What are the best practices to pass a cloud computing certification exam?

It's always going to be difficult to figure out which certificate exam is right for you. The target audience can be categorized in 3 types. 1. Those who already work in cloud computing single/multiple cloud platforms. They should go with a certificate which is either a need in their current project assignment or going to be used in near future projects. 2. Next category is those have only on-premises IT exposure and never worked on any cloud computing platform in past, They need to start with fundamentals of cloud computing with either cloud providers like GCP, AWS, Azure 3. Last category is Non-IT background and has no idea about cloud computing. They should start with basics of IT + cloud computing fundamentals.

Being certified is not enough. Having that in mind you should approach your certification as something which you will use day to day and it's important to understand and try things hands-on. In your career, you will face a situation where you are having an outage of your service/application and you need to make a decision fast based on the knowledge you got from preparing for the certificate. If you just get a certificate without hands-on knowledge you will fail at your day-to-day work. To avoid that try to prepare for your AWS certification by not just watching videos but reading documentation, analyzing exam blueprints, checking services FAQs, doing workshops and trying things by making your hands dirty.

IT (and Cloud Computing within IT) is about solving a set of problems. When thinking about your cloud certification journey, consider studying and certifying on technologies that solve problems that are of interest to you and the organizations you work for. In terms of how to study, try using the documentation on provider's website and use generative AI to tutor you and ask you questions to check your understanding.

Pick a certification that complements your experience, addresses knowledge gaps, and aligns with your career goals. For newcomers, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Azure Fundamentals, or Google Cloud Digital Leader offer a solid start. Experienced professionals can aim for advanced titles like AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, GCP- Professional, or Azure DevOps Engineer Expert. Those wanting diverse skills should explore multiple cloud providers. If you're inclined towards specializations, options like AWS Certified Machine Learning are apt.

Choose a certification based on following questions: 1. Why do you want to get certified?(Learning or Job requirement) 2. If the certification is required for the job role? 3. Which certification resonates more with your overall skillset and goals?

Having a trial account with credits does give a good hands on view of the concepts. In this regard; access to a online learning platform with labs is an excellent way to try things out without setting up your own accounts.

Navigating a cloud computing certification begins with thoroughly examining the exam blueprint. This critical document serves as a roadmap detailing the exam's topics, objectives, and structure. It’s about understanding what is included and identifying personal strengths and weaknesses within the outlined domains. A strategic approach to studying begins with this blueprint; personalized study plans are born, tailored to individual needs and focused on areas that require the most attention. Every topic and every objective is a stepping stone towards not just passing the exam but mastering the skills essential for a flourishing career in cloud computing.

Learn from mulltiple sources, .e.g., Microsoft Learning Path, Udemy, ExamTopics. Don't worry about learning from a cliff-notes style resource such as ExamTopics. Use what works best for you.

Unlocking the secrets of a cloud certification exam is like decoding a complex algorithm; it starts with understanding its blueprint. Break down the exam into high-level categories—think compute, storage, and networking—and dissect each vertical further. Now, here's where generative AI becomes your ace: Use it to dive deep into each category, exploring the historical landscape, the evolving needs it serves, and its functional interactions. Resources on the provider's website can serve as your foundation, while AI can test you, organize your insights, and even reveal nuances you might miss. In blending a structured study approach with AI, you're not just preparing for an exam—you're engineering your success.

The exam plan is essential when preparing for a certification in order to optimize learning time for the exam. There is so much to learn that you need to focus on what is expected of you. If you already have experience in the area of the certification you want to prepare for, identify the subjects that represent your strengths and establish your learning plan by alternating subjects that you master and subjects that are more difficult for you. This way, your learning will not seem too easy or too difficult for a long time and you will be less likely to become discouraged.

To enhance your chances of passing an AWS certification exam, follow these steps: Utilize multiple learning resources like official AWS guides, online courses, blogs, podcasts, white papers, case studies, and documentation. Avoid relying solely on one source for information. Employ various learning methods such as reading, listening, watching, writing, and hands-on practice. Consider using reputable practice exams and sample questions to assess your knowledge. Stay updated with AWS news and updates. Follow experts and communities in AWS on social media and forums for valuable insights. Consistently practice and review your knowledge to reinforce your understanding.

Diversifying learning resources is a cornerstone for excelling in cloud computing certification exams. No single source encapsulates all knowledge; hence, a blend of materials enriches understanding and fosters a comprehensive grasp of concepts. Official guides lay the foundation, while online courses, blogs, and podcasts inject diverse insights and real-world applications. White papers and case studies unveil intricate details and scenarios, enhancing problem-solving skills. A multimodal learning approach, integrating reading, listening, and hands-on practices, ensures robust knowledge retention and application readiness, equipping candidates to not only pass exams but to excel in real-world cloud computing challenges.

One thing i have found helpful is to create a list of all the sample questions from different resources in a common sheet with the correct answers. Then, hide the correct answers and attempt answering the question bank every week and see how you're scoring. That'll help you identify where you need to put in more effort..

A primary resource you must use is the FAQs for the various resources covered in the exam. The FAQs are short but include essential details that define the limitations and, consequently the applicable use cases of the services.

Definitely use multiple resources. Especially nowadays with cloud environments changing so fast that the certification quite simply can't keep up it's critical to both acquire up to date knowledge from the vendor's documentation but also acquire less up to date knowledge for courses as the question within the Exam might be outdated and you need to be able to provide both the old and the new answer if required.

