What is the difference between SAA C01 and SAA C02?

People can choose from many Cloud certifications to show that they are qualified to do a Cloud Computing job in the context of the increasing importance of Cloud Computing. Two of the most popular certifications from Amazon Web Services and quite popular in the IT industry are the SAA-C01 and SAA-C02. Both certifications are very well respected in the Cloud industry since AWS’s importance is skyrocketing for  many reasons. However, you should know some critical differences between the certificates before deciding which one to get.

A Brief Comparative Study Between SAA-C01 and SAA-C02

1. Outline of the Content

The SAA C01 certification covers a lot of ground regarding the basics of Amazon Web Services. The content of the SAA-C01 exam varies significantly from the SAA-C02. For example, the SAA-C02 contains four domains, while the SAA-C01 includes five. 

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This includes identity and access management, networking, storage, and computing. The SAA-C02 certification, on the other hand, goes a bit deeper and covers more advanced topics such as big data, security, and disaster recovery. 

The SAA-C02 contains more complex questions than the SAA-C01. The SAA-C02 is a more expensive and difficult exam with more advance  content. 

2. Change in Weighting

The weighting of the SAA-C01 and SAA-C02 exams are different. The SAA-C01 exam has a heavier weight on computing (40%) and storage (40%). 

The SAA-C02 exam has a heavier weight on big data (20%), security (20%), and disaster recovery (20%). 

3. Audience

The SAA C01 is designed for System Administrators who want to Showcase their knowledge and skills in managing AWS. 

In contrast, the SAA-C02 is geared toward those who want to use AWS to Build and administer their applications.

4. Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for the SAA C01, but it is recommended that you have at least one year of experience working with AWS. 

For the SAA-C02, you must have either the SAA-C01 or the AWS Certified Solution Architect – Associate certification as a prerequisite. 

5. Exam Format

The SAA-C01 and SAA-C02 exams are multiple choices with a mix of specific and scenario-based questions. The SAA-C01 exam has 60 questions, and you have 75 minutes to complete it. 

The SAA-C02 is a performance-based exam. You will be asked to complete tasks using a natural AWS environment which can be a bit more challenging than the SAA C01, but it will also give you a better idea of working with AWS.

6. Syllabus

The SAA-C01 and SAA-C02 exams cover different areas of AWS. The SAA-C01 covers the basics of AWS, while the SAA-C02 covers more advanced topics. 

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Here is a breakdown of the subjects covered on each exam.

a. Compute Networking

The networking questions on the SAA-C02 are said to be more complex than those found on the SAA-C01. The main difference between the two exams is the focus on High Availability and how to implement it within designs on the SAA-C02. 

There is a greater emphasis on securing multi-tier architectures and scenario-based questions regarding high-performance computing. Furthermore, the SAA-C02 features additional questions on VPN and Direct Connect performance and on how to provision both. 

Additionally, more depth is included on VPC Endpoints, precisely the difference between Interface Endpoints and Gateway Endpoints and how to utilize both.

b. Storage

The SAA-C02 exam features more questions on S3 storage classes and how to use them effectively in different scenarios than the SAA-C01. There is also a greater focus on S3 performance, which may reflect the increased importance of this area in the updated exam. S3 encryption is featured more prominently, which makes sense given the new exam’s increased focus on security. 

Another area featured more heavily on the SAA-C02 than on the SAA-C01 is FSx. It is essential to have a good understanding of FSx and when to use it to do well on the exam.

There are also more questions on S3 and Glacier on the SAA-C02 exam. This is because storage is a massive part of AWS, and they want to ensure you’re familiar with all the options. S3 is a good choice for general storage, while Glacier is a good choice for archival storage.

c. Disaster Recovery and Migrations

Regarding SAA C01 vs. SAA C02, one of the key differences is in focus on disaster recovery and migrations. SAA C01 pays more attention to backing up and restoring data, while SAA C02 emphasizes replicating data across multiple Availability Zones for added protection.

Both exams test your knowledge of data backup and recovery strategies, but SAA-C02 goes further by testing your ability to implement these strategies in a multi-AZ environment. This makes SAA-C02 a better choice if you want to build your skills in this area.

d. Networking

The SAA-C02 exam has more questions on VPNs and Direct Connect. This is because AWS has been focusing more on these services recently. VPNs are an excellent choice for applications that need to connect to resources in a remote VPC securely. Direct Connect is a good choice for high-performance and low-latency applications.

e. IAM and Accounts

There is little change under IAM from SAA-C01 to SAA-C02. AWS Organizations and Cognito were featured more prominently, but the changes seemed minor in SAA-C02.

f. Databases

There are more questions on Aurora Serverless and DynamoDB on the SAA-C02 exam. This is because AWS has been focusing more on these services recently. Aurora Serverless is an excellent choice for applications with infrequent or uneven workloads. DynamoDB is a good choice for high-performance and low-latency applications.

i. Security

Regarding security, the SAA-C01 and the SAA-C02 both have their focus. The SAA-C01 focuses more on the Web Application Firewall, while the SAA-C02 has a stronger focus on the AWS Key Management System. 

Also, The SAA-C02 exam has more questions on IAM and KMS. This is because AWS has been focusing more on these services recently. IAM is an excellent choice for applications that manage users and permissions. KMS is a good choice for applications that encrypt data at rest.

j. Application Services

For the SAA-C02, there was a much heavier focus on SQS and Route 53. If you’re planning on taking the exam, make sure you understand how these services work and how they can be used together. Also, brush up on your knowledge of S3 Transfer Acceleration, Cross Region Replication, and CloudFront.

Next, Route 53  is a significant focus of the SAA-C02, so understand how it works and integrates with other AWS services. Please pay special attention to latency when it comes to Route 53 routing.

Also, Amazon MQ was introduced on the SAA-C02 and was included in one of the scenario questions. Be sure to familiarize yourself with this service before taking the exam.

k. Cost Optimization

Lastly, Both exams focus on designing cost-optimized architectures, but SAA-C02 goes a step further. It requires you to understand not only how to design cost-effective architectures but also how to troubleshoot and optimize them.

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SAA-C02 is also much more comprehensive, covering topics like cloud economics, risk management, and resource allocation. 

Summing Up

Overall, Both exams have tons of advantages. If you plan to take any of them, make sure you understand how the services work and how they can be used together. The recently updated SAA-C02 certification reflects current and developing changes in the AWS landscape.

SAA-C01 focuses more on the Web Application Firewall, while the SAA-C02 is a more difficult exam that covers more in-depth topics. If you’re looking to build your skills in data backup and recovery, networking, databases, security, and cost optimization, then this is the exam for you. Join saasguru for free AWS SAA-C02 certification training. 

You can also prepare for the certification from the comfort of your mobile phone by downloading  AWS Training App for Android and / AWS Training App for iOS.