AWS stands for Amazon Web Services, and Amazon provides you with opportunities to get certified in specific fields. One of them is the AWS Solutions Architect, and we’re going to be discussing the best study guides for it in this article.
With the rapid technological advance, technology-related jobs have been in increasingly high demand. However, it’s even harder to find qualified IT leaders in our day and age. Hence, if you’re looking to develop your skills or take your career to another level, then AWS certifications might be the thing for you.
As for Certified Solutions, the Architect Certificate has been the most popular certificate for numerous years now, and for a good reason. This certification will provide you with all the information you need to build your future as a solutions architect. However, to pass it successfully, we provide you with a list of the best study guides.
If you want to just get back to studying, get our top pick for AWS solutions architect study Guides here.
Our Favorites for Best AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide
There are numerous ways to study for AWS certification, as preparation for the examination is incredibly crucial. However, some resources can help the process immensely. First off, we’re going to mention our 2 top favorite AWS Solutions Architect guides:
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official Study Guide 1st Edition
It is well known nowadays that AWS is one of the top cloud computing products and services companies worldwide. They have incredible resources and products for you to optimize. Moreover, since AWS themselves are offering the certification, it cannot get much better than studying using their guidebook.
Objectives of This Guide
The book is the best AWS Solutions Architect study guide, as you learn absolutely everything you should know for the examination. Below is a list of objectives that the book aims to discuss in depth. This is not a complete list of topics included, but here are a few fundamental objectives:
- Learn how to deploy and manage services through numerous platforms, including CloudFormation and OpsWorks
- Build knowledge on various topics including RDBMS, Loose Coupling and Stateless Systems, AWS CloudFront, and Elasticity Concepts
- Start optimizing Compute, Storage, and Database AWS services
What Makes it Unique:
- You will also receive two custom examinations that help you identify your weak spots. The total number of questions in this practice guide is 100 questions. If you consistently get more than 90% on your practice exams, then you’re more than ready to go and pass your examination
- You receive approximately 100 flashcards that help you critically and quickly think during your exams. Use these to revise throughout your whole studying process, and also utilize these flashcards to quickly adjust before your examination
Why Choose this AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide:
- Most people who go through all the details in this book pass the first try. However, keep in mind that this book will not provide a dive deep into AWS, but it addresses specific topics and prepares you perfectly for the examination
- Multiple people who take this examination already have sufficient experience with AWS, but every one of them swears by this book as an excellent guide for the certification. That’s why the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official Study Guide qualifies as the best book for AWS solution architect associates
- Baron, Joe (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 504 Pages - 10/07/2016 (Publication Date) - Sybex (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-05-06
Amazon Web Services in Action
If you’re looking to gain sufficient experience and skills using the most vital services offered on AWS, then this is for you. This guide is more suited for an intermediate level, so you must know about AWS beforehand.
Objectives of this Guide:
As to the topics that are covered in this book, they are all listed below:
- EC2 & CloudFormation
- Elastic Beanstalk &Opsworks
- SQS & ELB
- DynamoDB & CloudWatch
- Store & RDS
- EBS & Instance Store
- IAM & S3
The beginning of the book provides you with an overview, outline, and some cloud computing concepts. Honestly, this book would be an excellent choice for those who generally have more knowledge of AWS than most people, as this requires an intermediate level.
What Makes it Unique:
- This book explains all the concepts incredibly well. You will find thorough explanations on everything, and it includes numerous different examples. It demonstrates complete concepts of using Amazon services
- Provides a more in-depth explanation for those who want a much more comprehensive guide into some topics
Why Choose this AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide:
- This study guide is the ideal book if you want to scale your knowledge and use it as an additional source of information with a more basic guide
- This book helps you understand how to use the different services and the knowledge you have learned. Hence, you can optimize the use of this book in addition to the first recommended book
- Wittig, Andreas (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 528 Pages - 10/16/2018 (Publication Date) - Manning Publications (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-05-07
Runner Ups for Best AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide
Learning AWS 2nd Edition
The Learning AWS guide mainly targets those with some basis on programming and cloud concepts. It contains all the vital information you might be looking for and explains the critical, difficult ones with incredible depth. You realize that the author has a more no-nonsense approach to explaining the detailed designs and problems that arise.
