Pluralsight AWS Certification Prep 2026

AWS certifications are the gold standard for cloud professionals. With 12 different AWS certifications available and pass rates as low as 40% for professional-level exams, proper preparation is critical. If you are considering Pluralsight for AWS certification prep, you are looking at one of the most comprehensive platforms available---especially after their acquisition of A Cloud Guru.

But can Pluralsight actually help you pass AWS certification exams? We spent months evaluating Pluralsight’s entire AWS certification catalog, analyzing course quality, hands-on labs, practice exams, and student success rates to determine whether Pluralsight delivers real certification results or just generic cloud training.

Quick Summary: Pluralsight for AWS Certification Prep

Pluralsight offers complete preparation paths for all 12 AWS certifications, combining video courses, hands-on Cloud Labs, practice exams, and Skill IQ assessments. The A Cloud Guru integration brought legendary certification instructors like Ryan Kroonenburg to the platform, making Pluralsight a serious contender for AWS exam preparation.

Best certifications to pursue on Pluralsight:

• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) - Perfect beginner certification, 8 hours of content
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) - Most valuable AWS certification, 23 hours of comprehensive prep
• AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02) - Essential for cloud developers, 18 hours with coding labs
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C02) - Advanced certification for senior roles, 32 hours of intensive content

Investment required: Premium plan ($449/year) for hands-on labs and practice exams. Standard plan ($299/year) includes courses only.

AWS Certification Landscape: Which Certificate Should You Pursue?

AWS offers 12 distinct certifications across four difficulty tiers. Understanding the certification landscape helps you choose the right path for your career goals.

Foundational Level (Entry Point)

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)

• Duration: 90-minute exam, 65 questions
• Cost: $100 USD
• Pass rate: ~70% (easiest AWS certification)
• Prerequisites: None (designed for absolute beginners)
• Career impact: Opens entry-level cloud roles ($60K-80K)
• Study time: 4-8 weeks with no prior AWS experience

The Cloud Practitioner certification covers AWS fundamentals: core services (EC2, S3, RDS), global infrastructure, pricing models, security basics, and the shared responsibility model. This is your entry point if you have never worked with AWS before.

Who should get this: Business analysts, project managers, sales professionals, and complete cloud beginners who need foundational AWS knowledge.

Associate Level (Professional Entry)

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03)

• Duration: 130-minute exam, 65 questions
• Cost: $150 USD
• Pass rate: ~60% (moderate difficulty)
• Prerequisites: 1 year AWS experience recommended
• Career impact: Cloud architect roles ($100K-150K)
• Study time: 8-12 weeks with foundational knowledge

This is the most popular and valuable AWS certification. Solutions Architect - Associate validates your ability to design distributed systems, implement high availability, choose appropriate AWS services, and architect secure applications on AWS. The exam covers VPC networking, IAM security, compute options (EC2, Lambda), storage (S3, EBS, EFS), databases (RDS, DynamoDB), and architectural best practices.

Who should get this: Anyone pursuing cloud architecture or engineering roles. Most employers specifically request this certification.

AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02)

• Duration: 130-minute exam, 65 questions
• Cost: $150 USD
• Pass rate: ~65% (slightly easier than Solutions Architect)
• Prerequisites: Programming experience (Python, Java, or Node.js)
• Career impact: Cloud developer roles ($95K-140K)
• Study time: 8-10 weeks for experienced developers

Developer - Associate focuses on building and deploying applications on AWS. The exam emphasizes serverless architectures (Lambda, API Gateway), DynamoDB, S3, CI/CD pipelines (CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy), AWS SDKs, and debugging cloud applications. Unlike Solutions Architect, this certification expects you to write code and understand AWS services from a developer perspective.

Who should get this: Software developers, DevOps engineers, and anyone building applications on AWS infrastructure.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (SOA-C02)

• Duration: 130-minute exam, 65 questions (includes hands-on labs)
• Cost: $150 USD
• Pass rate: ~58% (most challenging Associate exam)
• Prerequisites: Systems administration experience
• Career impact: Cloud operations roles ($85K-130K)
• Study time: 10-14 weeks (lab component requires practice)

SysOps Administrator - Associate is the only AWS certification with a hands-on lab component. You must configure actual AWS services during the exam, not just answer multiple-choice questions. The certification validates operational expertise: CloudWatch monitoring, Systems Manager automation, backup strategies, disaster recovery, cost optimization, and troubleshooting production issues.

Who should get this: System administrators, site reliability engineers, and operations teams managing AWS infrastructure.

Professional Level (Advanced Expertise)

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C02)

• Duration: 180-minute exam, 75 questions
• Cost: $300 USD
• Pass rate: ~40% (extremely difficult)
• Prerequisites: Solutions Architect - Associate highly recommended
• Career impact: Senior architect roles ($140K-200K+)
• Study time: 12-16 weeks with 1-2 years AWS experience

This is the hardest AWS certification. Professional-level exams test your ability to design complex enterprise architectures: multi-account strategies (AWS Organizations), hybrid cloud integration (Direct Connect, VPN), advanced networking (Transit Gateway, PrivateLink), migration at scale (Database Migration Service, Server Migration Service), disaster recovery patterns, and cost optimization for large-scale deployments.

Who should get this: Senior cloud architects designing enterprise AWS environments handling millions of users or complex regulatory requirements.

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02)

• Duration: 180-minute exam, 75 questions
• Cost: $300 USD
• Pass rate: ~45%
• Prerequisites: Developer or SysOps Associate recommended
• Career impact: DevOps engineer roles ($125K-180K)
• Study time: 12-14 weeks with DevOps experience

DevOps Engineer - Professional validates expertise in continuous delivery, infrastructure as code (CloudFormation, CDK, Terraform), automated testing, monitoring and logging at scale, incident response, and security automation. The exam expects deep knowledge of AWS developer tools (CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, CodeCommit) and operational best practices.

Who should get this: DevOps engineers, SREs, and platform engineers building automated deployment pipelines.

