Are you trying to earn the AWS SysOps Administrator Associate certification? We just released a MASSIVE course on the freeCodeCamp.org YouTube channel that is designed to help you pass the certification exam and showcase your expertise in AWS technologies. Andrew Brown from ExamPro created this course.

Why Get AWS Certified?

Earning this certification 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.

Course Overview

Our course is structured into several key sections, each providing a thorough understanding of the core concepts needed for the certification. Here’s a brief overview of the key sections:

Amazon CloudWatch

Amazon CloudWatch is a critical service for monitoring and managing your AWS resources. The course dives deep into CloudWatch with over 53 minutes of content, covering:

  • Introduction to Amazon CloudWatch: An overview of CloudWatch and its importance.

  • CloudWatch Logs, Log Groups, and Log Streams: Understanding log management and how to effectively use log groups and streams.

  • CloudWatch Metrics and Alarms: Learn to create and use metrics and set up alarms to monitor performance.

  • CloudWatch Dashboards: Building and customizing dashboards to visualize your metrics.

  • CloudWatch Agent and Custom Metrics: Setting up the CloudWatch agent and creating custom high-resolution metrics.

EventBridge

EventBridge is essential for building event-driven applications. The course provides a comprehensive look at EventBridge, including:

  • Core Components: Understanding the core components and the anatomy of an event.

  • Scheduled Expressions and Rules: How to use scheduled expressions and configure rules.

  • Partner Event Sources and Event Patterns: Integrating partner event sources and creating event patterns for various use cases.

AWS CloudTrail

CloudTrail helps you monitor and log account activity across your AWS infrastructure. Key topics include:

  • Introduction to CloudTrail: Basics of CloudTrail and its importance in security and compliance.

  • CloudTrail Event History and Trail Options: Navigating the event history and understanding different trail options.

  • CloudTrail Lake and Integration with CloudWatch: Utilizing CloudTrail Lake for advanced queries and integrating CloudTrail with CloudWatch for enhanced monitoring.

Cloud Networking

Mastering cloud networking is crucial for any SysOps Administrator. The course covers:

  • OSI Model and TCP/IP: Understanding the foundational models and protocols.

  • IP Addressing and Subnetting: Detailed explanations of IPv4, IPv6, and subnetting techniques.

  • VPC Sizing and Management: Practical challenges and follow-along exercises to size and manage VPCs effectively.

Amazon EC2

Amazon EC2 is at the heart of AWS infrastructure. The course provides extensive content on EC2, including:

  • Instance Types and Families: Understanding different instance types and their use cases.

  • User Data and Metadata: Using user data and metadata to customize and configure instances.

  • Instance Lifecycle and Security: Managing the lifecycle of instances and implementing security best practices.

Amazon Machine Images (AMIs)

Creating and managing AMIs is crucial for efficient deployments. The course covers:

  • Introduction to AMIs: Basics of AMIs and their use cases.

  • Creating and Copying AMIs: Step-by-step guidance on creating and copying AMIs for different environments.

  • AMI Marketplace and Cheat Sheets: Utilizing the AMI marketplace and quick reference guides for efficient management.

AWS Systems Manager

AWS Systems Manager provides operational insights and management capabilities. Key topics include:

  • Introduction to Systems Manager: Overview of the service and its core components.

  • SSM Agent and Policies: Setting up the SSM agent and managing policies.

  • Automation and Parameter Store: Automating tasks with Systems Manager and using Parameter Store for secure storage.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

IAM is critical for securing your AWS environment. The course includes:

  • Core Components and Policies: Understanding IAM components and how to create and manage policies.

  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Access Keys: Implementing MFA and managing access keys for enhanced security.

  • IAM Best Practices and Cheat Sheets: Best practices for IAM and quick reference guides to streamline your workflow.

Amazon S3

Amazon S3 is a fundamental storage service. The course covers:

  • Introduction to S3 and CLI Operations: Basics of S3 and common operations using the CLI.

  • Bucket Management and Security: Managing S3 buckets, including naming rules, access controls, and encryption.

  • Storage Classes and Lifecycle Policies: Understanding different storage classes and implementing lifecycle policies to optimize storage costs.

Amazon VPC

Amazon VPC is essential for creating isolated networks. The course provides a thorough overview, including:

  • Core Components and Key Features: Understanding the foundational elements of VPC.

  • Security Groups and NACLs: Configuring security groups and network ACLs to control traffic.

  • VPC Peering and Endpoints: Setting up VPC peering and endpoints for secure communication between VPCs.

Additional AWS Services

The course also delves into other vital AWS services, such as:

  • Elastic Load Balancing (ELB): Setting up and managing load balancers for scalable applications.

  • Auto Scaling Groups (ASG): Configuring ASGs for automatic scaling based on demand.

  • Elastic Block Store (EBS): Managing EBS volumes, including resizing and encryption.

  • AWS Secrets Manager and Parameter Store: Securely storing and managing sensitive information.

  • AWS CloudFormation: Automating infrastructure deployment with CloudFormation templates.

  • AWS Lambda and Serverless Architectures: Building and managing serverless applications using AWS Lambda.

Watch the course on the freeCodeCamp.org YouTube channel (68-hour watch).