Skip to main content
TechWaymark
Market

Archived certification · superseded

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate

AWS states the last day to take the SysOps Administrator - Associate exam was 29 September 2025, and that the updated exam is now known as AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate. Anyone planning this exam should register for CloudOps instead. A SysOps certification already held stays valid for its three year term.

Vendor record

Retired

AWS states the last day to take the SysOps Administrator - Associate exam was 29 September 2025, and that the updated exam is now known as AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate. Anyone planning this exam should register for CloudOps instead. A SysOps certification already held stays valid for its three year term.

Current name
AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate
Previously
SOA-C02, AWS SysOps Administrator Associate
Exam code
SOA-C02
Vendor-stated experience
For the SysOps exam AWS described the target candidate as having one year of hands-on AWS deployment, management, networking and security experience, and one to two years as a system administrator in an operations role.
Ongoing commitment

Valid for 3 years. Renew through the current CloudOps Engineer Associate or DevOps Engineer Professional exam; exam fees apply.

Renewal sources & exceptions

Alternatively, eligible active holders can complete paid Skill Builder maintenance within 90 days of expiry for a 1-year extension from completion, rather than a 3-year exam renewal.

Renewal policy checked 2026-09-28. Check the linked provider policy for current fees and eligibility.

Source: Amazon Web Services · Read 22 September 2026

Sourced fields only; this does not mean every exam detail has been verified. Pricing and renewal policies have their own sources and check dates. Confirm the currency, tax and final booking total with the vendor.

AWS Certified SysOps Administrator - Associate

Role-fit guidance is TechWaymark editorial interpretation. It is separate from the recorded vendor facts and does not measure hiring outcomes.

Existing candidates and holders

Check the vendor's booking and credential rules if you are already studying or hold this qualification. An exam retirement does not erase your previous learning. This page preserves the record and does not change any saved credential.

Practical exercise for existing holders
Certifications Project guide Home projects Back to certification

Home labs & practical projects

Reconstruct a legacy instance recovery runbook

A project to do with your own tools, with guidance on what to create and capture.

Design project Suggested time: 90–120 minutesNo hardware required for the design

For existing holders and historical learning. Check the current credential before starting exam preparation.

01

What you could create

An existing AWS SysOps holder inherits an older EC2-based service whose runbook assumes that restarting the instance fixes every failure.

Example evidence format
Project evidence map (example)
Revised legacy operations runbookScope and inputs
Three worked incident walkthroughsDecisions and reasoning
Evidence record (example)
EvidenceWhat to capture
Revised legacy operations runbookShow the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Different failure layers lead to different diagnostic actions.
Three worked incident walkthroughsInclude the evidence supporting your conclusion. The procedure explains data-loss risks before replacement or restore.
02

What you'll need

Document, spreadsheet or diagram tool

Create sample evidence for high disk usage, an unhealthy application and a failed status check. Treat this as historical operations practice, not preparation for a current exam.

Project record

Keep the working files for revised legacy operations runbook and record assumptions as you go.

Current reference material

Use the linked provider resources to verify the features, access terms and version relevant to your project.

Access & cost

No paid platform is needed for the written version. Use a document, spreadsheet or diagram tool you already have.

The organisation and records are fictional. Write down assumptions; do not substitute confidential employer information.

03

Suggested milestones

  1. 1

    Plan and investigate

    Separate infrastructure, operating-system and application symptoms.

  2. 2

    Develop your approach

    Write a decision tree that collects evidence before disruptive actions.

  3. 3

    Verify and explain

    Define recovery validation and the point at which the incident must be escalated.

04

Useful resources

Use these resources to deepen your understanding and check key details.

Official certification objectives

Review the current provider requirements and relevant subject areas.

Explore external learning resources

Find relevant providers and check features, access requirements and costs.

Turn the project into evidence

Keep your artefacts and reasoning together so you can explain what you did.

A useful starting point

Create sample evidence for high disk usage, an unhealthy application and a failed status check. Treat this as historical operations practice, not preparation for a current exam.

What a good result looks like
  • Different failure layers lead to different diagnostic actions.
  • The procedure explains data-loss risks before replacement or restore.
  • Service recovery includes a user-facing transaction check.

Finish the project

Keep the decision record and note unanswered questions. A written design is not evidence that a technical control has been tested.

Independent home-project guidance, not an official vendor lab or a claim of complete exam coverage. Use your own tools and label the work accurately.

Explore the certification library