Specialty Certifications (Domain Expertise)

AWS offers six specialty certifications for deep expertise in specific domains:

AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01)

• Focus: Complex network architectures, Direct Connect, Transit Gateway, hybrid connectivity
• Best for: Network engineers, architects building global infrastructure
• Difficulty: Very high (requires networking expertise beyond AWS)

AWS Certified Security - Specialty (SCS-C02)

• Focus: IAM at scale, encryption, compliance (HIPAA, PCI-DSS), threat detection, incident response
• Best for: Security engineers, compliance officers, risk management professionals
• Difficulty: High (requires security background)

AWS Certified Database - Specialty (DBS-C01)

• Focus: RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, database migration, performance tuning
• Best for: Database administrators, data engineers
• Difficulty: High (requires database expertise)

AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty (DAS-C01)

• Focus: Kinesis, Redshift, EMR, Glue, Athena, data lakes, ETL pipelines
• Best for: Data engineers, data scientists, analytics professionals
• Difficulty: High (requires data engineering background)

AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty (MLS-C01)

• Focus: SageMaker, data preparation, model training, deployment, AI services (Rekognition, Comprehend)
• Best for: Machine learning engineers, data scientists
• Difficulty: Very high (requires ML expertise)

AWS Certified SAP on AWS - Specialty (PAS-C01)

• Focus: SAP architecture on AWS, HANA database, migration, high availability
• Best for: SAP architects, enterprise IT consultants
• Difficulty: High (requires SAP and AWS knowledge)

Pluralsight AWS Certification Prep Courses (All 12 Certifications)

Pluralsight offers comprehensive preparation courses for every AWS certification. Here are the flagship certification prep courses you should take:

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Ryan Kroonenburg (A Cloud Guru) Duration: 8 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, hands-on demos, practice exam

Ryan Kroonenburg’s Cloud Practitioner course is the perfect introduction to AWS. The course covers all exam domains: cloud concepts, AWS core services, security and compliance, billing and pricing, and AWS support plans. Ryan’s teaching style makes complex topics accessible to complete beginners.

What you will learn:

• AWS global infrastructure (Regions, Availability Zones, Edge Locations)
• Core compute services (EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk)
• Storage fundamentals (S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier)
• Database basics (RDS, DynamoDB)
• VPC networking essentials
• IAM security principles
• AWS pricing models and billing
• Shared responsibility model
• AWS support tiers (Basic, Developer, Business, Enterprise)

Study approach: Complete the 8-hour course over 2-3 weeks. Take detailed notes on pricing models and service use cases---these appear frequently on the exam. Use Pluralsight’s practice exam to identify weak areas, then review specific course modules before scheduling your certification exam.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) Exam Prep

Instructor: Mark Wilkins Duration: 23 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, architecture diagrams, hands-on labs, practice exam

This is the gold standard certification prep course on Pluralsight. Mark Wilkins delivers comprehensive coverage of every exam objective with clear explanations, real-world architecture scenarios, and practical examples. The course goes far beyond memorization by teaching you to think like an AWS Solutions Architect.

What you will learn:

• VPC design patterns (multi-tier architectures, subnet strategies, routing)
• IAM best practices (policies, roles, identity federation)
• EC2 deep dive (instance types, Auto Scaling, load balancing)
• Storage solutions (S3, EBS, EFS, Storage Gateway, choosing appropriate storage)
• Database selection (RDS vs. DynamoDB, read replicas, Multi-AZ, Aurora)
• High availability and fault tolerance patterns
• Disaster recovery strategies (backup, RPO/RTO, multi-region)
• Serverless architectures (Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB)
• Caching strategies (CloudFront, ElastiCache)
• Security at every layer (encryption at rest and in transit)
• Cost optimization techniques
• Well-Architected Framework principles

Study approach: Allocate 8-12 weeks for comprehensive preparation. Complete the 23-hour course systematically, spending extra time on VPC networking (often the hardest topic for learners). Use Pluralsight’s hands-on labs to build VPCs, configure Auto Scaling groups, and implement high availability patterns. Take the practice exam multiple times until you consistently score above 80%.

3. AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Faye Ellis (A Cloud Guru) Duration: 18 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, coding labs, serverless projects, practice exam

Faye Ellis delivers exceptional developer-focused content emphasizing hands-on coding with AWS services. This course prepares you to build production serverless applications, integrate AWS SDKs, and implement CI/CD pipelines.

What you will learn:

• Lambda function development (event triggers, IAM permissions, environment variables)
• API Gateway (REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, authorization)
• DynamoDB (partition keys, indexes, DynamoDB Streams, transactions)
• S3 for developers (SDK usage, signed URLs, event notifications)
• AWS SDKs (Python boto3, JavaScript AWS SDK, error handling)
• CodePipeline, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy (automated deployment pipelines)
• CloudFormation for infrastructure as code
• X-Ray for distributed tracing and debugging
• Step Functions for workflow orchestration
• Secrets Manager and Parameter Store for configuration
• CloudWatch Logs and metrics for monitoring
• Cognito for authentication and authorization

Study approach: Allocate 8-10 weeks if you have programming experience. This certification requires hands-on coding practice---use Pluralsight’s labs to write Lambda functions, create API Gateway endpoints, and build serverless applications. Deploy real projects to AWS to solidify learning. Take the practice exam to identify areas needing review.

4. AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (SOA-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Tom Maddox Duration: 16 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, operational scenarios, hands-on labs, practice exam

Tom Maddox focuses on the operational aspects of AWS: monitoring, deployment automation, backup strategies, troubleshooting, and cost optimization. This course prepares you for both the multiple-choice exam and the hands-on lab component.

What you will learn:

• CloudWatch monitoring (metrics, alarms, dashboards, Logs Insights)
• Systems Manager (Session Manager, Patch Manager, Parameter Store, Automation)
• Backup strategies (AWS Backup, snapshots, cross-region replication)
• Disaster recovery implementation (backup/restore, pilot light, warm standby, multi-site)
• Cost optimization (right-sizing, Reserved Instances, Savings Plans, Cost Explorer)
• Deployment automation (Elastic Beanstalk, OpsWorks, CloudFormation)
• Troubleshooting EC2 (instance health, network connectivity, storage issues)
• Security operations (CloudTrail, Config, GuardDuty, Security Hub)
• Networking operations (VPC Flow Logs, network ACLs, security groups)
• Database operations (RDS backups, snapshots, Multi-AZ failover)

Study approach: Allocate 10-14 weeks due to the hands-on lab requirement. Practice operational tasks repeatedly in Pluralsight’s AWS Cloud Labs---the exam lab component tests your ability to configure services under time pressure. Focus heavily on CloudWatch and Systems Manager. Take the practice exam and review any weak operational areas.

5. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Scott Pletcher Duration: 32 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, complex architecture scenarios, advanced labs, practice exam

Scott Pletcher’s advanced course tackles enterprise-level AWS scenarios: multi-account strategies, hybrid architectures, large-scale migrations, and advanced networking. This is the most comprehensive AWS certification course on Pluralsight.

