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Welcome future Solutions Architects, Associates, and Certified Solutions Architects! I’m Michael Forrester, and in this lesson, we’ll explore the course introduction and layout.

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Course Objectives

This course is designed to help you master designing for security, resilience, performance adaptation, and cost optimization on AWS. You’ll gain a solid understanding of core AWS services and design principles, which will prepare you for the AWS Solutions Architect exam. For instance, you will learn how to enhance security for EC2 instances, improve resiliency for Direct Connect, and optimize performance for DynamoDB. Throughout the lesson, we cover the basics of core AWS services. It is recommended that you take detailed notes—consider dedicating a separate sheet for each service in your notebook to collect key points and insights. The course equips you with the dials and levers necessary to optimize security, resiliency, performance, and cost efficiency. It assumes that you have prior experience as a Solutions Architect on AWS, though even newcomers will acquire the skills needed for both passing the exam and excelling in the role.
The image outlines course objectives for AWS training, including learning core AWS services, enhancing security and performance, and preparing for the AWS Solutions Architect - Associate Certification Exam.
If you have prior AWS hands-on experience, you’ll find it easier to follow along and absorb the concepts presented in this course.
If you aim to maximize your exam success, hands-on practice is recommended. However, even if you haven’t worked in this role before, this course is structured to help you pass the exam while developing job-ready skills.

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Target Audience

This lesson is ideal for individuals who have already completed the Cloud Practitioner exam or who possess foundational cloud computing knowledge. If you’re new to this area, we highly recommend taking the Cloud Practitioner course first. Sanjeev Thiyagarajan and I co-teach the Cloud Practitioner course, so you’ll benefit from diverse perspectives. Once you’ve finished the Cloud Practitioner material, return here fully prepared.
The image is a promotional page for an AWS Cloud Practitioner course, highlighting course details, instructors, and a "Continue" button.

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Assessments and Course Structure

Before diving into the course materials, assessments are available for both Cloud Practitioner and Solutions Architect Associate levels. Passing the Cloud Practitioner assessment indicates that you already have the foundational knowledge needed for this course. If not, consider revisiting that material before proceeding further. The course is divided into two major sections:
  1. AWS Services Section
    In this section, you will learn about various AWS services through labs, quizzes, and presentations.
  2. Design for AWS Section
    This section focuses on core design fundamentals for AWS services. It includes quizzes, interactive questions, and a design challenge that tests your ability to optimize for security, reliability, performance, and cost management.
The image is a course outline for AWS, featuring 17 sections, 2 assessments, labs, quizzes, and gamification elements. It is divided into two main parts: AWS Services and Design for AWS.
Throughout the course, gamified elements and hands-on labs are integrated into the learning experience. The journey begins with an introductory section, followed by detailed content sections, and finally concludes with a closing session summarizing course takeaways and outlining the next steps in your AWS certification journey.
The image is a course outline showing the introduction and closing sections, with a "Start" and "Finish" sign. It lists questions for Section 1 (Introduction) and Section 17 (Closing) related to course objectives and readiness for the SAA exam.
In addition to pre- and post-assessments, the course offers a Solutions Architect Associate mock exam. For example, the mock exam consists of 65 questions to be completed in 35 minutes. A strong performance on this initial assessment may mean that you require only supplementary practice exams. Otherwise, you will benefit from the course materials that steadily build your skills from the ground up.
The image shows a course outline for AWS certifications, including Cloud Practitioner and Solutions Architect, with details of 65 questions and a 130-minute duration.

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Detailed Course Breakdown

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Meet Your Services

After the course introduction, the first major section is titled “Meet Your Services.” Here, you will dive into various service categories such as Networking, Storage, Compute, and Database. While it is not necessary to memorize every service detail, organizing your notes by category (for example, all networking services grouped together) can be very helpful. By the end of this section, you might be familiar with between 100 and 150 AWS services.
The image is a course outline for AWS services, listing sections such as Networking, Storage, Compute, Database, and Security Services, among others. It includes icons and is titled "Meet Your Services sections (2-11)."
Each service category concludes with a quiz to test your understanding.

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Design for X

The second major section, “Design for X,” focuses on enhancing key design elements such as security, reliability, performance, and cost optimization. This section reinforces each design concept with quizzes, followed by an ultimate design challenge. In this challenge, you will analyze diagrams to identify service modifications that enhance security, reliability, performance, or cost efficiency.
The image is a course outline for a design section, featuring topics like security, reliability, performance, and cost-optimization, along with quizzes and a design challenge.
At the design challenge, integrate all four design elements into a cohesive solution.
The image is a course outline for a design challenge, highlighting five requirements: security, reliability, performance, cost, and a combination of all four. Each requirement is represented by a colored gauge icon.

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Study Tips and Final Thoughts

This is a comprehensive course, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at first. Here are some tips to help you study effectively:
  • Study one small section at a time with a systematic approach.
  • Establish a regular study schedule—even dedicating just 15 minutes a day can lead to steady progress.
  • Engage actively with hands-on labs and AWS playgrounds; however, be mindful to manage costs and avoid unnecessary expenses.
  • Experiment with different note-taking techniques, such as mind maps or sketches, to reinforce your understanding.
  • Stay focused and patient, and try not to let distractions interrupt your study routine.
Breaking down the material and taking consistent notes will significantly improve your retention and understanding. Even small, regular study sessions can cumulatively lead to a successful exam performance.
In summary, this course is geared toward learners with foundational Cloud Practitioner knowledge. It is divided into two main parts: “Meet Your Services” and “Design for X.” With pre- and post-assessments, quizzes, labs, and interactive challenges, the course provides a robust, hands-on learning experience. Diligent note-taking and a disciplined study schedule will equip you for the Solutions Architect exam. If you have any questions, please reach out to us on Slack under AWS-courses or Cloud Courses. Thank you for joining this lesson. Sanjeev Thiyagarajan and I wish you the very best on your AWS journey, and we look forward to seeing you in the next lesson!

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