AWS Solutions Architect Professional

Yes. AWS states that to be eligible for the Professional Level exam you must already be certified at the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate Level. Plan the Associate exam first if you do not hold it, since the Professional exam assumes the knowledge that credential covers.

The AWS sources available here do not state the item count, time limit, fee or passing score. Those details are published in the official Exam Guide and on the AWS certification pages, so check the current Exam Guide rather than relying on figures quoted in study forums.

Five areas: designing and deploying dynamically scalable, highly available, fault-tolerant and reliable applications; selecting appropriate AWS services from a set of requirements; migrating complex multi-tier applications; designing and deploying enterprise-wide scalable operations; and implementing cost control strategies. Expect scenario questions that combine several of these at once.

AWS describes the target candidate as having multiple years of hands-on experience designing and deploying cloud architecture on AWS, plus the ability to evaluate application requirements, make architectural recommendations for implementation, deployment and provisioning, and advise on design across multiple applications, projects or the enterprise.

AWS recommends the three-day Advanced Architecting on AWS technical course first, then the full-day Certification Exam Readiness Workshop, which covers exam structure and question formats and includes labs. Earlier AWS guidance pointed candidates to the instructor-led Architecting on AWS – Advanced Concepts course as preparation.

AWS has stated that attendees of the Solutions Architect – Professional Exam Readiness Workshop receive a voucher for an additional online practice exam at no cost at the end of the workshop. The workshop also includes practice questions that test understanding of key architectural concepts.

The frequent weak spots are breadth rather than trivia: migration sequencing for multi-tier applications, multi-account and enterprise-wide operational design, and cost control choices that conflict with resilience requirements. Practice justifying a design against every stated requirement, because answers that satisfy only part of a scenario are usually the distractors.

The sources here do not describe the retake policy, waiting period or fee for a second attempt. AWS publishes retake terms alongside the certification program details, so confirm the current rules on the AWS Training and Certification site before scheduling a re-sit.

The AWS sources provided do not state a validity period or recertification requirement for this credential. Because certification program terms are revised over time, verify the current validity window and recertification options directly with AWS before you plan a study timeline.

No. The 20% discount AWS announced for the Architecting on AWS – Advanced Concepts course applied to registrations through September 30, 2014, and excluded classes delivered by APN Training Partners. Treat any code you find in older blog posts as expired and check current AWS training offers instead.