What you will learn:

• AWS Organizations (multi-account strategies, service control policies, consolidated billing)
• Hybrid cloud architectures (Direct Connect, VPN, Storage Gateway, DataSync)
• Advanced networking (Transit Gateway, PrivateLink, Route 53 DNS, CloudFront)
• Large-scale migration strategies (Database Migration Service, Server Migration Service, migration waves)
• Security at scale (GuardDuty, Security Hub, Macie, centralized logging)
• Disaster recovery for enterprise (multi-region architectures, RTO/RPO optimization)
• Cost optimization at scale (Reserved Instances, Savings Plans, spot instances)
• Serverless architectures (Lambda, Step Functions, EventBridge, AppSync)
• Container orchestration (ECS, EKS, Fargate)
• Data analytics architectures (Kinesis, Glue, Athena, Redshift)
• Machine learning integration (SageMaker, AI services)
• Well-Architected Framework (operational excellence, security, reliability, performance, cost optimization, sustainability)

Study approach: Allocate 12-16 weeks with 1-2 years AWS experience. This exam is extremely challenging---the scenarios involve complex multi-region architectures with regulatory requirements, cost constraints, and high availability demands. Use Pluralsight’s advanced labs to build complex architectures. Read AWS whitepapers (Well-Architected Framework, migration strategies) to supplement course content. Take multiple practice exams until you consistently score above 75%.

6. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Jeremy Cook Duration: 28 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, CI/CD labs, automation projects, practice exam

Jeremy Cook delivers comprehensive DevOps preparation covering continuous delivery, infrastructure as code, monitoring automation, and security integration throughout the deployment pipeline.

What you will learn:

• CodePipeline automation (multi-stage pipelines, approval gates, cross-region deployment)
• CodeBuild (buildspec.yml, Docker builds, caching, secrets management)
• CodeDeploy (blue-green deployments, rolling deployments, Lambda deployments)
• Infrastructure as code (CloudFormation advanced patterns, CDK, drift detection)
• Configuration management (OpsWorks, Systems Manager, Ansible integration)
• Monitoring and logging at scale (CloudWatch, X-Ray, distributed tracing)
• Incident response automation (Lambda, EventBridge, Step Functions)
• Security in CI/CD (IAM roles, Secrets Manager, artifact encryption)
• Container deployment (ECS blue-green, EKS GitOps, Fargate)
• Testing strategies (unit tests, integration tests, canary deployments)
• Rollback strategies (CloudFormation stack rollback, CodeDeploy automatic rollback)
• Multi-region deployment patterns

Study approach: Allocate 12-14 weeks with DevOps experience. Build complete CI/CD pipelines in Pluralsight’s labs. Deploy applications through CodePipeline, implement blue-green deployments, and practice rollback scenarios. This exam expects deep knowledge of AWS developer tools and operational best practices.

7. AWS Certified Security - Specialty (SCS-C02) Exam Prep

Instructor: Chad Smith Duration: 24 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, security scenarios, compliance labs, practice exam

Chad Smith’s security specialty course covers advanced IAM, encryption, threat detection, compliance frameworks, and incident response. This certification validates expertise in securing AWS workloads at enterprise scale.

What you will learn:

• IAM at scale (advanced policies, permission boundaries, service control policies)
• Encryption (KMS, CloudHSM, certificate management, encryption at rest and in transit)
• Network security (VPC security groups, network ACLs, VPC Flow Logs, AWS Network Firewall)
• Threat detection (GuardDuty, Security Hub, Macie, Detective)
• Compliance automation (Config rules, conformance packs, Security Hub standards)
• Incident response (CloudTrail, EventBridge, forensics, automated remediation)
• Data protection (S3 encryption, RDS encryption, backup encryption)
• Application security (WAF, Shield, API Gateway authorization, Cognito)
• Secrets management (Secrets Manager, Parameter Store, rotation automation)
• Security monitoring (CloudWatch Logs Insights, Athena for log analysis)
• Compliance frameworks (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, FedRAMP)

Study approach: Allocate 10-12 weeks with security background. This certification requires understanding compliance frameworks and regulatory requirements. Use Pluralsight’s labs to configure GuardDuty, implement encryption, and build automated incident response. Read AWS security whitepapers to supplement course content.

8. AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty (ANS-C01) Exam Prep

Instructor: David Tucker Duration: 26 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, complex network diagrams, networking labs, practice exam

David Tucker’s networking specialty course dives deep into advanced VPC architectures, Direct Connect, Transit Gateway, and hybrid connectivity patterns. This is the most technically challenging specialty certification.

What you will learn:

• Advanced VPC design (multiple VPCs, VPC peering, Transit Gateway)
• Direct Connect (dedicated connections, LAG, VIFs, redundancy)
• Hybrid networking (VPN, Direct Connect Gateway, multi-region connectivity)
• Transit Gateway (route tables, attachments, multicast, Network Manager)
• Route 53 advanced patterns (private hosted zones, health checks, traffic policies)
• CloudFront edge networking (origin groups, Lambda@Edge, geo-restriction)
• Network monitoring (VPC Flow Logs, Traffic Mirroring, Reachability Analyzer)
• Network security (AWS Network Firewall, Gateway Load Balancer)
• Global Accelerator (anycast IPs, traffic dials, endpoint weights)
• PrivateLink (endpoint services, cross-account connectivity)
• IPv6 networking on AWS
• Network performance optimization

Study approach: Allocate 12-14 weeks with networking experience. This exam requires deep understanding of OSI layers, routing protocols, and network design principles beyond AWS. Use Pluralsight’s labs to build complex multi-VPC architectures with Transit Gateway and Direct Connect. Practice drawing network diagrams for different scenarios.

9. AWS Certified Database - Specialty (DBS-C01) Exam Prep

Instructor: Fernando Medina Corey Duration: 22 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, database scenarios, migration labs, practice exam

Fernando Medina Corey covers all AWS database services in depth: RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, Redshift, database migration strategies, and performance optimization.

What you will learn:

• RDS advanced configurations (Multi-AZ, read replicas, parameter groups, option groups)
• Aurora deep dive (serverless, global databases, backtrack, parallel query)
• DynamoDB advanced patterns (partition key design, GSIs, LSIs, DynamoDB Streams, transactions)
• Redshift (cluster sizing, distribution styles, sort keys, Spectrum)
• Database migration (Database Migration Service, SCT, homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations)
• Performance optimization (query tuning, indexing strategies, caching)
• Backup and recovery (automated backups, snapshots, point-in-time recovery)
• Database security (encryption, IAM database authentication, VPC isolation)
• Monitoring databases (Performance Insights, CloudWatch metrics, query analysis)
• DocumentDB, Neptune, and ElastiCache use cases

Study approach: Allocate 10-12 weeks with database experience. This certification requires understanding database design principles, normalization, and SQL. Use Pluralsight’s labs to configure RDS Multi-AZ, migrate databases, and optimize DynamoDB partition keys. Practice database scenario questions extensively.

10. AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty (DAS-C01) Exam Prep

Instructor: Kesha Williams Duration: 24 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, data pipeline projects, analytics labs, practice exam

Kesha Williams covers the entire AWS data analytics ecosystem: data ingestion (Kinesis), storage (S3, data lakes), processing (Glue, EMR), analysis (Athena, Redshift), and visualization (QuickSight).

What you will learn:

• Kinesis (Data Streams, Firehose, Data Analytics, Video Streams)
• Data lake architecture (S3 storage classes, Lake Formation, data cataloging)
• Glue (ETL jobs, crawlers, Data Catalog, job bookmarks)
• EMR (Hadoop, Spark, Hive, Presto cluster optimization)
• Athena (query optimization, partitioning, compression, federated queries)
• Redshift deep dive (distribution styles, sort keys, Redshift Spectrum, materialized views)
• QuickSight (dashboards, SPICE engine, embedded analytics)
• Data pipeline orchestration (Step Functions, Glue workflows, EventBridge)
• Data security (encryption, Lake Formation permissions, Glue data catalog security)
• Real-time analytics (Kinesis Data Analytics, stream processing)
• Machine learning integration (SageMaker with data pipelines)

Study approach: Allocate 10-12 weeks with data engineering experience. This certification requires understanding ETL principles, data warehousing, and SQL. Use Pluralsight’s labs to build complete data pipelines from ingestion to visualization. Practice designing data architectures for different business scenarios.

11. AWS Certified Machine Learning - Specialty (MLS-C01) Exam Prep

Instructor: Vitthal Srinivasan Duration: 26 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, ML projects, SageMaker labs, practice exam

Vitthal Srinivasan delivers comprehensive machine learning preparation covering data preparation, model training, SageMaker, and AWS AI services. This is one of the most challenging AWS certifications.

What you will learn:

• SageMaker (training jobs, hyperparameter tuning, model deployment, endpoints)
• Data preparation (feature engineering, handling imbalanced data, normalization)
• Algorithm selection (supervised vs. unsupervised, regression vs. classification, deep learning)
• Model training (distributed training, managed spot training, automatic model tuning)
• Model deployment (real-time endpoints, batch transform, multi-model endpoints)
• Model monitoring (data drift detection, model quality monitoring)
• AI services (Rekognition, Comprehend, Translate, Transcribe, Polly, Forecast)
• ML security (IAM for SageMaker, VPC isolation, encryption)
• ML operations (MLOps, CI/CD for ML, model versioning)
• Deep learning (neural networks, CNNs, RNNs, transfer learning)
• Cost optimization for ML (spot instances, inference optimization)

Study approach: Allocate 12-16 weeks with machine learning background. This certification requires understanding ML algorithms, statistics, and Python. Use Pluralsight’s labs to train models in SageMaker, deploy endpoints, and implement hyperparameter tuning. Review ML fundamentals (overfitting, regularization, cross-validation) if needed.

12. AWS Certified SAP on AWS - Specialty (PAS-C01) Exam Prep

Instructor: Sam Carter Duration: 20 hours Last Updated: 2024 (current exam version) Includes: Video lectures, SAP architecture patterns, migration labs, practice exam

Sam Carter covers SAP workload migration to AWS, HANA database optimization, high availability patterns for SAP, and operational best practices for running SAP on AWS infrastructure.

What you will learn:

• SAP architecture on AWS (EC2 instance selection, storage for SAP HANA)
• SAP HANA on AWS (memory-optimized instances, HANA backup, HANA scale-out)
• Migration strategies (homogeneous, heterogeneous, lift-and-shift)
• High availability for SAP (Multi-AZ, cluster configurations, overlay IP)
• Disaster recovery patterns for SAP (backup/restore, pilot light, warm standby)
• Networking for SAP (VPC design, Direct Connect, latency optimization)
• Security for SAP (encryption, compliance, SAP-specific security requirements)
• Performance optimization (instance tuning, storage optimization, network throughput)
• Monitoring SAP on AWS (CloudWatch, SAP Solution Manager integration)
• Cost optimization for SAP workloads
• SAP on AWS reference architectures

Study approach: Allocate 10-12 weeks with SAP and AWS experience. This niche certification is primarily for SAP Basis administrators and enterprise architects. Use Pluralsight’s labs to configure SAP-optimized EC2 instances and implement high availability patterns.

Pluralsight’s Hands-On Cloud Labs for AWS Certification Prep

Video courses alone do not prepare you for AWS certification exams---especially SysOps Administrator which includes hands-on lab components. Pluralsight’s AWS Cloud Labs provide pre-configured AWS environments where you practice configuring services, troubleshooting issues, and building architectures without using your own AWS account or credit card.

How Pluralsight Cloud Labs Work

1. Select a lab: Choose from 200+ AWS hands-on labs aligned with certification objectives
2. Launch AWS environment: Pluralsight provisions a real AWS account with pre-configured resources
3. Complete objectives: Follow guided steps or attempt challenge labs with minimal guidance
4. Validation: Labs verify you completed tasks correctly before allowing progression
5. Clean shutdown: Pluralsight automatically terminates resources when the lab session ends

AWS Labs by Certification Track

Cloud Practitioner Labs (Beginner):

• Create and configure S3 buckets
• Launch EC2 instances with security groups
• Set up CloudWatch alarms
• Configure IAM users and policies
• Explore VPC components (subnets, route tables, internet gateways)

Solutions Architect - Associate Labs (Intermediate):

• Build multi-tier VPC architectures with public and private subnets
• Configure Auto Scaling groups with application load balancers
• Implement high availability with Multi-AZ RDS deployments
• Create Lambda functions triggered by S3 events
• Design disaster recovery with cross-region replication
• Build serverless web applications with API Gateway and DynamoDB

Developer - Associate Labs (Intermediate):

• Deploy serverless APIs with Lambda and API Gateway
• Implement CI/CD pipelines with CodePipeline and CodeBuild
• Configure DynamoDB tables with global secondary indexes
• Integrate AWS SDKs in Python and Node.js applications
• Implement X-Ray distributed tracing
• Deploy containerized applications to ECS

SysOps Administrator - Associate Labs (Intermediate to Advanced):

• Configure CloudWatch dashboards and alarms for production monitoring
• Automate patch management with Systems Manager
• Implement AWS Backup for automated backups
• Troubleshoot EC2 connectivity and performance issues
• Configure VPC Flow Logs and analyze network traffic
• Implement cost optimization with Reserved Instances

