Why should I take my AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam?
A Series of Tips / Advices for Software Engineers
I recently passed my AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-CO2) certification and thought I would share with you my insights on the entire process. I will also share some links that I found useful.
About the Certification
The certification is aimed at individuals who would like to be aware of how to design a solution for the cloud, it could be a hybrid or pure cloud solution. AWS says non-technical people could do the certification as well. I do think if you are non-technical and pass you would probably become more technically inclined.
As a Software Engineer, this certification is extremely useful to make one accustomed to how a software solution can be designed. You can then use parts of this to assist you in understanding how it all fits together. It really sheds light on the black box sometimes created by DevOps / SysOps.
If you are totally new to AWS and would like to have a good base I suggest first taking the AWS Cloud Practioner exam. It gives a great overview of the AWS services available which you can then solidify with the Solutions Architect exam.
Stop
If you would like to just do this exam for the sake of adding a badge to your profile without really wanting to learn how things work I suggest you stop reading :-) It could be possible to pass this exam by doing several sample exams and eventually passing. I do not recommend this as it defeats the purpose.
Important Links
I based my studying on:
- Hands-on experience with AWS
- Udemy Course by Stephane Maarek — https://www.udemy.com/course/aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-saa-c02/
3. Sample Exams — https://www.udemy.com/course/aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate-amazon-practice-exams-saa-c02/
What I Learnt from the Exam
The main takeaway for me was the newfound desire to design solutions for the cloud. All the floating pieces in my head gently clicked together.
I have been part of the process of designing systems from scratch and the exam course content provided me with a basis of how it all fits together.
I previously worked on a project where we really struggled with public and private subnets and having this basic understanding would have made my conversations with the Devops team much more meaningful for all.
How To Save Money
- Wait for the Udemy courses to go on special, usually accessing the links via a promo link gives you a discount. I tried https://coupons.businessinsider.com/udemy and when I retried my course link a discount was applied.
- Get 50% off your exam (currently $150). If you have previously done an AWS exam you can redeem your voucher to pay half the price. At the time of writing, this AWS was still offering a 50% off voucher if you sign up for their Solutions Architect challenge you will get a voucher.
How to Take the Exam
I did my exam from home via PearsonVue, you need to install a piece of software that takes control of your machine (scary I know!) and you need to sit in a quiet room with no notes close to you. You will be asked to show your camera around your room and answer a few questions. During the entire exam, you need to have your mic and camera on. I personally found this process quite draining.
Please start the sign-in process at least 30 minutes before your exam starts.
The Long Answer
Study the content, play around in AWS (set your spend limit) and schedule your exam.
Stick to your date as best as you can and work towards it. If you have worked with AWS before I would think you need between 30–40 hours of studying to pass.
What is Next?
After passing my exam I feel the desire to solidify my understanding and design principles into action. I have already started designing a simple Springboot service that would be completely managed in AWS. After this, I would like to look into more real-world problems before going for the Solutions Architect Professional or Devops Engineer exams.
All the best and I hope this article has motivated you to do the exam and with some useful links on how to prepare for it.
