Obtaining the AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA) certification has been as rewarding as it was intense. It's not just a badge or another line on my CV; it's a solid validation of my skills and a real leap forward in understanding AWS cloud architectures. Today, I'd like to share my experience, the resources that helped me, the challenges I faced, and of course, some tips for those preparing for this challenge.
- Review the official AWS exam guide : Review it first so you know what to expect : Link here.
- Online Courses: I personally used the famous Stéphane Maarek course on Udemy. This one is a must with its clear explanations and practical examples.
- Mock Exams: I used TutorialsDojo, they were the closest one from the real exam, 100% worth it !
- AWS Official Documentation: FAQs on key services (EC2, S3, RDS, IAM) are gold.
- YouTube & Blogs: Some videos explain complex architectures in a visual and simple way. I liked this one from Be a better Dev-SNS/SQS/EventBridge/Kinesis
- The AWS Power Hour: Architecting Associate on twitch by Aaron Hunter , John Marciniak and John Tuffin, Link here.
- Want some fun ? Try the AWS Card Clash: It's a FREE online game about designing architecture with AWS services.
- Active study: I didn’t just watch videos. I directly applied each concept in practical labs : Used the tuto from Stephane Maarek + AWS Free Tier.
- Regular revision: I revised my notes every night and consolidated weak points identified during mock exams.
- Exam mindset: Understand the scenarios in the questions instead of memorizing answers : Explain yourself why this answer is correct ? Then read the correction ✅
➡️ You can also check my AWS e-commerce migration architecture project to get an idea on how services work all together + you learn from my mistake!
💡 I started this journey in September and was able to pass the certification in December, considering I had no real big experience in the cloud, It's definitely doable in 3-4 months.
Here are the areas you absolutely need to focus on:
- IAM (Identity and Access Management): Managing permissions, policies, roles, and users.
- VPC (Virtual Private Cloud): Subnets, Security Groups, NACL, peering, and VPN.
- S3 (Simple Storage Service): Storage classes, security, encryption, and cross-region replication.
- Compute (EC2, Lambda, Auto Scaling): Choosing instances, Auto Scaling strategy, Serverless with Lambda.
- Databases (RDS, DynamoDB): Choosing the right database engine for each use case.
- Monitoring & Logging (CloudWatch, CloudTrail): Incident detection and alert response.
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam is divided into four main domains with the following weighted content percentages:
| Domain Number | Domain Title | Weighting | Key Topics to Focus on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌐 Domain 1 | Design Secure Architectures | 30% | - Access controls & IAM 🎫 - Security best practices 🔒 - Encryption & data security 🔑 |
| ⚙️ Domain 2 | Design Resilient Architectures | 26% | - Scalable architectures 📈 - Disaster recovery strategies 🛠️ - High availability & fault tolerance 💪 |
| 🚀 Domain 3 | Design High-Performing Architectures | 24% | - Compute and storage scaling ⚡ - Network performance & design 🌍 - Optimized database solutions 💾 |
| 💸 Domain 4 | Design Cost-Optimized Architectures | 20% | - Cost-effective storage options 💰 - Optimized compute & database solutions 🖥️ - Network cost strategies 🌐 |
Also, out of the 65 questions, 15 are unscored and are used for testing purposes by AWS.
The Security part is very important...
You will have 130 minutes to complete the exam, but you can request an additional 30 minutes while registering to the exam if you don't speak English. This can be very helpful since time flies quickly with the complex questions.
✅ Understand the scenario: Take time to carefully read each question. AWS loves questions based on real-life scenarios.
✅ Eliminate bad answers: Sometimes eliminating 2 obvious choices makes it easier to pick the right one.
✅ Manage your time: Some questions are long, but don’t get stuck. Move on and come back later.
✅ Use AWS tools: Be comfortable with the most common services and their specific use cases.
✅ Stay calm: Pressure can work against you. Breathe, re-read, and trust your knowledge.
When I received the email confirming my success, it was a mix of relief, pride, and a bit of surprise. It wasn’t just the certification that mattered, but the entire journey that got me here. Every night spent on a lab, every failure on a mock exam, every moment of doubt – it was all part of the learning process.
This certification not only gave me technical skills but also a real confidence to tackle complex cloud projects.
1️⃣ Neglecting certain topics at first: I underestimated the importance of API Gateway and some monitoring services. Tip: Don’t leave any gaps.
2️⃣ Focusing too much on mock exams: Mock exams are useful, but don’t replace practical labs.
3️⃣ Accumulating fatigue: I pushed too hard at times, which exhausted me. Tip: Plan breaks and stick to them.
4️⃣ Not asking enough questions: Join forums or study groups to exchange and clarify doubts.
This certification is an important step, but not the final goal. Next step: Terraform, Kubernetes, and AWS Security Specialty. Each new skill will build an even stronger foundation for my future ambitions.
Preparing for an AWS certification is not a straight line. It's a journey full of challenges, doubts, but also incredible successes. If you’re in the middle of it, don’t give up. Every hour invested, every question understood, brings you closer to your goal.
And most importantly: Celebrate your victories, big or small.
If you're preparing for the SAA, or if you're considering it, let me know!
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn: Kenza In The Cloud
Looking forward to sharing more! ✨
Disclaimer ⚠:
I am just sharing what have worked for me.