AWS SOA-C02 exam guide: format, domains, cost, and a free practice quiz covering monitoring, reliability, deployment, security, networking, and cost optimization.
The AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02) is AWS's operations-focused Associate exam. It validates your ability to deploy, manage, monitor, and secure workloads on AWS.
It leans into day-to-day operations: monitoring with CloudWatch, automation with Systems Manager, backups, networking, and cost control.
▶ Start the free SOA-C02 practice quiz| Certification | AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02) |
|---|---|
| Exam code | SOA-C02 |
| Level | Associate |
| Format | Multiple choice & multiple response |
| Questions | 65 questions |
| Duration | 130 minutes |
| Passing score | 720 / 1000 (scaled) |
| Cost (USD) | $150 |
| Validity | 3 years |
| Prerequisites | None (1+ year AWS operations recommended) |
Exam details change over time — always confirm the current specifics on the official exam page before you book.
The official exam is organized into these domains. Our practice bank mirrors them so you can drill each area:
| Domain | Exam weight | Practice questions |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring, Logging, and Remediation | 20% | 13 |
| Reliability and Business Continuity | 16% | 6 |
| Deployment, Provisioning, and Automation | 18% | 9 |
| Security and Compliance | 16% | 8 |
| Networking and Content Delivery | 18% | 10 |
| Cost and Performance Optimization | 12% | 6 |
Master CloudWatch (metrics, alarms, dashboards, Logs), the CloudWatch agent for guest-OS metrics, and Systems Manager (Run Command, Patch Manager, Parameter Store).
Know Auto Scaling health checks, backup/DR (AWS Backup, snapshots), VPC troubleshooting, and cost tools (Cost Explorer, Compute Optimizer).
Practice operational scenarios; the free quiz below spans all six domains.
Our free SOA-C02 practice quiz has 52 scenario-based questions covering every exam domain. Each question includes the correct answer, a plain-English explanation of why it is right (and why the alternatives are wrong), and a reference to the relevant topic — so you learn as you go, not just test yourself.
▶ Practice SOA-C02 now — 52 questions, freeExam labs were removed in 2023; it is currently multiple-choice/response. Confirm the current format on the official page.
SAA is about designing architectures; SOA is about operating and monitoring them day to day.
Roughly 720/1000 on a scaled score across 65 questions in 130 minutes.
SysAdmins, SREs, and operations engineers running AWS in production.