Getting Started

I successfully completed the SAP-C02 exam in November 2023. This was my second professional certification, and I’m here to share the study approach I adopted.

The AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam is one of two Professional-level certifications currently offered by AWS. This exam assesses advanced skills in designing intricate solutions to difficult challenges, optimizing for security, cost, and performance, as well as automating manual tasks. Be ready for extensive and intricate questions during the test.

The insights gained from this certification will enable you to maintain solutions that are secure, scalable, and resilient.

Throughout my preparation, I encountered AWS Services I had not previously worked with, so I dedicated significant time to learning and comprehending them. My comprehensive study journey spanned approximately four months, encompassing the main course, hands-on practice, FAQs, mock exams, and reviewing services and features that required further attention.

Typically, I studied at the end of the day, adjusting to my work commitments. On weekdays, I would dedicate about 3 to 4 hours, while on weekends and holidays, I managed to study for around 6 to 8 hours. My course completion took longer than expected, as I prefer taking notes, transcribing key points, and reviewing architectural examples and use cases for a deeper understanding. The thoroughness of my documentation varied depending on my familiarity with each topic.

Your daily study routine is solely dependent on your personal preferences. Whether you're a morning person or work better at night, you know your optimal study times better than anyone else.

Best Courses and Practice Exams

For my studies, I favored the courses available at https://learn.cantrill.io/. These courses provide an in-depth exploration of each service, which, although time-consuming, is worthwhile. Additionally, Stephane Maarek's courses on Udemy are excellent options as well. Don’t overlook the FAQs!

For practice exams, I utilized resources from Tutorial Dojo by John Bonso and Whizlabs.

DO NOT RUSH THE PROCESS! Preparing for these certifications demands time, especially if you’re new to cloud computing. It’s normal to take time to absorb the material and gain practical experience.

AWS Certification Roadmap

1. AWS Cloud Practitioner

2. AWS Solutions Architect — Associate

   The emphasis of this certification is on creating cost-efficient and performance-optimized solutions while demonstrating a robust understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework. Achieving this certification can enhance career prospects and income potential, as well as boost credibility and confidence in interactions with stakeholders and clients.

3. AWS Solutions Architect — Professional

   Ideal candidates for this exam should have two or more years of experience utilizing AWS services to design and implement cloud solutions. They should be able to assess cloud application requirements and provide architectural recommendations for deploying applications on AWS.

Solutions Architect Skills

Here are some essential skills required to become a Solutions Architect:

Don’t feel overwhelmed by this list. You will gradually acquire these skills through hands-on experience, dealing with challenges, managing clients, and collaborating with others. Always seek guidance from colleagues for advice on technologies and services where you may lack expertise.

Exam Domains

• Design for organizational complexity
• Design for new solutions
• Continuous improvement of existing solutions
• Accelerate workload migration and modernization

Study Paths

There are multiple approaches for studying for the certifications:

• Slow Approach: Engage fully with the certification course, complete the demonstrations, comprehend how services integrate with one another, read whitepapers and FAQs, take practice exams, revisit course materials, and finally, attempt the certification exam. This is the path I recommend, as it enriches your knowledge and enhances your capabilities as an IT professional.
• Fast Approach: Start with a practice exam covering all domains, which will score you and highlight the areas needing improvement. Focus your studies on those domains and repeat the process. I advise this only if you have a tight deadline for certification. BE AWARE this method may not yield substantial learning.

Exam Topics

Here are some AWS services and features relevant to the exam. Remember that questions often involve use cases, requiring knowledge of at least three services and their features:

1. Organization
   • SCP
   • Centralized billing and logs across accounts
2. AWS Billing and Cost Management
   • Cost Explorer
   • Cost Allocation Tags
   • Budgets
3. IAM
   • Roles and integration with on-premises identity providers
4. CloudFormation
   • Stacksets and nested stacks
5. AWS DMS (Database Migration Service)
   • Supported migration engines
6. AWS MGN (Application Migration Service)
   • Replication strategies
7. 7 Rs Migration Strategy
   • Various migration strategies and use cases
8. CloudFront
   • Cache behavior and edge locations
9. AWS WAF
   • Rules for application layer attacks
10. AWS EC2
    • Migration scenarios and ASG usage
11. AWS Lambda
    • Service integration and deployments
12. Others
    • Including Amazon Connect, Amazon Kendra, etc.

Useful Links

• [AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional official page](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-professional/)
• [AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional Exam Guide](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-professional/)
• [Exam Prep: AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-solutions-architect-professional/)

Considerations

The exam typically features questions involving 3 to 4 services and their integrations. Expect real-world scenarios and tricky questions. Always practice with mock exams, as they are invaluable for preparation.

The exam consists of 75 questions to be completed in 220 minutes (with accommodations), plus 5-10 minutes for surveys. I recommend scheduling your exam in the morning when you’re likely to be most alert.

Feel free to share your experiences or any differences you encountered in your certification exam.

Good luck with your upcoming AWS certification! I hope this guide proves useful in your preparation.