AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Exam Simulator

Compute

Computing involves the use of computers to process data, execute tasks, and run applications. In the context of cloud computing, this translates to leveraging remote servers hosted on the internet to perform these functions rather than relying on local servers or personal computers. AWS supports this with Amazon EC2 for scalable virtual servers, AWS Lambda for serverless computing that executes code in response to events, Amazon ECS and EKS for managing containerized applications, and AWS Fargate for running containers without managing servers.

Cost management

Cost management involves monitoring, controlling, and optimizing spending on cloud resources. AWS supports this with AWS Cost Explorer for visualizing and analyzing cost and usage over time, AWS Budgets for setting and tracking custom cost and usage budgets, AWS Trusted Advisor for providing recommendations to optimize costs, and AWS Cost and Usage Report for detailed billing information. These services help organizations gain visibility into their spending, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure efficient use of resources to control and reduce cloud expenses

Database

Database services in cloud computing provide scalable and managed database solutions for various applications. AWS supports this with Amazon RDS for managed relational databases, Amazon DynamoDB for NoSQL databases, Amazon Aurora for high-performance relational databases compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL, Amazon Redshift for data warehousing, Amazon Neptune for graph databases, Amazon DocumentDB for MongoDB-compatible document databases, and Amazon Timestream for time series data. These services ensure high availability, scalability, and security, allowing organizations to focus on their applications without managing the underlying database infrastructure, and support diverse data management needs efficiently.

Management and governance

Management and governance in cloud computing involve overseeing and controlling cloud resources to ensure compliance, security, and operational efficiency. AWS supports this with AWS CloudTrail for logging and monitoring account activity, AWS Config for tracking and auditing resource configurations, AWS Systems Manager for operational data management and automation, AWS Organizations for centralized management of multiple AWS accounts, and AWS Control Tower for setting up and governing a secure, multi-account AWS environment. These services help organizations maintain visibility, enforce policies, and automate processes, ensuring effective management and governance of their AWS environment.

Migration and data transfer

Migration and data transfer in cloud involve moving applications, data, and workloads from on-premises or other cloud environments to AWS. AWS supports this with AWS Migration Hub for tracking and managing migrations, AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) for migrating databases with minimal downtime, AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) for migrating on-premises servers, AWS Snowball for transferring large amounts of data, and AWS DataSync for automating data transfer between on-premises storage and AWS. These services enable efficient, secure, and seamless migration and data transfer, helping organizations transition to AWS with minimal disruption.

Networking, connectivity, and content delivery

Networking, connectivity, and content delivery in cloud involve connecting and securing resources across cloud and on-premises environments, and efficiently delivering content to users globally. AWS supports this with Amazon VPC for creating isolated cloud resources, AWS Direct Connect for dedicated network connections, Amazon Route 53 for scalable DNS and traffic management, AWS CloudFront for content delivery with low latency and high transfer speeds, and AWS Transit Gateway for connecting VPCs and on-premises networks. These services ensure high availability, security, and performance, enabling robust networking, reliable connectivity, and efficient content delivery.

Security

Security in cloud computing involves protecting data, applications, and infrastructure while ensuring regulatory compliance, supported by AWS services like IAM, KMS, Shield, WAF, GuardDuty, and CloudTrail, which collectively provide robust security measures for data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Storage

Storage in cloud computing involves secure, efficient data management and access, supported by AWS services like Amazon S3, EBS, EFS, Glacier, and Backup, providing durable, scalable, and flexible solutions for various use cases.

APIs

APIs enable integration and automation between applications, with AWS supporting this through services like API Gateway, AppSync, Lambda, Amplify, and Cognito for secure, scalable, and efficient API management.

Benefits of migrating to the AWS Cloud

Migrating to AWS Cloud provides scalability, cost-efficiency, enhanced security, and reliability through on-demand resources, pay-as-you-go pricing, robust security compliance, and a wide range of tools for disaster recovery, data storage, and application management, making it ideal for modernizing IT infrastructure and driving business innovation.

AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (AWS CAF)

The AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (AWS CAF) provides a structured approach to cloud migration, guiding organizations through six key perspectives—Business, People, Governance, Platform, Security, and Operations—ensuring alignment of IT strategy with business goals, effective change management, compliance, robust cloud infrastructure and security, and efficient operations, facilitating a seamless and effective transition to the AWS Cloud.

AWS Compliance

AWS Compliance provides a framework and services to help organizations meet regulatory and industry requirements through certifications like ISO 27001, HIPAA, SOC 1/2/3, and GDPR, supported by tools like AWS Artifact, Config, Security Hub, Audit Manager, Shield, and WAF for managing, monitoring, and auditing AWS environments to ensure adherence to compliance standards.

Amazon EC2 instance types

Amazon EC2 instance types offer flexible and scalable configurations to suit different use cases, including General Purpose (e.g., T3, M5), Compute Optimized (e.g., C5, C6g), Memory Optimized (e.g., R5, X1), Storage Optimized (e.g., I3, D2), Accelerated Computing (e.g., P3, G4), and Bare Metal (e.g., i3.metal, m5.metal), enabling organizations to select the right configuration for cost-efficiency and optimal performance.

AWS global infrastructure

AWS global infrastructure provides a robust, scalable, and secure environment with data centers worldwide, organized into Regions and Availability Zones (AZs) for redundancy and fault tolerance, Edge Locations for low-latency content delivery, and Local Zones for extending AWS services to more geographic locations, ensuring high performance, availability, and resilience for diverse workloads and disaster recovery strategies.