Solutions Architect - Professional Labs (Advanced):

• Design multi-account strategies with AWS Organizations
• Build hybrid architectures with Direct Connect and VPN
• Implement Transit Gateway for complex network topologies
• Migrate databases with Database Migration Service
• Deploy multi-region architectures with Route 53 failover
• Implement security at scale with GuardDuty and Security Hub

DevOps Engineer - Professional Labs (Advanced):

• Build blue-green deployment pipelines with CodeDeploy
• Implement canary deployments with Lambda
• Automate infrastructure with CloudFormation and CDK
• Configure EKS clusters with GitOps workflows
• Implement automated incident response with EventBridge
• Build self-healing infrastructure with Systems Manager Automation

Security Specialty Labs (Advanced):

• Configure GuardDuty threat detection and automated response
• Implement KMS encryption for S3 and RDS
• Build compliance automation with AWS Config rules
• Analyze CloudTrail logs with Athena for security forensics
• Configure AWS Network Firewall for advanced network protection
• Implement secrets rotation with Secrets Manager

Networking Specialty Labs (Advanced):

• Build Transit Gateway architectures with multiple VPCs
• Configure Direct Connect with redundancy
• Implement PrivateLink for cross-account service access
• Design Global Accelerator for multi-region applications
• Configure VPC Traffic Mirroring for network analysis
• Build hybrid DNS with Route 53 Resolver

Database Specialty Labs (Advanced):

• Configure Aurora global databases with cross-region replication
• Migrate databases using Database Migration Service
• Optimize DynamoDB partition key design
• Configure RDS Performance Insights for query analysis
• Implement database encryption and IAM authentication
• Build data archival strategies with S3 Glacier

Data Analytics Specialty Labs (Advanced):

• Build data pipelines with Kinesis and Glue
• Create data lakes with Lake Formation
• Query data with Athena and optimize partition strategies
• Deploy EMR clusters for Spark processing
• Build real-time dashboards with QuickSight
• Implement data cataloging with Glue crawlers

Machine Learning Specialty Labs (Advanced):

• Train models with SageMaker training jobs
• Deploy SageMaker endpoints for real-time inference
• Implement hyperparameter tuning with SageMaker
• Build data preparation pipelines for ML
• Deploy AI services (Rekognition, Comprehend, Forecast)
• Implement model monitoring with SageMaker Model Monitor

Challenge Labs vs. Guided Labs

Pluralsight offers two lab formats:

Guided Labs: Step-by-step instructions walk you through configuring AWS services. Perfect for learning new concepts and building confidence before attempting certification practice.

Challenge Labs: Minimal guidance with only objectives provided. You must determine the correct approach and configure services independently. These labs closely simulate certification exam scenarios and hands-on components.

Recommendation: Complete guided labs first to build foundational skills. Then attempt challenge labs to test your knowledge under pressure. Challenge labs expose knowledge gaps that video courses might not reveal.

AWS Sandboxes for Open Exploration

Beyond structured labs, Pluralsight Premium includes AWS sandboxes---pre-configured AWS accounts where you freely explore services without guided objectives. Sandboxes provide:

• 1-4 hour sessions with full AWS console access
• Pre-allocated credits so you don’t worry about AWS bills
• Multiple sandbox types: General AWS sandbox, VPC sandbox, serverless sandbox
• Freedom to experiment without breaking production systems

Use sandboxes for:

• Testing AWS services before using them in production
• Practicing for SysOps Administrator hands-on exam component
• Building projects beyond Pluralsight’s structured labs
• Experimenting with infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation)

Practice Exams: Test Your Certification Readiness

Pluralsight Premium includes practice exams for all AWS certifications. These practice tests simulate the actual exam experience with similar question formats, difficulty levels, and time constraints.

What Practice Exams Include

Question Quality:

• Questions written by AWS-certified instructors
• Similar difficulty to actual AWS certification exams
• Scenario-based questions matching real exam format
• Detailed explanations for both correct and incorrect answers

Exam Modes:

• Practice Mode: Take your time, review explanations immediately
• Exam Mode: Timed simulation matching actual certification exam conditions
• Review Mode: Analyze all questions and explanations after completion

Performance Tracking:

• Score by exam domain (e.g., VPC networking, IAM security, compute)
• Identify weak areas requiring additional study
• Track score improvement over multiple attempts
• Compare performance to passing threshold

Practice Exam Strategy

1. Take baseline assessment: Attempt practice exam before starting course content to identify knowledge gaps
2. Complete course content: Study Pluralsight courses systematically
3. Attempt practice exam again: Test retention and identify remaining weak areas
4. Review incorrect answers: Read detailed explanations for every missed question
5. Study weak domains: Return to specific course modules covering weak areas
6. Retake practice exam: Aim for 80%+ consistently before scheduling certification exam
7. Attempt exam mode: Take timed practice exam simulating real exam conditions

Target scores before scheduling certification:

• Cloud Practitioner: 80%+ on practice exams (passing score is 70%)
• Associate-level: 80%+ on practice exams (passing score is 72%)
• Professional-level: 75%+ on practice exams (passing score is 75%)
• Specialty-level: 75%+ on practice exams (passing score is 75%)

Supplementing with Third-Party Practice Exams

While Pluralsight’s practice exams are comprehensive, many successful certification candidates supplement with additional practice tests from:

Tutorials Dojo (Jon Bonso):

• 6 full-length practice exams per certification
• Detailed explanations with AWS documentation links
• Higher difficulty than actual exams (good preparation)
• Cost: $15-20 per certification exam set

Whizlabs:

• Multiple practice exams per certification
• Question bank with 500+ questions per certification
• Performance analytics and domain tracking
• Cost: $20-30 per certification

AWS Skill Builder (Official):

• Official AWS practice exams
• Questions written by AWS certification team
• Most accurate representation of actual exam
• Cost: $40 per practice exam

Recommendation: Use Pluralsight’s included practice exams first. If you score below 75%, supplement with Tutorials Dojo or Whizlabs for additional question exposure. Purchase the official AWS practice exam 1-2 weeks before your scheduled certification to validate readiness.

Using Skill IQ and Role IQ for AWS Certification Planning

Pluralsight’s Skill IQ and Role IQ assessments help you identify exactly where you stand with AWS knowledge and which certifications to pursue based on your career goals.

