What specific topics are tested in CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services (34%)?

Identify core AWS compute services: EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk, and their primary use cases

What else is tested in the Cloud Technology and Services (34%) domain?

Differentiate storage services: S3 (object), EBS (block), EFS (file), and Glacier (archival)

What else is tested in the Cloud Technology and Services (34%) domain?

Recognize database services: RDS (relational), DynamoDB (NoSQL), Redshift (data warehouse)

What else is tested in the Cloud Technology and Services (34%) domain?

Understand the shared responsibility model: what AWS secures vs. what the customer secures

What are common mistakes on CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services (34%) questions?

Confusing S3 storage classes (e.g., S3 Standard vs. S3 Glacier) and their retrieval times

What trap questions appear in the Cloud Technology and Services (34%) domain?

Mixing up EC2 pricing models: On-Demand, Reserved, Spot Instances, and Savings Plans

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CLF-C02Exam Domain

Cloud Technology and Services (34%)CLF-C02 Study Guide

53 chapters

~1325 min total

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Quick Answer

Cloud Technology and Services covers the core AWS services (compute, storage, database, networking), the shared responsibility model, deployment models, and the global infrastructure—essentially the foundational knowledge needed to start using AWS.

Cloud Technology and Services is the heart of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam, covering the fundamental building blocks of cloud computing. In plain English, this domain teaches you how AWS provides on-demand computing power, storage, databases, and networking over the internet, so you don't have to buy and maintain physical servers. You'll learn about core services like Amazon EC2 for virtual servers, Amazon S3 for file storage, and Amazon RDS for managed databases. The domain also explains deployment models (cloud, hybrid, on-premises) and the shared responsibility model, which clarifies who secures what in the cloud.

Why is this important in real-world IT? Every company moving to the cloud needs professionals who understand which service fits which workload. For example, a startup might use EC2 to host a web app, S3 for user uploads, and Lambda for serverless backend functions—all without provisioning a single physical server. Security teams rely on the shared responsibility model to know they must configure IAM roles and encryption, while AWS handles the physical data center security. Without this knowledge, you could overpay for resources, create security gaps, or choose the wrong service for the job.

The CLF-C02 exam tests your ability to identify AWS services, describe their use cases, and understand basic architectural best practices. You'll see questions like 'Which service provides a fully managed relational database?' (answer: Amazon RDS) or 'Which deployment model combines on-premises and cloud resources?' (answer: hybrid). You also need to know the AWS global infrastructure—Regions, Availability Zones, and Edge Locations—and how they enable high availability and low latency. The exam doesn't ask for deep technical configuration but expects you to recognize service names and their primary functions.

To study effectively, start by reviewing the AWS Well-Architected Framework's five pillars (operational excellence, security, reliability, performance efficiency, cost optimization). Then, use AWS Free Tier to launch an EC2 instance, create an S3 bucket, and set up a simple RDS database. Hands-on practice solidifies concepts better than reading. Focus on comparing services: S3 vs. EBS vs. EFS for storage, EC2 vs. Lambda for compute, and RDS vs. DynamoDB for databases. Finally, take practice exams to identify weak areas—especially around pricing models (On-Demand vs. Reserved vs. Spot Instances) and support plans.

What the exam tests

Identify core AWS compute services: EC2, Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk, and their primary use cases
Differentiate storage services: S3 (object), EBS (block), EFS (file), and Glacier (archival)
Recognize database services: RDS (relational), DynamoDB (NoSQL), Redshift (data warehouse)
Understand the shared responsibility model: what AWS secures vs. what the customer secures
Describe AWS global infrastructure: Regions, Availability Zones, Edge Locations, and their purposes
Identify deployment models: cloud, on-premises, hybrid, and when to use each

Common exam traps

Confusing S3 storage classes (e.g., S3 Standard vs. S3 Glacier) and their retrieval times
Mixing up EC2 pricing models: On-Demand, Reserved, Spot Instances, and Savings Plans
Thinking the shared responsibility model means AWS secures everything, including customer data and IAM
Assuming all AWS services are available in every Region (some are Region-specific or have limited availability)

Cloud Technology and Services (34%) Chapters

Amazon EC2

Objective 3.1 · Cloud Technology Services

Cloud Technology and Services (34%) Chapters

Other CLF-C02 Domains

Test your Cloud Technology and Services (34%) knowledge