AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (SAA-C03) — Complete Study Guide
Prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (SAA-C03) exam with CertVanta's complete study guide. Includes a structured roadmap, exam breakdown, key AWS services, and recommended CertVanta resources.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (SAA-C03) — Complete Study Guide
Intro: Why CertVanta Built This Guide
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (SAA-C03) exam is one of the most popular AWS certifications for developers, sysadmins, and architects.
At CertVanta, we’ve built this comprehensive study guide to help you pass confidently using structured roadmaps and CertVanta practice exams.
This certification is ideal for:
- Developers & sysadmins looking to design scalable solutions.
- Engineers transitioning into cloud architecture roles.
- Professionals aiming for AWS advanced certifications later.
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Exam Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Exam Code | SAA-C03 |
| Level | Associate |
| Format | 65 questions (multiple choice + multiple response) |
| Duration | 130 minutes |
| Passing Score | 720 / 1000 (~72%) |
| Cost | $150 USD |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE or Online Proctoring |
Exam Domains & Weightage
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Design Secure Architectures | 30% |
| Design Resilient Architectures | 26% |
| Design High-Performing Architectures | 24% |
| Design Cost-Optimized Architectures | 20% |
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Key AWS Services to Focus On
1. Compute
- EC2 → Instance types, purchasing models, Auto Scaling.
- Lambda → Event-driven serverless computing.
- ECS / EKS / Fargate → Containerized workloads.
- Elastic Beanstalk → Simplified application deployment.
2. Storage
- S3 → Storage classes, lifecycle rules, and versioning.
- EBS → Volumes, snapshots, performance optimization.
- EFS → Managed file storage for EC2.
- Storage Gateway → Hybrid storage integrations.
3. Networking & Delivery
- VPC → Subnets, route tables, NAT gateways, and peering.
- CloudFront → Global CDN for faster content delivery.
- Route 53 → DNS routing and health checks.
- API Gateway → Managed APIs at scale.
4. Databases
- RDS → Multi-AZ setups, read replicas, backups.
- DynamoDB → Partition keys, indexes, and performance tuning.
- Aurora → High-performance RDS-compatible database.
- ElastiCache → Redis & Memcached for caching.
5. Security & Governance
- IAM → Policies, roles, and temporary credentials.
- KMS → Encryption key management.
- AWS Shield & WAF → DDoS protection & firewall rules.
- AWS Organizations → Multi-account best practices.
6. Monitoring & Automation
- CloudWatch → Metrics, logs, dashboards, and alarms.
- CloudTrail → Track API activity across accounts.
- Config → Resource compliance tracking.
- Trusted Advisor → Cost optimization and security recommendations.
6-Week Study Roadmap
Week 1: AWS Core Concepts & Architecture Basics
- Understand regions, AZs, and edge networking.
- Learn shared responsibility model and Well-Architected Framework.
- Review high-level architecture diagrams.
Week 2: Compute & Storage Deep Dive
- Master EC2 pricing models: On-Demand, Spot, and Reserved.
- Learn Auto Scaling Groups (ASG) and Load Balancers.
- Study S3 storage tiers and lifecycle configurations.
Week 3: Networking & Security
- Understand VPC design, subnets, routing, and peering.
- Learn best practices for IAM roles, MFA, and policies.
- Review security tools like Shield, WAF, and KMS.
Week 4: Database Services
- Dive into RDS, Aurora, and DynamoDB.
- Understand high-availability and read-replica patterns.
- Learn how caching via ElastiCache improves performance.
Week 5: Monitoring, Scaling & Cost Optimization
- Explore CloudWatch dashboards, alarms, and log insights.
- Study Auto Scaling policies and cost-saving techniques.
- Learn to analyze billing reports and Trusted Advisor outputs.
Week 6: Practice Exams & Final Review
- Take CertVanta mock exams to identify weak areas.
- Revise key AWS services and exam-specific topics.
- Focus on scenario-based problem solving.
Recommended Resources
| Resource | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| CertVanta Practice Exams | Full-Length Mocks | Start Now |
| AWS Exam Guide | Official PDF | Download |
| AWS SkillBuilder | Free & Paid | Explore |
Practice Tips & Exam Strategy
1. Focus on Scenarios
Most questions are real-world scenarios. Understand why one solution is better than another.
2. Use CertVanta Practice Exams
- Simulate real exam conditions.
- Get detailed breakdowns of correct and incorrect answers.
3. Understand Pricing & Cost Optimization
Expect several cost-related questions:
- Spot vs On-Demand vs Reserved pricing.
- Savings Plans vs Reserved Instances.
- AWS Budgets, Cost Explorer, and Trusted Advisor insights.
4. Prioritize High-Weight Domains
Allocate study time based on domain weightage to maximize scoring potential.
Final Checklist Before Exam Day
✅ Take at least two full CertVanta practice exams.
✅ Memorize VPC core concepts and subnet routing.
✅ Understand S3 storage tiers and durability.
✅ Review RDS multi-AZ, read replicas, and DynamoDB indexes.
✅ Familiarize yourself with high-availability architecture patterns.
Key Takeaways
- SAA-C03 focuses on architecting scalable, secure, and cost-efficient solutions.
- Use CertVanta practice exams to identify gaps early.
- Follow the 6-week roadmap for structured preparation.
- Understand core AWS services, Well-Architected Framework, and billing.
- Focus on real-world problem-solving, not memorization.
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With CertVanta's guided roadmap and mock exams, you'll be fully prepared to ace the SAA-C03 exam and advance your cloud career.