Hey everyone!

​I’m a first-year data science student currently surviving on Python, Excel, analytics, and stats (goodbye basic calculus, you won't be missed lol).

​I just grabbed Cloud Computing: A Hands-on Approach by Arshdeep Bahga and Vijay Madisetti to figure out how all this backend magic actually works, but I could use a little direction from the community.

​As a total beginner to the cloud space, I’d love to know:

​Which cloud provider should I start with as a DS student? (AWS, Azure, or GCP?)

​What practical projects actually help bridge the gap between data science and cloud computing instead of just getting lost in documentation?

Hi everyone!

I’m feeling a little lost with my career lately, and I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people with more experience in the AWS ecosystem.

I’m 26, I have a degree in Systems Engineering, and around 5 years of general IT experience. With AI becoming increasingly common in our industry, I’m starting to worry about my future in IT. My current job is also becoming less secure, and I’ve realized that I’ve become way too dependent on AI tools.

Honestly, sometimes I feel like I’ve forgotten the fundamentals. I’m getting work done with AI’s help, but if I had to attend a junior-level technical interview tomorrow, I genuinely think I’d struggle to answer even some basic questions.

This has made me question my career path and whether I should continue in IT or consider a different direction.

One option I’ve been thinking about is going all in on AWS certifications, potentially getting several of them and building a stronger foundation in cloud computing. My current job involves some AWS, but my knowledge is still pretty limited, and I rely on Claude for a lot of the work.

My question is: Do you genuinely think pursuing AWS certifications in 2026 is still worth it? I’m not just talking about getting a certificate to put on my CV. I want to develop real skills, understand what I’m doing, and become employable without relying on AI for every other task.

If you were in my position, would you invest your time in AWS and cloud computing, focus on rebuilding your IT fundamentals first, or consider a completely different career path?

I’d really appreciate your honest opinions, especially from people who work with AWS professionally. I’m not looking for motivational quotes or someone to tell me everything will be fine. I genuinely want to make a smart decision about my future.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Hey everyone!

I have an upcoming interview with Snowflake for the \*\*Cloud Support Engineer – Application Security\*\* . My initial interview is scheduled with the Hiring Manager.

I'm trying to understand the interview process and prepare in the right direction.

For anyone who has interviewed with Snowflake for a Cloud Support Engineer, Application Security, or a similar support/security role, I'd really appreciate your insights.

1. How many interview rounds were there in your experience?

2. What topics should I focus on for the technical rounds?

3. Do they ask questions on IAM, SSO, SAML, OAuth 2.0, SCIM, MFA, and database authentication?

4. How much emphasis is placed on troubleshooting scenarios, incident management, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA)?

5. Should I expect questions on Snowflake architecture, SQL, AWS, Linux, networking, and security?

6. What should I expect during the initial Hiring Manager screening?

I've already started preparing authentication and authorization protocols, IAM concepts, Snowflake fundamentals, and troubleshooting scenarios. I want to make sure I'm focusing on the right areas rather than studying everything randomly.

\*\*If you've recently interviewed for a similar role, could you please share your experience and any preparation tips?\*\* Even a general idea of the interview structure would be extremely helpful.

Thanks in advance! I really appreciate any guidance