- A
Amazon EC2 with a container-optimized AMI
Why wrong: This option still requires the team to provision, manage, and patch EC2 instances, and manage the container orchestration control plane (e.g., installing Docker, managing cluster state). This does not meet the requirement of zero server management.
- B
AWS Lambda
Why wrong: AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service for running code (functions), not for running Docker containers as-is. While Lambda can package and run container images, it is not designed for running multi-container applications with persistent storage volumes in the same way as container orchestration services. Lambda also has execution time and resource limits that are not suitable for all containerized workloads.
- C
AWS Fargate
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers. It eliminates the need to provision and manage EC2 instances or the container orchestration control plane. You define your containerized application (task definition) and Fargate launches and runs the containers. Fargate also supports persistent storage through Amazon EFS or Docker volumes, meeting the storage requirement with minimal operational overhead.
- D
Amazon ECR (Amazon Elastic Container Registry)
Why wrong: Amazon ECR is a fully managed container image registry for storing, managing, and deploying container images. It does not run containers. ECR is used to store images that can be pulled by a compute service like Fargate or EC2, but by itself it cannot run the application.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Fargate. This is the correct choice because Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers that lets you run Docker containers without provisioning or managing any EC2 instances, and it also eliminates the need to manage the container orchestration control plane, as Fargate handles both Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS cluster management for you. For the persistent storage requirement, Fargate tasks can attach Amazon EFS file systems or Docker volumes, ensuring consistent access to storage volumes without additional infrastructure overhead. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of serverless container compute without managing instances, often appearing as a direct comparison to Amazon ECS on EC2 or Amazon EKS with managed node groups. A common trap is choosing Amazon ECS or EKS alone, but remember that the key phrase “without managing the orchestration control plane” points directly to Fargate. Memory tip: think “Fargate = Forget about instances and the control plane.”
CLF-C02 Cloud Technology and Services Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of cloud technology and services. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company runs a containerized application that uses multiple Docker containers. The development team wants to run these containers on AWS without provisioning or managing any EC2 instances. They also do not want to manage the container orchestration control plane. The application requires consistent access to persistent storage volumes that can be attached to containers. Which AWS service should the team use to run the containers with the least operational overhead?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Fargate
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers that allows you to run containers without provisioning or managing EC2 instances or the underlying container orchestration control plane (Amazon EKS or Amazon ECS). It directly meets the requirement of zero infrastructure management while supporting persistent storage through Amazon EFS filesystems or Docker volumes that can be attached to Fargate tasks, providing consistent access to storage volumes.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Amazon EC2 with a container-optimized AMI
Why it's wrong here
This option still requires the team to provision, manage, and patch EC2 instances, and manage the container orchestration control plane (e.g., installing Docker, managing cluster state). This does not meet the requirement of zero server management.
- ✗
AWS Lambda
Why it's wrong here
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service for running code (functions), not for running Docker containers as-is. While Lambda can package and run container images, it is not designed for running multi-container applications with persistent storage volumes in the same way as container orchestration services. Lambda also has execution time and resource limits that are not suitable for all containerized workloads.
- ✓
AWS Fargate
Why this is correct
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers. It eliminates the need to provision and manage EC2 instances or the container orchestration control plane. You define your containerized application (task definition) and Fargate launches and runs the containers. Fargate also supports persistent storage through Amazon EFS or Docker volumes, meeting the storage requirement with minimal operational overhead.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon ECR (Amazon Elastic Container Registry)
Why it's wrong here
Amazon ECR is a fully managed container image registry for storing, managing, and deploying container images. It does not run containers. ECR is used to store images that can be pulled by a compute service like Fargate or EC2, but by itself it cannot run the application.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Fargate with Amazon ECS or EKS, thinking they must choose a managed orchestration service that still requires EC2 management, but Fargate eliminates both instance and control plane management.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Fargate abstracts the host OS and kernel by running each task in its own isolated micro-VM using AWS Nitro hypervisor technology, which ensures strong security boundaries. Persistent storage is achieved by mounting Amazon EFS file systems via the NFSv4.1 protocol, or by using Docker volumes backed by Amazon EBS snapshots, though EBS direct attachment is not supported in Fargate. A real-world scenario is a stateful microservice that needs to share a filesystem across multiple containers; Fargate with EFS allows concurrent read/write access without managing any EC2 instances.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Cloud Technology and Services — This question tests Cloud Technology and Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Fargate — AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers that allows you to run containers without provisioning or managing EC2 instances or the underlying container orchestration control plane (Amazon EKS or Amazon ECS). It directly meets the requirement of zero infrastructure management while supporting persistent storage through Amazon EFS filesystems or Docker volumes that can be attached to Fargate tasks, providing consistent access to storage volumes.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on CLF-C02
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is developing a microservices application using Docker containers. The development team wants to deploy and run these containers on AWS without having to provision or manage any underlying EC2 instances. Additionally, the team does not want to manage the container orchestration control plane. They need a fully serverless compute engine for containers that automatically scales based on demand. Which AWS compute option should the team use?
medium- A.Amazon EC2 instances with Docker installed
- B.AWS Lambda
- ✓ C.Amazon ECS with the AWS Fargate launch type
- D.Amazon EKS with managed node groups
Why C: Amazon ECS with the AWS Fargate launch type is the correct choice because it provides a fully serverless compute engine for containers. Fargate eliminates the need to provision or manage EC2 instances and removes the burden of managing the container orchestration control plane, as AWS handles both the underlying infrastructure and the orchestration layer. It automatically scales container instances based on demand, meeting the team's requirement for a serverless, auto-scaling container solution.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CLF-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CLF-C02 exam.
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