How to Pass the AWS Solution Architect Exam on Your First Try: A Comprehensive Guide for All Levels

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Are you looking for a way to boost your career in cloud computing? Do you want to learn how to design and implement scalable, secure, and cost-effective solutions using AWS services? If yes, then you should consider taking the AWS solution architect exam. This exam is one of the most popular and sought-after certifications in the cloud industry. It validates your ability to use AWS services and best practices to create solutions for various scenarios and use cases.

The AWS solution architect exam covers a wide range of topics, such as:

· AWS fundamentals, such as regions, availability zones, virtual private cloud (VPC), security groups, etc.

· AWS compute services, such as EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk, ECS, EKS, etc.

· AWS storage services, such as S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier, etc.

· AWS database services, such as RDS, DynamoDB, ElastiCache, Redshift, etc.

· AWS networking services, such as VPC, Route 53, ELB, API Gateway, etc.

· AWS security services, such as IAM, KMS, Cognito, WAF, etc.

· AWS application integration services, such as SNS, SQS, SWF, etc.

· AWS management and governance services, such as CloudFormation, CloudWatch, CloudTrail, etc.

The exam consists of 65 multiple-choice or multiple-answer questions that you have to complete within 130 minutes. The passing score is 720 out of 1000. The exam fee is $150 USD. You can take the exam online or at a testing center. You can also take a practice exam for $20 USD to familiarize yourself with the format and difficulty level of the exam.

To prepare for the exam effectively, you need to follow a systematic approach that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of AWS. Here are some steps that you can follow:

1. Review the exam guide and sample questions provided by AWS. This will give you an overview of the exam objectives and domains. You can also check the recommended knowledge and experience for taking the exam. You can find the exam guide [here] and the sample questions [here].

2. Enroll in a reputable online course that covers all the topics of the exam in depth. There are many courses available on platforms like Udemy or Coursera that offer comprehensive and updated content for the exam preparation. Some of the popular courses are:

· “AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate 2023” by Stephane Maarek . This course has over 871k students and 4.7 rating. It covers all the topics of the exam with 27 hours on demand videos, articles, downloadable resources , and practice exams.

· “AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate — Step by Step” by Ranga Karanam on Udemy. This course has over 53k students and 4.6 rating. It covers all the topics of the exam with lectures, quizzes, labs, and practice exams.

· “AWS Fundamentals Specialization” by Coursera Project Network on Coursera. This specialization has Three courses that cover the basics of AWS services and solutions.

3. Read the official documentation and whitepapers provided by AWS. These are the best sources of information for learning about the features and best practices of AWS services and solutions. You can find the documentation [here] and the whitepapers [here]. Some of the important whitepapers that you should read are:

• AWS Well-Architected Framework. This whitepaper describes the principles and best practices for designing and operating reliable, secure, efficient, and cost-effective systems in the cloud.
• AWS Cloud Best Practices. This whitepaper provides a collection of best practices for various aspects of cloud computing, such as security, scalability, performance, availability, etc.
• Architecting for the Cloud: AWS Best Practices. This whitepaper provides guidance on how to apply the best practices of cloud architecture to different scenarios and use cases using AWS services.

4. Practice with hands-on labs and projects using AWS services and solutions. This will help you gain practical experience and confidence in working with AWS. You can use the free tier or student account provided by AWS to access various services and resources for learning purposes. You can also use platforms like Qwiklabs or Cloud Academy that offer guided labs and projects for learning AWS skills. Some of the labs and projects that you can try are:

• Create Your First Amazon EC2 Instance (Linux). This lab will teach you how to launch and configure an EC2 instance using the AWS console and SSH.
• Create Your First Amazon S3 Bucket. This lab will teach you how to create and manage an S3 bucket using the AWS console and CLI.
• Create a Serverless Web Application. This project will teach you how to create a serverless web application using Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB, and S3.

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5. Test your knowledge and readiness with practice exams and mock tests. This will help you assess your strengths and weaknesses and identify the areas that you need to improve. You can use the practice exam provided by AWS or other platforms like Whizlabs or ExamPro that offer realistic and updated mock tests for the exam preparation. Some of the practice exams and mock tests that you can try are:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate Practice Exam. This is the official practice exam provided by AWS that simulates the real exam environment and questions. It costs $20 USD and you can take it online or at a testing center.
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Practice Tests 2023. This is a course by Jon Bonso on Udemy that offers six full-length mock tests with 390 unique questions and detailed explanations. It has over 200k students and 4.7 rating.
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Exam Simulator. This is a platform by ExamPro that offers unlimited access to 500+ questions and explanations, flashcards, cheat sheets, and video tutorials for the exam preparation. It costs $29 USD per month.

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By following these steps, you will be able to prepare for the AWS solution architect exam effectively and efficiently. You will also be able to enhance your skills and knowledge in AWS and cloud computing. Passing this exam will open up many opportunities for you in terms of salary hikes and career advancement. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of an AWS solution architect in the USA is $113,000 per year. According to Indeed, the most common career paths for an AWS solution architect are:

• Senior Solution Architect
• Cloud Engineer
• DevOps Engineer
• Cloud Architect
• Data Engineer
• Data Scientist

I hope this article was helpful and informative for you, and these links and hyperlinks are provided in this article based on the content quality and feedback of users. I do not give theses with the intention of affiliate marketing nor have I tried to do so.If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I wish you all the best for your exam preparation and success. Happy learning! 😊