The demand for cloud computing professionals has skyrocketed in recent years, and one of the top players in the industry is Google Cloud. The Associate Cloud Engineer certification offered by Google Cloud can be a great way to showcase your expertise in cloud computing.

Preparing for the Associate Cloud Engineer certification exam from Google Cloud can be a daunting task, but with the right resources and guidance, it can be achievable. This article will provide a roadmap with all the essential steps, resources, and links needed to crack the exam.

Step 1: Understand the Exam Format:

Understand the Exam and its Format the first step is to understand the exam format and content. The Associate Cloud Engineer certification exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions that must be answered within two hours.

The exam fee is $125, and you must score at least 70% to pass the exam. The exam tests your knowledge of Google Cloud Platform products and services, basic networking concepts, and cloud computing fundamentals.

• Associate Cloud Engineer Exam Guide: https://cloud.google.com/certification/cloud-engineer

• Exam format and sample questions: https://cloud.google.com/certification/cloud-engineer/resources/exam-guide

Step 2: Get Familiar with GCP:

Get Familiar with Google Cloud Platform To prepare for the exam, you need to get familiar with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and its products and services. Google offers a free tier that allows you to try GCP products and services for free. You can also check out the GCP documentation, which provides detailed information on different services and their functionalities.

• Google Cloud Platform Free Tier: https://cloud.google.com/free/

• GCP Documentation: https://cloud.google.com/docs

Step 3: Enroll in a Course or Training Program:

Enrolling in a course or training program can help you prepare for the exam. The Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer certification course on Coursera provides comprehensive coverage of the exam topics. The Associate Cloud Engineer Exam Prep Quest from Qwiklabs is another popular option. Both methods offer hands-on experience with GCP products and services.

• Associate Cloud Engineer Certification course on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-cloud-associate-cloud-engineer

• Associate Cloud Engineer Exam Prep Quest from Qwiklabs: https://www.qwiklabs.com/quests/24

Step 4: Take Practice Tests:

Taking practice tests can help you gauge your preparation level and identify areas you need to improve. Google Cloud offers official practice tests that can be purchased from their website. The Cloud Guru and Whizlabs also offer practice tests. Additionally, Exam-Labs provides free practice tests.

• Official Google Cloud Practice Tests: https://cloud.google.com/certification/practice-exam/cloud-engineer

• Practice tests from Cloud Guru: https://acloudguru.com/cloud-guru-exam-prep-resources

• Practice tests from Whizlabs: https://www.whizlabs.com/google-cloud-certified-associate-cloud-engineer/

Step 5: Review Exam Objectives & Resources:

Google Cloud provides a detailed exam guide that outlines the exam objectives and topics you need to study. Reviewing these objectives and ensuring you are comfortable with all the topics before taking the exam is crucial. The Google Cloud documentation and whitepapers provide additional study resources. Online forums like Reddit’s r/googlecloud community can be helpful for asking questions and clarifying doubts.

• ACE Exam Guide: https://cloud.google.com/certification/cloud-engineer

• GCP documentation and whitepapers: https://cloud.google.com/docs

• GCP community on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/googlecloud/

Tips to Crack the Associate Cloud Engineer Certification

1. Start Early: Give yourself enough time to learn the necessary concepts thoroughly and take practice tests.

2. Focus on the Basics: Ensure that you have a good understanding of cloud computing fundamentals and basic networking concepts.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice: Taking practice tests is essential to crack the exam—practice as many tests as possible to get familiar with the exam format and types of questions.

4. Join a Study Group: Joining a study group can be beneficial as you can discuss topics and clarify doubts with others who are also preparing for the exam.

5. Stay Up-to-Date: Stay up-to-date with the latest developments and updates in the Google Cloud Platform by subscribing to the Google Cloud Blog.

• Stay up-to-date with the Google Cloud Blog: https://cloud.google.com/blog

• Join the Google Cloud LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/google-cloud/

• Exam-Labs for free practice tests: https://www.exam-labs.com/exam/Associate-Cloud-Engineer

Cracking the Associate Cloud Engineer certification from Google Cloud requires a comprehensive understanding of GCP products and services, basic networking concepts, and cloud computing fundamentals.

By following the above roadmap and tips, and utilizing the resources and links provided, you can prepare for the exam and crack it with ease.

Best of luck on your journey to becoming a Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer!