Navigating Success: A Guide to Clearing the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Exam in 2023
Welcome to the ever-evolving world of cloud computing! In an era where businesses increasingly rely on the power and flexibility of the cloud, Google Cloud has emerged as a prominent player. As a cloud architect, you play a pivotal role in designing, building, and managing scalable and reliable cloud solutions for organizations. And now, with 2023 underway, it’s time to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to conquer the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect exam.
Embarking on this journey may feel daunting, given the vastness of GCP’s offerings and the evolving nature of cloud technologies. Fear not! In this comprehensive guide, we will navigate the intricacies of the exam, providing you with tips, key resources, and important topics. Whether you’re a seasoned cloud professional or new to the field, this article aims to empower you with the necessary resources and strategies to succeed in becoming a Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect.
So, buckle up, harness your passion for cloud computing, and let’s embark on this transformative quest to conquer the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect exam in 2023.
Prerequisites :-
This exam is not designed for beginners. To be successful, you must first obtain the Associate Cloud Engineer Certification. You can find more information on how to prepare for this exam in the following article.
Also it would be great if you have prior knowledge or hands on experience with migration.
About the PCA exam :-
Length: 2 hours
Exam format: 50–60 multiple choice and multiple select questions
Case studies: Each exam includes 2 case studies that describe fictitious business and solution concepts. Case study questions make up 20–30% of the exam and assess your ability to apply your knowledge to a realistic business situation. You can view the case studies on a split screen during the exam. See the Exam Guide for the 4 available case studies.
Important Topics :-
These are some of the topics that I faced during my exam and a lot of questions were challenging.
Google Kubernetes Engine ( Binary Authorization, NodePool upgrade, Anthos)
IAM ( Multiple questions were asked based on the principle of least privilege at organisation, folder and project level ).
Firebase ( Firebase Test Lab ).
Compute Engine (OS patching, Mig update Proactive and Opportunistic Mode).
Cloud Storage ( Retention Policy and LifeCycle Management, Storage Transfer Service, gsutil multi-threading and parallel uploads, data lake for batch data, gcs fuse, signed URL).
Cloud PubSub ( For Ingestion of Real Time data, Configuring export of logs to Cloud Pub/Sub).
Cloud DataFlow and Data Proc
Cloud Big Table ( Storage for Real time series data ).
Cloud Big Query ( Datawarehouse used for data analysis ).
Cloud SQL and Spanner
Cloud Transfer Appliance ( For huge volume of data transfer ).
Cloud Dedicated and Partner Interconnect, VPN , VPC peering , Shared VPC ( Several questions were asked about how to optimize costs, improve connection speed, and create a private connection between on-premises and GCP VPCs ).
Cloud DLP ( Use Data Loss Prevention before the Analysis of sensitive data ).
Cloud Datastore ( For session based application ).
Load Balancer ( Layer 7 and Layer 4)
Cloud CDN
Operations Suite ( Monitoring, Logging, Profiler, Debuger, Trace, Error Reporting ).
Cloud Composer
API Management ( Apigee, Cloud Endpoint ).
Vertex AI, AutoML, Video Intelligence API
Cloud KMS
Compliance Question (selecting the SLI for a particular application).
Google App Engine ( Versioning and Traffic Spliting feature ).
Cloud Armor ( Protection Against DDOS attack ).
NOTE:- I had two case studies in the exam and they were EHR and Mountkirk case study.
Resources for Preparation :-
These are the resources I used for the preparation of PCA exam and it took me about 6 months to do so.
Official Google Cloud Certified Professional Cloud Architect Study Guide by Dan Sullivan.
GCP Professional Cloud Architect: Google Cloud Certification by in28Minutes Official.
PCA exam Playlist by AwesomeGCP Youtube channel.
Google Cloud Tech — YouTube channel for more info on services like Cloud Storage, Big Query, Vertex AI etc.
GCP Sketch Book by Priyanka Vergadia for quick revision.
GCP Case Study solution by The Cloud Pilot YouTube channel.
Google Cloud Skills Boost aka Qwiklabs for hands on lab.
A collection of posts, videos, courses, qwiklabs, and other exam details for all exams: GitHUB repo by Satish VJ.
For mock tests and practise questions I used some websites and in my view it is super important to get used to the type of question that you will be facing before the actual exam.
- Practice questions from examtopics.
- Practice questions from gcp-examquestions.
- I used Whizlabs’ paid mock tests, which were helpful. However, the actual exam questions were much more difficult than what I had practiced. So, don’t be overconfident even if you are doing well on the mock tests.
Tips :-
Sleep well before the examination it is very important to have a fresh mind.
Read the questions carefully and choose the option that is Google’s best-recommended practice. Also, make sure to choose the option that is optimized for costs or performance, as per the question.
Few questions will be very tough but don’t get scared of them be calm and move on to the next one, comeback later when you are finished with the rest of the questions and have some time left.
If you have time left, review all the answers before submitting the exam.
In conclusion, with dedication, thorough preparation, and a strategic approach, you can confidently navigate your way to success in clearing the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Exam, unlocking a world of opportunities in the dynamic field of cloud computing.
ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR EXAM!
If you’ve any queries regarding this, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn.
Thank you