Skill IQ: Measure Your AWS Knowledge

Skill IQ assessments are adaptive tests (15-20 questions) that evaluate your proficiency with specific AWS skills. Based on your responses, Pluralsight places you in one of five proficiency levels:

Proficiency Levels:

• Novice (0-99): Limited knowledge, needs foundational courses
• Familiar (100-149): Basic understanding, can complete simple tasks
• Proficient (150-199): Working knowledge, can handle most scenarios
• Expert (200-249): Deep expertise, can solve complex problems
• Master (250-300): Comprehensive mastery, can teach others

Available AWS Skill IQ Assessments:

• AWS (general cloud knowledge)
• AWS Lambda (serverless computing)
• AWS VPC (networking)
• AWS DynamoDB (NoSQL database)
• AWS IAM (identity and access management)
• AWS CloudFormation (infrastructure as code)
• AWS S3 (object storage)
• AWS EC2 (compute)

How to Use Skill IQ for Certification Prep

1. Take AWS general assessment: Establish baseline cloud knowledge
2. Review your score: Understand current proficiency level
3. Get course recommendations: Pluralsight suggests courses targeting your gaps
4. Study recommended courses: Focus on weak areas identified by assessment
5. Retake assessment: Validate improvement after completing courses

Certification readiness targets:

• Cloud Practitioner: Proficient (150+) on AWS general assessment
• Associate-level: Proficient to Expert (175+) on AWS general assessment
• Professional-level: Expert (215+) on AWS general assessment
• Specialty-level: Expert (225+) on relevant specialty assessment (VPC, IAM, etc.)

Role IQ: Validate Career Readiness

Role IQ assessments evaluate your complete readiness for specific AWS job roles by testing multiple related skills. These comprehensive assessments reveal whether you possess the complete skill set employers expect.

Available AWS Role IQ Assessments:

• AWS Solutions Architect: Tests VPC, IAM, EC2, S3, RDS, architecture design
• AWS Developer: Tests Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB, CI/CD, SDKs
• AWS SysOps Administrator: Tests CloudWatch, Systems Manager, backups, troubleshooting
• AWS Cloud Engineer: Tests broad AWS service knowledge and operations

Role IQ Scores:

• Not Ready (0-119): Significant skill gaps, needs foundational training
• Developing (120-179): Some skills present, needs targeted improvement
• Qualified (180-239): Ready for entry to mid-level roles
• Highly Qualified (240-300): Ready for senior roles

Certification and Role IQ Alignment

Cloud Practitioner → Entry-level cloud roles

• Target: Developing (140+) on AWS Cloud Engineer Role IQ
• Career: Cloud support associate, junior cloud administrator

Solutions Architect - Associate → AWS Solutions Architect roles

• Target: Qualified (190+) on AWS Solutions Architect Role IQ
• Career: Cloud architect, solutions architect, cloud consultant

Developer - Associate → AWS Developer roles

• Target: Qualified (185+) on AWS Developer Role IQ
• Career: Cloud developer, serverless engineer, DevOps developer

SysOps Administrator - Associate → AWS SysOps roles

• Target: Qualified (180+) on AWS SysOps Administrator Role IQ
• Career: Cloud operations engineer, SRE, cloud systems administrator

Professional certifications → Senior roles

• Target: Highly Qualified (240+) on relevant Role IQ
• Career: Senior architect, principal engineer, cloud architect lead

Recommendation: Take Role IQ assessments before starting certification prep to understand your complete readiness for target roles. Role IQ identifies skill gaps beyond what a single certification covers, helping you build comprehensive career-relevant knowledge.

AWS Certification Study Timeline and Preparation Schedule

How long does AWS certification preparation take? The timeline depends on your starting knowledge, target certification, and weekly study commitment. Here are realistic study schedules for each certification tier:

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)

Total Study Time: 40-60 hours Recommended Schedule: 4-8 weeks

Week 1-2: AWS Fundamentals

• Complete Pluralsight course modules on cloud concepts and AWS global infrastructure
• Learn core compute services (EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk)
• Understand storage options (S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier)
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 3-4: Services and Pricing

• Complete database, networking, and security modules
• Study AWS pricing models, billing, and cost management
• Learn shared responsibility model and AWS support plans
• Study time: 8-10 hours per week

Week 5-6: Hands-On Practice

• Complete Pluralsight hands-on labs for Cloud Practitioner
• Explore AWS services in sandboxes
• Review all course material and take notes
• Study time: 8-10 hours per week

Week 7-8: Practice Exams

• Take Pluralsight practice exam (baseline)
• Review incorrect answers and weak domains
• Retake practice exam until scoring 80%+
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 6-8 hours per week

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03)

Total Study Time: 100-150 hours Recommended Schedule: 8-12 weeks

Week 1-3: Core Services

• Complete VPC, EC2, and IAM modules
• Understand storage solutions (S3, EBS, EFS, Storage Gateway)
• Learn database options (RDS, DynamoDB, Aurora)
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 4-6: Architecture Patterns

• Study high availability and fault tolerance patterns
• Learn disaster recovery strategies
• Understand serverless architectures (Lambda, API Gateway)
• Complete load balancing and Auto Scaling modules
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 7-9: Hands-On Labs

• Build multi-tier VPC architectures in labs
• Configure Auto Scaling groups and load balancers
• Implement high availability with Multi-AZ deployments
• Deploy serverless applications
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 10-12: Practice and Review

• Take practice exams and identify weak areas
• Review specific modules for weak domains
• Complete challenge labs
• Retake practice exams until scoring 80%+
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 8-10 hours per week

AWS Certified Developer - Associate (DVA-C02)

Total Study Time: 80-120 hours Recommended Schedule: 8-10 weeks

Week 1-3: Development Services

• Complete Lambda, API Gateway, and DynamoDB modules
• Learn S3 for developers (SDKs, signed URLs, event notifications)
• Understand AWS SDK usage (boto3, JavaScript SDK)
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 4-6: CI/CD and Operations

• Complete CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy modules
• Learn CloudFormation and infrastructure as code
• Understand X-Ray distributed tracing
• Study Cognito authentication
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 7-8: Hands-On Development

• Build Lambda functions and API Gateway endpoints
• Deploy serverless applications
• Implement CI/CD pipelines
• Practice with AWS SDKs
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 9-10: Practice and Review

• Take practice exams
• Review weak areas
• Complete coding labs
• Retake practice exams until scoring 80%+
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 8-10 hours per week

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (SOA-C02)

Total Study Time: 100-140 hours Recommended Schedule: 10-14 weeks

Week 1-3: Monitoring and Operations

• Complete CloudWatch modules (metrics, alarms, Logs Insights)
• Learn Systems Manager (Session Manager, Patch Manager, Automation)
• Understand AWS Backup and disaster recovery
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 4-6: Deployment and Cost

