I passed my AWS Solution Architect Associate Exam couple of months back. Please find below useful tips on the same.
Before the exam:
- Go through the official AWS learning library: https://www.aws.training/LearningLibrary. It is entirely free & has the most updated information about AWS services.
- Complete the official AWS Exam Readiness: AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate) - Digital training (Free) :https://www.aws.training/learningobject/curriculum?id=20685
- Read the FAQ of each AWS Service. e.g., https://aws.amazon.com/vpc/faqs/
- Understand the AWS Well-Architected Framework & read each whitepaper from here: https://aws.amazon.com/architecture/well-architected/
- Take handwritten notes & make personalized cheat sheets whenever possible.
- Do plenty of hands-on practice. I had used Qwiklabs & it helped me a lot (https://www.qwiklabs.com)
- You need to understand how each AWS service can be tweaked for Cost, Quality, and Performance. How can you make S3 cheaper? How can you make it more redundant/secure? How can you make it more performant? What about DynamoDB or EBS? EC2? Etc.
- Take plenty of practice tests; it will give you confidence for the actual exam.
During the exam:
- Get plenty of rest before the exam day. It's very challenging to maintain concentration for 130 minutes, without any breaks.
- Read the answers first to understand what to focus on in the question.
- Read each question twice & make sure you have found the "keywords." It's the part of the question that tells you exactly what they want. e.g., "Which option provides the MOST COST EFFECTIVE solution."
- If you have no clue at first, eliminate wrong answers, then guess. Mark it for review and revisit it if you have time.
I hope you find this useful. And all the best for your exam !!
