My Path to Obtaining an AWS Solution Architect Associate Certificate

 Let me tell you a tale about how I earned my AWS Solution Architect Associate Certification.

It all started at my yearly performance assessment one day. My supervisor advised that I acquire an AWS certificate because I was beginning to start with cloud computing using AWS. I reluctantly consented and then, being the master procrastinator that I am, stored it away indefinitely until the appropriate time.

"Why should I even bother?" was the actual question.

Why, exactly?

I won't spend your time with the typical jargon. You've probably heard it all before. Aside from all of that, the actual reason is that, as surprising as it may sound, you may learn valuable, helpful things.

I understood very little about AWS networking: VPCs, Subnets, security groups, and so on, as well as EC2, a view I believe is held by many serverless-focused individuals. I was able to advise my coworkers on how to build together a VPC with public and private facing Subnets and servers while keeping security in mind at all times. I'll tell you everything about it in a moment.

But we're talking about honesty here, and to be honest, I finally chose to go forward with it since I promised my employer I would, and I hate breaking my word.

Before taking the associate level tests, AWS recommends at least a year of experience. Nothing is set in stone, and after 6–8 months of practical, hands-on work with S3, Lambdas, API Gateway, IAM, Cognito, and SNS, I felt more prepared.

What Exam Should I Take?

You're probably wondering if you should be an architect or a developer. The Architect Associate exam is arguably the most excellent place to start among the associate exams because it covers all the fundamentals. It makes little sense to begin the developer certification process before you are aware of the services available, understand how they function and have a solid grasp of EC2, VPCs, and VPC networking.

What Can You Expect from the Exam?

The Solution Architect Associate test consists of 65 multiple-choice questions, some of which have multiple answers. You have 130 minutes to finish it (see below for more information on gaining additional time!).

Exam Planning

Following that, I took various Netcom learning AWS training courses, and I can say that it made things easier for me.  My strategy was to take the exam, highlight whatever I want to check into for a review, and then when I went over my findings, I dug into the confusing sections, summarizing them for later.

Taking practice examinations and then analyzing the results was critical to my achievement, and taking the actual exam felt comfortable.

Take note of the language — read each question thoroughly. Even a single phrase can be the key to unlocking the solution.

Use elimination - you'll typically be able to rapidly remove one or two responses, increasing your odds significantly.

What did I get out of it?

I didn't anticipate anything more than a certification when I started, but looking back, I feel like I learned a lot.

I discovered many widely utilized services and approaches that I was previously unaware of. It is critical that you know what is available and that you can access it when it meets your requirements.

More significantly, I acquired helpful information. I was constantly falling short of AWS networking: VPCs, Subnets, Security groups, Routing tables, NACLs, and so on. I went from knowing nothing to understanding how they function and setting them up from the bottom up.