- A
Network Load Balancer (NLB)
Why wrong: NLB operates at Layer 4 (TCP/UDP) and routes based on IP addresses and ports. It cannot inspect HTTP URL paths and therefore cannot perform path-based routing.
- B
Classic Load Balancer (CLB)
Why wrong: CLB is a legacy load balancer that does not support the advanced Layer 7 routing rules required for URL path-based routing to different target groups.
- C
Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB)
Why wrong: GWLB is designed for deploying and managing third-party virtual network appliances (firewalls, IDS/IPS). It operates at Layer 3 and does not perform application-level URL path routing.
- D
Application Load Balancer (ALB)
ALB operates at Layer 7 and supports rule-based routing based on URL path, host header, HTTP headers, and query strings. Routing /api/* to one target group and /images/* to another is a standard ALB path-based routing configuration.
Quick Answer
The answer is the Application Load Balancer (ALB). This is correct because the ALB operates at Layer 7 of the OSI model, allowing it to inspect HTTP/HTTPS request headers and route traffic based on URL paths, such as directing /api/* requests to one target group of EC2 instances and /images/* to another. This capability is known as path-based routing, a key feature that distinguishes the ALB from the Network Load Balancer, which operates at Layer 4 and cannot inspect URL paths. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of load balancer types and their use cases, often appearing as a scenario where you must match the routing requirement to the correct service. A common trap is confusing the ALB with the Classic Load Balancer, which lacks path-based rules. Memory tip: think “ALB for Application paths”—the “A” in ALB stands for Application, and it handles the application-level URL paths like /api and /images.
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 web application where requests to /api/* should be routed to one group of EC2 instances and requests to /images/* should be routed to another group. Which AWS load balancer type supports this URL path-based routing?
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
Application Load Balancer (ALB)
The Application Load Balancer (ALB) operates at Layer 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) and supports content-based routing, including path-based routing rules that direct requests to different target groups based on URL paths such as /api/* and /images/*. This makes ALB the correct choice for the described use case.
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.
- ✗
Network Load Balancer (NLB)
- ✗
Classic Load Balancer (CLB)
Why it's wrong here
CLB is a legacy load balancer that does not support the advanced Layer 7 routing rules required for URL path-based routing to different target groups.
- ✗
Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB)
- ✓
Application Load Balancer (ALB)
Why this is correct
ALB operates at Layer 7 and supports rule-based routing based on URL path, host header, HTTP headers, and query strings. Routing /api/* to one target group and /images/* to another is a standard ALB path-based routing configuration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the Layer 4 capabilities of NLB with Layer 7 routing features, mistakenly thinking NLB can handle URL-based routing because it supports TLS termination, but NLB cannot inspect HTTP path patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ALB uses listener rules with conditions (e.g., path patterns like /api/*) to forward traffic to specific target groups, each containing EC2 instances. Under the hood, ALB evaluates rules in priority order and applies the first match, allowing granular traffic distribution. In a real-world scenario, this enables microservices architectures where different URL prefixes map to separate backend services, all behind a single load balancer endpoint.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: Application Load Balancer (ALB) — The Application Load Balancer (ALB) operates at Layer 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) and supports content-based routing, including path-based routing rules that direct requests to different target groups based on URL paths such as /api/* and /images/*. This makes ALB the correct choice for the described use case.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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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