Why This Cheat Sheet Matters for SOA-C03
This cheat sheet covers the most important AWS Systems Manager concepts tested on the SOA-C03 (AWS CloudOps Engineer Associate) certification exam. It contains 3 sections with 12 key points that you should memorize before exam day. Study Session Manager, Run Command, Patch Manager, Automation, State Manager, Parameter Store, Inventory, and operational remediation workflows. Use this as a quick-reference guide during your final review sessions.
3Sections
12Key Points
Core Tools
- Session Manager provides shell access without opening inbound SSH or RDP ports.
- Run Command executes commands across managed instances without logging in directly.
- Patch Manager automates operating system and application patch baselines.
- State Manager keeps managed nodes in a desired configuration state.
Automation
- Automation documents define repeatable operational workflows.
- AWS Config remediation and EventBridge rules can trigger Systems Manager Automation.
- Parameter Store stores configuration values and SecureString secrets protected by KMS.
- Inventory collects metadata about software, files, services, and instance configuration.
Exam Cues
- Need no-bastion access to private instances: Session Manager.
- Need one-time commands across a fleet: Run Command.
- Need ongoing desired state: State Manager.
- Need repeatable incident remediation: Automation.
Practice Systems Manager Questions
Put your knowledge to the test with practice questions.