AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate
Validate technical ability to deploy, manage, and operate workloads on AWS
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate (formerly known as AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate) validates skills and knowledge in monitoring and maintaining AWS workloads, implementing security controls and networking concepts, performing business continuity procedures, and implementing cost and performance optimizations.

Exam overview
AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate
Category
Associate
Exam duration
130 minutes
Exam format
65 questions; either multiple choice or multiple response
Cost
150 USD. Visit Exam pricing for additional cost information, including foreign exchange rates
Intended candidate
Individuals with ~1 year of experience deploying, managing, and operating workloads on AWS
Candidate role examples
Cloud Operations Specialist, Cloud Support Engineer, Cloud Consultant, Migration Specialist, and Cloud Systems Integration Engineer, CloudOps Engineer, Cloud Operator
Testing options
Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam
Languages offered
English, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese
Prepare for the exam
Gain confidence by following AWS Skill Builder's 4-step exam prep plan. Enroll in the complete plan or choose specific courses tailored to your needs, ensuring you're ready for exam day.
1
Get to know the exam with exam-style questions
Follow the 4-step plan.
Take the AWS Certification Official Practice Question Set to understand exam-style questions.
2
Refresh your AWS Knowledge and skills
Enroll in digital courses where you need to fill gaps in knowledge and skills, practice with AWS Builder Labs, AWS Cloud Quest, and AWS Jam.
3
Review and practice for your exam
Review the scope of the exam. Explore each exam domain’s topics and how they align to AWS services. Reinforce your knowledge and identify learning gaps with exam-style questions and flashcards. Follow instructors as they walk through exam-style questions and provide test-taking strategies. Continue practicing with AWS Builder Labs and/or AWS SimuLearn.
4
Assess your exam readiness
Take the AWS Certification Official Pretest.
Key FAQs to help you get started
Who should take this exam?
The ideal candidate for this certification should have one year of experience with deployment, management, networking, and security on AWS. This certification is an ideal starting point on the AWS Certification journey for individuals in IT or cloud operations job roles.
Candidates who do not have any IT work experience would benefit from first earning the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner to get foundational knowledge of AWS Cloud and services before pursuing the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate exam.
How will the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate help my career?
Certified individuals report increased confidence as a result of earning this industry-recognized certification and increased credibility with technical IT/cloud colleagues and customers. Professionals in operations or administration roles on on-premises systems can showcase that they can perform similar tasks on AWS cloud. Preparing for and earning the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate can also get you off to a strong start to earn additional AWS Certifications in the Professional and Specialty categories.
What certification(s) should I earn next after AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate?
The AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional and AWS Certified Security - Specialty are certifications that other cloud professionals have earned to advance further in roles like systems administrator and cloud engineer. View AWS Certification paths to learn more and plan your AWS Certification journey.
How long is this certification valid for?
This certification is valid for 3 years. Before your certification expires, you can recertify by passing the latest version of this exam, or by earning the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional, which will automatically recertify this Associate-level certification. Learn more about recertification options for AWS Certifications.
What happened to AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate?
As part of the latest exam update, we’ve renamed this certification as AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate to reflect the evolving nature of cloud operations and a shift in industry terminology. The name change to AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate will only apply to those who pass the latest exam version (SOA-C03). It won’t be retroactively changed for those who hold the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate.
Individuals who already have the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate are not required to take the AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate exam. The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate certification will remain valid for 3 years from the date it was earned. Additionally, individuals who have an active AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate certification can continue to recertify both certifications by passing the latest version of the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional exam.
Additional resources
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