The Datadog platform has evolved to meet the needs of organizations that are investing in cloud-based solutions and modernizations. These organizations need professionals that are highly skilled and understand how to get the most out of the Datadog platform. With our suite of products, features, and tools in mind, we wanted to offer a path for individuals to demonstrate their knowledge of our best-in-class monitoring platform and their understanding of observability best practices. That’s why we are excited to announce our new Datadog Certification Program.
We created the Datadog Certification Program to help users reinforce and validate their knowledge of our key products and ensure they’re getting the most out of our platform. This program offers professionals the opportunity to showcase practical, applied comprehension of an industry-leading platform, gain credibility among recruiters or employers in DevOps, and level up their current monitoring skills. By completing exams in the program, individuals can validate their skills and showcase their credentials in the form of badges that prove their proficiency in core aspects of the Datadog platform, including log management and application performance monitoring.
In this post, we’ll cover the details of the Datadog Certification Program and highlight how each exam helps individuals demonstrate their expertise in using our core products and technologies.
Datadog Certification Program
The Datadog Certification Program currently features three separate exams: Datadog Fundamentals, Log Management Fundamentals, and APM and Distributed Tracing Fundamentals. Each exam consists of 90 multiple-choice questions that candidates will be given two hours to complete. These exams can either be taken in-person at a dedicated test center or remotely. It’s not necessary to take all three exams to be awarded with your certification badge; each exam functions on a standalone basis and focuses on a different aspect of the platform to gauge user competency.
The exams are now live and come with test preparation materials to get you started, which can be accessed through the links below. Here’s a breakdown of the different Datadog Certification Program offerings:
Datadog Fundamentals
The Datadog Fundamentals exam is our foundational certification offering on the Datadog ecosystem. Candidates can be entry-level Datadog users who exhibit a working knowledge of Datadog’s products for common use cases. Successful completion of Datadog Fundamentals will affirm the user’s broad understanding of both the Datadog platform and how to use it effectively and efficiently. This includes highlighting competencies in Linux basics, common scripting languages and other computer fundamentals, Datadog Agent configuration and commands, and more. To begin preparing for this exam, you can enroll in our entry-level Learning Center courses, such as Datadog 101 Developer + SRE, Introduction to Monitoring, and Introduction to Integrations. You can also read our documentation on the Datadog Agent, metrics, monitor types, and other foundational tools.
Log Management Fundamentals
The Log Management Fundamentals exam dives deeper into Datadog proficiency. Candidates should have at least six months of experience using the Datadog Log Management product and associated features, along with a working knowledge of how to use Log Management in production. Those who pass this exam will display a functional knowledge of log collection in Datadog, how to parse logs and associated rules, how to search and filter logs, and how to use log analytics in troubleshooting. In preparation for this exam, you can enroll in our Introduction to Log Management or Going Deeper with Logs: Processing Learning Center courses. We also recommend reading our documentation on Logs Management, Host Agent log collection, Agent configuration files, and tags for more relevant study materials.
APM and Distributed Tracing Fundamentals
The APM and Distributed Tracing Fundamentals exam, like Log Management Fundamentals, requires a more expansive understanding of the Datadog platform. Candidates should have at least six months of experience using the Datadog APM and distributed tracing product and its associated features in production. This exam validates an understanding of different tracing architectures, how to instrument applications manually, how to use Datadog APM features, and more. To further prepare for this exam, you can enroll in our Introduction to Application Performance Monitoring and Tracking Canary Deployments with Datadog Learning Center courses. You can also read our documentation on APM and Continuous Profiler, Anomaly Monitor, SLOs, and other important features.
Testing conducted by PSI
To help us deliver the Datadog Certification Program to the public, we have partnered with PSI, a global leader in providing best-in-class assessment content through technology. Proctors from PSI, either remote or in-person, will help you get started, ensure that you are compliant with the program’s rules, and work with you to identify any extra accommodations you might require during testing.
Get started today
The Datadog Certification Program gives cloud professionals the opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in using our growing platform, emphasizing knowledge in fields like log management and application performance monitoring. To get started with the program and earn your first certification badge, visit our Datadog Certification page for registration information, test prep materials, and an FAQ list.
