Note on AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C00) Exam
Introduction
I successfully passed the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C00) exam and want to share tips to help you prepare and succeed.
My AWS Experience Before the Exam
Before taking the exam, I was already using basic AWS services like EC2, RDS, DynamoDB, S3, and SNS in my daily work. This experience helped me grasp foundational concepts quickly.
Exam Preparation
Study Plan and Motivation
With my company’s AWS partner status at risk of expiration, I created a focused study plan to pass the exam efficiently and within a short time.
Resources and Learning Materials
- Amazon Web Services 実践入門 (Japanese): A practical guide to AWS. I skipped CLI-related topics as they weren’t heavily tested.
- 合格対策 AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト－アソシエイト (Japanese): My main reference for understanding the exam objectives.
- AWS Official Practice Test: Provided a topic-level assessment of my strengths and weaknesses.
AWS Official Practice Test
Total score: 80%
Topic level score:
1.0 Designing highly available, cost efficient, fault tolerant, scalable systems: 91%
2.0 Implementation/Deployment: 100%
3.0 Data Security: 75%
4.0 Troubleshooting: 0%
Timeline
I began studying on March 6 and passed the exam on March 19. My total preparation time was approximately 4 hours and 10 minutes.
| Date | Time | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| 03/06 | 20 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/07 | 10 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/08 | 20 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/09 | 40 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/10 | 10 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/11 | 30 min | Amazon Web Services 実践入門 |
| 03/12 | 30 min | 合格対策 AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト |
| 03/17 | 30 min | 合格対策 AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト |
| 03/18 | 30 min | 合格対策 AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト |
| 03/18 | - | AWS Official Practice Test |
| 03/19 | 30 min | Final review |
Exam Results
Final Exam Scores
Total score: 66%
Topic level score:
1.0 Designing highly available, cost efficient, fault tolerant, scalable systems: 60%
2.0 Implementation/Deployment: 66%
3.0 Data Security: 90%
4.0 Troubleshooting: 50%
Passing Criteria
The passing score varies depending on the exam’s difficulty. According to online resources, you need around 65% to pass.
Total Cost Breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | 16,200 yen |
| AWS Official Practice Test | 2,160 yen |
| Amazon Web Services 実践入門 | 2,786 yen |
| 合格対策 AWS認定ソリューションアーキテクト (Kindle版) | 2,160 yen |
| Total | 23,306 yen |
Key Takeaways
- Some topics on the exam were not covered in the study materials. Familiarize yourself with these through hands-on practice.
- Focus on mastering basic concepts. These alone can help you answer a significant portion of the questions correctly.
- Make use of official practice tests to identify weak areas and improve systematically.
Conclusion
Passing the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam is achievable with proper preparation and a strategic study plan. Allocate time to practice, identify your weaknesses, and utilize quality learning materials to succeed.
