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How hard is the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam?

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Complete Preparation Guide AWS Cloud Practitioner

AWS has become a top company for cloud computing services lately. Because of this, many IT professionals find value in getting AWS certifications. The first-level certification is called the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam. Passing this test shows potential employers that you grasp the basics of cloud computing and AWS services. Even though this exam is meant for people new to AWS, it can still be quite tough. It covers various AWS topics like cloud concepts, services, security, pricing, and more.

Passing this exam requires you to really know about all these things, which demands a lot of preparation. In this blog, we will go deeper into the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam. We’ll talk about its format, content, and how to get ready for it. If you’re new to AWS or somewhat familiar with cloud computing, this blog can help you figure out how hard the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam is and what you should do to pass it.

AWS Cloud Practitioner Glossary

Here is a glossary of some of the key terms and concepts related to AWS Cloud Practitioner:

  1. AWS (Amazon Web Services): Amazon’s set of services for cloud computing, which includes storage, computing power, data analysis, machine learning, and more.
  2. Cloud Computing: Getting computer services (like servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analysis, and smarts) through the internet.
  3. Region: A spot on the map where Amazon Web Services (AWS) has its data centers.
  4. Availability Zone (AZ): A special building in a region where Amazon Web Services (AWS) keeps its computers. It has its own power and network connections.
  5. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2): A magic online tool that lets you change how much computer power you have in the cloud. It helps you add or remove computer strength as you need it.
  6. Simple Storage Service (S3): A safe and strong place to put your computer stuff online. It’s like a digital storage box.
  7. Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): A make-believe network that you can create in AWS. It helps you put your AWS things in a special, private space.
  8. Identity and Access Management (IAM): A guardian service that helps you keep your AWS things safe from the wrong hands.
  9. Elastic Load Balancing (ELB): A helper that spreads out the people visiting your online place so your computers don’t get too busy.
  10. Auto Scaling: A helper that changes how many computers you’re using based on how many visitors are coming to your online place.
  11. CloudFormation: A tool that lets you easily make and take care of AWS things using templates.
  12. CloudWatch: A watchtower service that helps you keep an eye on your AWS things and understand what they’re up to.
  13. Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service): A helper service that makes it easier to set up, run, and grow a certain kind of database online.
  14. Amazon SNS (Simple Notification Service): A messenger service that sends messages from the cloud to things like phones or emails.
  15. Amazon SQS (Simple Queue Service): A messenger service that helps different parts of your online stuff talk to each other, even if they’re not always ready.
  16. Lambda: A super smart helper that lets you run code without needing to worry about computers.
  17. AWS CloudTrail: A service that writes down all the times someone uses AWS services, like a history book.
  18. AWS Trusted Advisor: A smart helper that gives you great advice on how to make your AWS things work even better.
  19. Regenerate

What makes the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam hard?

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner test checks what you know about the basics of the AWS cloud system. Even though this test is thought to be the easiest of all AWS certification tests, it still needs you to really understand different cloud ideas. Here’s why some people might find the AWS Cloud Practitioner test hard:

  • AWS has a whole bunch of services, and it might feel like a lot to learn about all of them. The Cloud Practitioner test talks about a big group of services, like computing, storing, networking, security, and databases.
  • The test has many technical words, short forms, and special AWS words. This can be tricky if you’re new to AWS.
  • The test gives you questions that are like real-life situations. You need to use what you know to solve them. This needs you to think hard and understand the info they give you.
  • The test has 65 questions where you pick answers, and you only get 90 minutes. This means you don’t have a lot of time for each question. This can feel tough for some people.

Overall, the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam requires a solid understanding of various cloud computing concepts and a good grasp of AWS services and their use cases. However, with proper preparation and study, it is possible to pass the exam successfully.

Is AWS Certification worth it?

AWS Cloud Practitioner

There are plenty of reasons that set AWS Certification apart and make it stand out. Additionally, we will show you the benefits that will help you understand the value of AWS certification and why it’s a favored choice –

  • Firstly, it’s important to understand that AWS cloud is the top cloud service provider. As a result, many companies are looking to hire AWS Professionals.
  • Furthermore, AWS certifications have gained popularity in major companies like BMW Group and even Netflix runs on AWS.
  • AWS offers different levels of certification, starting from beginners and going all the way to professionals.
  • Also, AWS certification acts as a key that can unlock opportunities for a secure future.

AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam Outline

Domain 1: Cloud Concepts 24%

1.1: Define the benefits of the AWS Cloud.

Knowledge of:

  • Value proposition of the AWS Cloud

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.2: Identify design principles of the AWS Cloud.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS Well-Architected Framework

Skills in:

  • Understanding the pillars of the Well-Architected Framework (for example, operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimization, sustainability) (AWS Documentation: The pillars of the framework)
  • Identifying differences between the pillars of the Well-Architected Framework

Task Statement 1.3: Understand the benefits of and strategies for migration to the AWS Cloud.

Knowledge of:

  • Cloud adoption strategies
  • Resources to support the cloud migration journey

Skills in:

Task Statement 1.4: Understand concepts of cloud economics.

Knowledge of:

  • Aspects of cloud economics
  • Cost savings of moving to the cloud

Skills in:

  • Understanding the role of fixed costs compared with variable costs (AWS Documentation: Key principles)
  • Understanding costs that are associated with on-premises environments (AWS Documentation: AWS Outposts)
  • Understanding the differences between licensing strategies (for example, Bring Your Own License [BYOL] model compared with included licenses) (AWS Documentation: Simplified Bring-Your-Own-License experience using AWS License Manager)
  • Understanding the concept of rightsizing Tips for Right Sizing)
  • Identifying benefits of automation (for example, provisioning and configuration management with AWS CloudFormation) (AWS Documentation: What is AWS CloudFormation?)
  • Identifying managed AWS services (for example, Amazon RDS, Amazon Elastic Container Service [Amazon ECS], Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service [Amazon EKS], Amazon DynamoDB) (AWS Documentation: Choosing an AWS container service)
Domain 2: Security and Compliance 30%

2.1 Define the AWS shared responsibility model

Knowledge of:

  • AWS shared responsibility model

Skills in:

  • Recognize the elements of the Shared Responsibility Model (AWS Documentation: Shared Responsibility Model)
  • Describe the customer’s responsibility on AWS
  • Describe AWS responsibilities (AWS Documentation: Shared Responsibility Model)
  • Describing responsibilities that the customer and AWS share
  • Describing how AWS responsibilities and customer responsibilities can shift, depending on the service used (for example, Amazon RDS, AWS Lambda, Amazon EC2)

2.2 Understand AWS Cloud security, governance, and compliance concepts.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS compliance and governance concepts
  • Benefits of cloud security (for example, encryption)
  • Where to capture and locate logs that are associated with cloud security

Skills in:

  • Identifying where to find AWS compliance information (for example, AWS Artifact) (AWS Documentation: Viewing compliance information)
  • Understanding compliance needs among geographic locations or industries (for example, AWS Compliance)
  • Describing how customers secure resources on AWS (for example, Amazon Inspector, AWS Security Hub, Amazon GuardDuty, AWS Shield) (AWS Documentation: Security, identity, and compliance)
  • Identifying different encryption options (for example, encryption in transit, encryption at rest) (AWS Documentation: Encrypting Data-at-Rest and Data-in-Transit)
  • Recognizing services that aid in governance and compliance (for example, monitoring with Amazon CloudWatch; auditing with AWS CloudTrail, AWS Audit Manager, and AWS Config; reporting with access reports) (AWS Documentation: Logging and events)
  • Recognizing compliance requirements that vary among (AWS Documentation: AWS services Compliance)

2.3 Identify AWS access management capabilities

Knowledge of:

  • Identity and access management (for example, AWS Identity and Access Management [IAM])
  • Importance of protecting the AWS root user account
  • Principle of least privilege
  • AWS IAM Identity Center (AWS Single Sign-On)

Skills in:

2.4 Identify components and resources for security

Knowledge of:

  • Security capabilities that AWS provides
  • Security-related documentation that AWS provides

Skills in:

