Ultimate AWS SysOps Administrator Cheat Sheet: Your Exam Success Guide
If you are preparing for the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam then this cheat sheet contains important information to help you pass the test and improve your cloud career.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Duration | 130 minutes |
| Number of Questions | 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response |
| Passing Score | 720 out of 1000 points |
| Key Domains | Monitoring, Deployment, Networking, Reliability, Security, Cost Optimization |
| Essential Services | EC2, VPC, S3, CloudWatch, IAM, CloudFormation, Route 53 |
1. Exam Overview: What You Need to Know
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam tests your skills in managing workloads on AWS. Here are the basics:
- Exam duration: 130 minutes
- Number of questions: 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response
- Passing score: 720 out of 1000 points
- Cost: $150 USD
- Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese
The exam now includes hands-on labs that simulate real-world scenarios you might face as a SysOps Administrator.
2. Key Exam Domains: Your Study Roadmap
The exam covers six main areas. Here’s what you need to focus on:
AWS SysOps Administrator Exam Domain Weightings
Make sure you understand each of these areas well. They’re the foundation of your AWS SysOps knowledge! Each domain requires knowing specific AWS services and best practices. For example, Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation focuses a lot on CloudWatch, while Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation is about services like CloudFormation and Elastic Beanstalk.
3. Essential AWS Services: Your Toolkit for Success
To do well on the exam, you’ll need to know a range of AWS services. Here are some important ones:
- EC2, VPC, and ELB for compute and networking
- S3 and EBS for storage solutions
- CloudWatch for monitoring and logging
- IAM for security and access management
- CloudFormation for infrastructure as code
- Route 53 for DNS management
- RDS and DynamoDB for database management
- Lambda for serverless computing
- Systems Manager for operational insights and actions
Don’t just memorize these services – understand how they work together in real situations. For example, know how EC2 instances work with VPCs and ELBs, or how CloudWatch can monitor your RDS databases.
4. Monitoring and Logging: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
As a SysOps Administrator, you’ll need to be good at monitoring and logging. Here’s what you should focus on:
- Setting up CloudWatch alarms and metrics
- Analyzing CloudTrail logs
- Using Amazon EventBridge for event-driven architectures
- Implementing AWS Config for resource inventory and compliance
- Creating custom metrics and logs in CloudWatch
- Setting up log aggregation and analysis with CloudWatch Logs Insights
- Implementing automated remediation actions using CloudWatch Events and Lambda
Remember, good monitoring is key to keeping your AWS environment healthy. It’s not just about collecting data, but also understanding it and taking action. Know how to set up useful alarms, create dashboards, and automate responses to common problems.
5. High Availability and Disaster Recovery: Plan for the Worst, Hope for the Best
AWS is all about keeping your applications running, no matter what. Here’s what you need to know:
- Designing Multi-AZ and Multi-Region architectures
- Implementing Auto Scaling for elasticity
- Using Amazon RDS read replicas for database scalability
- Setting up backup and restore strategies with AWS Backup
- Implementing disaster recovery strategies (Pilot Light, Warm Standby, Multi-Site)
- Using Amazon S3 cross-region replication for data redundancy
- Implementing AWS Shield for DDoS protection
Don’t let downtime surprise you! Understand the differences between high availability and disaster recovery, and know which AWS services support each strategy. For example, be familiar with how to use Route 53 health checks and failover routing policies to improve availability.
6. Security and Compliance: Lock It Down
Security is very important in AWS. Make sure you know these areas well:
- Implementing IAM best practices
- Encrypting data at rest and in transit
- Using AWS WAF to protect against web attacks
- Implementing compliance frameworks with AWS Config and AWS Control Tower
- Setting up VPC security groups and network ACLs
- Implementing AWS KMS for key management
- Using AWS GuardDuty for threat detection
- Implementing AWS Security Hub for security posture management
Understand the shared responsibility model and know which security aspects are your job versus AWS’s job. Be familiar with how to implement security at every level, from the network to the application. .
7. Networking and Content Delivery: Connect the Dots
Networking is the backbone of any AWS infrastructure. Here’s what you should focus on:
- Designing and implementing VPCs
- Configuring Route 53 for DNS management
- Using CloudFront for content delivery
- Implementing VPN and Direct Connect for hybrid architectures
- Understanding and configuring VPC peering and AWS Transit Gateway
- Implementing Network Load Balancers and Application Load Balancers
- Configuring VPC endpoints for secure access to AWS services
Master these concepts, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming an AWS networking expert. Understand how to design secure and scalable network architectures, and know the best practices for connecting on-premises networks to AWS.
8. Automation and Infrastructure as Code: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Automation is key to efficient AWS operations. Get comfortable with these tools and concepts:
- Using CloudFormation for infrastructure as code
- Implementing Elastic Beanstalk for easy application deployment
- Leveraging AWS Systems Manager for configuration management
- Automating tasks with AWS Lambda and Step Functions
- Using AWS OpsWorks for configuration management with Chef and Puppet
- Implementing CI/CD pipelines with AWS CodePipeline
- Automating security checks with AWS Config Rules
Automation will save you time and reduce mistakes in your AWS environment. Understand how to use these tools to create repeatable, consistent, and version-controlled infrastructure. Know how to write CloudFormation templates and how to use Systems Manager to manage your EC2 fleet at scale.
9. Cost Optimization: Keep Your Budget in Check
AWS can be cost-effective, but only if you know how to optimize your resources. Focus on these areas:
- Using AWS Cost Explorer and AWS Budgets
- Implementing cost-effective storage solutions
- Leveraging Reserved Instances and Savings Plans
- Optimizing EC2 instance types and sizes
- Implementing auto-scaling to match capacity with demand
- Using AWS Trusted Advisor for cost optimization recommendations
- Implementing S3 Intelligent-Tiering for automatic cost savings
- Understanding and implementing AWS Organizations for multi-account management
Being cost-conscious is a valuable skill for any AWS professional. Understand how to analyze your AWS bill, find ways to save money, and implement strategies to reduce waste. Know how to use tools like Cost Explorer to predict future costs and set up budgets to avoid overspending.
10. Exam Preparation Tips: Set Yourself Up for Success
Here are some final tips to help you succeed in the exam:
- Take practice exams to get used to the question format
- Use hands-on labs to gain practical experience
- Review AWS whitepapers and FAQs for in-depth knowledge
- Join study groups or online forums to discuss concepts with others
- Get a good night’s sleep before the exam and arrive early on exam day
- Focus on scenario-based questions that test your ability to apply knowledge
- Pay attention to keywords in questions that might hint at the correct answer
- Manage your time wisely during the exam, don’t spend too long on any one question
The exam tests your practical knowledge, so hands-on experience with AWS services is crucial.
Conclusion: You’ve Got This!
At ITCourses we provide the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate Course which can significantly enhance your chances of passing first time. The exam is challenging, but with good preparation, you can pass it. Use this cheat sheet as your guide, practice regularly, and get hands-on experience with AWS services. Remember, this certification is just the beginning of your AWS journey. Keep learning, stay curious, and watch your cloud career grow!
Good luck on your exam, future AWS SysOps Administrator!