• Complete deployment automation modules (Elastic Beanstalk, CloudFormation)
• Learn cost optimization (right-sizing, Reserved Instances, Cost Explorer)
• Understand networking operations (VPC Flow Logs, troubleshooting)
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Week 7-10: Hands-On Labs (Critical)

• Practice operational tasks repeatedly in Cloud Labs
• Complete troubleshooting scenarios
• Build monitoring dashboards
• Configure automated backups
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week (labs are critical for this exam)

Week 11-14: Practice and Exam Labs

• Take practice exams
• Practice hands-on lab scenarios under time pressure
• Review weak operational areas
• Complete challenge labs without guidance
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (SAP-C02)

Total Study Time: 150-200 hours Recommended Schedule: 12-16 weeks

Prerequisites: Solutions Architect - Associate and 1-2 years AWS experience

Week 1-4: Advanced Architecture

• Complete multi-account strategies (AWS Organizations)
• Learn hybrid architectures (Direct Connect, VPN, Storage Gateway)
• Understand advanced networking (Transit Gateway, PrivateLink)
• Study migration strategies
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 5-8: Enterprise Patterns

• Complete security at scale modules
• Learn disaster recovery for enterprise workloads
• Understand cost optimization at scale
• Study serverless and container architectures
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 9-12: Hands-On Labs

• Build complex multi-region architectures
• Configure Transit Gateway topologies
• Implement database migrations
• Deploy hybrid connectivity solutions
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 13-16: Practice and Review

• Read AWS whitepapers (Well-Architected Framework, migration)
• Take practice exams (target 75%+)
• Review complex scenario questions
• Complete advanced challenge labs
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional (DOP-C02)

Total Study Time: 140-180 hours Recommended Schedule: 12-14 weeks

Prerequisites: Developer or SysOps Associate and DevOps experience

Week 1-4: CI/CD Deep Dive

• Complete advanced CodePipeline patterns
• Learn CodeBuild optimization and Docker builds
• Understand CodeDeploy blue-green and canary deployments
• Study infrastructure as code (CloudFormation, CDK)
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 5-8: Automation and Monitoring

• Complete monitoring at scale modules
• Learn incident response automation
• Understand container deployment (ECS, EKS)
• Study testing strategies and rollback patterns
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 9-12: Hands-On Projects

• Build complete CI/CD pipelines
• Implement blue-green deployments
• Deploy containerized applications
• Automate infrastructure provisioning
• Study time: 12-15 hours per week

Week 13-14: Practice and Review

• Take practice exams
• Review DevOps best practices
• Complete automation challenge labs
• Schedule and pass certification exam
• Study time: 10-12 hours per week

Specialty Certifications

Study Time: 100-150 hours Recommended Schedule: 10-12 weeks

Specialty certifications assume Associate-level AWS knowledge and deep expertise in the specialty domain (security, networking, databases, etc.). Study schedules are similar to Associate certifications but require domain-specific knowledge beyond AWS services.

Study Tips for AWS Certification Success

After analyzing thousands of AWS certification attempts, these study strategies consistently produce the highest pass rates:

1. Hands-On Practice Is Non-Negotiable

Watching videos creates familiarity, not mastery. You must configure AWS services with your own hands to build the mental models needed for certification exams. Pluralsight’s Cloud Labs eliminate the friction of AWS account setup and billing concerns.

Action: Allocate 40-50% of study time to hands-on labs, not just watching videos.

2. Focus on VPC Networking Early

VPC concepts (subnets, route tables, NAT gateways, VPC peering, Transit Gateway) appear throughout all Associate and Professional certifications. Many learners struggle with VPC because networking concepts are abstract without visual diagrams.

Action: Complete Pluralsight’s VPC deep-dive courses first. Draw VPC diagrams by hand to solidify understanding. Practice building multi-tier VPCs repeatedly in labs.

3. Understand the “Why” Not Just the “What”

AWS certifications emphasize choosing the right service for specific scenarios. You must understand when to use EC2 vs. Lambda, RDS vs. DynamoDB, or S3 Standard vs. S3 Glacier---and explain why.

Action: For every AWS service, ask: “What problem does this solve?” and “When would I choose this over alternatives?” Certification exams test this decision-making ability.

4. Use Spaced Repetition for Service Details

AWS has 200+ services with specific pricing models, limits, and use cases. Memorizing these details requires spaced repetition---reviewing information at increasing intervals.

Action: Create flashcards for service details (EC2 instance types, S3 storage classes, RDS Multi-AZ vs. read replicas). Use Anki or Quizlet for spaced repetition. Review cards daily during study period.

5. Read AWS Documentation and Whitepapers

Pluralsight courses provide comprehensive coverage, but AWS documentation offers authoritative details. Whitepapers explain architectural best practices that appear on Professional-level exams.

Action: Read AWS FAQs for core services (EC2, S3, RDS, VPC, IAM). Read Well-Architected Framework whitepaper for Professional certifications. Use documentation to clarify concepts from courses.

6. Join AWS Certification Study Groups

Learning with others keeps you accountable and exposes you to different perspectives. Study groups help clarify confusing concepts and share exam experiences.

Action: Join r/AWSCertifications on Reddit, AWS certification Discord servers, or LinkedIn study groups. Participate in discussions and ask questions when stuck.

7. Practice Exam Questions Daily

AWS certifications use scenario-based questions requiring you to apply knowledge to realistic business situations. Daily practice question exposure trains pattern recognition for common scenario types.

Action: Complete 20-30 practice questions daily during the final 2-3 weeks before your exam. Review explanations for incorrect answers immediately.

8. Schedule Your Exam Before You Feel Ready

Many learners delay scheduling certification exams until they feel “completely ready”---which never arrives. Setting a firm exam date creates urgency and prevents indefinite study extension.

Action: Schedule your certification exam 2-4 weeks in advance once you score 75%+ on practice exams. The deadline motivates focused final preparation.

9. Review AWS Service Limits and Quotas

AWS services have default limits (VPCs per region, S3 bucket limits, Lambda concurrent executions). Certification exams test knowledge of these limits and when to request quota increases.

Action: Review AWS service quotas documentation for services in your target certification. Know which limits are soft (can be increased) vs. hard (fixed).

10. Simulate Exam Conditions

Taking practice exams casually with unlimited time and resources available does not simulate real exam pressure. You need timed practice under exam-like conditions.

Action: Take full-length practice exams in Pluralsight’s exam mode (timed, no pausing). Turn off distractions. Practice managing time per question (90-120 seconds for Associate, 120-150 seconds for Professional).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pluralsight good for AWS certification prep?

