Certifications are the standard currency for demonstrating technical competence on a résumé. But two vendor recognition programs — the AWS Heroes program and the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award — signal something beyond exam-passing ability. They identify practitioners who understand technology at a systems level, contribute actively to the broader community, and can articulate real-world impact. Yet despite their prestige within the industry, these programs are not always understood outside of it. As Microsoft MVP and solutions architect Sam Cogan noted, some CIOs have been known to think an MVP plays on the company softball team.
This article explains what each program is, what areas of specialization they cover, how nomination and selection work, and why community participation is central to both.
What the Programs Have in Common
Both the AWS Heroes and Microsoft MVP programs reward practitioners who go beyond solving surface-level problems. Microsoft MVP Shaun Cassells described the mindset well: “Whenever I am given a problem, I do not just want to solve it. I want to run it into the ground by looking deeply into what caused the problem and seeing how to address those issues as well.”
Both programs also place significant weight on community contribution — publishing technical content, speaking at conferences, producing tutorials and videos, and mentoring others. Technical depth alone is not sufficient for either award.
The AWS Heroes Program
AWS launched its Heroes program in 2014 to recognize individuals who go above and beyond in sharing AWS knowledge with the broader technical community. The program groups recipients into areas of specialization. At the time of the original article’s publication (2019), AWS divided the Heroes designation into four categories:
- Community — broad community educators and advocates
- Container — experts in container orchestration and deployment on AWS
- Machine Learning — practitioners specializing in AI and ML workloads
- Serverless — specialists in event-driven, functions-based architectures
Unlike Microsoft’s program, AWS allows individuals to self-nominate in addition to being nominated by others. The selection process evaluates community contributions such as blog posts, open-source projects, conference talks, and technical documentation.
As of the original article’s publication, there were more than 100 AWS Heroes recognized globally. Because the program evolves over time, readers should consult the official AWS Heroes page for current categories and recipient counts.
The Microsoft MVP Program
The Microsoft MVP award has a longer history and a significantly larger community. At the time of writing, Microsoft recognized MVPs in 11 technology categories:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Azure
- Business Applications
- Cloud and Data Center Management
- Data Platforms
- Developer Technology
- Enterprise Mobility
- Office Apps and Services
- Office Development
- Windows Development
- Windows Devices and IT
The MVP community was reported to include more than 4,000 recipients across 90 countries — considerably larger than the AWS Heroes program. Microsoft also hosts an annual MVP Global Summit, an invite-only event featuring in-depth technical sessions, product feedback discussions, and networking opportunities with Microsoft engineering teams and fellow MVPs.
How the Microsoft MVP Nomination Process Works
Microsoft operates a structured nomination process. A candidate must be recommended by either a current full-time Microsoft employee or an active MVP. Once nominated, the candidate receives a notification with a link and instructions to complete the formal MVP Award nomination application.
Selection decisions are made by Microsoft’s Community Management team, which the original source describes as consisting of approximately 17 executives from across Microsoft’s global regions. This team evaluates the depth and quality of a candidate’s technical contributions and community engagement before conferring the designation.
The MVP award is renewed annually. Holding the designation is not permanent — recipients must continue demonstrating active community contribution each year to retain it.
Community Contribution: The Non-Negotiable Requirement
Both programs evaluate candidates on the quality and reach of their community work. Activities that strengthen a nomination application typically include:
- Writing technical blog posts, articles, or books
- Speaking at industry conferences or user groups
- Producing tutorials, courses, or video content
- Hosting or appearing on technical podcasts
- Contributing to open-source projects or official documentation
- Mentoring other practitioners in the community
The emphasis on community output is deliberate. Both Amazon and Microsoft use these programs partly to identify external advocates who can educate users, surface real-world product feedback, and help shape how their platforms are adopted in the field. Recipients gain access to early product information, direct communication channels with engineering teams, and a peer network of similarly recognized experts.
How These Designations Compare to Certifications
Vendor certifications validate that a professional has passed a standardized exam covering a defined body of knowledge. They are widely understood by hiring managers and HR departments, and they provide a consistent benchmark.
AWS Hero and Microsoft MVP designations work differently. They are not earned through an exam. They are awarded based on peer review of real-world impact — the articles someone has written, the talks they have delivered, the projects they have shipped, and the problems they have helped others solve. As Cogan explained: “Whenever new technologies emerge, I want to understand how they work. Getting a certification demonstrates that I have that knowledge.” The Hero and MVP designations go a step further — they demonstrate that the recipient has shared that knowledge in ways that measurably benefited others.
For employers evaluating senior cloud hires, an AWS Hero or Microsoft MVP designation is a signal that the candidate is not only technically capable but also deeply embedded in the practitioner community — a distinction that a certification exam result alone cannot convey.
Key Takeaways
- The AWS Heroes program (launched 2014) and Microsoft MVP program both recognize deep technical expertise combined with active community contribution.
- AWS Heroes specializations include community, containers, machine learning, and serverless — though the program categories may have expanded since 2019.
- Microsoft MVPs are recognized across 11 categories, from Azure to AI to developer technology.
- AWS allows self-nomination; Microsoft requires nomination by an existing MVP or Microsoft employee.
- The Microsoft MVP community is substantially larger, with over 4,000 recipients globally at the time of writing.
- Both designations require ongoing community engagement and are not lifetime awards.
Original source: searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com (September 2019). Program details, category structures, and recipient counts may have changed since publication. Consult the official AWS Heroes and Microsoft MVP pages for current information.