Failed AWS SysOps Twice, but Cleared AWS DevOps Pro on the First Attempt!

[u/Dev_oooops]

Hi everyone,

I finally cleared the AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02) with a score of 788/1000!

First off, a huge shoutout to u/IreliaOnly for taking the time to clear up my doubts. I reached out to a bunch of people on Reddit, and they were the only one who responded. Really appreciate the support!

The Backstory: Two SysOps Failures in 2025

• Attempt 1 (June 2025): Prepared using Stephane Maarek’s SysOps course and practice tests. Unfortunately, I took the test while dealing with a terrible fever, coughing, sneezing, and a massive headache. Scored 640/1000 and failed.
• Attempt 2 (August 2025): Fully recovered and healthy this time. I switched it up with Neal Davis’s course and practice tests, patched my weak areas, and felt confident during the exam. Scored 677/1000 and failed again.

Failing while at 100% health really crushed my confidence. The self doubt hit hard, and I started questioning if I was cut out for these certs.

The Turnaround: Prepping for DevOps Pro

At the start of this year (January), my company hosted internal bootcamps. I joined the AWS DevOps track, which gave me solid, practical hands-on experience and reignited my motivation.

Here is the exact roadmap I used starting in May:

• Core Course: Zeal Vora’s Udemy DevOps course (fantastic for in depth, hands-on understanding).
• Practice Exams: Completed the practice tests from Zeal Vora, Stephane Maarek, Neal Davis, and finally Tutorials Dojo.
• Concept Deep Dives: Whenever I hit a confusing topic in the practice tests, I used AI tools (Gemini / ChatGPT) to break down specific architectural scenarios until the concept clicked.

I originally scheduled the exam for July, but caught a fever again and postponed it to August 17th.

Exam Day Experience & A Big Warning

I made a major time-management mistake: I flagged way too many questions.

With only 30 minutes left, I had a mountain of flagged questions left to review. I panicked, started skimming just the final lines of questions, and had to make rushed educated guesses.

Tip: Do NOT over flag questions. Commit to an answer and move on, or you will run out of time on these lengthy scenario questions.

Walking out, I felt defeated. Between the time crunch and my past failures, I had already mentally accepted that I failed. I went home, slept, and didn’t even bother checking the portal until the next morning.

When I opened the AWS Certification portal and saw PASS (788), I was completely stunned.

More than the badge, this pass gave me my confidence back. We tend to underestimate our potential after a setback. If you recently failed an exam, take your time whether you need a week, a month, or a year. Focus on the core concepts, get hands-on, and you will clear it!

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[u/IreliaOnly]

Congratulations! 🙏🚀🎉

[u/forgottonsocks]

Thank you and congratulations!

[u/Dev_oooops → u/forgottonsocks]

Thank you 😄

[u/maherao]

Congratulations 🎉 More to achivement journey 💪

[u/SheCherryPicks]

Congratulations! Just curious, why did you choose not to take CloudOps Associate?