly sought after by enterprises with complex hybrid cloud environments.

Recommended prerequisites include 5+ years of networking experience, the Solutions Architect Associate certification, and hands-on experience with AWS networking services. This certification is particularly valuable for network engineers transitioning from traditional on-premises networking to cloud, and for architects designing large-scale enterprise connectivity.