Study plan
How to Pass the ACE: L1 (Cloud Engineer: Level 1) Exam
A study plan for the ACE: L1 (Cloud Engineer: Level 1) certification exam, built from the official domain weights instead of a generic template. Begin with Arista's official ACE L1 learning path, which includes e-learning modules and hands-on lab exercises. Focus on CloudVision navigation and basic automation as these domains carry the highest weight. Use Arista's free CloudVision sandbox to practice device onboarding and configuration. Supplement with Arista EOS fundamentals if unfamiliar. Review the exam blueprint and focus on Domain 1 and 2 as they represent over half the exam. Allow 4-6 weeks of study, dedicating time each week to hands-on practice.
- 5 domains
- 125 questions
- 135 min
- 80% to pass
certilumStudy in weight order, not topic order
The plan below follows the official blueprint weights, so the order of study is the order that returns the most points.
- 1
Arista CloudVision Platform
30%- CloudVision portal navigation and dashboard
- Device onboarding and provisioning
- Configuration management and telemetry
- Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) workflows
- +1 more topics in the blueprint
38 practice questions tagged to this domain.
- 2
Cloud Networking Fundamentals
25%- Cloud computing models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
- Virtual networking concepts (VPC, subnets, routing)
- Overlay and underlay networks (VXLAN, EVPN basics)
- Network virtualization and segmentation
- +1 more topics in the blueprint
31 practice questions tagged to this domain.
- 3
Network Automation and Programmability
20%- EOS CLI basics for cloud environments
- Arista CloudVision API fundamentals (REST, gNMI)
- Automation using CloudVision Configlets
- Introduction to Ansible, Terraform with Arista
- +1 more topics in the blueprint
25 practice questions tagged to this domain.
- 4
Security and Compliance in the Cloud
15%- Cloud network security best practices
- Arista MACsec and ACLs in cloud deployments
- Monitoring and alerting with CloudVision
- Compliance checks and audit logs
- +1 more topics in the blueprint
19 practice questions tagged to this domain.
- 5
Cloud Network Design and Troubleshooting
10%- Design principles for multitenant cloud networks
- Leaf-spine architecture in cloud data centers
- Common connectivity issues and diagnostics
- Performance monitoring and telemetry analysis
- +1 more topics in the blueprint
12 practice questions tagged to this domain.
Three phases, in order
Most failures are process failures, not knowledge failures.
Phase 1 — Learn the high-weight domains
Start where the points are. The first domains on this plan carry the most weight, so a gap there costs the most. Cover the objectives, then close each topic with practice questions you actually get wrong.
Phase 2 — Close the mid-weight domains
The middle of the blueprint is where most candidates plateau. These domains are worth less per topic than the first phase, but they add up fast, and they are the usual difference between a near miss and a clear pass.
Phase 3 — Timed full mocks
Stop reading new material at this point. Run full-length exams under the real time limit and the real format, and use the per-domain breakdown to find which domain is still costing you the pass.
Where we put the emphasis
Certilum’s ACE L1 study plan breaks the broad syllabus into digestible modules with targeted practice exams that mirror the real test format. We highlight automation and CloudVision domains where candidates struggle, using diagnostic analytics to suggest focused revision.
The order matters less than the loop. Every domain you finish should end with questions you got wrong, because the mistake is the only thing you actually needed to study. On the ACE: L1 (Cloud Engineer: Level 1) that loop is worth 30% of the exam in the first block alone.
More about the ACE: L1 (Cloud Engineer: Level 1) exam
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Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the ACE: L1 (Cloud Engineer: Level 1) exam.