CLF-C01 vs CLF-C02: What's on the New AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam
The AWS Cloud Practitioner exam is the perfect way to get your feet wet in the cloud. It validates a broad understanding of AWS services, security, and pricing. Since AWS cloud technology is always evolving, the test must evolve along with it.
Understanding the changes from the previous version, CLF-C01, to the latest version, CLF-C02, is crucial. What if you studied for the old version and ended up taking the second one? You might study the wrong topics! We're here to avoid that by breaking down the differences between the two exams. First, let's go over what's new in the latest exam.
Introducing the CLF-C02: What’s New in the Latest Exam?
There are several differences between the CLF-C02 and the previous version. For what it's worth, the format of the exam is the same. It's 90 minutes long and consists of multiple-choice questions. One of the most obvious differences is how the domains are weighted.
Let's take a look at each side-by-side.
CLF-C01 | CLF-C02 |
Cloud Concepts - 26% | Cloud Concepts - 24% |
Security and Compliance - 25% | Security and Compliance - 30% |
Technology - 33% | Cloud Technology and Services - 34% |
Billing and Pricing - 16% | Billing and Pricing - 12% |
The tables show that domain weight has shifted slightly. The biggest difference is that the Security and Compliance weight increased by 5%. Pricing has been scaled down from 16% to 12% to compensate for the focus on IT security.
In addition to being weighted differently, the new exam covers a wide range of new tools and services. Let's go over those now, domain by domain.
CLF-C01 and CLF-C02: What are the Key Differences?
Each domain has additional content to study up on, starting with Cloud Concepts. Before delving in, keep in mind that not much was replaced in the CLF-C02. It's built on top of the first one, meaning very little is omitted, but more topics were added.
Cloud Concepts
One of the biggest changes in this domain is the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (AWS CAF). The AWS CAF is a framework designed to help business owners map out an AWS solution. It includes six perspectives: business, people, governance, platform, security, and operations. It's critical to have a high level understanding of AWS CAF and how it can be used to best leverage AWS services.
Security and Compliance
CLF-C02 focuses more on the Shared Responsibility Model than its predecessor. This means you're likely to encounter a diverse set of examples and scenarios. CLF-C02 also places greater emphasis on IAM (Identity Access and Management) roles.
The exam will test temporary security credentials, security services, and IAM best practices. Also, expect a greater emphasis on machine learning services like Amazon Macie. Here's a quick list of services you need to have a passing understanding of:
AWS Security Hub
AWS Detective
AWS Guard Duty
While these did appear on the previous exam, there is now a greater emphasis on their use. Ultimately, the CLF-C02 covers a broader range of security services and more detailed scenarios. The CLF-C01 was far broader and introduced fewer services.
Cloud Technology and Services
This domain required changes to reflect new services in the AWS ecosystem. The CLF-C01 focused on a smaller subset of foundational services. The CLF-C02, focuses on a wider range of services used in multi-tier applications.
The CLC-C02 hones in on serverless architecture. Expect Lambda, FarGate, and EKS to make up a decent chunk of this domain. This differs from its predecessor, which only referred to these in passing.
Another topic that changes is storage options. The CLF-C02 includes updated storage services, such as S3 Intelligent-Tiering. The CLF-C01 only focused on core products like Glacier, EBS, and S3.
Next, we have network services. In the new exam, you'll need to understand AWS Global Accelerator and Transit Gateway. Also, expect hybrid networking solutions to be covered extensively. Its predecessor only covered VPC basics and traditional networking services.
Due to the explosion in ML and AI, the new Cloud Practitioner exam now covers those services, too. The old exam did not cover them at all, while the new one expects you to understand some of their services. The most important services to understand are AWS SageMaker, Rekognition, and Polly. Expect to see each of these and more on the exam.
Billing and Pricing
The new exam covers updated pricing models while placing less emphasis on them overall. For example, CLF-C02 covers Savings Plans. A Savings Plan is a pricing model that offers flexible payment on storage solutions. The CLF-C01 covered only traditional billing schemes like pay-as-you-go and reserved instances. Next, expect to have a working understanding of AWS Cost Explorer and AWS Budgets. Neither of these were on the previous exam.
As you can see, most of the differences in the new exam stem from the addition of new services.
Who Should Take the CLF-C02?
Anyone with a vested interest in AWS should consider taking the CLF-C02. It is an entry level exam that is useful for business-oriented people and tech people alike. Here are a couple of scenarios where the Cloud Practitioner exam would be perfect.
You are a software developer with little to no cloud experience.
Your organization uses AWS, and you'd like to know more about it.
You are managing a team of developers who use the cloud.
You are an account who needs to understand how AWS pricing works.
The beauty of an entry-level exam is that anyone can take it. Unlike more advanced exams, the Cloud Practitioner is a beginner's primer to the world of cloud computing.
FAQs About the New AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam
To make it easier to understand the difference between the old exam and the new version, we’ve created a list of frequently asked questions. Here is what you need to know before taking the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam.
When Does the CLF-C01 Retire? Is CLF-C01 Still Available, or Do I Have to Take CLF-C02?
The CLF-C01 was retired on September 18th, 2023. The only Cloud Practitioner exam available is the CLF-C02.
Can I Use CLF-C01 Study Materials to Prepare for the CLF-C02 Exam?
Yes, you can use your old study material, but it won't be enough. Additional material will have to be studied for the CLF-C02. Also, a small amount of your material may no longer be applicable.
What Prerequisites are Required for the CLF-C02 Exam?
The beauty of an entry-level exam is that there are no prerequisites. A passing score is 700 out of 1000. The exam consists of about sixty-five questions; however, 15 of them are not graded.
How Much Does the CLF-C02 Exam Cost?
The CLF-C02 exam costs $100 USD. It's the least expensive AWS exam there is.
How Long is the CLF-C02 Exam?
The CLF-C02 exam is 90 minutes long.
Why was the CLF-C02 Exam Updated?
The update to the exam now covers the new services and technologies introduced. Amazon also updates it based on evolving feedback and best practices. As more people leverage cloud technology, more use cases and situations arise. Amazon needs to reflect these new and important scenarios in the exams.
Exam Preparation Tips: How to Study for CLF-C02
Plenty of resources are available to help you pass the Cloud Practitioner exam. This is one of the most extensive courses on the market and provides everything needed to ace the exam. It is also a good idea to review the exam guide and ensure you know everything that will be on the exam.
Also, I recommend getting an AWS Free-Tier account so you can explore the AWS console and get hands-on experience with some of the services. You don't need to do anything complicated, just familiarize yourself with the services. The exam will be easier because you'll be able to conceptualize everything better.
Conclusion
The transition from CLF-C01 to CLF-C02 has some significant changes. However, it's important to realize it is still the same exam in essence. As AWS continues to innovate and expand its services, it's important for the certification to evolve with it. Remember, the biggest change is the exam taker is expected to have more service knowledge. Also, it has slightly decreased the weight on pricing in exchange for more weight on security.
The AWS Cloud Practitioner exam is meant for anyone with a passing interest in the cloud. Plenty of resources are available to get you started with confidence and alacrity.
As the saying goes, there is no time like the present. Get started on your Cloud Practitioner journey today.
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