CLF-C02 / Domain 3 / 34%
Cloud Technology and Services
Deployment, global infrastructure, compute, database, network, storage, AI/ML, analytics, and service categories.
Official Task Statements
| Task | What to prove |
|---|---|
| CLF-3.1 | Define methods of deploying and operating in the AWS Cloud. |
| CLF-3.2 | Define the AWS global infrastructure. |
| CLF-3.3 | Identify AWS compute services. |
| CLF-3.4 | Identify AWS database services. |
| CLF-3.5 | Identify AWS network services. |
| CLF-3.6 | Identify AWS storage services. |
| CLF-3.7 | Identify AWS artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics services. |
| CLF-3.8 | Identify services from other in-scope AWS service categories. |
Concepts You Need to Understand
- Compute, storage, databases, networking, global infrastructure, deployment methods, AI/ML, analytics, integration, and management tools.
AWS services involved
- EC2
- Lambda
- ECS
- S3
- EBS
- EFS
- RDS
- DynamoDB
- VPC
- CloudFront
- Route 53
- CloudWatch
Important configurations
- Know public, private, and hybrid access patterns conceptually.
- Match service families to workloads before memorizing products.
Exam Decision Patterns
Least operational overhead
Prefer managed and serverless services when they satisfy the requirement. Exceptions appear when the scenario needs host control, unsupported runtimes, specialized network behavior, or exact migration compatibility.
Highly available
Identify the failure boundary. One instance is not HA. Multiple instances in one AZ help capacity but not AZ failure. Multi-AZ handles regional AZ faults. Multi-Region handles regional events but adds complexity and cost.
Durable
Durability is about preserving data. Use replication, versioning, backups, point-in-time recovery, and tested restore plans. A durable backup does not guarantee a low RTO.
Decouple the application
Use SQS for buffering work, SNS for fanout, EventBridge for event routing, and Step Functions for visible workflow state. Add retries, DLQs, and idempotent consumers.
Least privilege
Prefer roles and temporary credentials, scope actions/resources/conditions, watch explicit denies, and remember that resource policies may also be required.
Common Mistakes
- Choosing a service by name recognition instead of workload fit.
- Assuming every AWS service is global.
Example Architecture
Hands-On Activity
Use the AWS console service search and inspect service categories without creating resources.
For an AWS-account lab, use one of the linked mini labs and keep cleanup steps visible before you start.
Task-by-Task Study Notes
CLF-3.1 - Define methods of deploying and operating in the AWS Cloud.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.2 - Define the AWS global infrastructure.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.3 - Identify AWS compute services.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.4 - Identify AWS database services.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.5 - Identify AWS network services.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.6 - Identify AWS storage services.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.7 - Identify AWS artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics services.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
CLF-3.8 - Identify services from other in-scope AWS service categories.
This task statement is asking whether you can turn a scenario into a decision. Start by identifying the workload requirement, the control or service family involved, and the tradeoff AWS is testing in this domain.
- Translate the wording into requirements: security, operations, cost, availability, latency, governance, or data behavior.
- Choose the service or configuration that directly satisfies those requirements with the least unnecessary complexity.
- Reject options that are technically possible but miss the domain goal or increase risk without a requirement.
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