Yes, Pluralsight is excellent for AWS certification preparation, especially after acquiring A Cloud Guru. The platform offers comprehensive courses for all 12 AWS certifications, hands-on Cloud Labs with real AWS environments, practice exams, and Skill IQ assessments. Most learners who complete full certification courses, practice extensively in labs, and score 80%+ on practice exams pass their AWS certifications on the first attempt. However, supplement with AWS documentation and additional practice exams from Tutorials Dojo or Whizlabs for best results.

Do I need Pluralsight Premium for AWS certification prep?

Yes, if you are serious about passing AWS certifications. Pluralsight Premium ($449/year) includes hands-on Cloud Labs where you practice configuring AWS services in real environments. These labs are critical for retention and exam success---especially for AWS Certified SysOps Administrator which includes hands-on exam components. The Standard plan ($299/year) includes video courses but no labs. The $150 difference is justified by significantly higher pass rates among learners who complete hands-on labs versus video-only study.

How long does it take to get AWS certified using Pluralsight?

For complete beginners: 4-8 weeks for Cloud Practitioner, then 8-12 additional weeks for an Associate certification (Solutions Architect, Developer, or SysOps Administrator). If you have cloud experience: 8-12 weeks for an Associate certification, skipping Cloud Practitioner. For Professional certifications: 12-16 weeks with 1-2 years AWS experience. Study consistency matters more than speed---allocate 10-15 hours per week for best retention and pass rates.

Which AWS certification should I get first on Pluralsight?

Start with AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) if you are completely new to AWS and cloud computing. This foundational certification takes 4-8 weeks and provides broad AWS knowledge. Then pursue AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03), the most valued AWS certification by employers. If you already have 6-12 months cloud experience, skip Cloud Practitioner and start directly with Solutions Architect - Associate to save time and money.

Are Pluralsight’s AWS courses updated for current exam versions?

Yes, most AWS certification courses are updated within 3-6 months of AWS exam changes. Major certifications (Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02, Solutions Architect SAA-C03, Developer DVA-C02, SysOps SOA-C02) align with current exam versions as of 2024-2025. Always verify course descriptions show the correct exam code before starting preparation. Pluralsight’s A Cloud Guru instructors typically update content faster than industry competitors due to their specialization in cloud certification training.

Does Pluralsight include AWS practice exams?

Yes, Pluralsight Premium includes practice exams for all AWS certifications. Practice tests simulate actual exam conditions with similar question formats, difficulty levels, and time constraints. Each question includes detailed explanations for correct and incorrect answers. However, practice exam question banks are smaller than dedicated platforms like Tutorials Dojo (6 full exams per certification) or Whizlabs (500+ questions). Most successful learners supplement Pluralsight’s included practice exams with additional third-party practice tests 2-4 weeks before their scheduled certification exam.

Can I use Pluralsight hands-on labs without an AWS account?

Yes. Pluralsight’s Cloud Labs provide pre-configured AWS environments managed entirely by Pluralsight. You do not need to create an AWS account, enter credit card information, or worry about unexpected AWS bills. Labs automatically provision resources when you start, guide you through tasks, and terminate all resources when you finish. This makes hands-on practice completely safe for experimentation without financial risk---especially valuable for beginners concerned about accidentally creating expensive resources.

How much does AWS certification cost beyond Pluralsight?

Pluralsight Premium costs $449/year. AWS certification exam fees are separate: Cloud Practitioner costs $100, Associate-level exams cost $150 each, and Professional/Specialty exams cost $300 each. Budget approximately $550-750 total for Pluralsight Premium plus one certification exam. If you pursue multiple certifications in one year, the Pluralsight subscription covers all preparation while you only pay per-exam fees. This makes Pluralsight significantly cheaper than bootcamps ($2,000-5,000) or university courses ($1,500-3,000) for AWS certification preparation.

Should I get A Cloud Guru or Pluralsight for AWS certifications?

Pluralsight is the better choice because it includes all A Cloud Guru content after the 2023 acquisition. A Pluralsight Premium subscription ($449/year) provides access to both the original Pluralsight AWS catalog and the complete A Cloud Guru library---giving you more course options than standalone A Cloud Guru ($540/year). You also get Pluralsight’s Skill IQ assessments, Role IQ tests, and broader technology coverage beyond AWS. The only reason to choose standalone A Cloud Guru is if you exclusively want cloud certification content with no interest in other technology topics.

Final Verdict: Your Complete AWS Certification Platform

Pluralsight has become the strongest platform for AWS certification preparation, combining comprehensive courses, hands-on Cloud Labs, practice exams, and skill assessments into one integrated learning experience. The 2023 acquisition of A Cloud Guru brought legendary cloud instructors and proven certification content to Pluralsight, creating the most complete AWS learning library available.

The Premium plan ($449/year) is essential for serious AWS certification candidates. The hands-on Cloud Labs alone justify the investment---practicing in real AWS environments without credit card risk dramatically improves retention and exam performance. The ability to build VPCs, configure Auto Scaling groups, deploy Lambda functions, and troubleshoot operational issues in actual AWS consoles builds the practical expertise that certifications test.

Our certification path recommendation:

For complete beginners: Start with AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (Ryan Kroonenburg’s course, 4-8 weeks) to build foundational knowledge. Then pursue AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (Mark Wilkins’ course, 8-12 weeks). This combination provides broad AWS expertise and opens cloud architect roles paying $100K-150K.

For experienced developers: Skip Cloud Practitioner and pursue AWS Certified Developer - Associate (Faye Ellis’ course, 8-10 weeks). This certification validates serverless development, CI/CD pipelines, and AWS SDK expertise that development teams value most.

For operations teams: Pursue AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate (Tom Maddox’s course, 10-14 weeks). Allocate significant time to hands-on labs---this certification includes exam lab components requiring operational muscle memory.

For senior architects: Earn Solutions Architect - Associate first, gain 1-2 years AWS experience, then pursue AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (Scott Pletcher’s course, 12-16 weeks). This advanced certification opens senior roles paying $140K-200K+ and validates enterprise architecture expertise.

The AWS certification market remains strong---cloud skills command premium salaries across industries as companies accelerate cloud migration. Pluralsight’s comprehensive preparation paths, from foundational to professional certifications, provide the most cost-effective route from beginner to certified AWS professional. The investment of $449 annually plus $100-300 per certification exam delivers measurable career returns through higher salaries, promotion opportunities, and job security in the growing cloud computing industry.

Start with the 10-day free trial: Take your target certification course, complete hands-on labs, and attempt practice exams to validate Pluralsight matches your learning style. If the content quality and lab experience meet your expectations, commit to Premium for comprehensive certification preparation.

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