- A
AWS Compute Optimizer
Why wrong: AWS Compute Optimizer provides right-sizing recommendations for EC2 instances based on historical utilization, but it does not specifically flag idle instances with low CPU utilization as a cost optimization check; it is more focused on suggesting optimal instance types.
- B
AWS Cost Explorer
Why wrong: AWS Cost Explorer is a tool for visualizing and analyzing cost and usage data. It does not proactively identify underutilized resources; it requires manual analysis to detect such patterns.
- C
AWS Budgets
Why wrong: AWS Budgets allows you to set spending limits and receive alerts when costs or usage exceed thresholds. It does not provide recommendations about underutilized resources.
- D
AWS Trusted Advisor
AWS Trusted Advisor includes a cost optimization check for 'Underutilized Amazon EC2 Instances' that identifies instances with low CPU utilization. It provides this recommendation directly as part of its best-practice evaluations.
Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Trusted Advisor, which is the correct choice because it includes a specific cost optimization check called "Low Utilization Amazon EC2 Instances" that automatically identifies EC2 instances running with CPU utilization at or below 10% over a 14-day period. This check directly addresses the finance team’s need to identify low CPU utilization EC2 instances for cost optimization, allowing them to stop or resize underused resources without manual monitoring. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of which AWS service provides prescriptive recommendations versus raw data—a common trap is confusing Trusted Advisor with Amazon CloudWatch, which only shows metrics but does not flag specific cost-saving actions. Remember the memory tip: Trusted Advisor gives you trusted advice, not just numbers; if you need a recommendation to cut costs, think of the advisor, not the watch.
CLF-C02 Billing, Pricing, and Support Practice Question
This CLF-C02 practice question tests your understanding of billing, pricing, and support. 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 several Amazon EC2 instances for development and testing purposes. The finance team wants to identify any instances that have been running with very low CPU utilization (less than 10%) over the past two weeks so they can stop or resize them to reduce costs. Which AWS tool provides this specific recommendation as part of its cost optimization checks?
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 Trusted Advisor
AWS Trusted Advisor provides cost optimization checks that include identifying Amazon EC2 instances with low utilization. Specifically, the 'Low Utilization Amazon EC2 Instances' check flags instances that have had a CPU utilization of 10% or less for the past 14 days, enabling the finance team to stop or resize them to reduce costs.
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.
- ✗
AWS Compute Optimizer
Why it's wrong here
AWS Compute Optimizer provides right-sizing recommendations for EC2 instances based on historical utilization, but it does not specifically flag idle instances with low CPU utilization as a cost optimization check; it is more focused on suggesting optimal instance types.
- ✗
AWS Cost Explorer
Why it's wrong here
AWS Cost Explorer is a tool for visualizing and analyzing cost and usage data. It does not proactively identify underutilized resources; it requires manual analysis to detect such patterns.
- ✗
AWS Budgets
Why it's wrong here
AWS Budgets allows you to set spending limits and receive alerts when costs or usage exceed thresholds. It does not provide recommendations about underutilized resources.
- ✓
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why this is correct
AWS Trusted Advisor includes a cost optimization check for 'Underutilized Amazon EC2 Instances' that identifies instances with low CPU utilization. It provides this recommendation directly as part of its best-practice evaluations.
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 often confuse AWS Compute Optimizer's right-sizing recommendations with Trusted Advisor's specific low-utilization check, but Compute Optimizer does not have a dedicated check for instances with less than 10% CPU utilization over two weeks.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Trusted Advisor evaluates EC2 instances by examining CloudWatch metrics for CPU utilization over a 14-day period, specifically checking if average CPU utilization is below 10% and if the instance has been running for at least 24 hours. This check also considers network I/O and whether the instance is covered by a Reserved Instance or Savings Plan, as those factors may affect the recommendation. In a real-world scenario, a development team might have long-running test instances that are idle most of the time, and Trusted Advisor's check helps identify these cost-saving opportunities without manual monitoring.
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 startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
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?
Billing, Pricing, and Support — This question tests Billing, Pricing, and Support — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: AWS Trusted Advisor — AWS Trusted Advisor provides cost optimization checks that include identifying Amazon EC2 instances with low utilization. Specifically, the 'Low Utilization Amazon EC2 Instances' check flags instances that have had a CPU utilization of 10% or less for the past 14 days, enabling the finance team to stop or resize them to reduce costs.
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.
About these practice questions
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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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