After you studied the material it is indeed time for some hands-on practise. A great way to learn here is Whizlabs for example. They have a video course with additional labs where you get a temporary cloud account to complete a given task. In this way you will quickly become proficient in cloud computing!

Multiple ways to look at hands-on-labs : the best value for money is usually an online learning provider that providers hands-on-labs or playgrounds(many exist). This way; you can login to a sandbox without risking runaway costs attached to your card. If you are in education ; much support is available from all providers. If in employment; you may be able to sign up employee training for free from the various providers. Depending on your country ; the government learning portals (CISA/GDS) provide free and useful resources to start off.

When I got my first Salesforce certification I had 1 year working with the platform, is important to know that the certification is something you want to have to show your expertise and not treat them as badges to secure your next position / role. The “certification fever” of e.g. Salesforce platform has had an impact in the overall quality of the projects, as sometimes you must have X certifications in your team to qualify for being able to participate in the RFP for some customers. When company prospects are qualified like this, the customer and platform have the risk to not have the skills desired or enough to lead the product development applying the best practices and can cause huge problems if not managed properly in the long term

As much as you can, and as much as it's available. For Microsoft you can get a free Azure tenant with credits, you can get the Microsoft 365 Lab for hybrid scenarios, An E5 Dev tenant for development and testing and if you want to have your own tenant to get comfortable with the day to day Business Premium is an amazing deal.

Creating a sense of urgency and motivation is key. Daily lab exercises, and ensuring there are consequences for not meeting them, will help you stay disciplined and make the most of your learning experiences. There's nothing quite like building your own home lab, experimenting, encountering challenges, and then rebuilding everything from scratch. It's an excellent way to gain hands-on experience. Moreover, you can take advantage of free trial accounts on cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP, which provide a limited timeframe and budget for experimentation. Subscribing to online learning providers that offer monthly plans, rather than annual commitments, is also a smart move.

Post-Exam Analysis is more important than taking the tests. After the exam, reflect on your performance. Identify areas where you struggled, and consider additional study or hands-on practice in those areas.

1) Go for basics of infra , platform and Saas . Additionally learn the comparison between 3 2) Take Cloud courses which covers basics of infra , platform, security , managed services and networking aspects 3) Give a lot of mock tests & analyse them ( learn from the mistakes 4) Try to analyse case studies related to devops related scenarios 5 ) Learn the architecting principals in detail

Practice tests are important for 3 reasons because they allow you: - to identify your strengths and weaknesses - to understand what is expected of you for the exam (for example, choosing the solution that optimizes cost or the one that optimizes another point) - to have links to other sources of information which will allow you to fully understand the justification for the correct answer.

This is by far my favorite tip. I’ll often start and end my cert prep with practice tests. You can use these to gain an understanding of what areas you need to focus on and which you’re already familiar with. My favorite option is I f I have a test available that changes the questions every attempt. I’ll just take the test repeatedly and review all of the answers I flagged or got wrong. Then, on the next attempt when I see a related but different question, I’ll remember what I reviewed after the previous test and get it correct.

I found the practice tests in Udemy to be particularly useful here. I always start by failing these tests (not intentionally) in the first attempt or two. It improves from then on and stabilizes at around fourth or fifth attempt.

💁 Before we reach this stage, we can probably do quite a bit of preparation. Nothing beats, talking to practitioners and peers who have completed the exams to understand what areas to focus on. ☝️ Tap into our subconscious mind on the areas to focus upon, walk them through before we go to sleep, and we can be pleasantly surprised when we jolt our memories as we take the exams. 🌊 Our subconscious is a massive iceberg below the water surface, while our conscious mind is only the visible tip. Make use of our latent potential even while we sleep.

Make a memory card or notes of keywords such as low cost, most feasible, capex, opex etc. Keep this information handy as reference guide.

Repetition is undeniably a fundamental principle in our industry. In my case, I've found that writing down what I learn is incredibly effective. Periodically revisiting my notebooks on specific topics helps reinforce my memory and understanding. And sometimes update or correct. This practice ensures that the knowledge I acquire remains fresh and accessible when I need it most.

Get creative. Create your own review quiz via Kahoot! or set up a free trial account with the specific cloud provider and try to create your own cloud infrastructure using the knowledge you've learnt. Space out your revision sessions. Leaving time between sessions helps to consolidate prior learning and identify gaps in that learning. Practice exams. There are plenty of practice exams available via the most popular learning platforms such as Pluralsight. However, there are free exams available on the web also. Students often get free access to official practice exams from the cloud provider's learning sight if they sign up with their student email.

I have over 100 Tech and Cloud certifications, I always plan my next goal just before the exam, that helps me continue my journey of learning! Set a new goal and focus 🧭

Don't just stop at taking the exam. Use that knowledge an put into practice. Take on various challenges and apply the knowledge gained to an project that you enjoy doing.

Cloud technology evolves rapidly. Stay updated by reading blogs, attending webinars, and pursuing more advanced certifications as your career progresses.

Learning is a wonderful endeavor, offering new perspectives and innovative approaches to tasks. It's a source of joy. Always opt for quality over quantity in your pursuit of knowledge, as depth and understanding often outweigh the sheer volume of information.

Use YouTube to see who is highly rated and gives out free and current content that solves real world problems. Then, purchase their courses on Udemy, or wherever they sell their content. I used acloudguru in the past, but not sure if they are still good these days.