- A
AWS Lambda
Why wrong: AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service for running code in response to events, not for running Docker containers. It does not support container-based microservices in the same way as Fargate.
- B
Amazon ECS on Amazon EC2
Why wrong: While Amazon ECS can run Docker containers, using the EC2 launch type requires you to provision and manage the underlying EC2 instances. The requirement is to avoid server management, so this option does not meet that need.
- C
AWS Fargate
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers. It automatically manages the underlying infrastructure, scales containers based on demand, and integrates with Application Load Balancers. This meets all the stated requirements.
- D
Amazon Lightsail
Why wrong: Amazon Lightsail provides pre-configured virtual private servers. It does not offer native container orchestration, automatic scaling, or direct integration with Application Load Balancers for container workloads.
Quick Answer
AWS Fargate is the correct choice because it is a serverless compute engine for containers that lets you run Docker containers without provisioning or managing any servers, directly matching the requirement to run containers without managing servers. It automatically scales container instances based on demand and integrates natively with an Application Load Balancer for traffic distribution, making it ideal for microservices architectures. On the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the difference between container orchestration services: Fargate is the serverless launch type for Amazon ECS and EKS, while the common trap is confusing it with Amazon ECS itself (which can also use EC2 instances that require server management). A helpful memory tip is to think of Fargate as “Fargate = Forget servers” — it handles the underlying infrastructure so you only focus on your containers.
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 is developing a microservices-based application using Docker containers. The development team wants to run these containers on AWS without having to provision or manage any servers. The solution must automatically scale the containers based on demand and integrate with an Application Load Balancer for traffic distribution. Which AWS service should the team use to meet these requirements?
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 the correct choice because it is a serverless compute engine for containers that allows you to run Docker containers without provisioning or managing servers. It automatically scales containers based on demand and integrates natively with an Application Load Balancer (ALB) for traffic distribution, meeting all the stated requirements.
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 Lambda
Why it's wrong here
AWS Lambda is a serverless compute service for running code in response to events, not for running Docker containers. It does not support container-based microservices in the same way as Fargate.
- ✗
Amazon ECS on Amazon EC2
Why it's wrong here
While Amazon ECS can run Docker containers, using the EC2 launch type requires you to provision and manage the underlying EC2 instances. The requirement is to avoid server management, so this option does not meet that need.
- ✓
AWS Fargate
Why this is correct
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers. It automatically manages the underlying infrastructure, scales containers based on demand, and integrates with Application Load Balancers. This meets all the stated requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Amazon Lightsail
Why it's wrong here
Amazon Lightsail provides pre-configured virtual private servers. It does not offer native container orchestration, automatic scaling, or direct integration with Application Load Balancers for container workloads.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Lambda with serverless container services, but Lambda is for functions, not long-running containers, and Amazon ECS on EC2 is serverless in terms of orchestration but still requires server management, which the question explicitly excludes.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
AWS Fargate runs each container in an isolated environment with its own compute resources, abstracting the underlying EC2 instances. It uses the same Amazon ECS API and task definitions, but the scheduler places tasks on Fargate-managed infrastructure, automatically handling scaling via Service Auto Scaling and integrating with ALB through target groups. A real-world scenario is a microservices architecture where each service runs in its own Fargate task, scaling independently based on CPU or memory utilization, without any EC2 management overhead.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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.
- →
Cloud Technology and Services — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All CLF-C02 questions
1,024 questions across all exam domains
- →
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner CLF-C02 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
CLF-C02 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related CLF-C02 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Cloud Concepts practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Concepts.
Security and Compliance practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Security and Compliance.
Cloud Technology and Services practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Cloud Technology and Services.
Billing, Pricing, and Support practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to Billing, Pricing, and Support.
AWS shared responsibility model practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS shared responsibility model.
AWS IAM practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS IAM.
AWS pricing practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS pricing.
AWS support plans practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS support plans.
AWS S3 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS S3.
AWS EC2 practice questions
Practise CLF-C02 questions linked to AWS EC2.
Practice this exam
Start a free CLF-C02 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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 the correct choice because it is a serverless compute engine for containers that allows you to run Docker containers without provisioning or managing servers. It automatically scales containers based on demand and integrates natively with an Application Load Balancer (ALB) for traffic distribution, meeting all the stated requirements.
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
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 →
Keep practising
More CLF-C02 practice questions
- A company publishes a message each time a new product is added to its catalogue. Three services need to receive this mes…
- A media company stores frequently accessed video thumbnails in Amazon S3. The thumbnails are read multiple times every d…
- A company needs a service to translate domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses, check the health of their…
- A startup runs an application on AWS and receives a monthly bill that charges exactly for the number of compute hours us…
- A financial institution runs its core banking application on-premises due to regulatory requirements. It has connected i…
- A company wants to run a MySQL database in AWS without managing database software installation, applying patches, settin…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.