Professional certifications are quickly becoming the go-to way to prove to employers that you know what you’re doing in your field, whether it’s design or management, business administration or IT. But what do they actually mean? What are they trying to test? And who should get one? This guide to the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification will walk you through these questions and more.
What exactly is an associate architect?
An associate architect is a more junior level of the professional architectural design. Generally, they are responsible for performing tasks such as research, analysis, design development, detail design, project management and construction administration. Associate architects often work in teams with other architectural professionals on a variety of projects.
You will be tested on your knowledge of Amazon Web Services (AWS) with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification exam questions. You will be able to show your knowledge about how cloud-computing works and how you can use AWS to build scalable applications that can handle high workloads. The exam contains 75 questions that have time limits of 60 minutes per question (no partial credit). The passing score is 500 points out of 750 total points.
Who needs to become a certified associate architect?
An individual with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification has knowledge about designing, deploying, and managing applications on the Amazon Web Services platform. The associate level certifications are designed to validate the skills of an individual in a specific discipline.
The associate level of this certifications covers all of the core areas of what is aws certified solutions architect as well as some specialisation topics in order to create a comprehensive understanding of how to design and build scalable, resilient, secure systems with Amazon Web Services.
This certificate can be earned by individuals already working in an architecture or engineering role with experience using any one or more of the following toolsets: Amazon EC2, EBS, S3, ELB or Auto Scaling.
How do you get the certification?
There are two ways to get the certification. One is by taking a course from an accredited institution, which can take up to six months. The other option is to pass the exam after taking a training course or reading the official study guide.
The test has 60 questions, lasts 90 minutes, and has five parts that cover architecting on AWS, designing on AWS, deploying on AWS, operating on AWS and security in depth. You can also retake the exam if you don’t pass. If you have successfully passed the examination, you will receive a certificate with your results within 10-14 days.
What’s covered by the exam(s)?
The exam covers a broad range of topics that are intended to determine the examinee's knowledge and skills in designing distributed solutions on the AWS platform. These topics include differentiating between the various types of cloud computing, identifying core components of a cloud solution, understanding the role of Amazon EC2 instances, identifying storage options for Amazon EC2 instances, etc.
Examinees are expected to demonstrate familiarity with designing scalable solutions using Elastic Load Balancing, Auto Scaling Groups and CloudWatch Metrics. They should also be able to identify features in each service (EC2, S3) that make them appropriate for different scenarios. The exam tests knowledge in deploying secure solutions using IAM Roles and Policies as well as securing data with Amazon S3 encryption capabilities.
Do you need work experience in order to pass?
You do not need any work experience to pass the exam. In order to achieve this certificate, you will need knowledge in the following areas:
- Architecture design patterns
- Designing scalable systems
- Business and technical requirements gathering
- Network fundamentals
- Identity and access management (IAM)
- Cost optimization techniques
What are my chances of getting through the exam(s)?
Many AWS Certifications are in high demand. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam has a pass rate of 74%. This means that 26% of people taking the exam will not pass. If you don't pass, your money is refunded so you can retake the exam as many times as you need to in order to pass.
For tips on how to do well on the exam check out our blog post How To Pass The AWS Certified Solutions Architect-Associate Exam. We provide tips such as how much time to allot per question, how best to prepare, which areas are most important to study for, and more.
Will I get feedback on my performance in the exam(s)?
No, you will not receive feedback on your performance in the exam. However, at the end of the exam, you will receive a Pass or Fail message. If you fail, an email address appears where you can send a request to retest. The email indicates how long until your retake date will be ready.
To retake an exam, you must pay the $150 examination fee. Retake requests are available within 60 days from when your previous failed attempt was made. You may have only one active retake request at a time. You do not need to pass any of the exams in order to take them again. Each exam can be taken as many times as you like.
Does this make me an expert in cloud computing technologies?
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification can help you get started in a career as a cloud computing technologies engineer. The AWS is the most popular cloud computing platform on the market today, so this credential could be helpful to your resume.
There are three tests that are required to earn this certifications, which include multiple-choice questions, drag-and-drop questions, and simulation type questions. You have 90 minutes per test to complete them all. You can register for these exams through Pearson VUE with an initial registration fee of $150 USD if you take the exam outside of North America.
Final Thoughts
There are two levels of certification in AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate. The exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions which are taken in a timed environment. After completing the exam, you will receive a score between 0-100%. To pass, you will need to achieve at least 70% on your test. If you fail the exam, no worries! You have an unlimited amount of time to retake it up until your expiration date.
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