Exam Prep: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundations from Coursera

This new foundational-level course from Amazon Web Services (AWS), is designed to help you to assess your preparedness for the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification exam. You will learn how to prepare for the exam by exploring the exam’s topic areas and how they map to both AWS Cloud practitioner roles and to specific areas of study. You will review sample certification questions in each domain, practice skills with hands-on exercises, test your knowledge with practice question sets, and learn strategies for identifying incorrect responses by interpreting the concepts that are being tested in the exam. At the end of this course you will have all the knowledge and tools to help you identity your strengths and weaknesses in each certification domain areas that are being tested on the certification exam.

The AWS Certified Cloud Foundations Certification the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01) exam is intended for individuals who can effectively demonstrate an overall knowledge of the AWS Cloud independent of a specific job role. The exam validates a candidate’s ability to complete the following tasks: Explain the value of the AWS Cloud, Understand and explain the AWS shared responsibility model, understand security best practices, Understand AWS Cloud costs, economics, and billing practices, Describe and position the core AWS services, including compute, network, databases, and storage and identify AWS services for common use cases

What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1

Welcome to Exam Prep: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner! In this course, we present content on all four knowledge domains that are covered in the exam. It's important to understand that on the exam, questions from all domains are presented in random order. In this week, you will get an overview of relevant concepts and services for Cloud Concepts (Domain 1). For this domain, question walkthroughs cover defining the benefits of the AWS Cloud, aspects of AWS Cloud economics, and explaining the different design principles for cloud architecture. In addition, this week features a simulation where you explore the AWS Management Console and navigate through helpful places to find information.

Week 2

Welcome to Week 2! This week, you will review relevant concepts and services for Security and Compliance (Domain 2) so you can get a benchmark of your knowledge in this area. Question walkthroughs for this domain address the topics of defining the AWS shared responsibility model, defining concepts about AWS Cloud security and compliance, and identifying capabilities for AWS access management. In the simulation for the Security and Compliance domain, you get an opportunity to understand the purpose of user and identity management by reviewing AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) groups, users, roles, and policies.

Week 3

Welcome to Week 3! This week, you will get an overview of relevant concepts and services for Technology (Domain 3) so you can get a benchmark of your knowledge in this area. For this domain, the question walkthroughs focus on defining methods of deploying and operating in the AWS Cloud, defining the AWS global infrastructure, and identifying the core AWS services. This week features an optional, hands-on exercise for the Technology domain, where you will create an Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instance and an Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) volume. You will then create an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from the instance. Finally, you will terminate the instance and clean up any volumes or snapshots that remain. An accompanying video walkthrough shows one possible solution for addressing the exercise requirements.

Week 4

Welcome to Week 4! This week, you will review relevant concepts and services on Billing and Pricing (Domain 4) so you can get a benchmark of your knowledge in this area. The question walkthroughs for this domain compare the various pricing models for AWS, review the various account structures in relation to AWS billing and pricing, and identify resources available for billing support. In this week’s optional exercise, you will create an Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) bucket that is configured to block all public access. You will then upload an object to verify that your access is blocked. Finally, you will make the object public, and then verify that you can view it. This week also includes a practice assessment that includes questions from all exam domains.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for learners who are new to the AWS Cloud who are considering pursuing the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification exam

Provides a review of all four knowledge domains covered in the exam

Includes question walkthroughs, simulations, practice exercises, and a practice assessment

Led by Morgan Willis and Seph Robinson, who are experts in the field

Coverage of security best practices, AWS Cloud costs, economics, and billing

Hands-on practice with AWS services, including Amazon EC2, Amazon EBS, and Amazon S3

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Exam Prep: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundations with these activities:

Review prerequisite concepts

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Brush up on foundational cloud concepts and AWS-specific terminology to enhance your understanding of course material.

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Review the AWS documentation on core concepts, such as cloud computing, EC2 instances, S3, and networking.
Take a free online course or tutorial on AWS fundamentals.
Explore the AWS Management Console to familiarize yourself with the interface and key services.

Join a study group or forum

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Collaborate with peers to exchange knowledge, clarify concepts, and provide mutual support.

