AWS Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C02) Certification Preparation for AWS

DifficultyIntermediate
AVG Duration37h
Students19979
Ratings
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Description

This certification Learning Path is specifically designed to prepare you for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C02) released in March 2020. This learning path covers the knowledge required to master the domains outlined in the exam blueprint. Throughout this learning path, you will be guided via our courses, hands-on labs including some lab challenges, blog posts, webinars, and a preparation exam at the end, all of which are focused on areas that will be assessed within the exam.   

Intended Audience

This learning path is suitable for anyone wanting to pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate SAA-C02 exam. As defined in the exam blueprint, which can be found here, the exam has been designed for individuals wanting to master the solutions architect role. The AWS SAA-C02 certification can verify and validate your knowledge within this area by effectively demonstrating your ability to architect solutions using best practice design principles, in a secure and robust way. 

This learning path is curated specifically to prepare you for passing the AWS Solution Architect Associate exam. We only cover the aspects and services likely to feature in the exam.
Once you have passed the exam we suggest completing the Cloud Architect Role Personal Training Plan. In that Training Plan, we go into more depth on architecture concepts and services. That content is designed to equip you for being performant in the Cloud Architect role.

Learning Objectives

The aim of the certification is to validate your knowledge across a number of different key areas, which have been defined by AWS as being able to:

  • Effectively demonstrate knowledge of how to architect and deploy secure and robust applications on AWS technologies
  • Define a solution using architectural design principles based on customer requirements
  • Provide implementation guidance based on best practices to the organization throughout the life cycle of the project

As a means of demonstrating this knowledge, you will be tested across 4 different domains, with each domain contributing to a total percentage of your overall score. These domains are broken down as:

Domain 1: Design Resilient Architectures 30% 

Domain 2: Design High-Performing Architectures 28% 

Domain 3: Design Secure Applications and Architectures 24% 

Domain 4: Design Cost-Optimized Architectures 18%

As you progress through the learning path, you will gain all the information and knowledge required to fulfill the domain expectations, gaining a deep understanding within each area.

AWS Architecture Lab Challenges
There's no better way to prepare for an AWS certification than working in the AWS console!
These SAA-C02 lab challenges provide real-world scenarios for you to solve, you can select any of the challenges in this learning path.

AWS Architecture Playgrounds
These playgrounds enable you to try out anything in the safety of a sandbox. The perfect way to get more familiar with the AWS services before sitting the SAA-C02 exam.
AWS Cloudformation Playground
Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) Playground
Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) Playground
AWS Lambda Functions Playground 

Prerequisites

To get the most out of this learning path, you should already have some basic work knowledge of building cloud solutions on the AWS platform. If you are just starting out with AWS, we recommend taking our Fundamentals of AWS learning path first.

Feedback

We welcome all feedback and suggestions - please contact us at support@cloudacademy.com if you are unsure about where to start or if you would like help getting started.

