How to use this index: Each card links to that module's full study guide — objective, sections, key terms, and review questions — in the same format throughout.

The course builds in three phases: a review of cloud architecting fundamentals, a layer-by-layer build-out of an architecture, and a set of cross-cutting design principles that apply across every layer. Module 15 bridges the whole course to the SAA-C03 exam.

Foundations Review Modules 1–2

Welcome to AWS Academy Cloud Architecting Course orientation · The café business case · The role of a cloud architect Introducing Cloud Architecting What cloud architecture is · The Well-Architected Framework · Best practices and global infrastructure

Building the Layers Modules 3–8

Adding a Storage Layer The simplest architecture · Amazon S3 in context · Choosing Regions Adding a Compute Layer Architectural need for compute · AMIs and instance types · EC2 pricing and design Adding a Database Layer Architectural need for a database · Amazon RDS and DynamoDB · Security and migration Creating a Networking Environment Designing a VPC · Public and private subnets · Security · Content delivery Connecting Networks Hybrid connectivity · VPN and AWS Direct Connect · AWS Transit Gateway Securing User and Application Access Identity in AWS · Federation · AWS Organizations · Application-level access

Cross-Cutting Design Modules 9–14

Implementing Elasticity, High Availability, and Monitoring Elasticity and scalability · HA patterns · Deeper monitoring with CloudWatch Automating Your Architecture Infrastructure as code · AWS CloudFormation · Elastic Beanstalk and Systems Manager Caching Content Why caching matters · CloudFront and ElastiCache · DAX and caching strategy Building Decoupled Architectures Tight vs. loose coupling · SQS, SNS, and EventBridge in depth Building Microservices and Serverless Architectures Monolith vs. microservices · AWS Lambda in depth · API Gateway and containers Planning for Disaster Disaster recovery concepts · RTO and RPO · The four DR strategies

Exam Readiness Module 15

Bridging to Certification SAA-C03 exam domains · Study strategy · Common exam traps · Next steps
🔵 Note This is the official AWS Academy Cloud Architecting v3.0.3 module sequence. Modules 3–8 build one architectural layer at a time; Modules 9–14 apply cross-cutting design principles across every layer already built. Content is AI generated.