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Join an online forum or study group dedicated to AWS certification preparation.
Participate in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights.
Organize virtual or in-person meetups for focused study sessions.

Create a study companion

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Organize and curate your course materials to create a valuable resource for future reference.

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Gather all relevant course materials, such as notes, assignments, and practice questions.
Organize and categorize the materials based on exam topics or domains.
Create summaries, flashcards, or cheat sheets to enhance memorization and recall.

Five other activities

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Follow online tutorials

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Enhance your practical knowledge by following step-by-step guides that demonstrate real-world AWS applications.

Browse courses on AWS Services

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Search for online tutorials that cover specific AWS services or concepts.
Follow the tutorials and set up AWS resources in your own account.
Experiment with different configurations and settings to deepen your understanding.

Create a sample architecture diagram

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Apply your knowledge by designing a hypothetical AWS architecture for a specific scenario.

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Identify a use case or business requirement.
Select appropriate AWS services and design a logical architecture diagram.
Present your diagram to peers or instructors for feedback and improvement.

Develop a sample billing plan

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Gain practical experience by creating a hypothetical AWS billing plan for a specific scenario.

Browse courses on AWS Billing

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Determine the estimated usage of various AWS services.
Use the AWS Pricing Calculator to estimate the cost of the services.
Develop a billing plan that includes cost optimization strategies.

Write a blog post or article

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Articulating your understanding through written content reinforces your learning and allows you to share your knowledge with others.

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Choose a topic related to AWS cloud computing that you are comfortable with.
Research and gather information to support your ideas.
Write a blog post or article that presents your perspective and insights.

Host a mock exam session

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Simulate the exam environment and provide valuable feedback to enhance your preparation.

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Prepare a set of exam-style questions that cover the key domains.
Recruit peer participants and divide them into teams.
Facilitate a mock exam session, allowing teams to answer questions and discuss their reasoning.
Provide feedback and guidance to help participants identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete Exam Prep: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Foundations will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Cloud Architect

A Cloud Architect designs, builds, and manages cloud computing systems. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create scalable, reliable, and secure solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Cloud Architect. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Cloud Developer

A Cloud Developer develops and deploys applications on cloud platforms. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure applications. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Cloud Developer. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Developer

Software Architect

A Software Architect designs and builds software systems. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Software Architect. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Cloud Engineer

A Cloud Engineer builds and maintains cloud computing systems. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Cloud Engineer. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Solution Architect

A Solution Architect designs and builds cloud computing solutions. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Solution Architect. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Solution Architect

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer works to bridge the gap between development and operations teams. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a DevOps Engineer. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

IT Auditor

An IT Auditor assesses the security and compliance of cloud computing systems. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to help businesses ensure that their systems are secure and compliant with applicable regulations. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as an IT Auditor. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for security monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor

Information Security Analyst

An Information Security Analyst helps to protect businesses from cyber threats. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage security solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as an Information Security Analyst. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for security monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Data Engineer

A Data Engineer designs and builds data pipelines. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage scalable, reliable, and secure data pipelines. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Data Engineer. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for data storage, analytics, and visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Security Analyst

A Security Analyst helps to protect businesses from cyber threats. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to create and manage security solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Security Analyst. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for security monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Technical Project Manager

A Technical Project Manager leads and manages cloud computing projects. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Technical Project Manager. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Project Manager

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst helps businesses to improve their systems and processes. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to help businesses adopt cloud solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as a Systems Analyst. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

IT Consultant

An IT Consultant provides advice and guidance to businesses on how to use technology to improve their operations. They use their knowledge of cloud computing technologies and services to help businesses adopt cloud solutions. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for working as an IT Consultant. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for compute, storage, networking, and more.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Consultant

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst uses data to solve business problems. They use their knowledge of data analysis techniques and tools to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for storing and processing large amounts of data. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for data storage, analytics, and visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Business Intelligence Analyst

A Business Intelligence Analyst uses data to provide insights into business operations. They use their knowledge of data analysis techniques and tools to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities. This course can help you build a foundation in cloud computing concepts and services, which are essential for storing and processing large amounts of data. You will learn about the AWS Cloud, its security features, and how to use AWS services for data storage, analytics, and visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Intelligence Analyst