Infrastructure as code (IaC)

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) involves managing and provisioning computing infrastructure via machine-readable definition files, supported by AWS services like CloudFormation for automating resource setup, CDK for defining infrastructure with programming languages, OpsWorks for configuration management, Elastic Beanstalk for simplified application deployment, and the widely-used Terraform for multi-cloud infrastructure management, enabling consistent, error-free, and streamlined deployment across environments.

AWS Knowledge Center

The AWS Knowledge Center is a comprehensive resource offering support through detailed documentation, tutorials, FAQs, personalized support via the AWS Support Center, and community assistance on AWS Forums, helping users effectively utilize AWS services, troubleshoot issues, and implement best practices.

Machine learning

Machine learning enables scalable model development, training, and deployment, supported by AWS services like SageMaker for building and deploying models, Deep Learning AMIs for setting up deep learning environments, Comprehend for NLP insights, Rekognition for image and video analysis, Lex for conversational interfaces, Polly for text-to-speech, and the Machine Learning Marketplace for pre-trained models, providing powerful machine learning capabilities without the need to manage underlying infrastructure.

AWS Partner Network

The AWS Partner Network (APN) is a global program that helps partners build, market, and sell AWS offerings through Technology Partners providing software solutions, Consulting Partners offering professional services, Training Partners delivering AWS courses, a Marketplace for software solutions, Competency Programs recognizing expertise, and APN Funding Programs offering financial incentives, supporting partners in delivering enhanced solutions, driving innovation, and achieving business success for AWS customers.

AWS Prescriptive Guidance

AWS Prescriptive Guidance offers best practices, strategies, and detailed steps for successful cloud adoption and optimization through comprehensive guides, reusable patterns, reference architectures, playbooks, and best practices, helping organizations confidently implement effective and reliable solutions tailored to their needs using AWS expertise.

AWS Pricing Calculator

The AWS Pricing Calculator helps customers estimate monthly AWS costs and plan their cloud budget with service cost estimates, customizable inputs, cost comparison, exportable reports, and pre-built templates, enabling accurate spending forecasts, cost optimization, and informed financial decisions.

AWS Professional Services

AWS Professional Services provides expert guidance and support for successful cloud adoption and optimization through advisory services for strategic planning, implementation services for deploying AWS solutions, optimization services for performance and cost-efficiency, customized training programs, and specialized expertise in areas like data analytics, machine learning, and DevOps.

AWS re:Post

AWS re:Post is an online, community-driven platform where users can ask questions, share knowledge, and find answers about AWS services, featuring community support, a knowledge base of FAQs, categorized tags and topics, powerful search tools, and expert contributions, enabling efficient problem-solving and enhanced understanding of AWS services.

AWS SDKs

AWS SDKs simplify building applications that interact with AWS services by offering support for multiple programming languages, simplified API integration, pre-written code samples, developer tools like AWS CLI and CodeBuild, and built-in security features, enhancing productivity and reducing development time.

AWS Security Blog

The AWS Security Blog provides insights, updates, and best practices on securing AWS environments through detailed security guides, updates on the latest features and services, real-world case studies, expert insights, and strategies for compliance and governance, helping users stay informed and effectively secure their cloud environments.

AWS Security Center

The AWS Security Center provides resources and information to help users secure their AWS environments, offering detailed security best practices, compliance resources, access to security tools like IAM, KMS, and GuardDuty, case studies of successful implementations, and learning resources such as whitepapers and training courses, ensuring robust security measures and compliance.

AWS shared responsibility model

The AWS Shared Responsibility Model outlines security roles, with AWS responsible for "Security of the Cloud" (protecting the infrastructure running AWS services) and customers responsible for "Security in the Cloud" (configuring and managing their AWS services securely), ensuring clarity in security responsibilities and helping customers implement effective security measures while AWS handles infrastructure security.

AWS Solutions Architects

AWS Solutions Architects provide expert guidance for designing, building, and optimizing applications on AWS, offering architecture design, best practices for security and performance, technical guidance on AWS services, workshops and training sessions, and support for developing proof of concepts, ensuring optimized cloud infrastructure for performance, security, and cost-efficiency.

AWS Support Center

The AWS Support Center provides comprehensive assistance with technical support from AWS engineers, various support plans (Basic, Developer, Business, Enterprise), a knowledge base of articles and FAQs, case management tools, and account and billing support, ensuring users have the resources needed to efficiently manage and optimize their AWS environments.

AWS Support plans

AWS Support Plans offer varying levels of assistance to meet customer needs: Basic Support provides free access to customer service, documentation, and community resources; Developer Support adds business hours email access for one primary contact with 24-hour response time; Business Support includes 24/7 access via phone, chat, and email for unlimited contacts, faster response times, AWS Trusted Advisor, and architectural guidance; Enterprise Support adds a dedicated Technical Account Manager, 15-minute response times for critical issues, and access to AWS Infrastructure Event Management for event planning and support, ensuring customers can choose the level of support that fits their requirements and budget.

AWS Well-Architected Framework

The AWS Well-Architected Framework provides best practices for designing and operating reliable, secure, efficient, and cost-effective cloud systems, focusing on operational excellence (running and monitoring systems), security (protecting information and assets), reliability (recovering from disruptions), performance efficiency (efficient resource use), and cost optimization (minimizing costs while delivering value), helping organizations build resilient and adaptable cloud architectures.