Five real AWS SysOps Administrator projects mapped directly to the SOA-C03 exam objectives. Mark a step complete and HandsOnCert commits the evidence — CloudWatch dashboards, automation scripts, backup configs — straight to your own GitHub repo. The portfolio employers actually click into.
$49 one-time · Project 1 free · No subscription
Every project maps to an official SOA-C03 exam domain. Each one ends with evidence committed to your GitHub repo automatically.
Configure CloudWatch dashboards and alarms for an EC2 instance, set up a CloudWatch Logs subscription, and create an EventBridge rule that triggers automated remediation when an alarm fires. Commit your dashboard configuration and alarm definitions.
Monitoring, Logging & Remediation — 20% of examConfigure AWS Backup for an EC2 instance and RDS database, set up cross-region backup replication, and perform a test restore. Commit your backup plan configuration and restore verification evidence.
Reliability & Business Continuity — 16% of examUse AWS Systems Manager to run a command document across multiple instances, create a CloudFormation template for repeatable infrastructure deployment, and configure Systems Manager Automation for patching. Commit your CloudFormation template and automation runbook.
Deployment, Provisioning & Automation — 18% of examConfigure AWS Config rules to detect non-compliant resources, set up GuardDuty for threat detection, and create an IAM policy enforcing MFA for sensitive operations. Commit your Config rules and GuardDuty findings evidence.
Security & Compliance — 16% of examConfigure VPC flow logs, troubleshoot a connectivity issue using Reachability Analyzer, and set up a CloudFront distribution with an S3 origin. Commit your flow log analysis and CloudFront configuration evidence.
Networking & Content Delivery — 18% of examEvery completed step auto-commits evidence to your own repo. No fake portfolio templates — real configs, real screenshots, real history.
No simulators. You work in the actual AWS console and tools, the same ones you'll use on the job and in the SOA-C03 exam.
Stuck on a step or an exam concept? Cert Buddy is trained on SOA-C03 objectives and helps you debug and understand — not just copy-paste.
Every chargeable resource has a clear alert telling you exactly when to stop, deallocate, or delete — so a lab break doesn't become a surprise bill.
Get the full SOA-C03 lab guide as a PDF — step-by-step instructions, screenshots to capture, and an exam quick-reference section.
$49 once. No subscription, no recurring charges. Or get All-Access to all 21 cert paths for $199.
Are the SOA-C03 hands-on labs free?
Project 1 (CloudWatch Monitoring) is completely free, including unlimited access to Cert Buddy for that project and the manual GitHub commit workflow. The remaining 4 projects unlock for a one-time payment of $49.
Do I need an AWS account for SOA-C03 labs?
Yes, you need an AWS Free Tier account. Most SOA-C03 resources fit within free tier limits — each project includes a cost alert showing exactly which resources to stop or delete after use.
How does the GitHub portfolio auto-commit work for SOA-C03?
When you mark a lab step complete, HandsOnCert commits your CloudFormation templates, automation runbooks, and configuration evidence directly to your own GitHub repository via OAuth.
How long does the SOA-C03 path take to complete?
The 5 projects take approximately 8 hours total, covering monitoring/logging/remediation, reliability/business continuity, deployment/automation, security/compliance, and networking — the same domains tested on the SOA-C03 exam.
Is SOA-C03 worth taking alongside SAA-C03?
Yes, they're complementary. SAA-C03 focuses on architecture design while SOA-C03 focuses on day-to-day operations — monitoring, automation, and incident response. Many operations and administrator roles benefit from both.
Is SOA-C03 good preparation for a DevOps role?
Yes. SOA-C03 covers monitoring, automation, and infrastructure-as-code with CloudFormation — core operational skills for DevOps roles. It pairs well with AZ-400 or TF-003 for a broader DevOps skill set across clouds.
Start Project 1 free — no credit card required. See exactly how the GitHub auto-commit works before you pay anything.
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