AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate passed!

Just cleared the AWS CSAA after about 3 week of concentrated study. It wasn't as hard as I was expecting based on some commentary on Reddit and the ACG discussions.

Materials Used:
A Cloud Guru
Tutorials Dojo AWS Cheatsheets (to supplement a few topics I needed clarification/details on)
Jon Bonso Practice Exams

I feel the Bonso practice exams were the closes to the real exam and helped.The explanations for each question are so detailed. Highly recommend them. Tried Whizlabs but was not as much of a fan.

I pursued this for a couple of reasons. For one, I like AWS and cloud stuff, and wanted feel comfortable with AWS from at least the Architect Associate level, and wanted the cert for resume purposes. But one of my company's products (I'm a Sales Engineer) is implementing AWS Infrastructure assessment functionality to go with the existing AWS instance scanning capabilities, and I wanted to better understand the infrastructure pieces we would be assessing. Doesn't hurt that my manager was hinting they'd be happy if I pursued it.

Now that I'm done with that, back to focusing solely on pentesting stuff (prepping for OSCP). I'm looking at signing up for PWK at the end of this month anticipating an end of July start date with their current lead times. I feel bad I have a Security Specialty voucher that will go unused, but I just cannot stand taking exams based on rote memorization.

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

Dakinggamer87

Awesome nicely done!! Thank you for the resource links I am preparing for this cert!!

JoJoCal19

No problem! The Tutorials Dojo Cheatsheets are awesome too! I just didn't have as much time as I'd have liked to fully read every section, but they are even a fantastic resource for on the job reference.

mikey88

Congrats! This one is on my list as well.

COBOL_DOS_ERA

Congrats!! AWS is on my list too, bought Jon Bonso Practice Exams a month before on Udemy and hoping to take the exam mid next year.

averageguy72

Congrats!

JoJoCal19

Thanks guys. @averageguy72 Your cert profile looks similar to mine but deeper into the AWS certs. Do you work in cloud security?

UnixGuy

Well done man and good luck with the OSCP

unrealskillz06

Congrats!

MitM

congrats JoJoCal

Johnhe0414

Congratulations! That's awesome news!

averageguy72

@JoJoCal19

Yes, I have been in "cloud architecture/security" since it was called ASP. Our new mothership (acquired by a large company) has a CCoE (cloud center of excellence) and I've been working with that group, security and the architects during onboarding and preparation for our cloud migration (co-lo to AWS).