Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A startup is building a prototype web application on AWS and is eligible for the AWS Free Tier. They plan to use a single t2.micro Amazon EC2 instance running continuously (24 hours per day, 7 days per week), 10 GB of Amazon S3 Standard storage, and 1 GB of Amazon RDS for MySQL storage. Which of the following statements accurately describes how these services will be billed during the first 12 months under the Free Tier, assuming they stay within the Free Tier limits for each service?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
All three services are completely free for the entire 12-month period because the startup is using the Free Tier.
This is incorrect because the AWS Free Tier has specific monthly usage limits. The 10 GB of S3 storage exceeds the 5 GB free allowance, so overage charges apply.
B
Best answer
The EC2 instance usage will be free for up to 750 hours per month; the S3 storage will be free for the first 5 GB, with standard charges for the additional 5 GB; the RDS storage will be free for the first 20 GB.
This is accurate. EC2 free tier provides 750 hours per month, enough for continuous usage. S3 free tier includes 5 GB, so extra 5 GB is billed. RDS free tier includes 20 GB of storage, so 1 GB is within the free limit.
C
Distractor review
The EC2 instance usage will be free for up to 750 hours per month; the S3 storage will be free for up to 10 GB; the RDS storage will be free for up to 20 GB.
This is incorrect because the S3 free tier limit is 5 GB, not 10 GB. The startup would be charged for the additional 5 GB of S3 storage.
D
Distractor review
The EC2 instance usage will be free for the first 750 hours total over the 12-month period; the S3 storage will be free for the first 5 GB; the RDS storage will be free for the first 20 GB.
This is incorrect. The EC2 free tier limit resets monthly (750 hours per month), not as a cumulative total across 12 months. The startup would exceed the limit quickly if it were total.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A developer needs to launch a test server for a new application prototype. The developer logs into the AWS Management Console, selects an Amazon EC2 instance type, configures the security group, and starts the instance. The instance is running within two minutes, and the developer did not need to submit a formal request to the company's IT procurement team or wait for approval from a cloud administrator. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario best demonstrate?
Question 2
A solutions architect is planning a new web application on AWS. The workload will include 3 Amazon EC2 instances (t3.medium) running 24/7, an Application Load Balancer, and an Amazon RDS for MySQL db.t3.small database. The architect needs to estimate the monthly cost for the first year, considering different purchasing options (On-Demand, 1-year All Upfront Reserved Instance, and Compute Savings Plan). Which AWS tool should the architect use to create this estimate?
Question 3
A company's development team frequently needs temporary test environments. A developer can log into the AWS Management Console, select an Amazon EC2 instance type, configure storage, and launch the instance within minutes without any interaction with the IT infrastructure team. This capability is an example of which essential characteristic of cloud computing?
Question 4
A company's finance team needs to analyze AWS spending in detail. They require a report that includes hourly cost data for each AWS service, each individual resource (e.g., a specific EC2 instance), and any cost allocation tags applied. The team plans to export this data to an Amazon S3 bucket and then import it into a custom business intelligence (BI) analytics dashboard. Which AWS tool should the finance team use to generate this level of detailed cost data?
Question 5
A company uses AWS for its development environment. The finance team wants to set a monthly budget of $10,000. They want to receive an email notification when the actual costs reach 80% of the budget ($8,000) and again when costs exceed the budget. The team needs a managed AWS service that can automatically send these alerts without requiring custom code or third-party tools. Which AWS service should the team use?
Question 6
A company uses AWS Organizations to manage multiple accounts. The security team needs to enforce a policy that restricts SSH access (port 22) from the internet (0.0.0.0/0) in all VPCs across all accounts. The team wants to centrally define the allowed rules and automatically apply them to newly created VPCs and security groups, while also automatically remediating any existing non-compliant security groups. Which AWS service should the team use?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CLF-C02 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EC2 instance usage will be free for up to 750 hours per month; the S3 storage will be free for the first 5 GB, with standard charges for the additional 5 GB; the RDS storage will be free for the first 20 GB. — The AWS Free Tier includes a 12-month period for new accounts. For EC2, it provides 750 hours per month of t2.micro (or t3.micro) instances. Since 24x7 usage is 744 hours per month, this is within the limit and free. For S3 Standard, the Free Tier includes 5 GB of storage. The startup uses 10 GB, so the first 5 GB is free, and the remaining 5 GB incurs standard charges. For RDS, the Free Tier includes 750 hours of db.t2.micro instance usage and 20 GB of SSD storage. The startup uses only 1 GB of storage, so that portion is free. The correct answer (Option B) accurately states these limits. Option A is incorrect because S3 storage exceeds the 5 GB limit. Option C incorrectly states that S3 provides 10 GB free. Option D incorrectly states that EC2 is free only for the first 750 hours total (cumulative) rather than per month.
What should I do if I get this CLF-C02 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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