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Are you considering sitting for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam? As of September 18, 2023, the current exam variant (CLF-C01) will be phased out and succeeded by the updated CLF-C02 version.
As anticipated, the revised exam version brings about some variations. The distribution of domain emphases has changed, and it encompasses various novel services, concepts, and tools. A comprehensive overview of the modifications in AWS CLF-C02 is provided below.
Table of Contents
Differences Between CLF-C01 vs CLF-C02?
Here is link to the official guide for the AWS C02 certification exam.
If we do a comparison of CLF-C01 vs CLF-C02, there’s a noticeable reduction in the number of questions related to cloud concepts, billing, pricing, and support. That said, you’d still need dedicated time to studying these topics.
The gap has been filled by an increased focus on security, compliance, cloud technology, and services, which make up 64% of the CLF-C02 exam.
Additionally, certain domains have undergone name changes.
Provided below is a precise breakdown of the updated exam weightings:
1. Domain 1 (Cloud Concepts): This section will now place greater importance on the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework but the overall percentage has decreased to 24% from 26%.
2. Domain 2 (Security and Compliance): There’s a significant increase from 25% to 30%. This domain now delves deeper into governance matters.
3. Domain 3 (Cloud Technology & Services): Undergoing a renaming and reorganization, this domain has been divided into subsections covering aspects like compute, database, networking, storage, AI/ML, and miscellaneous topics. This has gone up a percentage point to 34%.
4. Domain 4 (Billing, Pricing, and Support): This domain’s title now includes support, although the percentage has decreased from 16% to 12%.
What Hasn’t Changed With the AWS CLF-C02?
Number of questions and scoring for AWS CLF-C02
The exam will comprise 65 questions in total, encompassing both multiple-choice and multiple-response formats. Among these, 50 questions hold significance for your score determination, while the remaining 15 serve as unscored items for gathering performance data. The pass/fail nature remains unchanged, with scores ranging from 100 to 1000; achieving a score of 700 or higher is requisite for passing.
Cost of AWS CLF-C02 exam
Yes, it is still $100 USD. AWS often gives discounts on this exam. So, do yourself a favor and subscribe to AWS newsletter.
The good ol’ AWS favorite services
AWS Fargate and AWS Lambda have been categorized as Serverless. Services such as Amazon EC2, Amazon QuickSight, Amazon Aurora, AWS Auto Scaling, and Amazon CloudWatch (among others) are still included.
Concentrate on These Topics For AWS CLF-C02 Exam
Numerous fresh services and concepts have been integrated into the exam, and you can access a comprehensive roster provided by AWS in the official guide. However, for a more condensed selection to aid in concentrating your study endeavors, here are several services worthy of exploration:
| Service Type | Service Name |
| Analytics | AWS Data Exchange |
| Application Integration | AWS Step Functions |
| Business Productivity | Amazon Connect |
| Compute | AWS Wavelength |
| Containers | Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR) |
| Cost Management | AWS Billing Conductor |
| Customer Engagement | AWS IQ |
| Database | Amazon Neptune |
| Developer Tools | AWS AppConfig AWS X-Ray |
| End-User Computing | Amazon AppStream 2.0 |
| Frontend Web and Mobile | AWS Device Farm |
| Internet of Things (IoT) | AWS IoT Core AWS IoT Greengrass |
| Machine Learning | Amazon Comprehend Amazon Polly |
| Management and Governance | AWS Well-Architected Tool |
| Migration and Transfer | AWS Migration Hub |
| Networking and Content Delivery | AWS Global Accelerator |
| Security, Identity, and Compliance | AWS Secrets Manager AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM) |
| Storage | AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery |
Additionally, some important topics that you should be familiar with are:
Cloud Adoption: You should be familiar with the Cloud Adoption Framework as well as the Well-Architected Framework whitepapers.
AWS Shared Responsibility Model: Grasp and effectively articulate the responsibilities of both customers and AWS.
Approaches to Deployment and Operations in AWS: Comprehend the diverse methods for provisioning and managing operations within AWS, utilizing the range of services outlined in the exam guide.
Lastly, bear in mind that “The Well-Architected Framework” has undergone recent updates. So, ensure you are well-versed in the latest modifications to the Framework’s Pillars.
Free Study Materials for AWS CLF-C02 Exam
- AWS Cloud Adoption Framework
- AWS Well-Architected Framework
- AWS Management and Governance Cloud Environment Guide
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Official Practice Question Set
- AWS Cloud Quest: Cloud Practitioner
Preparation Tips
To prepare for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam, you can consider the following steps:
- Study the Exam Guide: AWS provides an official exam guide that outlines the topics covered in the exam. This is a good starting point to understand the exam’s content.
- AWS Whitepapers and Documentation: Review AWS whitepapers and official documentation related to the exam domains. These documents are meant to enhance your cloud knowledge.
- Online Courses and Training: There are many online platforms that offer AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner training courses, including videos, practice exams, and interactive labs.
- Practice Exams: Practice exams for AWS certifications are valuable for getting familiar with the exam format and assessing your readiness.
- Hands-On Experience: While the exam doesn’t require hands-on AWS experience, practical experience with AWS services can enhance your understanding.
- AWS Free Tier: You can experiment with AWS services using the AWS Free Tier to gain practical exposure.
Conclusion
No matter if you are technical or have a non-IT background, AWS Cloud Practitioner is a great certification for anyone wanting to start their cloud career.
Remember that this certification is meant to be an entry point into AWS certifications. It’s a great choice for individuals who want to demonstrate their understanding of cloud basics and AWS services without diving too deeply into technical details.
Further Reading:
This blog has information on how to get started with your Cloud Accounts and credits for free.