The book starts with a small, basic introduction to AWS and represents what to expect throughout your study process. Moreover, it provides you with the necessary skills to design, implement, develop, test, and produce in different environments.
Objectives of this Guide:
Below is a general list of things you will learn by heart once you’re through with the book:
- Automate and create the infrastructure and find cost-effective solutions
- Integration of AWS services in numerous applications
- Database services learned extensively to provide you with ensuring high availability
- Find all the AWS terminology and become an expert in all terms
What Makes it Unique:
- You will find exercises throughout the book that will help you practice whatever information you learn through your learning process
- Through the use of this book, you will learn numerous different objectives. These include real-time scalable applications, architectural decision-making, cost-effective solutions and applications, and security issues. However, the list is much more extensive than those few topic
Why Choose AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide:
- It is a fantastic book to learn further applications and apply different concepts
- This guide provides you with a more comprehensive guide into how to use different applications and apply what you have learned earlier
- Sarkar, Aurobindo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 412 Pages - 02/01/2018 (Publication Date) - Packt Publishing (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-05-07
All-in-One AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Exam Guide
This book is more of an authoritative guide. However, it addresses every piece of information you will need to pass your AWS examination. The book’s author is an employee at Amazon and works as an Enterprise Solutions Architect.
At the beginning of each chapter, you will find a brief, and all the objectives addressed throughout the chapter. Not only that, but you get in-depth explanations on all crucial topics and practice exam questions. Moreover, it provides you with essential tips and hacks to help you during your examination.
Objectives of this Guide:
Some topics that you will find throughoutthis guide include:
- Explanations and guides through Secure Applications and Architectures
- Learn how to design cost-optimized applications
- Discuss operationally excellent architectures digital content
- Design resilient architectures
What Makes it Unique:
- You get 130 AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam questions, a pdf version, and a test engine that you can access either online or on CD
- This test engine includes numerous practice exams or quizzes that you can customize according to the chapter or the objective
Why Choose AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide:
- Numerous people have used this book as their sole guide through the examination and passed on their first try. That’s mainly because of the detailed explanation and the questions provided throughout the book
- This book is more technical than other books, so is suitable for those who have a knack for more technical language and the more detailed formatting
- Banerjee, Joyjeet (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 464 Pages - 08/31/2018 (Publication Date) - McGraw Hill (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-05-07
Value Picks for Best AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide
Amazon Web Services for Dummies
We all know all about those books for dummies. They’re one of the best books out there, honestly, as they have a way of explaining complicated topics in a much simpler manner. Hence, if you’re new to AWS and feel like you barely have enough information, using AWS for Dummies as an initial AWS study material is a solid idea.
Objectives of this Guide:
This guide is elementary to understand and is the ideal introduction to Amazon Web Services. Here is a list of ideas you will be familiar with after completing this book:
- The way different web services work, including S3, Amazon Flexible Payments, and EC2
- How to use Amazon Services for storage, management, payments, and deal with immense quantities of data
- Implementing Amazon Web Services into your organization
- Explanation of why to use AWS (cost-effectiveness, reduce the use of hardware, increase productivity, more efficiency, and much more)
- Cut down on administrative problems throughout your organization
What Makes it Unique:
- This guide for dummies includes numerous practical examples and detailed guides on how to experiment with different features
- Every single chapter contains unique descriptions that compliment the screenshots of AWS dashboards. These aim to ease your understanding process. It provides a simple yet detailed explanation of various topics, which is a great asset, especially if you’re a beginner
Why Choose AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide:
- If you lack confidence in AWS or are hesitant about pursuing IT web services as a career, then this simple guide is what we recommend for you
- It provides simplified versions of more complex topics; it will ease your journey into the AWS world
- Golden, Bernard (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 09/10/2013 (Publication Date) - For Dummies (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-05-07
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Training Notes
If you’re through the process of preparing to become an AWS certified solutions architect associate, then we recommend using this book as an additional resource. It will help fast-track your process and lead you to pass your exam successfully.
