Personal thoughts on 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam

Timur Zhigmytov

Hello everyone, it's been a long time!

Today I want to tell you about my personal impressions, preparation, and passing of the 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam.

My 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam certificate My 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam certificate

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Shortly about 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam

Firstly, I would like to start with introductory information about the exam itself. In short, the exam is intended for beginners in AWS, covering a superficial knowledge of almost all AWS services (though sometimes tricky questions come up). The exam takes place in a test format with 65 questions that may have one or more correct answers (but this is stated in the question itself). Also, a proctor is watching you during the exam, which eliminates the possibility of cheating.

The exam can be passed in two ways:

  1. A special Pearson Vue testing center with a proctor
  2. Online from any convenient location using the Pearson Vue system.

A little below I will tell you how to take the exam from home. If you decide to take the exam at the proctor center, then be sure to Google about the options for passing from your city before you start preparing for the exam.

More detailed information about the exam can be found on the official AWS website.

Preparation

First, it was necessary to decide on the materials for preparation, the schedule of classes, and the date of the exam. I was fortunate with the preparation materials because my friend Alisher Zhangbyrshy shared a useful course called 'Ultimate AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02' with me. The course completely covered all the exam topics, so I decided not to look for other preparation resources. The course is designed for absolute beginners and covers almost all AWS services to the extent necessary for the exam. I can't say that the course placed specific emphasis on something, but what I remember most is the theory of Cloud Computing, budget and pricing, EC2, Lambda, S3, and the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework.

Also, to prepare for the exam, I took the '6 Practice Exams | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02" course. In reality, this is a course with six trial tests for the "AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner" certification. It proved to be highly beneficial because I encountered similar questions or questions structured in a similar manner.

Then it was necessary to create a schedule for classes, taking into account work and personal life. I studied twice a day on working days, from 12:00-13:00 and 16:30-17:30. I scheduled my meetings and code sessions to ensure these time slots remained free (I changed the schedule only in emergency cases). On weekends, I tried to spend a total of 2 hours on training at most. Even if it didn't work out at all on weekends, it didn't affect the overall schedule because I initially planned everything, taking into account only working days. Weekend classes provided a nice boost in learning.

Exam Date

Initially, I planned the exam date for the end of August, but I had to consider various unforeseen circumstances and possible days when I might simply be too lazy to study. Therefore, I added another 2 weeks to my schedule, and the final exam date was September 16.

Before the exam

I will not describe the registration process for the exam because there is nothing special about it. However, I would like to draw your attention to one point if you register for the exam online.

There is no need to download any application before the exam because half an hour before the exam, your personal link will open, allowing you to download the Pearson Vue application (through which the online test with a proctor takes place). However, you will definitely need to test whether your computer is suitable for running the Pearson Vue application. If it turns out that the problem is on your side, then you might not be eligible for a refund of the exam fee.

Here is the link to test the compatibility of the Pearson Vue application with your computer online.

Exam Day

Two hours before the start of the exam, I cleared my desk completely, leaving only the laptop and the connected keyboard. Half an hour before the exam, a link opened for downloading the application. After installing the app, I provided my ID to confirm my identity. Then the application prompted me to take pictures of my exam area from different angles, and I joined a queue where I waited for the proctor to start my exam.

During the exam, no one is allowed to be in the room with you, and you cannot move away from the computer or make suspicious movements. The proctor will notify you if something is amiss.

My approach to the exam was as follows:

  1. Go through each question and answer only when I was 100% confident.
  2. Use the function to view the list of all questions and count the number of 100% answers.
  3. Allocate the remaining time to answer questions I had doubts about.
  4. Double-check all questions for mistakes due to negligence.

Personal Thoughts

I enjoyed the entire process from start to finish, and I can confidently say that I found more pros than cons in taking 'AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner' exam.

The positives include:

  1. The exam preparation was highly beneficial, allowing me to become acquainted with a wide range of AWS services. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on EC2, Lambda, and S3. I believe this serves as a solid foundation for future work with AWS and preparation for the 'Name' certification.

  2. The theoretical aspects of the exam helped me step out of my comfort zone and improved my discipline. I've typically been more hands-on, relying on intuition and online resources to troubleshoot issues. Exam preparation compelled me to develop the skills to study based on theory, although there was also a substantial practical component.

  3. Earning an official certificate through testing, rather than merely completing a set number of lessons, demonstrates to my employer or potential recruiters that I am committed to continuous learning and skill acquisition.

  4. The process taught me how to allocate a specific amount of time daily for training, forcing me to enhance my time management skills.

The only drawback, in my view, is the heavy focus on theory. Many concepts are easily forgotten because it's challenging to apply all these services without practical experience in the workplace.

However, if you have the determination and time to delve into AWS, I encourage you to challenge yourself by taking this exam. Nevertheless, in my opinion, certification is not the sole indicator of AWS expertise. It is also possible to become a skilled specialist by practicing with AWS services without formal certification.

Thank you all for your attention. See you in the next post!