  • Describing AWS security features and services (for example, security groups, network ACLs, AWS WAF) (AWS Documentation: Security group policies)
  • Understanding that third-party security products are available from AWS Marketplace (AWS Documentation: Security Products in AWS Marketplace)
  • Identifying where AWS security information is available (for example, AWS Knowledge Center, AWS Security Center, AWS Security Blog)
  • Understanding the use of AWS services for identifying security issues (for example, AWS Trusted Advisor) (AWS Documentation: AWS Trusted Advisor)
Domain 3: Cloud Technology and Services 34%

3.1 Define methods of deploying and operating in the AWS Cloud

Knowledge of:

  • Different ways of provisioning and operating in the AWS Cloud
  • Different ways to access AWS services
  • Types of cloud deployment models
  • Connectivity options

Skills in:

3.2 Define the AWS global infrastructure

Knowledge of:

  • AWS Regions, Availability Zones, and edge locations
  • High availability
  • Use of multiple Regions
  • Benefits of edge locations
  • AWS Wavelength Zones and AWS Local Zones

Skills in:

  • Describe the relationships among Regions, Availability Zones, and Edge Locations (AWS Documentation: Regions and Zones, Regions and Availability Zones)
  • Describe how to achieve high availability through the use of multiple Availability Zones
  • Describing when to use multiple Regions (for example, disaster recovery, business continuity, low latency for end users, data sovereignty) (AWS Documentation:Multi-Region Application Architecture)
  • Describing at a high level the benefits of edge locations (for example, Amazon CloudFront, AWS Global Accelerator) (AWS Documentation:AWS for the Edge)

3.3 Identify AWS compute services

Knowledge of:

  • AWS compute services

Skills in:

3.4 Identify AWS database services.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS database services
  • Database migration

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.5: Identify AWS network services.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS network services

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.6: Identify AWS storage services.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS storage services

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.7: Identify AWS artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) services and analytics services.

Knowledge of:

  • AWS AI/ML services
  • AWS analytics services

Skills in:

Task Statement 3.8: Identify services from other in-scope AWS service categories.

Knowledge of:

  • Application integration services of Amazon EventBridge, Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS), and Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon SQS)
  • Business application services of Amazon Connect and Amazon Simple Email Service (Amazon SES)
  • Customer engagement services of AWS Activate for Startups, AWS IQ, AWS Managed Services (AMS), and AWS Support
  • Developer tool services and capabilities of AWS AppConfig, AWS Cloud9, AWS CloudShell, AWS CodeArtifact, AWS CodeBuild, AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeDeploy, AWS CodePipeline, AWS CodeStar, and AWS X-Ray
  • End-user computing services of Amazon AppStream 2.0, Amazon WorkSpaces, and Amazon WorkSpaces Web
  • Frontend web and mobile services of AWS Amplify and AWS AppSync
  • IoT services of AWS IoT Core and AWS IoT Greengrass

Skills in:

  • Choosing the appropriate service to deliver messages and to send alerts and notifications (AWS Documentation: Mobile text messaging (SMS))
  • Choosing the appropriate service to meet business application needs (AWS Documentation: Business applications)
  • Choosing the appropriate service for AWS customer support (AWS Documentation: Getting started with AWS Support)
  • Choosing the appropriate option for business support assistance
  • Identifying the tools to develop, deploy, and troubleshoot applications (AWS Documentation: Developer tools)
  • Identifying the services that can present the output of virtual machines (VMs) on end-user machines (AWS Documentation: Compute services)
  • Identifying the services that can create and deploy frontend and mobile services (AWS Documentation: Front-end web and mobile services)
  • Identifying the services that manage IoT devices (AWS Documentation: Managing devices with AWS IoT)
Domain 4: Billing and Pricing 12%

Task Statement 4.1: Compare AWS pricing models.