Objectives of this Guide:
This training notes study guide is the updated version which contains up-to-date explanations and information on various topics. Here is what you’ll learn throughout:
- An extensive guide through the examination, which is illustrated through detailed tables, diagrams, and long paragraphs
- Get familiar with the format of the test, the questions, and the expected answers for each
- Get access to an online exam simulator that aims to prepare you for the actual examination
What Makes it Unique
- The online simulated examination provides you with 65 practice questions. These are scored and timed to give you an idea of your overall performance
- At the end of each chapter, you will get 80 quiz questions that provide adequate revision after studying through the material
- You’ll get summarized key concepts, listed fundamentals of each service, tables of summary, and core concepts on AWS services. Hence, if your learning style is briefer and more visual, this might suit you most
Why Choose this Guide
- If you’re someone who often gets lost in online resources and skimping through FAQs on different websites, then we recommend this book. It will address all the questions you might have, as it provides a more in-depth insight into various topics
- We love this AWS study guide so much because of the up-to-date requirement the authors ensure is provided. Moreover, the practice questions at the end of each chapter are an incredible way of ensuring you’re well-equipped in specific topics
- Perfect study guide if you’re looking for a way to cram your study material into a shorter time frame
- Hardcover Book
- Davis, Neal (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update: 2024-05-07
How to Choose the Best AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide?
Finding the Best AWS solutions architect books can be a pain. Not only is it challenging to settle on one study guide in a sea of hundreds, but you cannot ever know which guide is the one that would suit you.
Hence, we provide you with some guidance on choosing your very own guide.
Does it Cover Topics Included in AWS Solutions Architect Exam?
If you’re considering purchasing only one book, you would want all the topics addressed throughout the book. Hence, one of the first things you have to check is the outline of the study guide.
Make sure it addresses every single topic mentioned on the AWS examination. Otherwise, you run the risk of being underprepared and not doing as well as you wanted to.
The optimal way of checking that is finding the outline of the study guide online or simply going through its description online. Then, compare it to the critical concept and design of the AWS examination to find out if they match or not.
Do You Have Prior Knowledge in Programming?
Are you already familiar with AWS concepts? Think about which level you’re currently at. Are you a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level? Now, if you’re looking for an AWS Architect study guide to enhance your previous knowledge, then we recommend some of the more advanced books.
However, if you’re a complete newbie to the AWS world, then something straightforward and detailed is what you’re looking for. If you’re considering buying only one book, aim to get the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official Study Guide 1st Edition. However, if you want to ease your way into it, we recommend going for AWS for Dummies first and then scaling up to a more difficult guide.
Does it Provide Practice Exam Questions?
Honestly, one of the most important things you should look for is exam questions. You would want a guide that includes numerous examples and practice questions that help you prepare for the exam.
Moreover, if you can access questions you have to find on previously administered exams, that’s even better. That way, you can learn the examination format and what AWS is expecting you to answer on the exam.
Hence, aim for study guides that show you the examination format, including questions, answers, and numerous examples.
Does it Provide Visuals and Pictures?
In addition to all the items mentioned above, we recommend you find a book that provides more visual content. Generally speaking, having visually pleasing content makes it easier to study and revise.
Moreover, any tables, graphs, pictures, and examples through screenshots will enhance your learning process and provide a more manageable way of retaining information. You want to avoid anything too technical unless that’s how you’re used to studying. Otherwise, you’ll get bored quickly and find yourself zoning out throughout the book.
Wrapping Things Up: The Best AWS Solutions Architect Study Guide
There is no correct answer when deciding which study guide is best for the AWS Architect Solution examination. The book you’re looking for will depend on numerous factors, the first of which depends on your level of proficiency.
If you have previous knowledge of AWS, we recommend slightly more advanced books. However, if you’re entirely new to this world and you want to dip your toe in the pool, then find something that works as an introductory guide.
However, regardless of your level regarding AWS knowledge, there are a few things we recommend everyone looks for. That includes finding more visually-guided books, graphs, and examples through screenshots. Moreover, we recommend you stay away from any technical books as they are always much harder to read. Also, make sure that whichever guide you decide on includes multiple past exam questions and some examples on the exam format.
