The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C01) exam has a new version – AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02). Stay updated with the latest changes to earn this certification.
In this article, we are going to discuss the intriguing ways to successfully pass the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam. Firstly, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a top-notch cloud service provider, highly rated in the magic quadrant. It oversees the worldwide cloud infrastructure and has a market share equal to the total of the next four major cloud providers. AWS provides a range of certifications, and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator — Associate is one of the associate-level exams that individuals can pursue before delving into more specialized certificates.
Further, you should know the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate certification requires that the candidate shows the capability to deploy AWS solutions for various scenarios per AWS’s best practices, troubleshoot, and AWS settings for performance. In addition, the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate Certification needs its candidates to be suitable for deploying and managing full production performances on AWS.
Moving forward, you should know who can apply for this exam. So, the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate examination is designated for systems administrators in a systems operations position with at least one year of expertise in deployment, management, and operations on AWS.
Just so you know, here are the job and responsibilities you will get once you clear the exam:
- Firstly, deploying, managing and running scalable, highly accessible, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS
- Secondly, implementing and controlling the flow of data to and from AWS
- Then, selecting the appropriate AWS service based on compute, data, or security requirements
- Also, identifying appropriate use of AWS operational best practices
- Estimating AWS usage costs and identify operational cost control mechanisms
- Further, migrating on-premises workloads to AWS
About the exam
To pass the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam, you should be aware of two types of questions on the test. First, there are Multiple-choice questions where you choose one correct answer from four options. Second, there are Multiple-answers questions where there can be multiple correct answers. The exam is scored on a scale ranging from a minimum of 100 to a maximum of 1000, with a passing score of 720. There are 65 questions in the exam, including 5 unscored ones used for statistical purposes (they don’t affect your score). If you leave a question unanswered, it’s counted as incorrect, but there’s no penalty for guessing.
In addition, you will get 130 minutes to complete and it will cost you $150. If you have done any other AWS certification you would get the coupon as exam benefits which are 50% off of the next exam. In that case, the exam cost would be $75 and I think this coupon is valid for 6 months.
If you’re wondering whether there are any requirements for taking this exam, there are actually no prerequisites. However, it’s recommended that you have at least 1 year of experience working with the AWS Cloud in any capacity. Additionally, having 1 or 2 years of experience with project lifecycles would be helpful if you’re aiming for this certification.
Course Structure: AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate
The most important step while preparing for such an exam is to understand its objectives. We are making it clear that the exam outline is the syllabus of your examination. Also, this means that the question paper will include the questions related to these objectives only. As a means of demonstrating this knowledge, you will be tested across 7 different domains, with each domain contributing to a total percentage of your overall score. These domains are broken down as:
Domain 1: Monitoring and Reporting (22%)
- Creating and maintaining metrics and alarms utilizing AWS monitoring services
- Also, recognizing and differentiating performance and availability metrics
- Further, performing the steps necessary to remediate based on performance and availability metrics
Domain 2: High Availability (8%)
- Implementing scalability and elasticity based on the use case
- Also, identifying and differentiating highly available and resilient environments on AWS
Domain 3: Deployment and Provisioning (14%)
- Executing steps required to provision cloud resources
- Recognizing and remediate deployment issues
Domain 4: Storage and Data Management (12%)
- Creating and managing data retention
- Furthermore, identifying and completing data protection, encryption, and capacity planning needs
Domain 5: Security and Compliance (18%)
- Performing and managing security policies on AWS
- Also, implementing access controls when using AWS
- Moreover, distinguish between the characters and responsibility within the shared responsibility model
Domain 6: Networking (14%)
- Applying AWS networking features
- Next, realizing connectivity services of AWS
- In addition, gathering and interpreting relevant information for network troubleshooting
Domain 7: Automation and Optimization (12%)
- Using AWS services and features to manage and assess resource utilization
- Employing cost-optimization strategies for efficient resource utilization
- Furthermore, Automating the manual or repeatable process to minimize management overhead
Step-to-step Study Guide
Let us begin the discussion for ideal preparation for the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam, the following details are some of the critical steps that you should study for producing an ideal plan for your AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate preparation.
Review the Exam Objectives
To prepare effectively, it’s important to stay current with all the exam information. Certification exams change as new technology keeps advancing. So, your first step should be to visit the official AWS website and make sure you’re aligned with the latest updates. If there’s a mismatch, make sure you’re informed about all the new exam details. Take a quick look at the objectives of AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate:
- Monitoring and Reporting (22%)
- High Availability (8%)
- Deployment and Provisioning (14%)
- Storage and Data Management (12%)
- Security and Compliance (18%)
- Networking (14%)
- Automation and Optimization (12%)
AWS Whitepapers
The AWS team provides various whitepapers to help boost your technical understanding. These documents are created by the AWS team itself, as well as analysts and other partners of AWS.
Here is a list of some highly recommended whitepapers by AWS
- First and foremost, Architecting for the Cloud: AWS Best Practices
- Subsequently, Amazon Web Services: Overview of Security Processes
- Also, AWS Well-Architected Framework
- Further, Backup and Recovery Approaches Using AWS
- Lastly, How AWS Pricing Works
Books and Guides
As you know, it is very important to read and understand for such an exam like AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate. We at Testprep training strongly recommend that you should find some relevant books and guides. Besides, here are some books and guides which we refer to:
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Certification Kit: Associate SOA-C01 Exam 1st Edition by Brett McLaughlin, Sara Perrott, Ben Piper
- Also, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Associate All-in-One-Exam Guide (Exam SOA-C01) 1st Edition by Sam Alapati
- Not to mention, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C01) Cert Guide (Certification Guide) 1st Edition by Sequeira Anthony J.
- Further, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Study Guide: Associate (SOA-C01) Exam 2nd Edition, by Sara Perrott, Brett McLaughlin
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Official Study Guide: Associate Exam 1st Edition by Stephen Cole, Gareth Digby, Chris Fitch, Steve Friedberg, Shaun Qualheim, Jerry Rhoads, Michael Roth, Blaine Sundrud.
Join a Study Group
Participating in a group study can be really helpful for candidates. It motivates them to put in more effort. Studying with a group allows them to stay connected with others on the same journey. These group discussions can also be very beneficial for preparing for exams. So, practice, discuss, and work your way to becoming an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate.
Try Practice Tests
The most crucial step is to take practice tests. These tests help candidates gauge how well they’re prepared. Nowadays, you can find many practice tests online, so you can pick the one that suits you best. AWS also recommends a practice test for certification candidates to help them better understand the exam’s objectives. Using practice tests is a smart way to vary your study approach and ensure you perform your best in the real exam.
In addition, we at Testprep training also provide free practice tests for making your preparation journey easier. Give them a shot!
Tips to Remember
- First of all, gather all the related information about the exam.
- Then, download the exam outline.
- Also, attempt all the essential steps of the above-mentioned study guide.
- Further, don’t forget to try the practice test.
- Moreover, have faith in the hard work you’re doing.
Testprep training wishes you all the very best for your exam!
A great career is just a certification away. So, practice and validate your skills to become an AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate!
Start preparing for the new version: AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02) Now!
