From Intern to Certified AWS Solutions Architect: My Journey at Sciurus Analytics
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When I joined Sciurus Analytics Ltd. in February 2022, I was a fresh graduate stepping into the vast and exciting world of cloud computing. AWS, a cornerstone of cloud technology, was unfamiliar territory for me at the time. Over the past three years, Sciurus Analytics has been my training ground—a place where I not only developed my AWS expertise but also grew into a certified AWS Solutions Architect.
This blog is a reflection on my journey, detailing the technical backbone of Sciurus Analytics, how AWS empowers our operations, and my personal growth as part of the team.
Sciurus Analytics: Where Innovation Meets Cloud Technology
Sciurus Analytics is a technology-driven company providing financial modeling and visualization tools tailored to the pension and actuarial sectors. Our flagship product, Financial Canvas, enables actuarial teams to construct, test, and share intricate financial models effortlessly. This cloud-native platform, built entirely on AWS, is designed to handle complex data securely and scalably.
Our commitment to AWS goes beyond its role as a cloud service provider—it is deeply embedded in our engineering philosophy. AWS forms the foundation of our infrastructure, offering the scalability, resilience, and innovation we need to meet the demands of our clients.
Our AWS-Powered Tech Stack: A Deep Dive
At Sciurus Analytics, we’ve built an end-to-end AWS ecosystem to support our platform, from frontend delivery to backend data management, ETL pipelines, and monitoring. Here’s how we’ve structured our tech stack:
1. Frontend Infrastructure: Fast and Reliable Delivery
Our front-end systems are optimized for speed, security and redundancy, leveraging AWS services like:
Amazon S3: Stores static assets, ensuring high durability and availability.
Amazon CloudFront: Enhances content delivery with low-latency and global reach.
CI/CD Pipeline with CircleCI and Octopus Deploy: Facilitates automated testing, smooth deployment, and reliable updates, ensuring seamless delivery of new features to our clients.
2. Backend Systems: Flexible and Scalable
Our backend stack is designed to handle diverse workloads with efficiency and reliability:
AWS Elastic Beanstalk: Manages deployment and scaling of our applications with minimal operational overhead.
AWS ECR (Elastic Container Registry): Provides secure storage for Docker containers used across various backend services.
Database Evolution: While MongoDB supported our early operations, we’ve recently transitioned to Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, capitalizing on its relational capabilities for better scalability and performance.
3. ETL Pipelines: Data at the Core
The core of our data-driven operations lies in robust ETL pipelines built on AWS:
AWS Lambda: Handles serverless compute tasks for real-time data processing.
Amazon ECS (Elastic Container Service): Runs containerized workloads for complex data transformations.
Amazon EventBridge: Ensures smooth orchestration of event-driven workflows.
Amazon S3: Acts as a centralized data repository for both raw and processed data.
4. Monitoring and Alerting: Keeping Systems Reliable
To maintain high availability and performance, we employ advanced monitoring tools:
Amazon CloudWatch: Tracks resource usage and application health.
Sentry: Monitors application errors for rapid troubleshooting.
Slack Integration: Provides real-time alerts for immediate response to critical issues.
This robust tech stack reflects our commitment to leveraging AWS to build reliable, secure, and scalable solutions for our clients.
AWS Certification: A Personal Milestone
As I worked on Sciurus Analytics’ AWS-heavy projects, I realized the importance of formalizing my knowledge. By 2024, after over two years of hands-on experience, I decided to pursue the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification. This decision was driven by a desire to deepen my understanding and make an even greater impact at Sciurus.
Preparing for Certification
Preparing for certification while working full-time was challenging but rewarding. Here’s how I approached it:
Leveraging Work Experience: My day-to-day tasks at Sciurus Analytics often mirrored the scenarios covered in the certification, such as designing fault-tolerant architectures, optimizing cost, and implementing security best practices.
Structured Learning: I complemented my work experience with AWS training resources, online courses, and practice exams.
Problem-Solving Mindset: Every project at Sciurus Analytics was an opportunity to apply and refine my knowledge, making abstract concepts tangible.
Achieving the Certification
Passing the AWS Solutions Architect exam in November 2024 was a moment of pride and fulfilment. It marked a significant milestone in my career, reflecting not only my technical growth but also the supportive environment at Sciurus Analytics.
Why AWS Matters at Sciurus Analytics
AWS is not just a cloud provider for Sciurus Analytics—it’s a catalyst for innovation. Its broad array of services allows us to:
Scale Effortlessly: From handling spikes in data processing to supporting more clients, AWS enables seamless scalability.
Ensure Security: With AWS’s security-first architecture, we provide our clients with robust data protection.
Innovate Continuously: AWS services empower us to experiment, iterate, and deliver cutting-edge solutions faster.
Sciurus Analytics’ investment in AWS underscores our commitment to delivering value to our clients and staying ahead in the competitive financial technology space.
Reflections and Looking Ahead
My journey at Sciurus Analytics has been transformative. From my first steps as an intern to earning my AWS certification, each milestone has been a testament to the company’s dedication to growth and innovation. AWS has been at the heart of this journey, shaping not only the solutions we build but also the professionals we become.
Key Takeaways:
Hands-On Experience is Crucial: Real-world projects are the best way to learn.
Continuous Learning is Non-Negotiable: The cloud ecosystem evolves rapidly; staying updated is essential.
Collaboration Accelerates Growth: Working with a talented team amplifies your learning curve.
As I look ahead, I am excited to continue leveraging AWS to push the boundaries of what we can achieve at Sciurus Analytics. Our mission to transform the pension industry with innovative financial tools is stronger than ever.
Interested in how Sciurus Analytics leverages AWS to drive innovation? Stay tuned for more updates on our journey!