The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner validates a foundational, high-level understanding of AWS Cloud, services, and terminology. This is a good starting point on the AWS Certification journey for individuals with no prior IT or cloud experience switching to a cloud career or for line-of-business employees looking for foundational cloud literacy.
— Amazon
The D-Day
You will have 90 minutes, and there will be 65 multiple-choice questions. If you get stuck on a question, just mark it for review and do it towards the end. There is time pressure, and I won’t suggest you waste time on a single question. As you might have guessed, you’ll get only 1.40 minutes to read and mark your answers in the exam. I completed my first run of the test in about 75 minutes, giving me plenty of time to review any unanswered questions.
How to Register?
Exam fee is $100. Amazon offers the following language options: English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Bahasa (Indonesian), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), French (France), German, Italian, and Portuguese (Brazil).
You can take the exam in two different ways: online with a proctor or in person at a designated testing centre. The choice is entirely yours based on your preference and situation. I decided to attempt the online proctored exam; however, technical issues disrupted the process. As a result, I chose to take the exam at the testing centre instead. This option provided a more stable environment and peace of mind for me to complete the test.
How to prepare?
A preparation period of two months is generally adequate, assuming a commitment of at least two hours of study each day. The examination will encompass a broad range of AWS services, although the questions will not require in-depth subject knowledge. Hence, it is vital to possess a fundamental understanding of most services.
Key focus areas
👉 Basic knowledge of the cloud and its usefulness
👉 Essential services and scenario-based questions
👉 AWS Well-Architected Framework
👉 AWS Organization
👉 AWS Support Models
👉 Global Infrastructure
👉 IAM (Identity and Access Management)
👉 Security
👉 Networking
Key Resources
I wanted to share some links and resources that I found particularly useful during my research. These materials cover various topics and can provide valuable insights. I hope you find them helpful in your own endeavors as well! If you have any questions about them, feel free to reach out.
☑ AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials — This course is for individuals who seek an overall understanding of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud, independent of specific technical roles. You will learn about AWS Cloud concepts, AWS services, security, architecture, pricing, and support to build your AWS Cloud knowledge.
☑ Stephen Marek’s training course on Udemy — One of the best courses out there.
☑ Mock tests on Udemy —Don’t appear in the exam without extensive mock tests (I took about 20).
☑ Neal Davis’ AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Training Notes — I found Neal Davis’s cheat sheet on Kindle very helpful. The language is simple, and it’s suitable for the final revision just before the exam
☑ AWS documentation — Don’t miss AWS documentation. You can find the details about various AWS services here.
☑ Andrew Brown’s training videos on YouTube — You may also check the 14-hour YouTube video created by Andrew Brown; though it’s a bit extensive still, I would recommend it.
☑ Utilize the AWS Free Tier or labs to gain hands-on experience with core services such as EC2, S3, and IAM.
AWS certification is more than just passing an exam; it serves as a pathway to deepening your technical knowledge, enhancing your career prospects, and building confidence in cloud services. By maintaining discipline, gaining hands-on experience, and effectively utilizing AWS resources, you are not only preparing for certification but also developing a skill set that is highly valued across various industries. Nowadays, every organization has either migrated to the cloud or is planning to transition its infrastructure to the cloud. Since AWS is a leading player among cloud service providers, having practical knowledge of AWS gives you a competitive edge.
Leave a Reply