Research: {Byron Wai}
Introduction
I was sponsored to take an AWS Associate level certification, and I have to take the exam before August 20, I started preparing for it right after returning to Hong Kong from the UK.
Why Solution Architecture?
Currently, AWS certifications don’t have prerequisites. Generally, people start by taking the Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) to get familiar with AWS services. However, since the Cloud Practitioner exam is relatively simple and can be passed without much preparation, I decided to skip it and go straight for Solution Architecture. Solution Architecture is essentially an advanced version of Cloud Practitioner, requiring knowledge of how to use AWS services, their positioning, and their use cases. Given that my current job involves reviewing the company’s AWS infrastructure setup, studying for the Solution Architecture exam would help me better understand why certain services are used and identify potential misconfigurations during reviews. For example, a VPC is controlled by both a Security Group and a Network ACL for inbound and outbound traffic. However, the former is stateful while the latter is stateless, and both controls are active simultaneously. If you only customize the Security Group without touching the Network ACL, the VPC will use the default Network ACL, which allows all inbound and outbound traffic.
Note: Some of you may be wondering why I didn’t go for the SCS-C02, as it’s more directly related to security. Well, my free voucher doesn’t cover the Professional level, and paying $300 USD out of pocket is pretty expensive.
我打宿儺？
I started preparing around early August, thinking that since I’d gone through the Cloud Practitioner content before, it would be relatively easy, and one month should be enough. But when I opened the A Cloud Guru course, I realized that it had over 60 hours of content to go through. I also almost studied for the wrong exam — SAA-C02 — because, yes, AWS recently updated the exam to SAA-003, which includes more content related to Machine Learning, like Amazon Rekognition and Amazon SageMaker.
SAA-003 has four main domains:
- Design Secure Architectures
- Design Resilient Architectures
- Design High-Performing Architectures
- Design Cost-Optimized Architectures
In reality, the exam tests which AWS solutions should be used in various scenarios. A single question might involve 3–4 services, and while many setups could be reasonable, you need to choose the optimal one based on the context.
Dobby is free
You can take each certification directly, and once you pass the SAA-C03, it disappears.
By the time I got to the exam, I still felt like I hadn’t studied enough.
Stage of Study
A Cloud Guru is an extremely helpful platform that provides a deep yet accessible understanding of the AWS services covered in the exam. It helps with three key areas:
- Lecturing — Listening to instructors explaining AWS services.
- Hands-on labs — Practical exercises.
- Practice exams.
I studied for about two hours a day for three weeks straight, reviewing and taking notes. If I didn’t understand a service, I would first check explanations on Medium, and then go back to the official AWS introduction. By the time the exam came around, I had only managed to go through all the lessons and take three practice exams.
On AWS Skill Builder, there are materials for practice, and it’s said that the official practice exams are quite similar to the real thing. Besides the free content, AWS Skill Builder also offers paid content if you feel the free material isn’t enough.
The Exam
You can choose to take the exam at a Pearson VUE exam center or online. I personally recommend online exams since you save time not having to go to a test center. Plus, if English isn’t your native language, you can request extra time for the exam, extending the time from 140 minutes to 170 minutes.
For online exams, you need to install the Pearson VUE software. Before the exam starts, you’ll need to scan a QR code with your phone to pair it with your computer’s Pearson VUE software, then use your phone to take pictures of your ID and your testing environment. If everything checks out, the invigilator will open the mic and confirm a few things with you, like asking you to lift your computer to show the desk to ensure there are no distractions or unauthorized materials. Once your desk is clear, the exam begins.
Note: If you have trouble understanding the invigilator’s Indian accent, you can request to communicate via the chatbox.
Conclusion
I completed the exam in 139 minutes. Some of the questions were quite long, so I recommend becoming very familiar with how each AWS solution works and its specific characteristics. While the exam doesn’t focus too much on low-level configurations or setups, it heavily tests your judgment.
In the end, I barely passed, but hey, a pass is a pass! Thanks, everyone!
In the end, I didn’t have time to go through the official content…
The power of money!
Illustration of the Pearson VUE exam center: In Hong Kong exam centers, there isn’t anyone directly supervising you, but there are lots of CCTV cameras watching.
If I didn’t pass, you wouldn’t be reading this. Ain’t that right, Hamtaro? 😅
Not trying to sell anything here, but playing AWS BuilderCards to remember the different service use cases can really help with studying!