Knowledge of:

  • Compute purchasing options (for example, On-Demand Instances, Reserved Instances, Spot Instances, Savings Plans, Dedicated Hosts, Dedicated Instances, Capacity Reservations)
  • Data transfer charges
  • Storage options and tiers

Skills in:

  • Identifying and comparing when to use various compute purchasing options (AWS Documentation: Instance purchasing options)
  • Describing Reserved Instance flexibility (AWS Documentation: How Reserved Instances are applied)
  • Describing Reserved Instance behavior in AWS Organizations (AWS Documentation: Reserved Instances)
  • Understanding incoming data transfer costs and outgoing data transfer costs (for example, from one Region to another Region, within the same Region) (AWS Documentation: Understanding data transfer charges)
  • Understanding different pricing options for various storage options and tiers

Task Statement 4.2: Understand resources for billing, budget, and cost management.

Knowledge of:

  • Billing support and information
  • Pricing information for AWS services
  • AWS Organizations
  • AWS cost allocation tags

Skills in:

Task Statement 4.3: Identify AWS technical resources and AWS Support options.

Knowledge of:

  • Resources and documentation available on official AWS websites
  • AWS Support plans
  • Role of the AWS Partner Network, including independent software vendors
    and system integrators
  • AWS Support Center

Skills in:

  • Locating AWS whitepapers, blogs, and documentation on official AWS websites
  • Identifying and locating AWS technical resources (for example AWS Prescriptive Guidance, AWS Knowledge Center, AWS re:Post) (AWS Documentation: AWS Prescriptive Guidance Patterns)
  • Identifying AWS Support options for AWS customers (for example, customer service and communities, AWS Developer Support, AWS Business Support, AWS Enterprise On-Ramp Support, AWS Enterprise Support)
  • Identifying the role of Trusted Advisor, AWS Health Dashboard, and the AWS Health API to help manage and monitor environments for cost optimization (AWS Documentation: AWS Trusted Advisor)
  • Identifying the role of the AWS Trust and Safety team to report abuse of AWS resources
  • Understanding the role of AWS Partners (for example AWS Marketplace, independent software vendors, system integrators) (AWS Documentation: What is AWS Marketplace?)
  • Identifying the benefits of being an AWS Partner (for example, partner training and certification, partner events, partner volume discounts) (AWS Documentation: Benefits for AWS Specialization Partners)
  • Identifying the key services that AWS Marketplace offers (for example, cost management, governance and entitlement)
  • Identifying technical assistance options available at AWS (for example, AWS Professional Services, AWS Solutions Architects)

How to Prepare for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam?

To put it differently, how tough the exam is entirely relies on how you’re getting ready for it. If you can grasp concepts, you’ll find tasks easier. However, if you’re struggling with understanding, then it becomes tough. So, now let’s pay attention to the advice that can assist you in the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam. Before diving into these tips, there are a couple of things you should be mindful of. First and foremost, it’s essential to understand how AWS evaluates skills for the exam.

Abilities validated for AWS Cloud Practitioner

  • Firstly, you need to understand what the AWS Cloud is and know the basic principles of how it’s set up.
  • Next, explain why the AWS Cloud is valuable and talk about important services on the AWS platform and how they’re typically used.
  • Then, make sure you can talk about the basic ways that the AWS platform keeps things safe and follows rules.
  • You should also learn how to explain how the money stuff works, how accounts are managed, and how the pricing works.
  • Finally, be able to find where to get help or more information if you need it.

Then, there are AWS Resources for exam preparation that help you prepare for the exam and pass without any difficulty. Moreover, you are suggested to refer AWS Cloud Practitioner Cheat Sheet for better learning.

AWS Exam Resources

Getting certified by Amazon Web Services offers numerous advantages. The most significant perk is that they grant you access to all their resources. This turns out to be extremely helpful as you get ready for the exam. As we’re aware, having excellent resources and materials is key to acing the exam. These valuable resources encompass:

AWS Free Trainings

AWS provides different training sessions for free to help you prepare for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam. You can access these sessions through the link: https://aws.amazon.com/training/. These training sessions won’t cost you anything; you just need to sign up. Plus, there are various training options that are useful for getting ready, including:

AWS Technical Essentials

This course from AWS teaches you the technical parts of the AWS platform that are necessary for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam. Additionally, it goes into the technical specifics of AWS services while also explaining the basics of these services in a way that matches what your business might need.