Certificate

Your certificate for this learning path

Training Content

1
Course - Intermediate - 19m
Introduction: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
This course introduces the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate learning path.
2
Course - Beginner - 2h 55m
Compute (SAA-C02)
Learn to select and apply AWS compute services to design resilient, performant and cost effective solutions
3
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h
Create Your First Amazon EC2 Instance (Linux)
By completing this hands-on lab, you will be able to create your first Amazon EC2 instance using the AWS Management Console.
4
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 2h
Working with Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling Groups and Network Load Balancer
You will learn the steps to automatically scale up or down your EC2 infrastructure using Auto Scaling Groups.
5
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 45m
Introduction to AWS Lambda
Learn how to create and run your first AWS Lambda function.
6
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Compute (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Compute (SAA-C02)
7
Course - Beginner - 2h 46m
Storage (SAA-C02)
Learn how AWS Storage services enable resilient, performant, cost optimized architectures
8
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h 15m
Configuring a Static Website With S3 And CloudFront
In this lab, you'll learn how to configure static website hosting on Amazon S3 and configure static websites to work with CloudFront distributions.
9
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h
Introduction to the Elastic File System
Create and mount file systems to EC2 instances; read/write files to a file system as you work through this introductory lab on AWS Elastic File System.
10
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Storage (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Storage (SAA-C02)
11
Course - Beginner - 2h 12m
Networking (SAA-C02)
How AWS Networking services are be used to design resilient and secure architectures
12
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h 30m
Introduction to Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
Learn how to create an isolated network using Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
13
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 2h 35m
Securing your VPC using Public and Private Subnets
Learn how to increment the network security creating a public and private subnet on VPC and filter traffic using network ACL
14
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Networking (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Networking (SAA-C02)
15
Course - Beginner - 1h 55m
Databases (SAA-C02)
Learn how to select and apply the right AWS database services
16
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h 15m
Create Your First Amazon RDS Database
You will learn the steps to create and use the MySQL Relational Database using Amazon RDS.
17
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h 10m
Introduction to DynamoDB
Move your first steps using DynamoDB. Create tables with and withoud secondary indexes, learn how to add new rows and query your data by using the AWS Management Console.
18
Resource - Beginner - 10m
AWS Global Infrastructure: Availability Zones, Regions, Edge Locations, Regional Edge Caches
An explanation of the core components that make up the AWS Global Infrastructure
19
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Databases (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Databases (SAA-C02)
20
Course - Beginner - 2h 24m
High Availability (SAA-C02)
In this course, you'll learn to understand and master HA design patterns.
21
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: High Availability (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: High Availability (SAA-C02)
22
Course - Beginner - 1h 53m
Architecture (SAA-C02)
In this course, you'll learn how to design solutions using a range of AWS services.
23
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 55m
Manage Message Queues Using Amazon SQS
Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS) is a fast, reliable, scalable, fully managed message queuing service. You can use SQS to transmit any volume of data, at any level of throughput, without losing messages or requiring other services to be always available.
24
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h
Fan-Out Orders using Amazon SNS and SQS
Learn how to combine Amazon SNS and Amazon SQS to fan out order messages in this hands-on lab.
25
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Architecture (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Architecture (SAA-C02)
26
Course - Beginner - 3h 28m
Security (SAA-C02)
In this course, you'll learn how AWS Security services enable resilient architectures.
27
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h
Introduction to IAM
Learn how to create and manage IAM users, groups and policies to securely control access to AWS services and resources.
28
Hands-on Lab - Intermediate - 1h 15m
Advanced Roles and Groups Management Using IAM
Learn how to manage our organization using IAM Users and Groups and IAM Roles 
29
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Security (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Security (SAA-C02)
30
Course - Beginner - 3h 12m
Management (SAA-C02)
Audit, monitor, and evaluate on AWS - learn the services that enable resilient and performant architectures.
31
Hands-on Lab - Intermediate - 2h
Compliance Check Using AWS Config Rules (Managed & Custom)
Compliance check using AWS Config Rules: See how AWS Config can enhance your security and compliance with AWS managed rules and custom rules with AWS Lambda
32
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 1h 15m
UPDATED
Monitoring AWS CloudTrail management events with Amazon CloudWatch Logs
Learn how to integrate AWS CloudTrail with Amazon CloudWatch Logs to monitor AWS management events in this hands-on lab.
33
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Management (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Management (SAA-C02)
34
Course - Beginner - 1h 32m
Encryption (SAA-C02)
In this course, you'll learn how to use AWS encryption services to enable resilient architectures.
35
Hands-on Lab - Beginner - 45m
Encrypting S3 Objects Using SSE-KMS
This lab explores how to encrypting S3 objects in AWS using SSE-KMS.
36
Exam - 20m
Knowledge Check: Encryption (SAA-C02)
Knowledge Check: Encryption (SAA-C02)
37
Hands-on Lab Challenge - Intermediate - 2h
AWS Solutions Architect - Associate Certification Challenge
This lab challenge will help confirm your knowledge of the material presented in the AWS Solutions Architect - Associate certification learning path.
38
Course - Beginner - 2m
What's Next?
Now that you've come to the end of the learning path, this course walks you through some final pointers that you should know before taking the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam.
39
Exam - 2h 10m
Cert Prep: Certified Solutions Architect - Associate for AWS (SAA-C02)
Cert Prep: Certified Solutions Architect - Associate for AWS (SAA-C02)
About the Author
Students218516
Labs1
Courses214
Learning paths174

Stuart has been working within the IT industry for two decades covering a huge range of topic areas and technologies, from data center and network infrastructure design, to cloud architecture and implementation.

To date, Stuart has created 150+ courses relating to Cloud reaching over 180,000 students, mostly within the AWS category and with a heavy focus on security and compliance.

Stuart is a member of the AWS Community Builders Program for his contributions towards AWS.

He is AWS certified and accredited in addition to being a published author covering topics across the AWS landscape.

In January 2016 Stuart was awarded ‘Expert of the Year Award 2015’ from Experts Exchange for his knowledge share within cloud services to the community.

Stuart enjoys writing about cloud technologies and you will find many of his articles within our blog pages.