AWS Business Essentials course

This course includes the business and economics aspects of the AWS platform. It covers

  • Firstly, the financial benefits of AWS
  • Then, AWS compliance
  • Lastly, the security of the AWS  platform

AWS Whitepapers

You can access free AWS Whitepapers that are helpful for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam through this link: https://aws.amazon.com/whitepapers/. Here are the whitepapers that are relevant for the exam:

  1. Start with the “Overview of Amazon Web Services” whitepaper from July 2019.
  2. Then, read the “Architecting for the Cloud: AWS Best Practices” whitepaper from October 2018.
  3. Next is the “How AWS Pricing Works” whitepaper from June 2018.
  4. Finally, check out the “Cost Management in the AWS Cloud” whitepaper from March 2018.

AWS Reference Books

There are many reference books that are available for the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification Exam. And, the few good ones are,

  • The Beginners Guide to Amazon Web Services book by Dennis Hutten
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Study Guide book by Ben Piper, David Clinton  
  • AWS Basics: Beginner’s Guide book by Gordon Wong
  • Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification Guide book by Todd Montgomery
  • Amazon Web Services for Dummies-by Bernard Golden

Now, let’s move on to the AWS exam tips & tricks by experts to help you prepare for the AWS Cloud Practioner exam,

Time to pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam!

Succeeding in the AWS certification exam involves more than just learning about the AWS cloud. It also means creating a solid strategy for getting ready for the exam. Importantly, earning the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam is like unlocking a door to more advanced AWS certifications. So, let’s begin our journey of preparing for AWS.

Some tips before starting Preparing

Frequently, candidates struggle to find good study materials for their exam preparation. While there are many websites offering study content for purchase, the challenge lies in choosing the reliable and helpful ones. To assist you, we’re providing a list of websites you can consider for help. Plus, when you combine expert advice with learning resources, there’s nothing that can hold you back.

Get Familiar with the Concepts

When you’re getting ready for a test, understanding the concepts behind the exam is crucial. For the AWS CCP certification exam, there are specific goals you need to focus on:

  1. Start by talking about what the AWS cloud is and how it’s structured.
  2. Explain how accounts are managed, how you’re charged, and how pricing works.
  3. Describe the important values of the AWS cloud.
  4. Understand the core ideas of how the AWS Cloud Architecture works.
  5. Cover topics like the shared security model, security measures, and following rules.
  6. Be able to point out the main places to find help or information.

Above all, you should review them carefully. After that, start your preparation through the recommended study material for each subject area.

AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty Study Guide

Evaluate yourself with Practice Test

The AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam includes all the fundamental ideas and understanding of the AWS Cloud. If you already have some experience with the AWS cloud system, you might be able to study on your own and pass the certification exam. However, if there are areas where you’re not so confident, you could consider an online course to prepare for the exam. These online lessons can help you grasp and cover all the different topics. Plus, you’ll find plenty of materials right on the official AWS website.

Practice Test

When you’re preparing for a certification exam, spending a lot of time on the AWS Cloud Practioner Practice test is crucial. While learning the exam material is important, it’s not the only thing that helps you succeed in the exam. If you really want to do your best, make sure you practice enough with the AWS Cloud Practitioner Practice Exam. This practice will lead to better results.

Suggestion for preparation

During exam preparation, the challenge often lies in locating suitable practice questions. Your main goal should be to discover original practice tests that have real questions and detailed explanations for each question. Additionally, there are many websites that provide extensive access to these questions. Now, let’s shift our attention to the essential exam tips you should follow to guarantee good results.

Exam Tips

  • You’re aware that the key to exam success lies in having confidence and a solid grasp of the concepts.
  • Furthermore, your utmost effort is required during the exam. And, this principle isn’t limited to just the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam; it’s applicable everywhere. But remember, this exam isn’t as tough as people might make it seem.
  • Above everything else, having the right resources and training is crucial.
  • Most importantly, start by mastering the basics and then gradually progress to more advanced topics.
  • Additionally, you don’t need to tackle all the subjects at once. So, take your time and absorb everything step by step.

You will surely crack this exam, just remember this. So, keep your mind calm and prepare well for the exam. Moreover, take this exam as a key to open doors for high-level certification. ALL THE BEST!

Get ready to boost your learning and pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam Now!

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